| |
|
P47 Pilots Biographies, Last Name Starting With "G"
|
|
|
Pilot Name
|
Biography Summary
|
|
Charles J. Goodrich
|
First
Combat assignment 9th Air Force 362
Group 378 Squadron in England about a
month before the invasion to Normandy,
France in 1944. The 362 Group's job was to
cut off all transportation to the invasion area
which included, knocking out rail yards,
Airports, bridges, trucks, and trains. After
the invasion he moved to a field just behind
the front lines where he flew close support
attacks against tanks, guns and troop concentration where ever our troops were having a
problem.
|
|
Harold E. Goss
|
Sent overseas in October 1944 along with
200 + other pilots with various backgrounds
in instructing. Assigned 36th Fighter Group
- 9th Air Force (P-47's) along with other
pilots. Spent 3 days at 9th Air Force Headquarters - in interrogation as to our previous military experience in the Air Force and
how we came overseas without fighter training.
|
|
Quentin J. Goss
|
This Group transitioned to P-47's in mid.1943. Service with
the 327th included flying Atlantic Coast
patrol out of Langley Field; three missions
almost every 24 hours for approximately one
month and over 100 hours Jug time. The Jug
was able to tangle with the-Navy F-6's and
more than hold its own.
|
|
George M. Graber
|
Graber was sent to Richmond, Virginia for
operational training on the P-47, anticipating joining one of the final groups then being
formed. However, a crash landing in Virginia
in August resulted in a formal commendation
from First Fighter Command, but also in a
brief grounding as a result of some eye
injuries suffered in the crash.
|
|
Walter A. Grabowski
|
He got back to his outfit the end of Feb.'45 and flew 18 more missions to VE Day.
Flying wing through his 28 missions he
didn't get much chance for any victories in
the 4 or 5 times they did run into enemy aircraft.Flak was the biggest problem at this time.
Over Essen, Walt got hit by 40mm. flak that
knocked off his left wing to the pitot tube. His
Jug got him back OK but without flight
instruments Walt guesstimates he had to set
down at around 180 with about a six revolution ground-loop at the end of the pierced
plank air strip.
|
|
Gerald J. Grace
|
Flew 96 missions with 396th. One fifth
ace with one confirmed FW-190. Shot down
by ground flak near Soissons, France, Aug.
31,1944 in Germany held territory. Evaded
to 1st Inf. Div, transported to Armentierres
QY American Red Cross Ambulance back to
Laon, France exactly 24 hours after being
shot down, setting a new record for passing
thru Paris.
|
|
Walter G. Graf
|
On March 20, 1945, "Coalbox"
Red Flight of four Thunderbolts looking for
targets of opportunity crossed Speyerdorf,
the main Luftwaffe Field in the German
Palatinate at tree-top level. All four Jugs
caught heavy flak and Graf bailed out at
minimum altitude when his caught fire and
exploded. After hiding in the mountains for
the rest of the day he walked in a westerly
direction at night hoping to make it to
France. On the second night he was captured
by Wehrmacht artillerymen and taken to
German headquarters.
|
|
Jack La Grange, Jr.
|
He received his
wings and was assigned to the 78th Fighter
Group, Eighth Air Force, European Theater
of Operations, being promoted to 1st Lieutenant in June 1944. He flew 52 combat
missions (P-47) in the European Theater and
shot down six enemy aircraft.
|
|
Richard E. Grant
|
Starting to fly in 1940, he has racked up in
excess of 18,000 hours of military and civilian flying time....................
|
|
Henry Theodore Northcott Graves
|
Mr. Graves enlisted in the Army Air Corps
as an aviation cadet candidate in January,
1942. He received basic military training at
Miami Beach, Florida; aviation cadet classification at Nashville, Tennessee; received additional military/college training at Western
Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.
Attended Aviation Cadet School at Maxwell
Field, Montgomery, Alabama; took primary
flight training at Clarksdale, Mississippi;
basic flight training at Greenville, Mississippi
in advance training and received his wings at
Jackson, Mississippi. He had transition to
P-40 Fighters at Dothan, Alabama. The transition from P-40's to P-47's was at Eglin
Field, Florida.
|
|
| |
Visit our other WWII Pilot Websites
P51Pilots.com
P51 Mustang Pilots Website
This page has been visited 3120301 times.
© Copyright 2000-2006 William Frederico, Logic Mountain, and its licensors. All Rights Reserved.
Unless specifically noted, all content, photos, stories, designs, and all other material on this website are copyright
William Frederico, Logic Mountain, and its licensors. You may not copy, reproduce, disseminate, create derivative works, or distribute
any of the material on this website without the express written consent of William Frederico and Logic Mountain.
DO NOT assume that any material on this website is in the public domain - most content from outside
sources was contributed by special permission of the authors. Contact us for licensing and permission information
regarding the copying or reproduction of ANYTHING on this website!
No anti-dusting agents were used in the creation of this website.
|
|