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Frank N. King
FRANK N. KING, born March 6,
1920, at McCormick, S.C. Enlisted Aviation
Cadet, January 1942. Completed pilot training
9 October 1942, Moore Field, Mission,
TX. Class 42-1, Assigned 353rd Ftr. Gp.
Norfolk, Va. Flew P-40, later P-47. Arrived
ETO 6 June 1943. Completed gunnery at
Goxhill. Flew combat from Metfield and
Raydon. Participated in air offensive -
Europe. Fighter sweeps, bomber escort, dive
bombing, and strafing. Was on Schweinfurt
and 1st Berlin missions. Also 1st dive bombing missions in P-47. Escorted from 100 to
2,000 bombers. Credited with 105 missions.
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and
cluster, Air Medal and 3 clusters. After
combat, transferred to 27th Air Transport
Group, Belfast, Ireland. Flew new aircraft to
combat bases, including P-47, P-51, P-38,
B-26, A-26, B-24, B-17, and C-47. Flew
troops and cargo in ETO. Flew spotter cub to
Paris. from Scotland. Toured Paris prior to
troops entering. Returned to States October 1,1944. Assigned P-47 combat instructor at
Richmond, Va. Completed tour as test pilot.
Released Active duty August 27, 1945. Terminal leave promotion to Captain. Employed
in printing industry. Graduated Temple University-Business Administration. As reservist
flew AT-6 late 40's. Assigned Troop Carrier
Wing 1951. Flew C-46 and C-119. As Squadron Ops and Squadron Commander the
squadron was awarded the Air Force Flying
Safety Award for ten years accident free
flying. Flew cargo and personnel stateside
during Korean War. Called to AD for Cuban
Crisis. Transported troops and equipment
during riots in the cities - 1960's. At
Operations control for Dominican flare up,
and for ferrying C-119's to India and Vietnam. Instructed Vietnam pilots in C-119.
Task for the Commander for specific Air
Force/ Airborne Alaska operations. Retired
from Reserve flying in 1971 as Colonel.
Graduated from the Industrial College of the
Armed Forces and from the Air War College.
Civilian occupation as Training Director
Skilled occupations, State of N.J., U.S. Dept.
of Labor.
Married to Ruth Ludlam 1944. Two children, Susan and Carol.
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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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