Henry Chick
HENRY CHICK, born January 31,
1923 in Kansas City, Missouri. A graduate of
Central High School in June of 1940.
Attended Kansas City Junior College and
enlisted in the Signal Corps September 7,
1942. Transferred to Aviation Cadet training, arriving for Pre-flight training at Santa Ana, California, Christmas Eve of 1942.
Completed Primary at Santa Maria, California, Basic at Chico, California and Advanced at Stockton, California. Class 43-J, receiving wings Nov. 3rd, 1943. Instructed twin-engine Basic at Lemoore, California until April,1944. Re-assigned for B-17 transition and
sent to Lincoln, Nebraska. Applied for fighters, under the weight waiver, and was assigned to P-47 transition and RTU, Harding Field, Baton Rouge, Louisiana in June of 1944. Following Harding Field training,
was assigned to 5th Air Force and left December of 1944 from Camp Stoneman, Pittsburgh, California enroute to SWPA. Arrived
Nadzab, New Guinea for additional RTU In
January 1945. Assign - 35th Fighter
Group, 39th Fighter Squadron as replacement pilot flying razorbacks and bubbles. All combat missions in P-47's were flown from forward airstrips in the Philippines. These consisted of patrols, ground-support missions
and five long-range missions to Formosa, one
of which was 8 hours.
The 39th was assigned P-51D's in April,
1945 and Chick's last mission in a P-47 was
April 2nd, covering a B-25 strike on Takao,
Formosa, from Mangalden, Luzon. The move
to P-51 's was not without mixed feelings. The
time spent in the Jug resulted in a great
confidence in the airplane, and a loyalty not
easy to transfer to the "tin-whistle." The
P-51 has its good points, and many of them,
so it was. The 39th moved to Linguayen
Gulf, Luzon, Clark Field and Okinawa in
July. During a fighter sweep to Kyushu,
Japan, Chick was hit by ground fire and made
a forced landing on Tokuna Island in the
Ryukyu chain, while returning to base in
Okinawa. Destroying the radios and IFF
Chick made it safely to the reef and was
picked up by a shore party from a Navy
destroyer and taken to a PBY (OA-10) and
returned to Machinata airstrip, his home
base, on Okinawa. Following official surrender the 39th was assigned to Irrumagawa Air
Field (later Johnson Field) Japan and arrived
there October 13, 1945 having been delayed
by the infamous typhoon of October 8th.
Returning to the States in November,
1945, Chick was released from active duty in
January, 1946.
He enrolled in Louisiana State University
at Baton Rouge in June of 1947 and graduated with a Forestry degree in June of 1951.
He maintained an active participation in the
Reserves until 1958.
From September of 1951 until March of
1958 Chick was a flight instructor for Graham Aviation, a civilian primary flight training contractor for the Air Force.
Moving to Arizona in 1958, Chick has
been in the field of public education since
1960, and is presently teaching in the Paradise Valley School District in Phoenix.
Chick married Aimee Arbios, whom he met
at Stockton, California while in advanced
flight training. They celebrated their 36th
anniversary in May 1980. They have
children, Russell, Bill and Jim. As of 1980
there are three grandchildren, Shelby Ann,
Christopher and Donald Eric.
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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