Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Madison, Wisconsin
Honored By
Marge Pritchett
Relationship
daughter
He enlisted in the U. S. Army Air Forces in Madison, Wisconsin, March 16, 1943, just before his 18th birthday. After basic training, he was assigned to Lincoln Army Airfield, Lincoln, Nebraska, for flight training as an aviation cadet from January 14, 1944, to January 31, 1945. According to his flight log, his initial flight training took place at Corsicana Airfield, Corsicana, Texas, in the Fairchild PT-19A “Cornell,” a tandem seater, with the student pilot upfront, the instructor pilot in the rear. He soloed on June 12, 1944, after a total of 8 hours and 43 minutes of flight time with a civilian instructor. Subsequent flight training took place in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the Vultee BT-13 “Valiant,” which was both faster and heavier than the PT-19A due to its more powerful engine. By mid-1945, he had completed training in the twin-engine Beechcraft AT-10 “Wichita” (MOS 1051 – pilot, two-engine), which was used to prepare pilots for multi-engine bombers. He had just completed training as a copilot in the Consolidated B-24 “Liberator” bomber when the war ended. He was honorably discharged as a second lieutenant at Lincoln Army Airfield, Lincoln, Nebraska, November 21, 1945.