February 1943-August 1944 P-47D-20-RE OC-P 42-76405 /Mad Marion/



Enlisted as Aviation Cadet 15 Jan 1942; Pre-flight at Maxwell; Primary at Bennettsville, SC; Basic at Macon, GA; Advanced at Dothan, AL, Class 43A 14 Jan 1943. Arrived at MH Sept 43 from Grenier Fld, NH via Brit merchant ship. Departed MH 22 Aug 44, RTU Providence, RI via the Queen Mary.

First mission 22 Oct 43. Last mission 27 July 44 for total of 99 missions.

2 1/2 EA destroyed in the air. 300 total combat hours.



Memories: The awesome sight of B-17s & B-24s ploughing through flak that was indeed thick enough to walk on. What courage! Most vivid was the incredible armada in the Channel that was revealed by the dawn on D-Day. The saddest is remembering those who fell.



DFC (2OLC), AM (3OLC), ACM, EAME Campaign Medal with at least one bronze service star, and WW II Victory Medal during WWII.



He retired as a Colonel and earned the Legion of Merit as Major and the Air Force Commendation Medal in 1960 as a Lt Colonel and surely more service awards. His service appears to span from 1942 to 1968/69.