Alan Kent Abner

Military
media-22331.jpeg UPL 22331 1st Lt Alan K Abner [Reno NV] 363FS, 357FG, 8AF USAAF.

Object Number - UPL 22331 - 1st Lt Alan K Abner [Reno NV] 363FS, 357FG, 8AF USAAF.

Assigned to 363FS, 357FG, 8AF USAAF. Fifty missions under his belt, including one where he was shot down into the English Channel and rescued.



Awards: DFC, AM (4 OLC), French Croix de Guerre.



Post War: Called back to active duty during the Korean War and served as chief of the Psychological Warfare Branch in Washington, D.C., until 1953 when he was released with the rank of Major. Authored several books, including "Dead Reckoning," an account of his experience as a WW II fighter pilot, and "Psywarriors," which detailed his work in psychological warfare during the Korean War.



- 1953, served as general manager of KFJI radio station in Klamath Falls.

- 1959, worked for KOLO Reno as an anchor and talk show host.

- 1966, worked on the gubernatorial campaign of Paul Laxalt and served as chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board before leaving the post to take over as co-owner and general managers of KSHO Channel 13 in Las Vegas.

- 1968, directed Richard Nixon's presidential campaign in Oregon and helped Nixon carry the state.

- 1972, served as executive director of Televention, a division of Columbia Pictures in New York City. He managed and anchored national coverage of the Democratic and Republican conventions. He then worked as a public relations consultant until his retirement.

Connections

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Units served with

Aircraft

A P-51D Mustang (B6-R, serial number 44-14519) of the 363rd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group in spring 1945, at Munich airbase in Germany. Handwritten on slide casing: '357 F.G.'
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Dasiy Mae
  • Unit: 357th Fighter Group 363rd Fighter Squadron

Places

Aerial photograph of Leiston airfield looking south, the control tower and technical site are to the right, 16 October 1945. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/929. English Heritage (RAF Photography).
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Theberton/Saxmundham

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Clackamas County, OR, USA 25 February 1921 Son of Warren and Sylvia Abner.

Other

Assigned

Leiston, Leiston, Suffolk IP16, UK 19 December 1944 Assigned to 363FS, 357FG, 8AF USAAF.

Other

Promotion

Leiston, Leiston, Suffolk IP16, UK 8 March 1945 Promoted 1st Lieutenant.

Died

Washoe County, NV, USA 11 December 2004 Reno Washoe County Nevada, USA.

Other

Transferred

Reno, NV, USA

Buried

Klamath Falls, OR, USA Klamath Memorial Park Klamath Falls Klamath County Oregon, USA

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list

Alan Kent Abner: Gallery (1 items)