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THE PILOTS OF THE 56TH FIGHTER GROUP


56th FIGHTER GROUP

Created in January 15th, 1941 as part of the expansion of the AAF immediately prior to World War II, the 56th FG was the first fighter group to receive and operate the P-47 Thunderbolt fighter.

The following section displays various photographs pertaining to the 56th headquarter's group.

View the people of the 56th group:


George F Hall
Ace
McGaright
David C Schilling
Ace
Tausiaint
H Zemke
Ace

Durrame


View the 56th group facilities and related photos:



The following are photos that were not identified by fighter squadron but are assumed to be personnel belonging to the 56th group:


Parsins 1351
Unknown 1
Ralph A Johnson
Albright
Unknown 2

Cathers
Cohen
Colver
medical


The 56th group was divided into 3 fighter squadrons; the 61st, 62nd and 63rd. The following sections provide information about those groups.

Here is a list of the aircraft markings for the various groups:

Marking Squadron
HV 61st Fighter Squadron
LM 62nd Fighter Squadron
VN 63rd Fighter Squadron



61st fighter Squadron

When P-47M's appeared in January 1945, each squadron adopted an individual camouflage scheme on upper surfaces while lower surfaces of the fighters were left unpainted. The 61st used a matte black color that faded to a dark purple.

Towards the end of the war, the 61st Fighter Squadron flew missions at 10,000 feet.

Here are some photographs of the pilots and personnel of the 61st fighter Squadron.


Post
Status:
Robert H Johnson
Status: Ace
Carter
Status:
Donovan F. Smith (Dieppe)
Status: Ace

Maj. Paul A. Conger
Status: 		Capt. Robert Wetherbee
Status: (KIA) 		Maj. Robert A Lamb
Status: 		Maj. Loren G McCollum
Status:
Lt. Justus D Foster
Status: 		Capt. Robert S Johnson
Status: 		Maj. Donovan F "Dieppe" Smith
Status: 		Lt. Arthur J Bux, Jr.
Status:
Lt. Justus D Foster
Status: 		Lt. Claude Mussey
Status: 		Lt.Col. Leslie Smith
Status: 		Lt. William R Aggers
Status:
Lt. John T Allen
Status: 		Richard H. Allison
Status: 		Lt. Milton Anderson
Status: 		Robert E. Bachand
Status:
Capt. Eugene E Barnum
Status: (KIA) 		Fred E. Barrett
Status: 		Louis T. Barron
Status: (KIA) 		Capt. Victor E Bast
Status:
Oscar M. Belk, Jr.
Status: 		Bruce T. Benton
Status: 		Lt. Hiram O Bevins
Status: 		Albert Biales
Status:
Capt. Gordon J Blake
Status: Lost 18 Nov 44 - POW 		Charles R. Bond
Status: 		Lt. Norman E Brooks
Status: 		Lt. Cleve M Brown Jr.
Status: Lost 1 Dec 43 - POW
Maj. James R "Jim" Carter
Status: 		William D. Clark
Status: 		Lt. James J. Clark
Status: 		Philip J. Clinton, Jr.
Status:
Capt. Joseph R Curtis
Status: 		Lt. Jack D DeMars
Status: Lost 18 Nov 44 - KIA 		Lt. Allen E Dimmick
Status: Lost 21 Jan 44 - KIA 		Charles A. Dudley
Status:
Merle C. Eby
Status: (KIA) 		Herbert J. Edwards
Status: 		Ed Ellis
Status: 		Lt. Donald M Funcheon
Status: Lost in this a/c 22 March 44 - KIA
Col. Francis "Gabby" Gabreski
Status: 		Capt. Steven N "Steve" Gerick
Status: 		Arthur H. Gerow
Status: 		Lt. William D Grosvenor Jr.
Status: Lost in this a/c 30 Nov 43 - Evaded.
Jack J. Haek
Status: 		Lt. Samuel D Hamilton, Jr.
Status: 		Lt. William M Hartshorn
Status: Lost 18 Sept 44 - POW 		Lt. William M Heaton
Status: Lost 5 Sept 44 - KIA
Jack D. Hedke
Status: (KIA) 		Richard M. Heinemann
Status: 		Reginald A. Herin, Jr.
Status: 		Lt. Earl Hertel
Status: Lost 5 Sept 44 - POW
Luther P. Hines, Jr.
Status: (KIA) 		Lt. Robert W Hoeflein
Status: 		Lt. William W McElhare
Status: 		Herbert R. Holtmeier
Status:
Lt. Jack W Horton
Status: Lost 30 July 43 - KIA 		William R. Hudson
Maj. Gerald W "Jerry" Johnson
Status: Lost 27 March 44 - POW 		Lt. Richard H. Johnson
Status:
James M. Jure
Status: 		Capt. Robert J Keen
Status: 		Ernest Kish
Status: 		Lt. Frank W "Klib" Klibbe
Status:
John Kozey
Status: 		Lt. Edward J Kruer
Status: Lost 11 Dec 43 - KIA 		Lt. Russell S Kyler
Status: 		1Lt. Robert A Lamb
Status:
Capt. Witold A. "Lanny" Lanowski
Status: 		George E. Levkulich
Status: 		Edward B. Lightfoot
Status: 		Lt. William A Marangello
Status: Lost 31 Dec 43 - KIA
Lt. Arthur C Maul
Status: Lost 7 Aug 44 - KIA 		David L. Mauldin
Status: 		Capt. Frank E "Mac" McCauley
Status: 		Maj. Loren G McCollum
Status:
Lt. Evan D McMinn
Status: Lost 6 June 44 - KIA 		Capt. Richard H Mudge
Status: Lost 15 April 44 - POW 		Lt. Cletus B Nale
Status: Lost 22 May 44 - KIA 		Lt. Praeger Neyland
Status:
Lt. William J Osborne
Status: Lost 24 Oct 44 - KIA 		Lt. Warren S. "Pat" Patterson
Status: 		Lt. John A Patton
Status: (KIA) 		Joseph H. Perry
Status:
Roger A. Phillips
Status: (KIA) 		Lt. Joel I Popplewell
Status: 		Capt. Joseph H Powers Jr.
Status: 		Franklin S. Rader
Status:
Lt. Robert J Rankin
Status: 		Charles J. Raymond
Status: 		Maj. Donald D "Doc" Renwick
Status: 		Lt. Robill Roberts
Status:
Edward A. "Pinkie" Sisson, Jr.
Status: 		Maj. Donovan F Smith
Status: 		Lt.Col. Leslie C Smith
Status: 		Lt.Col. James C Stewart
Status:
Dale E. Stream
Status:

