Oliver G. Cellini
OLIVER G. "OLLIE" CELLINI,
COL. USAF, Ret., started off in Chicago,
Illinois. He graduated from Indiana University
with a 2nd Lt's Infantry Commission and
a degree in Education. At IU he left his mark;
his picture hangs in the Indiana Athletic Hall
of Fame as a member of a National Championship Wrestling Team.
From wrestling people he went to wrestling
airplanes at Randolph and Kelly Fields
graduating as a Pursuit Pilot and 2nd Lt.
Army Air Corps in January 1939. Ollie has
flown just about everything Seversky and
Republic built up through WW II. His first
Seversky was the BT 8 used in the Pursuit
Section at Kelly. Next came the P-35's and P-43's
at Selfridge Field, Michigan.
In 1942 and early 43 Ollie commanded
first the 311th and then the 312th Jug
Squadrons at Tallahassee, Florida. A stint
with the RAF Central Instructor's Gunnery
School in Sutton Bridge, England and he was
back in the states setting up Gunnery schools,
a business in which he excelled.
July 44 to the end of WW II Ollie commanded
the 81st FG in China. Most of the
war was the Tail Busting Air Ground War.
Due to the lack of and cost of fuel every drop
was made to stretch. Besides giving the Japs
hell he managed his Group's Jugs on an
average of 76.9 gallons per hour for all of
1945.
During his career Ollie commanded five
different Groups and three different Wings
including the 51st FW in Korea flying F-80's.
Like anyone else with 32 years' service
mostly as a "died in the wool" Fighter Pilot,
he's had his share of "happy to be on the
ground" experiences, but like the true professional he is in everything he does - he is
one leader who never lost a Wing Man.
Back in 1939 Ollie married Bernice Marie
Langlois from Chicago. They have three
daughters (too much high altitude flying)
Donna, Linda and Beverly and two grandchildren.
Ollie retired from the AF as a Colonel in
Colorado Springs, Colorado and is now active
in real estate. He hobbies in gun-smithing,
shooting, golf, hunting and fishing and is still
actively flying.
Pilot Name
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Biography Summary
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John Abbotts
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P-47 transition followed at Pocatello, Idaho and Greenville, Texas after which he was assigned to the 56th Fighter Group in England. When the news of his arrival reached Berlin, Hitler retired to his bunker with his cyanide capsule and revolver. Eva found the news equally depressing.
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Asa A. Adair
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He returned to the States in August of 1944 after participating in the invasion "D" Day. He flew P-63's, P-51's, F-80's, T-33's, F-84's, T-38's, P-47's in numerous assignments during the following twenty years in in, Japan, U.S.A. and Europe before retiring after twenty-six years of Active Duty.
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Edward B. Addison
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The 507th Fighter Group, equipped with P-47N's, won the Presidential Unit Citation for destroying 32 Japanese aircraft in the air on one mission to Seoul, Korea. The average flying time for raids to Korea and Japan would be 7 to 9 hours flying time. In a total of 31 months, the 507th not only provided top cover for B-29's, but also
dive-bombed, napalm-bombed and flew low-level on strafing missions.
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Levon B. Agha-Zarian
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It is rumored that he, took his primary training on a flying rug. He flew Spits, briefly, in England, but as the, war moved to the East, he was sent to India as a Sgt. Pilot and first saw action from Ceylon, flying the Curtiss P.36, the Brewster Buffalo, and the Hurricane. At this point he might have opted for the rug! This was at the time of the fall of Singapore and the sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse.
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George N. Ahles
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Posted to A-20 light bomber squadron Barksdale Field, Louisiana. . Group moved to Hunter Air Base Savannah, Georgia. Qualified for Pilot training November 1940. Entered Aviation Cadets January 1942. Presented wings November 1942 class of 42-J. Married Mary Louise while in Advanced Pilot Training at Craig AFB, Selma, Alabama, September 1942.
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Roy J. Aldritt
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Shortly after the group moved to France he ran into some unseen flak and was forced to make a nylon descent behind the lines; some evasion and a lot of luck had him back with his unit
in 24 hours.
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Eugene J. Amaral
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After graduation from Stonington High School he enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in December 1942 and was called to active duty in March, 1943. He received his wings and commission at Spence Field, Georgia as a member of the Class of 43-C.
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Talmadge L. Ambrose
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Flew 84 missions thru VE Day, was downed by 22mm ground fire over Siefried Line. He destroyed 11 enemy aircraft, 9 known confirmed in air and on
ground, including 4 FW 190-D's in one afternoon over Hanover, Germany, April 8, 1945. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross,
Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, 17 man, Oak Leaf Clusters, Good Conduct Medal, Pacific Theatre and European Theatre Meda1s with 5 Battle
Stars and Unit Citation Medal.
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John C. Anderson
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After P-47 transition he was assigned to the 406th Fighter Group, 512th Fighter Squadron. (E.T
.0.) He flew 56 missions through January, 1945 destroying supply routes, bridges, and railroads; he also flew close support missions with the ground forces, with attacks on tanks, artillery and enemy positions.
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William Anderson
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It was not always flak,two ME-109's beat the hell out of me one day. The central controller called me and said "Basher-Red Leader do you have contact Bandits," I replied, "I sure do, I'll bring them over the field in 3 minutes, they're chasing me home." Got all the usual medals including two Belgium and two French but one I'm most proud of is the Silver Star -it is the greatest.
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