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William Massey

Army Air Corps B-17 pilot William Massey.  Courtesy of Jeffrey Rease This is William Massey, who piloted a B-17 plane during World War II.  Massey survived having his plane shot down in 1944. Massey was a pilot of a 10-person crew on a B-17 bomber plane when...

Frank Luke

Renegade pilot Frank Luke was America’s greatest “balloon buster,” the nickname assigned to the brash aviators who attacked German observation balloons used to sight artillery. Luke joined the 27th Aero Squadron in France in July 1918, and wasted little time in...

CPT Jack Mastin Abbot

Jack Abbot, Tunisia, Africa [1943] War: Korean War, 1950-1953; World War II, 1939-1945 Branch: Air Force; Army Air Forces/Corps Unit: 717th Bomb Squadron, 449th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force Service Location: Tunisia, North Africa; Grottaglie, Italy; Mountain Home,...

Lt Col Addison Earl Baker

Lieutenant Colonel Addison Earl Baker (January 1, 1907 – August 1, 1943) was commander of the 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) in the U.S. Army Air Forces who led the group on the low-altitude Allied bombing mission of oil refineries at Ploie?ti, Romania, Operation...

Maj Gen John R. Alison

A highly decorated combat ace of World War II and veteran of the Korean War, Major General John R. Alison was credited with the first night victory in the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater. Born in Florida in 1912, Alison graduated from the University of Florida, School...

George W Hartley

George W. Hartley was born in Melstone on March 31, 1921, and moved to Billings when he was 12. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in April 1941. When he was honorably discharged in October 1945, he was with the 777th Bombardment Squadron and had been a Link...