Jerome R. Stish
Status:

Lt. Lawrence R Strand
Status: Lost 11 Dec 43 - KIA

Richard Theyken
Status:

Richard W. Thompson
Status:

Cleon E. Thomton
Status:

Kirby N. Tracy
Status: (KIA)

Lt. Ernest H Treff
Status:

Leo W. Ulfers
Status:

Robert F. Walker
Status:

Carl E. Westman
Status:

George W. Wilson
Status:

Lt. Melvin C Wood
Status: Lost 22 March 44 - POW



62nd Fighter Squadron

When P-47M's appeared in January 1945, each squadron adopted an individual camouflage scheme on upper surfaces while lower surfaces of the fighters were left unpainted. The 62nd continued the green-and-gray shadow-shading pattern.

Towards the end of the war, the 62nd Fighter Squadron flew missions at 15,000 feet as top cover.

The following is a photo of the organizational chart for the 62nd fighter squadron. The picture was taken in 1944 when the chart hung on the wall of the headquarters of the 62nd fighter squadron. This represents a wealth of information in being able to determine the roles played by the various members of the squadron.


The organizational chart of the 62nd fighter squadron has been reconstructed in the following section. This provides a better way to display photos and information for each member.

N/A
Donde
Michael J Quirk - Ace
Executive Commanding Officer Operations Officer

George E. Bostwick
N/A N/A

Busyko 		N/A

Mclure 		N/A
Assist. Ops. Officer A Flight Leaders B Flight Leaders C Flight Leaders

Murray 		N/A
N/A N/A

Mcintosh 		N/A
N/A N/A
A Flight Pilots A Flight Pilots A Flight Pilots A Flight Pilots

Chiman 		N/A

Davenport
Carwell

Mar 		N/A

Davis 		N/A
N/A
B Flight Pilots B Flight Pilots B Flight Pilots B Flight Pilots B Flight Pilots

Pierre
Knox
N/A N/A
N/A N/A
N/A N/A
C Flight Pilots C Flight Pilots C Flight Pilots C Flight Pilots

