He attended UT Austin, but after the attack on Pearl Harbor, he volunteered for the Army Air Corps in February 1942. After basic flight training, he was one of the original pilots assigned to the 510th Fighter Squadron, part of the 405th Fighter Group in South Carolina, which entered combat in Christchurch, England in 1943. He completed 97 combat missions flying a P-47 and was highly decorated. Among other recognition, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross and 16 Air Medals. He flew over the beaches of Normandy on D-Day and his Squadron was personally recognized by George S Patton for its support of the Third Army in France.



Flew P-47 #42-27213 "Touch of Texas"