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Pilot Name
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Biography Summary
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Donald G. Bergquist
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In late July, 1944, while still operating out of Ashford in Kent, 36 of us, armed with two 500 pounders each, went in on a low-level bombing mission to destroy a strategic bridge in Chartres, France. The objective was to destroy the abutment. Being a 2nd Lt., I was tail-end Charlie on the mission. At about 400 knots and level with the bridge, and coming in at 45 °, I had just released my two 500 pounders when I felt like I had suddenly been hit in the head with a baseball bat.
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Esther D. Berner
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The WASP training school started in Houston Nov. 1942. I was in the 3rd class (43-W,which started in Jan. 1943. I graduated July 3rd and was sent to the Air Transport Command, Ferrying Division, 2nd Ferrying Group, Wilmington, Del. Received my pursuit training at Brownsville, Texas in early
1944.
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J. Rayburn Bertrand
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They moved to Duxford Air Field south of Cambridge, England and flew their first combat mission in April 1943 in P-47 Thunderbolts. In late May 1943 Bert flew his 89th combat mission after completing an additional volunteer tour. As with most of the 8th Fighter Command the combat missions were varied and consisted of bomber
escorts, fighter sweeps, dive bombing, drive bombing, strafing etc.
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Malcolm G. Beverly
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On an escort job to Mytkina when a S.E.A.C. V.I.P- was to meet with members of
Vinegar Joe Stillwell's staff, we had already converted to the Jug D's with the "bubbly
canopy." The American squadron at Mytkina still had razor-backs and were most upset that the R.A.F. had the later model "Jugs" ahead of them. They had not at that time seen a bubbly canopy Jug. We were offered many cartons of "Lucky Strikes" and "Chesterfields" in exchange for a T.Bolt D.
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Marvin C. Bigelow
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Training in the Southeast Training Command with the class of 44C, he graduated and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant single engine pilot at Marianna, Florida with the class of
44D. After checking out in the P-40 at Marianna, he transitioned in the P-47 in the Northeast Defense Command and after gunnery at Dover, Delaware was shipped on the Queen Mary to England.
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Henry Smyth Bille
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WWII FIGHTER ACE!
Hank Bille joined Army Reserves in November 1941, trained as tank gunner, re-assigned as pilot trainees and graduated from Aloe Field, Texas as Second Lieutenant February, 1943. He joined the 357FS/355th FG just before the 355th sailed for England in July.
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Robert D. Billett
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Close support ground attacks were added to his repertoire. V.E. Day found his group stationed near Biblis, Germany, having been the first fighter group located at an air field east of the Rhine River. Lt. Billett flew 98 missions in just over five months, all in P-47's.
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I Charles R Blair
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On my first such mission, I was to fly the CO's
wing and I asked Arbo if he thought we'd get
'em off and he told me what to do if he got off.
I trailed a little behind him and saw that he
was using all the runway - and then he was
off! - I shot the 'water' to "Miss Lou" and
soon I was off and flying! Gosh dog!"
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Alfred M. Bolender
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Involved in two crashed aircraft. One on a routine training flight in England and the other a result of chasing a Me-262 in Belgium. In the latter he was rescued and dug out of the overturned P-47 by a Belgium farmer and in five days was returned to England.
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Maj, Gen. Jones E. Bolt
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Dad spent 13 months in Stalagluft III and was on the deathmarch in December 1944... he continued with a carreer that spanned 33 years and my father was one of the first 4 Thunderbirds when they were flying P-80's and needed to come up with an arial demonstration team to recruit new officer candidates for the newly formed USAF.
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