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Robert G. Heiserman
ROBERT G. HEISERMAN, born
April 27, 1919 at West Union, Iowa. Graduated West Union High School 1936. Retail
Clothing salesman Schatz & Schatz Clothiers,
West Union, Iowa 1936 to 1941. Drafted
into U.S. Army Infantry 1941, transferred
Aviation Cadet and trained in class of 42I.
He received his wings and commission at
Spence Field, Moultrie, Ga. in October
1942. First assignment 53rd Fighter Group
14th Fighter Squadron, remained with this
squadron as an instructor in P-39's, P-40's,
P-47's and P-51's at Drew Field, Tampa,
Florida, Page Field, Fort Myers, Florida and
Venice Air Base, Venice, Florida until February 1945.
Transferred to Mediterreanean Theatre
assigned to 52nd Fighter Group, 5th Fighter
Squadron serving as Squadron Operations
Officer. Flying a total of 14 combat missions
in P-51 Fighters, mostly in escort of B-24
and B-25 bombers to Austria, Germany,
Yugoslavia and Brenner Pass. As the war
drew to a close he was also assigned strafing
missions to Northern Italy destroying railroad and highway traffic. He was awarded the
Air Medal, EAME Campaign Medal with 4
Bronze Stars, American Defense Service
Medal, American Theatre Campaign Medal
and World War II Victory Medal.
Released from active duty December 31,
1946, Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas as Captain.
Returned to civilian life entering Upper Iowa
University, graduating with Bachelor of Arts
Degree in 1949. Enrolled University of Pittsburgh and graduated May of 1950 with a
Master's Degree in Retailing. Buyer of Curtains and Draperies, Burdines Inc., Miami,
Florida 1950 to 1955. Buyer Curtains and
Draperies, Ed Schuster Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1955 to 1959. Merchandise
Manager Home Furnishing at Sibley, Lindsey & Curr, Rochester, New York 1959 to
1963, Merchandise Manager Home Furnishings, Rhodes Inc., Mountain View, California
and Portland, Oregon 1963 to 1967. Since
then owner of Turner County Motor Company, a Chevrolet dealership in Ashburn, Georgia.
He married Nancy Wardlow in 1944 and
has two children, Bob and Peggy.
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Pilot Name
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Biography Summary
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Asa A. Adair
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He returned to the States in August of 1944 after participating in the invasion "D" Day. He flew P-63's, P-51's, F-80's, T-33's, F-84's, T-38's, P-47's in numerous assignments during the following twenty years in in, Japan, U.S.A. and Europe before retiring after twenty-six years of Active Duty.
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John C. Anderson
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After P-47 transition he was assigned to the 406th Fighter Group, 512th Fighter Squadron. (E.T
.0.) He flew 56 missions through January, 1945 destroying supply routes, bridges, and railroads; he also flew close support missions with the ground forces, with attacks on tanks, artillery and enemy positions.
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W.B. 'Tex' Badger
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Eight and Ninth Air Force in WWII. B-l7's, P-51's and P-47's. Fifth Air Force in Korea, F80's and F86's. WWII and Korea, Flew 156 missions. Tactical units served in with the USAAF and USAF were: 305th BG , 368th Fighter Group, 4th Fighter Group, 49th Fighter Group, 12th Fighter Wing, 506th Fighter Wing.
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Robert T. (Bob) Bagby
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He trained in P47's at Cross City and Dale Mabry Fields, Florida and then joined the 341st FS Black Jack Squadron), 348th FG of the 5th AF in Brisbane, Australia in June 1943. Bob flew 78 combat missions in New Guinea (Port Moresby, Finchafen, Sador, Wakde and Biak) primarily as wingman to squadron CO's John Campbell and John Moore. Also privileged to fly wing to Neil Kirby on several occasions.
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Frank Baker
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After brief stops at Stone and Atcham, England he joined the 313th Fighter Squadron of the 50th Fighter Group in France. He flew 90 missions through V.E. Day. Most of the missions were close support attacks on various ground targets with a few B-26 escort missions thrown in. All of the missions took place in eastern France and southern Germany. He was awarded the Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters.
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John M. Balason
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To relieve the boredom, Balason went down on the deck and blew up a locomotive
he had observed at altitude. A few seconds after making his strafing pass he received a hit in his left wing tank and a fire started immediately in the cockpit. The paralyzing effect of the intense heat made climbing out of the cockpit impossible.
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Albert W. Barlow, Jr.
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He flew 69 escort and ground support missions. Destroyed one E/A (ME-I09). Was shot down on Sept. 8, 1944, and evaded enemy ground forces for 8 days. Was picked up by an American Recon. Unit behind the German lines. Was hospitalized until Feb. 1948, when he was medically retired with the rank of Capt. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, and Purple Heart.
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William T. Beckler
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In July, 1944 Beckler exchanged his P-40 for a P-47N Thunderbolt. Missions in the Jug covered Northern Italy and Southern France. These included escorting medium bombers. The Bombers, based in Southern Italy, would be escorted to France by Thunderbolts based on Corsica. Shortly before target the Jugs would pull ahead of the bombers and bomb the enemy gun positions.
Beckler's activities while participation in three major campaigns earned him the DFC, two Air Medals and two Presidential citations.
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Herbert R. Benson
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After training in P-47 Thunderbolts at bases in North Carolina, Virginia, and Delaware, he was
assigned to the European Theatre of operations and joined the 48th Fighter Group
493rd Fighter Squadron at St. Trond, Belgium. After flying 44 combat missions, he was awarded the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf clusters.
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Marvin C. Bigelow
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Training in the Southeast Training Command with the class of 44C, he graduated and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant single engine pilot at Marianna, Florida with the class of
44D. After checking out in the P-40 at Marianna, he transitioned in the P-47 in the Northeast Defense Command and after gunnery at Dover, Delaware was shipped on the Queen Mary to England.
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