Dauphin
Earnes

Blaisdell 		N/A
D.S. USA Per. Equipment Officer Medical Officer
N/A
Sloan 		N/A N/A
N/A N/A
Eng Off. Comm. Off. Arm. Off. Supply Off. Intell Off's


The following are personnel belonging to the 62nd fighter squadron who are not listed in the organizational chart:


Burril
Gillies
Eugene O'Neill Maj. Mike Quirk Lt. Wilbur N Kelly Richard J. Altschuler
Lt. Donald C. Armstrong, Jr. Lt. Sanborn N Ball Eugene M Beason Swift T. Benjamin
Harold E. Blaisdell, Jr. Roy B. Bluhm Maj. George E Bostwick Lt. Mark K Boyle
Wayne A. Brainard Lt. Lewis R Brown - Lost 23 Dec 44 - POW Lt. John P Bryant Lt. Lowell C. Buchmiller (KIA)
Lt .Leo F Butiste Lt. George H Butler Lt. Thaddeus Buszko F/O. Alben G Calmes - Lost 30 Nov 44 - KIA
Lt. Anthony R Carcione - Lost 8 March 44 - KIA Lt. Charles E Carlson - Lost 23 Dec 44 - KIA Thomas L. Carmichael Jackie L. Carwell
Warren M. Chapman
William P. Chattaway
Lt. Robert C Cherry 		Lt. George R Choate Jr. - Lost 24 Oct 44 - KIA
Capt. Fred J Christensen Harry A. Coleman Capt. Walter V Cook Lt. Harry Coronios - Lost 17 Nov 43 - KITA
Maj. Horace C Craig William C. Daley Capt. Ray Dauphin William J. Davenport
Lt Voorhis H Day - Lost 17 Aug 43 - KIA John H. Desantis Lt. John Eaves - Lost 11 Oct 44 - KITA Lt. Billy G Edens - Lost 10 Sept 44 - POW
Virgil L. Elliot John W. Ferguson, Jr. Philip E. Fleming Lt. Donald J Furlong - Lost 7 June 44 - KIA
Harold E. Gallager Winston S. Garth Lloyd F. Geren Charles L. Ginn
Lt. Hillyar C Godfrey Lt. George C Goldstein Lost 5 Dec 43 - POW William Gorman Lt. Norman D Gould
Lt. Jack E Greene - Lost 12 May 44 - POW Donald M. Gunner Lt. William A Haggard - Lost 18 Dec 44 - POW Richard B. Hale
Robert W. Hall Capt. Charles R Harrison Jr. - Lost 15 April 44 - KIA Lt. Harold E Hartney Jr. - Lost 13 May 44 - KIA Lt. Donald Jr. Henley
James P. Hodges Jr. Lt. Joseph W Icard - Lost 8 March 44 - KIA Maj. Michael J Jackson Maj. Robert S Johnson
Maj. Ralph A Johnson Capt. James M Jones, Jr Capt. Robert J Keen Lt. Wilbur N Kelley - Lost 24 Feb 44 - KIA

Lt. Albert A Knafeltz		 Baird M. Knox James E. McClure Capt. John C McClure
Lt. William W McElhare - Lost 18 Sept 44 - POW Lt. Wiley H Merrill Jr Lt. Byron L Morrill - Lost 26 Nov 43 - POW Lt. Stanley B Morrill (KIA)

Capt. Mark L Moseley 		Steven T. Murray Frank C. Newell Capt. Eugene W O'Neil
Lt. Townsend Parsons Lt. Roy L Patterson
William R. Perkins 		Lt. Alfred O Perry
Wayne B. Peterson Jack W. Pierce Frederick A. Polansky Capt. Joseph H Power Jr.
Lt. Harry M Pruden Jr. - Lost 1 Dec 43 - KIA Maj. Michael B Quirk Lt. Caleb L Reeder Jr. - Lost 8 March 44 - POW Lt. Conway Saux Lost 22 Aug 43 - killed in mid-air collision
Lt.Col. David C Schilling Maj. Leroy A "Schreib" Schreiber - Lost 15 April 44 KIA Walter J. Scharbo Dayton C. Sheridan
Kenneth L. Smith (KIA) George R. Spaley Lt Robert J Steele - Lost 29 July 43 - POW Lt. William H Stovall Jr. - Lost 31 Dec 44 - KIA
Lt. Robert Stover - Lost 30 July 43 - KIA Lt. Robert M Stultz - Lost 17 Aug 43 - KIA Lt. Robert B Taylor - Lost 20 Dec 43 - KIA Don Tettmer (KIA)
Capt. Charles E Tucker - Lost 22 June 44 - KIA (collision in landing pattern) Lt. Irvin E Valenta - Lost 4 March 44 - KIA Lt. Malcom Van Meter - Lost 11 Nov 43 - KIA George H. Van Noy
F/O. Joseph Vitale - Lost 10 June 44 - Evaded Lt. Joseph P Walker Don A. Westover Maj. Felix D Williamson
Capt. William F Wilkerson Capt. Robert F Winters Herschel O. Womack Charles R. Wook


