Rufus Clyde Ward

Military

media-26515.jpeg UPL 26515 Check pilot Lt Rufus C Ward, ex 71 Sqn [Eagles RAF] pilot - Curtis Field, Texas 1945 Classbook.

Curtis Field, Texas 1945 Classbook.

Object Number - UPL 26515 - Check pilot Lt Rufus C Ward, ex 71 Sqn [Eagles RAF] pilot - Curtis Field, Texas 1945 Classbook.

R.C. Ward learned to fly in the 1930's at Love Field, Dallas, Texas. Learned of the Clayton Knight Committee recruiting American pilots for the RAF in 1940 and first went to RCAF at Camp Borden Toronto as a pilot instructor. After 6 months there, discharged from RCAF, commissioned as Pilot Officer in RAF, sailed for England and assigned to 71 Eagle Squadron. One of the oldest pilots at 28, was nicknamed Pappy, which followed him the rest of his life. Best friends in 71 (Eagle) Squadron were Bill Dunn, Pete Provenzano, Wendell Pendleton. Ended the war in USAAC with over 3,000 flying hours, Senior Service Pilot designation.

Connections

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Units served with

No 71 'Eagle' Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Type Category: Fighter

Aircraft

P3103

Aircraft Type: Hurricane
Unit: No 71 'Eagle' Squadron

Z2389

Aircraft Type: Hurricane
Unit: No 71 'Eagle' Squadron

Z2463

Aircraft Type: Hurricane
Unit: No 71 'Eagle' Squadron

Places

Kirton-in-Lindsey

Site type: Airfield

Martlesham Heath

Site type: Airfield

Sutton Bridge

Site type: Airfield

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Born	Brownwood, TX, USA	17 July 1911	Son of A J Ward.
Other RCAFSR	Canada	18 September 1940 - 9 December 1940	Joined Royal Canadian Air Force Special Reserve. Instructor pilot, rank of Tech Sergeant. Assigned to Camp Borden, Toronto.
Other RAFVR	Sutton Bridge, Spalding PE12, UK	4 February 1941	Commissisoned Pilot Officer in RAF Volunter Reserve, sailed for England from Halifax with 3 other Americans where they would all join 56 OTU for operational training.
Other Assigned	Martlesham Heath, Martlesham, Ipswich, UK	19 April 1941	Assigned to 71 [Eagle] Sqn RAF 19-4-41.
Other Returned to USA	Tulsa, OK, USA	9 September 1941 - 28 June 1943	Civilian flying instructor at Spartan School of Aeronautics.
Other Commissioned into USAAC	San Antonio, TX, USA	30 August 1943 - 22 July 1945	Left Spartan to enlist in US Army Air Corp, direct commission to 1st Lt. Assigned to 8th Service Command training pilots in Brownwood, Brady and Coleman Texas for duration of war.
Died	Dallas, TX, USA	24 March 1983	Died March 24, 1983 in Dallas, Texas.
Buried	Ridgeview Memorial Park Allen, Collin County, TX	27 March 1983	Ridgeview Memorial Park Allen, Collin County, Texas