Last Name: |
|
|
First Name: |
|
Nickname: |
|
Born/Died |
March 11, 1917 / January 17, 1978 |
|
Hometown: |
|
Squadron: |
First Pursuit Squadron “Adam and Eves” |
|
Position: |
|
Victories |
|
Decorations: |
Distinguished Flying Cross, Presidential Unit Citation
|
|
Pre AVG: |
Graduated from Bowdoin College, Maine, in 1939. In 1940 was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps Reserves at Kelley Field, Texas. Served as a flight instructor in Texas prior to resigning his commission to join the American Volunteer Group in 1941.
|
AVG Service: |
In September of 1941, he left San Francisco aboard the Dutch liner Zaandam bound for Rangoon, Burma, and finally Yunnan-yi, China, as a flight instructor for the Chinese Air Force. He fought with the AVG as a wingman for the First Pursuit Squadron until the group disbanded on July 4th, 1942. He volunteered for an additional 2 weeks duty as the transition from the AVG to the 14th Air Force was completed.
|
Post AVG, WWII: |
At the end of July 1942, he joined the CNAC and was checked out as a pilot on August 29, 1942. By the end of the war, he had flown 226 1/2 round trips over the “Hump.”
|
|
Post War Career: |
Loane piloted with CNAC until September 30, 1947, having logged over 4000 hours in the C-46, C-47, and DC-4 airplanes. He then became a pilot for CAT and continued flying in China until the communist takeover. After returning to the States, he was hired by the Flying Tiger Line and flew as a Captain until retiring in 1977. He passed on to “Hogy Taw” in January 1978.
|
|