The following are some of the photos of the aircraft of the 62nd Fighter Squadron.


Aircraft formation
Aircraft lineup


63rd Fighter Squadron


When P-47M's appeared in January 1945, each squadron adopted an individual camouflage scheme on upper surfaces while lower surfaces of the fighters were left unpainted. The 63rd went to a shadow-shading pattern of "deep Mediterranean blue" (indigo) applied over sky blue.

Towards the end of the war, the 63rd Fighter Squadron flew missions close to the ground.

Here are some photographs of the pilots and personnel of the 63rd fighter Squadron.


Carnorham
Stone

Curtis
Doherty
Frye

Harold Comstock (Ace) 		Jack D. Brown Lt Charles Reed Lt. Archie Robey - KIA April 1944
Maj. Walker "Bud" Mahurin Lyle A. Adrianse Richard A. Albert (KIA) Eugene W. Andermatt
Richard B. Anderson
John A. Aranyos 		John A. Arnold Robert E. Bailey
Wyman A. Baker (KIA) C. G. "Charlie" Ball Gordon E. Batdorf Samual K. Batson (KIA)

Marvin H. Becker 		George E Bostwick Robert J. Bradford (KIA) Jack D. Brown
Sylvester V. Burke, squadron Ops Officer
Robert M. Caldarone 		Robert D. Campbell (KIA) ? Russell W. Campbell

Barney P. Casteel 		Anthony S. Cavello Wade B. Carlton Claude A. Chinn
Charles C. Clamp Charles R. Clark Adam J. Wisniewski Leo J. Czarnota
Sam B. Dale, Jr. (KIA) Robert J. Danial
Ramon R. Davis 		Paul C. Dawson
Julius DeMayo Norwood C. Douglas Joseph L. Egan Jr. (KIA) John C. Fahringer

Alexander B. Ferber
Walter L. Flagg 		Dover C. Fleming, Jr. (KIA) Walter R. Frederick
Don M. Goodfleisch Walter R. Groce George F. Hall Walter T.Hannigan
Cameron M. Hart Robert F. Healy (KIA) Albert L. Henry (KIA) Glenn L. Hodges
William R. Hoffman (KIA) Willard D. Johnson George C. Kariva Warren E. Kerr Jr
David P. Kling Wallace W. Knief Armand A. LaFlam Lloyd M. Landon
James E. Lister Vance P. Ludwig (KIA) David M. Magel Arthur J. Martin
Harold L. Matthews Randel L. Murphy, Jr. Joseph J. O'Connell Wayne I. O"Conner (KIA)
Henry Oczkowski Frank H. Peppers Donald V. Peters Raymond D. Petty
Isadore T. Porowski Thomas W. Queen Jr. Charles W. Reed Archie H. Robey (KIA)
John E. Ross Charles M. Rotzler Glen D. Schlitz Jr. Robert E. Sheehan
Bernard R. Smith Samuel O. Stamps Gordon S. Stevens (KIA 18 Sept 1944) - Prior to joining the 56th FG, he completed 25 mission as a pilot of B-24 Liberators with the 44th BG (Heavy). Arthur Sugas
Eugene J. Timony John H. Truluck, Jr. Philip E. Tukey, Jr. Wilfred A. Van Abel
John W. Vogt, Jr. J. Carroll Wakefield Richard T. Warboys Harry F. Warner, Jr.
Russell B. Westfall John D. Wilson Frederick C. Windmayer (KIA)


The following are some of the photos of the aircraft of the 63rd Fighter Squadron.

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