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Pilot Name
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Biography Summary
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Leonard Andrew Charpentier, MD
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He flew P-40's and P-51's as an
instructor until June, 1944 when he was
ordered to the Mediterranean Theatre with
the 85th, then the 86th, Fighter Squadrons
of the 79th Fighter Group, 12th Air Force.
Here he began his love affair with the JUG.
Charpentier flew 29 missions, over northern Italy,and southern France, against bridges, railroads, artillery, supply routes and
enemy armour as well as escort missions with
B-25's and B-26's. On August 29. 1944.
while strafing an armoured column near
Valence. France. Charpentier was shot down
by ground fire.
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Henry Chick
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The 39th was assigned P-51D's in April,
1945 and Chick's last mission in a P-47 was
April 2nd, covering a B-25 strike on Takao,
Formosa, from Mangalden, Luzon. The move
to P-51 's was not without mixed feelings. The
time spent in the Jug resulted in a great
confidence in the airplane, and a loyalty not
easy to transfer to the "tin-whistle."
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Richard Harlan Chilcott
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Take home pay as an apprentice
carpenter didn't cover other airplane
expenses, so tried crop-dusting in 1947 to fly
and eat. Better than nothing, but took off
quick for active duty during Korean war in
1951. Caught in the aircraft controller trap
for 18 months and then back to crop-dusting.
As of this writing, still churning up the air in
the San Joaquin Valley.
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James C. Coe Jr
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was sent to site A-16 at
Saint Marie du Mont, France shortly after
the Allied invasion at Normandy. Missions
flown were in ground support of the spearheading Army units. Key targets were:
Tanks, rail facilities, flak units, air fields, in
short, "anything that moved." "Vitamin's"
aircraft sustained flak damage on eleven of
the various missions he flew over Europe. On
one occasion he took a hit from the Panzer
Lear Division east of the Remagen Bridge-head which caused him to have to belly land,after managing to maneuver his Jug to the
west side of the Rhine, in a small field used by
spotter aircraft.
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Robert E. Cope
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Completed
52 combat missions in P-47's and P-51's.
Awarded Distinguished Flying Cross and the
Air Medal with. 5 clusters.
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William John Cullerton
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WWII FIGHTER ACE!
Joined Army Reserves in 1943, became a rated pilot and Second Lieutenant at Foster Field, Texas in January, 1944. Assigned to the 357SF/355th FG in August, 1944 Cullerton quickly started scoring with his first pair of 109’s near Hildesheimon August 14, scored 7 on the ground on September 12, 1944 then two more air and six on the ground on November 2, 1944 - receiving the DSC and a SS in the period. Cullerton was the first 8th AF pilot to destroy 7 and 8 in one day.
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Ernest D. Davis, Sr.
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1952 brought assignment to the 1738th
Ferry Sq. in Long Beach, Calif. where he
again flew P-47s delivering them to the
Caribbean Island Nations and South America. He then flew F-86 and F-100 jets and was
assigned as Det. Comm. at North American
Aviation. During this period he delivered jet
fighters across the North Atlantic on "High
Flights" where, as Mission Commander for
10 missions, he received an Air Medal. Transferring in 1957 to Osan AFB Korea, he was
an Operations Officer with the 311th Ftr.
Sq. where he was awarded his Command Pilot
Rating. Returning to Andrews AFB, he
served until his retirement as a Major in
1963.
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John De Brum
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Went to
flying School Bishop, Calif. to get commercial pilot's license certificate #390850 July 1943. Went to work for Army Air Force
Western Flying Training Command 8th
A.A.F.T.B. Sequoia Field Visalia, Calif., as a
primary flight instructor, in Ryan's, PT-22
and Stearman's PT-17. Applied and went to
Air Transport Command. Graduated Pilots
Class 44-B Douglas, Arizona, F/0 Service
Pilot, assigned to 556th A.A.F. Base Unit
6th Ferry Division Air Transport Command
Long Beach, Calif. Army Air Base. Sent to
Greenwood, Mississippi 590th A.A.F. Base
Pursuit School, checked out in the following
AT-6 - P-40 - P-63 - P-51 - P-47,
during my Ferrying Mission accumulated
120 hours in the P-47, also checked out in the
B-25 and AT-9.
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Robert R. Deen
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Due to lack of fuel 93rd was detached
to Gushkara, India and pilots from other two
squadrons rotated through to maintain proficiency. During 20 months in CBI managed to acquire a grand total of two combat missions;
both of which are still the lot of the interceptor pilot - early morning, not yet light, soup
on the deck and up to just above assigned
angels and "Bogey" identified as friendly
just after wheels are in the well. Only then we
had no instrument training, a bare bones
cockpit and no nav aids. Don't tell me Jug
pilots knew no fear!
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Wayne S. Dodds
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Mid 1944, Dodds
transferred to Mediterranean Theater and
assigned to the 57th Fighter Group, 66th
Fighter Squadron. The 57th was committed
to "Operation Strangle," cutting off of supplies to enemy forces in Italy. He flew 105
missions through VE Day destroying supply
routes, ammunition depots, bridges, railroads, tunnels, close support attacks on tanks
and artillery. He was downed by 20 mm
ground fire on the 54th mission and required
31 days to maneuver through enemy lines to
friendly territory.
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