World War II Honoree

Hilliard S. 'Bud' Price

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Grangeville, Idaho

Honored By

Joseph A. Bligh

Relationship

Co-Retiree, Northrop Aircraft

WAS TRAINED TO FLY VARIOUS MILITARY AIRCRAFT, INCLUDING MULTI-ENGINE TYPES. DURING COMBAT, WAS CO-PILOT OF THE B-24 LIBERATOR 4-ENGINE BOMBER. PARTICIPATED IN BOMBING OFFENSIVE (CODE NAMED OPERATION TIDAL WAVE) OF THE VAST OIL FIELDS OF PLOESTI, RUMANIA FROM BASES IN NORTH AFRICA. THIS CAMPAIGN STARTED IN 1943 AND SUFFERED MANY LOSSES DUE TO THE STRONG GERMAN FIGHTER DEFENSES AND LONG DISTANCES TO FLY. FOLLOWING HIS TOUR IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS, WAS REASSIGNED AS A TEST PILOT AT THE ARMY AIR FORCES BASE IN DAYTON, OHIO.