Orvil L Burwell
MilitaryAugust 1944-EOW; /Ray/; P-51D-15-NA PI-D 44-14973 /Lady Doris/
Ray Burwell and Andy Andrino enlisted at the same time and went through basic, preflight and primary flight training together. In primary flight training they met and became friends with Bill Crump and the three stuck together all the way to Martlesham Heath.
Cadet Class 44-B, Basic at Goodfellow Field in San Angelo, TX, Advanced at Moore Field, Mission, TX; in England from 7/44-11/45; flew P-47s & P-51s in 69 missions, 305 combat hours; crash landed at Manston RAF Station after being shot over Holland during the Holland Invasion, P-47 engine quit due to loss of oil, view obstructed by oil so opened canopy & touchdowned looking out, hit runway, rt. gear collapsed & propellor hit, plane full of holes, salvaged only the clock & gun camera, Flt. Leader - Capt. Fletcher;
On 16 June 1945, Ray married Doreen Bolton, a young British woman from Ipswich. He had met her by chance at a Myra Hess concert in London and they had started going to local dances together. His request to marry had initially been turned down by Group CO Col. Tukey but somehow Ray's request reached Tukey's superior, Gen. Edward W Anderson, and he had approved it.
After WWII, Burwell was 5 years in active reserve & 20 years active duty, served in Vietnam.
Ray died in 2001, but Doreen is still going strong aged 92, and keeps in touch with Ed Nebinger and his wife Marge.
DFC/ AM w/ 7 Oak Leaf Cluster
1 in Air, 2 on Ground
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Other
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 356th Fighter Group 360th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19092375 / O-711900
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: British
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 356th Fighter Group 360th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 333153 / O-710961
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 356th Fighter Group 360th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-818410
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Lady Doris
- Unit: 356th Fighter Group 360th Fighter Squadron
Places
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
14 August 1923 | ||
Enlisted |
24 October 1942 | Merced AAF, California | |
Other Promotion |
23 April 1944 | Promoted to Captain. | |
Based |
20 August 1944 - 1 May 1945 | Assigned to 360FS, 356FG, 8AF USAAF. | |
Based |
1 May 1945 | Transferred to 3GTTF. | |
Other Married Doreen Bolton |
16 June 1945 | ||
Died |
14 November 2001 | ||
Buried |
17 November 2001 | San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery Santa Nella, Merced County, California | |
Other End Tour of Duty (ETD) |
Ended Tour of Duty (ETD). | ||
Other Promotion |
Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. | ||
Other Pilot training |
Flight training - Basic at Goodfellow Field, San Angelo, Texas. Class 44-B. | ||
Other Pilot training |
Flight training - Advanced at Moore Field, Mission, Texas. Class 44-B. |
Revisions
'Lady Doreen' by Edward M Nebinger, a memoir of his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot with the 356th Fighter Group, published in 2013.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roster from ESCORT The 356th Fighter Group Over Europe 1943-1945 by Kent D. Miller / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list / self