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McLoyd M. Hollowell
McLOYD M. HOLLOWELL, born
May 31, 1925 in Paris, Arkansas. Graduated
from Santa Ana, California high school in
1941. Worked as machinist for consolidated
Aircraft Corporation until quitting in 1943
to enlist in Aviation Cadets. Graduated 2nd
Lt. (class 44-F) from Luke Field three weeks
after his older brother (Mourice class 42-X)
was killed in action on a fighter sweep over
Normandy on D-Day 1944-1945. Aircraft
Maintenance Officer (AT-6). Flight Engineer School (B-29) Combat Crew Training
(B-29). Developed first engine conditioning
procedures. Assigned to base P-51 detachment. He was airborne on his first flight in a fighter one hour after his assignment using
normal checkout procedures. i.e. A lieutenant strapped him in, started the engine, tapped him on the shoulder and said "you got
it", 1946-49, 15th Fighter Group (P-51)
later changed to 81st Fighter Group
(P-51 - P47-N) flew first flight in Jug on August 17, 1946 and eventually logged 840 hours in the
P47-N. Flight Commander and Aircraft
Maintenance Officer. Periodic Group high
scorer in air to air gunnery. Initiated formation aerobatics. Flew several single ship performances in air shows. His only acknowledged trouble with the Jug was when he blew
dust with his wingtips while performing low
level aerobatics which qualified him for the
104 AW and a ninety day assignment to a
radar site. 1949-50, 81st Fighter Group
(F80A - F86A) Acting Group Operations
Officer Airborne Radar School. 1950-52,
319th F.I.S. (A W) (F94A-F94B) Senior
Pilot, Aircraft Maintenance Officer Korea
(101 combat hours), Air Medal, Training
Officer for replacement crews, Japan (Flight
Test Maintenance Officer to correct and
improve maintenance procedures for all
Lockheed aircraft operating in Korea).
1953-56, USAF Instrument School, USAF
Advance Flying School (F86 D), Flight Commander USAF Advance Flying School
(F86D), Air Training Command Flight Test
Project Officer (F86L), member Perrin
Rocket Team, Runner-up Air Training Command Instructor of the year (1954), Flew
single ship demonstration (F86D) in air
shows. 1955-58, 54th Fighter Group Group
Operations Officer, Ferried T-33 across the
north Atlantic to Portugal, set rocket firing
record at Yuma. 1958-59, H.Q. 30th Air
Division, Operations Exercise and Analysis
Officer. Command Pilot attached to 1st
Fighter Group (F86L), 18th Fighter Group
(F102) and 319thF.I.S. (F89J) for flying.
1959.60, 449th F.I.S. (F89J.F101B),
Flight Commander and Squadron Training
Officer 1960. H.Q. 11th Air Division,
Project Officer to transfer Ladd A.F.B. to
U.S. Army. 1960-63, Eielson A.F.B., Base
Operations Officer to include Search and
Rescue for northern Alaska. Formed and led
formation demonstration team in air shows.
Retired August 1963.
Planning on retiring in Alaska, he had
homesteaded 160 acres in 1959 and has also
accumulated other properties during the
interim. He taught instrument flying for the
airlines, taught at a flying school, worked as
an aircraft mechanic and finally in vehicle
maintenance with the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and the U.S. Air Force. He
resigned his position as Heavy Equipment
Maintenance Foreman in July, 1979 to
devote his time to developing his properties,
golfing and reunions.
He is divorced. Has four children and ten
grandchildren.
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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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