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James Frederick Bultman
JAMES FREDRICK BULTMAN,
born in Madison, Wisconsin on December
14, 1924. Graduated from East High School
in June 1942. Enlisted April 1943 and
graduated from flying school at Spence
Field, Moultrie, Georgia, class of 44F.
Flew P-47 at Camp Springs, Maryland
(now Andrews AFB) with gunnery at Millville,
New Jersey. Joined the 413th Fighter
Squadron, 414th Fighter Group at Selfridge
AFB, Michigan. Completed training at
Bluethenthal AFB, Wilmington,North Carolina
and Sent overseas in June 1945. Stationed
on Iwo Jima. Flew some patrols and
the last long range mission of the war. This
mission, from Iwo Jima to Tokyo and return,
was 8 hours long. We were over Tokyo
Harbor when General MacArthur accepted
the Japanese surrender.
Discharged in September 1946. Returned
to Madison, Wisconsin and enrolled at the
University of Wisconsin. Married Ellen Parker
in December 1947. Now have four children:
Janice, who is married, Jennifer, John
and Jamie and a baby grandddaughter, Stephanie
Bogott.
Charter member of the 176th Fighter
Squadron, Wisconsin Air National Guard at
Madison, Wisconsin October 1948. Graduated
from University of Wisconsin, B.S. in
Mechanical Engineering in June 1950.
Recalled for Korean conflict in February
1951 - stationed at Truax Field, Madison.
Flew F-51's and later F-89's. Spent three
months with the 179th Fighter Squadron at
Duluth, Minnesota prior to discharge in
October 1952.
Employed at Gisholt Machine Company,
Madison, Wisconsin as a Mechanical Engineer
in 1952 and returned to 76th Fighter
Squadron, Wisconsin Air National Guard.
Retired from the Guard in December 1968 as
a Lt. Col.
Presently live in Janesville, Wisconsin.
Employed at Gilman Engineering & Mfg. as
a Project Engineer in the Balancing Machine
Section.
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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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