| Last Name: |
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| First Name: |
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| Nickname: |
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| Born/Died |
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| Hometown: |
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| Squadron: |
| Third Squadron – Hell’s Angels |
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| Position: |
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| Victories |
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| Decorations: |
| Bronze Star, Presidential Citation |
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| Pre AVG: |
U.S. Air Corps Sgt. 1st class Air Mechanic Instrument Specialist – 1939 to 1941 Airplane Mechanic School and Instrument Specialist School at Chanute Field, Rantoul, IL. Mechanic at Langley Field, VA. and Mitchell Field, NY. Worked on P-36, YP-37, P-40, YFM-1 and B-10 aircraft. |
| AVG Service: |
I am one of the ‘first thirty’ to leave the U.S. for service in the AVG. My pilot, “Duke” Hedman, became the first Ace in the AVG. Many years after having been honorably discharged from the AVG, I was awarded a Bronze Star Medal. |
| Post AVG, WWII: |
| I reenlisted as M/Sgt in the U. S. Air Force and served in the 12th AF in North Africa and Italy, supporting Montgomery’s British 8th Army and the U.S. 5th Army. Volunteered for B24 training. Thanks to the atomic bomb, I was discharged in 1945. |
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| Post War Career: |
| Went to school in Cleveland, OH to get my A&E license. Worked for Eastern Air Lines, Newark, NJ. Left EAL to work for J. Paul Getty, rebuilding aircraft for Israel. Left Getty to become Inspector for Philadelphia Ordnance District. Left P.D.D. to become master mechanic for Heppenstall Forge & Machine Shop, New Brighton, PA. Supervised building construction electro plating plant, Zelienople, PA. Left Zelienople to become maintenance supervisor for Vulcan Mold & Iron in Latrobe, PA. Retired as Maintenance Engineer. |
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