World War II Honoree

Buford 'Buf' Curtis Beach

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Mission, Texas

Honored By

Cynthia Beach Cagle and Coral Beach

Relationship

Daughters

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN 1943 AND DISCHARGED IN APRIL 1946. HE WAS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND CHECK OUT PILOT IN THE ARMY AIR FORCE DURING WWII. IN 1940, AT THE AGE OF 17, HE WAS FLYING COMMERCIALLY AS A CROP DUSTER IN THE TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY, PERFORMING AN 'ESSENTIAL OCCUPATION' WHICH WAS EXEMPTED FROM THE DRAFT. HE JOINED THE ARMY AIR FORCE IN 1943, COMPLETING HIS BASIC TRAINING IN BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIA, WHICH INCLUDED TRAINING IN STEARMAN AND UC-78 AIRCRAFT. HIS ADVANCED TRAINING WAS AT THE WEST COAST TRAINING CENTER IN LA JUNTA, COLORADO, WHERE HE CHECKED OUT IN B-25 AIRCRAFT. HE REMAINED STATIONED THERE WHERE HE BEGAN TAKING PILOT TRAINEES OUT ON CHECKOUT FLIGHTS, INCLUDING CLASSES OF MAINLAND CHINESE TRAINEES. HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO DEL RIO, TEXAS TO CHECK OUT IN B-26 AIRCRAFT. AS THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF HIS GROUP, HE WAS ADDITIONALLY ASSIGNED TO CONDUCT CLOSE ORDER DRILLS. BEFORE MODIFICATIONS AND RE-TRAINING MADE IT A MUCH SAFER AIRCRAFT, THE B-26 INITIALLY RECEIVED THE REPUTATION OF A 'WIDOWMAKER' DUE TO THE EARLY MODELS' HIGH RATE OF ACCIDENTS DURING TAKEOFF AND LANDINGS. THERE WERE 9 CRASHES IN ONE WEEK DURING HIS TIME IN DEL RIO. THESE AIRCRAFT HAD ALSO PROVEN PRONE TO FUEL LEAKS, AND HE INITIATED HIS OWN 'NO SMOKING' POLICY ON HIS FLIGHTS. HE WAS NEXT STATIONED AT RANDOLPH FIELD, WHERE HE CHECKED OUT ON THE AT-6, FOLLOWED BY ASSIGNMENT AT LACKLAND, AIR FORCE BASE IN WACO, TEXAS, WHERE HE CONTINUED FLYING B-25 AIRCRAFT. V-E DAY WAS CELEBRATED DURING THIS ASSIGNMENT. UNTIL HIS DISCHARGE IN APRIL 1946, HE CONTINUED HIS SERVICE BY COVERING THE WESTERN STATES HELPING TO CLOSE AIR BASES, AND ON HIS FINAL ASSIGNMENT IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH AT AN OVERSEAS REPLACEMENT CENTER.