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P47 Pilots Biographies, Last Name Starting With "C"
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Pilot Name
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Biography Summary
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Donald T. Colson
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Colson joined the 358th Fighter Group,
367th Fighter Squadron and flew 67 missions. Most of the missions entailed dive
bombing and strafing of railroad marshalling yards, air fields, rail lines, "targets of
opportunity," and in ground support of Patton's troops as they moved across Germany. A few were escort missions.
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Gordon B. Compton
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Usually a wingman or
element leader, he had 130 operational
hours before his first aerial victory, a JU-88,
22 February 1944. This followed a strafing
attack on a German airfield during which the
351st Commander and leading 8th AF Ace,
Walter Beckham, caught flak, bailed out and
was captured. Six days later G.B's P-47
caught fire on approach for landing at his
home base. He walked away from the crash,
but while he was hospitalized the tour was
increased to 300 hours, i.e., when he
returned to combat 20 May, he had 158
hours to go rather than 58. C'est la guerre!
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Paul Conger
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Paul flew with the 61st Squadron
under the command of Francis Gabreski. On
his first tour and then his second tour was
with the 63rd Squadron. He logged a total
of 560 combat hours consisting of 168 missions from England to the Continent. The P-47 was the only bird for the 56th Fighter
Group during the entire W .W .II.
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John E. Connor
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Arrived at
Royal Air Force grass strip 419, North of
Christchurch, England, March 1944 and
back in P-47s. Full swing into pre-invasion
bombardment. 3 missions on "D" Day over
Omaha Beach Head. Flying out of Normandy
from 5 July. Bombed out of his P-47 in an
apple orchard North of St Lo on 24 July by
heavies from 8th Air Force on a short fall
bombing for the breakout attempt from the
Peninsula. Covered Patton's armored across
France into Belgium in time to get into the
Battle of the Bulge.
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Robert G. Cooney
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We were the first to use napalm against the
Japanese and the first to go on the longest
fighter flight deep in to Honshu. The new
'Jug' proved to be a tough long range fighter
and a 'cut' above any other fighter in the
Pacific. Though our stay in the Pacific was
short-lived, we feel our efforts and record was
of major importance in bringing about the
rapid conclusion of the Japanese war.
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George E. Cooper
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Joining the 412th in May, 1944, he flew
a variety of aerial cover missions prior to and
including D-Day, and subsequently completed his 81 missions with the 9th Air Force, primarily in ground support, being credited
with four aircraft shot down in aerial combat,
two F-I09's and two F-190's, two each on
two missions
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Robert E. Cope
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Completed
52 combat missions in P-47's and P-51's.
Awarded Distinguished Flying Cross and the
Air Medal with. 5 clusters.
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Loye M. Copeland
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After P-47
training in Pocatello, Idaho, was assigned to
the 65th Sq. 57th Gp. 12th AF in Italy. Had
40 combat missions. Bailed out of burning
Thunderbolt after being hit by ground fire
while on a strafing run near Padua, Italy in
March, 1945. Was knocked out while leaving
plane, but found 'chute open when consciousness
regained about 200 feet above
ground.
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Joseph F. Cork, Jr.
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. After the hostilities ended, the
414th Fighter Group flew to Clark Field via
a stop at Okinawa. Given extra duty as Group
Mess Officer. . . discovered a Black Market
Ring operating out of our main Mess Hall.
Working closely with the cooperation of our
Base Commander and Counter Intelligent
Officers, he infiltrated the huge Black Mar-
ket Ring composed mainly of local Fillipinos.
Within one week rounded up almost the
entire Ring. Facing death threats from other
local Fillipinos, he escaped the Clark Field
area with official permission from Major
General Worthsmith to be re-assigned to
Bagio, Philippines.
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Donald J. Corrigan
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Following a winter in Millville, New Jersey
they boarded the Queen Mary for England.
Flying first from Metfield and later Raydon,
Corrigan flew 66 combat missions both high-
cover escort and tactical dive bombing strikes
in Western Europe.
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