World War II Honoree

Paul J. 'PJ' Greene

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Clarendon, Texas

Honored By

Dave Evans

Relationship

Friend

A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AT RANDOLPH FIELD IN 1941. IN THE SUMMER OF 1941 A RECRUITER FOR AN ORGANIZATION BEING FORMED TO GO TO CHINA, TO PROTECT THE BURMA ROAD, ARRIVED AT RANDOLPH FIELD. JOINED WHAT WAS OFFICIALLY CALLED THE AMERICAN VOLUNTEER GROUP. THIS GROUP WOULD BECOME WORLD FAMOUS AND MORE COMMONLY CALLED BY THEIR NICKNAME, THE FLYING TIGERS. SERVED UNDER COLONEL CLAIRE LEE CHENNAULT AS A FLIGHT LEADER IN THE 3RD SQUADRON, THE HELL'S ANGEL'S. PARTICIPATED IN THE FIRST AIR COMBAT OF THE 3RD SQUADRON OVER RANGOON, BURMA ON DECEMBER 23, 1941. SHOT DOWN A JAPANESE 77TH SENTAI 'NATE', BUT WAS HIMSELF SHOT DOWN. HE WAS STRAFED IN HIS PARACHUTE, BUT SURVIVED BY DUMPING AIR TO SPEED UP HIS DESCENT. IN APRIL OF 1942 HE SHOT DOWN A JAPANESE KI-43. THIS GAVE HIM A TOTAL SCORE OF 2 AIRCRAFT WITH THE AMERICAN VOLUNTEER GROUP. WHEN THE GROUP DISBANDED ON JULY 4, 1942, HE RECEIVED HIS HONORABLE DISCHARGE. MADE HIS WAY BACK TO THE U.S. AND REJOINED THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES AS A 2ND LIEUTENANT AND ADVANCED TO THE RANK OF MAJOR. HE WAS THE DIRECTOR OF GUNNERY TRAINING AT MADIGAN AIR BASE IN TEXAS. ADVANCED TO THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL AND COMMANDED THE 97TH FIGHTER SQUADRON, 82ND FIGHTER GROUP IN THE 15TH U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE AND WAS SENT TO ITALY. HIS SQUADRON FLEW LOCKHEED'S P-38 LIGHTNING AND IS CREDITED WITH SHOOTING DOWN A GERMAN FIGHTER AND FLYING 50 MISSIONS. HE RETURNED TO THE U.S. AND WAS ASSIGNED TO THE PENTAGON'S FIGHTER BRANCH.