UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

WORLD WAR 11 -----KOREA-----VIET NAM

Tiger was born and grew up in Southern California. In 1941 he was preparing for a career in Aviation at the University of Southern California where he received a private pilot license through the CAA. He was recruited to fly for the British Royal Air Force. In England, after some additional training, he flew as a Flt/Sgt (Sergeant Pilot) making a number of night missions over Europe flying Short Sterling a/c. Reassigned to the Desert Air Force and flew A 20 Attack bombers out of Egypt against the Desert Fox's (Rommel) German forces. He received wounds while busting German tanks and other armored vehicles near El Alemein, and had to be transported to England for medical care. While in the hospital, RAF officials brought news that he had been commissioned a Pilot Officer and awarded the British Distinquish Flying Cross by King George VI, for actions while fighting in North Africa.

"It was a Milk Run" "Yeager and Tiger" "92nd BG over Schweinfurt".


After recuperating, he was transferred to the USAAF 8th Air Force and assigned to a B-17 combat crew. Unable to fly as pilot without a commission he flew 27 missions against the Luftwaffe in several crew positions including Bombardier, Ball Turret and Flight Engineer. Tiger was returned to the ZI in 1944 for Rest and Recuperation and return to the 8th Air Force in Europe. During this R & R he received a commission and his return to combat was canceled.

He returned to USC to complete his Education and remained in the reserves. Recalled in 1948 and retrained in jet fighters. He instructed fighter pilots at the Air Force Top Gun school at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, Nev. From there he attended USAFIT for an Avionics Engineering Degree and further assigned to fly F84s and F86s in Korea. At this time he was commissioned in the regular Air Force. After several other assignments in the Far East during 1952 thru 1956 , including French-Indochina (Vietnam), returned to the United States and assigned to the Air Defense Command flying F 86D,F102, F101B and F106 a/c. In 1963 he was assigned to the 36th Fighter Wing in Bitburg , Germany, flying F 105 and F 4 aircraft. In 1967 reassigned to the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour-Johnson, AFB,NC to fly F4D aircraft. When the U.S. Navy spy ship, Pueblo was captured in 1968 by North Korea, Tiger deployed the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing to Korea to influence the ship and crew release. Then Tiger was redeployed to Viet Nam for a second tour. He returned to SJAFB and retired in 1969, thus completing the saga of Combat Tiger.

OldTiger is a retired regular USAF Colonel and a Command Pilot.

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:



Air Force Cross
British Distinguished Fying Cross
Silver Star
Distinguished Flying Cross (w 3 OLC)
Meritorious Service Medal
Air
Medal (w 10 OLC )
Purple Heart ( w 2 OLC )
Armed Forces
Expeditionary
Good Conduct
American Defense Service
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign
American Campaign
World War II Victory
National Defense
Korean Service
United Nation Service
Vietnam Service
Presidential Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit
Air Force Small Arms Expert
Air Force Longivity ( 4 OLC )
Republic of Vietnam Campaign
Belguim Fouragere

In order to contact Tiger, his email is: OldTigerjp@aol.com