8th Air Force Patch

GEORGE C. CARRUTHERS

GEORGE C. CARRUTHERS

Dec 1, 2012 | ,

George Carruthers was born in Dallas, Texas in 1923. His family moved to Tyler shortly after the Stock Market “Crash” in 1929, at the beginning of the Great Depression, and George attended Public Schools there. Before December 7, 1941, as a freshman at Tyler Junior College, he had joined the Civilian Pilot Training Program flying Piper Cub aircraft. When America entered WWII, he volunteered for the aviation cadet program and was called to active duty in June 1942. Expecting to enter pilot training, George was extremely disappointed when he was assigned to bombardier and aerial gunnery courses. After completing training, Second Lieutenant Carruthers was assigned to Colonel...

WILLIAM J. (Bill) DALLAS

Jul 1, 2012 | ,

William J. Dallas was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma in 1922. He was called into active duty in 1940 and then transferred to the Army Air Corps in 1942. He went through flight training and after receiving his wings as an Army Aviator Bill was assigned to the 303rd Bomb Group (Heavy). The 303rd Group flew B-17 “flying fortress” bombers and it was one of the early arriving bombardment groups sent to England and assigned to the 8th Air Force. On March 26, 1944, the 303rd Bomb Group sent 20 aircraft on a bombing mission over occupied France. That was the 128th combat mission for the group; they were to attack an Operation “Crossbow” target, that being a special missile launching site...

ARNOLD E. (ANDY) KAUFFMAN

ARNOLD E. (ANDY) KAUFFMAN

Aug 1, 2011 | ,

Arnold E. Kauffman was born in New York City in 1922. He grew up in Yonkers and joined the New York National Guard in early 1941. After several months in the Guard, he volunteered for service in the Army Air Corps and on August 21, 1942, he entered active duty. He went through a succession of training courses including the Airplane Mechanics School at Amarillo Army Air Field in Texas, the B-17 Specialist School in Seattle, Washington and Aerial Gunnery School at Wendover, Utah. In 1943 he completed training on the Heavy Bomber, B-17, “Flying Fortress.” A new heavy bombardment group, the 457th, was activated in July 1943 and Andy was assigned to it. He joined a flight crew of...