Rufus Clyde Ward
MilitaryCurtis Field, Texas 1945 Classbook.
R.C. Ward learned to fly in the 1930's at Love Field, Dallas, Texas. Learned of the Clayton Knight Committee recruiting American pilots for the RAF in 1940 and first went to RCAF at Camp Borden Toronto as a pilot instructor. After 6 months there, discharged from RCAF, commissioned as Pilot Officer in RAF, sailed for England and assigned to 71 Eagle Squadron. One of the oldest pilots at 28, was nicknamed Pappy, which followed him the rest of his life. Best friends in 71 (Eagle) Squadron were Bill Dunn, Pete Provenzano, Wendell Pendleton. Ended the war in USAAC with over 3,000 flying hours, Senior Service Pilot designation.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Brownwood, TX, USA | 17 July 1911 | Son of A J Ward. |
Other RCAFSR |
Canada | 18 September 1940 - 9 December 1940 | Joined Royal Canadian Air Force Special Reserve. Instructor pilot, rank of Tech Sergeant. Assigned to Camp Borden, Toronto. |
Other RAFVR |
Sutton Bridge, Spalding PE12, UK | 4 February 1941 | Commissisoned Pilot Officer in RAF Volunter Reserve, sailed for England from Halifax with 3 other Americans where they would all join 56 OTU for operational training. |
Other Assigned |
Martlesham Heath, Martlesham, Ipswich, UK | 19 April 1941 | Assigned to 71 [Eagle] Sqn RAF 19-4-41. |
Other Returned to USA |
Tulsa, OK, USA | 9 September 1941 - 28 June 1943 | Civilian flying instructor at Spartan School of Aeronautics. |
Other Commissioned into USAAC |
San Antonio, TX, USA | 30 August 1943 - 22 July 1945 | Left Spartan to enlist in US Army Air Corp, direct commission to 1st Lt. Assigned to 8th Service Command training pilots in Brownwood, Brady and Coleman Texas for duration of war. |
Died |
Dallas, TX, USA | 24 March 1983 | Died March 24, 1983 in Dallas, Texas. |
Buried |
Ridgeview Memorial Park Allen, Collin County, TX | 27 March 1983 | Ridgeview Memorial Park Allen, Collin County, Texas |
Revisions
I am the son of Rufus Clyde Ward. I have his logbooks, and have done extensive research on his military career.
EAGLES of the RAF - The World War II Eagle Squadrons by Phillip D Caine.
http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/people_details.php?PeopleID=3734
https://fold3.com/page/52506720_rufus_c%20ward/details/
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbapi.asp?Pilot=Ward%2C+Rufus&Su…
EAGLES of the RAF - The World War II Eagle Squadrons by Phillip D Caine.
http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/people_details.php?PeopleID=3734
https://fold3.com/page/52506720_rufus_c%20ward/details/
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbapi.asp?Pilot=Ward%2C+Rufus&Su…