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John Monahan. Samantha Enriquez Esther Nguyen David Wiest Corona U.S. History P.3. General Information. Service: Air Force Served in WWII Born in Feb. 20, 1920 Bisbee Arizona Married, daughter and son. Childhood. He went to Elementary School in Mexico
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John Monahan Samantha Enriquez Esther Nguyen David Wiest Corona U.S. History P.3
General Information • Service: Air Force • Served in WWII • Born in Feb. 20, 1920 Bisbee Arizona • Married, daughter and son
Childhood • He went to Elementary School in Mexico • Graduated with only 6 other students • >John went to High School in Bisbee, AZ for 2 years but when his father got a job down deep in Mexico he had to board out for his junior year in The American School in Mexico City. He went back to Bisbee for his senior year. • > He played on the football team, lettered in tennis and was on the Track & Field team but didn’t enjoy training for Track.
> He attended College in Flagstaff, AZ and applied for Flying Cadet Training in October 1940 and ordered to March Air Base for his physical exam. He hitchhiked from Flagstaff to Riverside Flew steersman, only had nine hours of training and took first flight Feb. 11, 1941 called to Air Force “I feel the same exhilarating feeling still today”
Training • < Feb. 11, 1941 called to active duty in the Army Air Corps and assigned to Hemet CA for Primary flight training. There he flew the Pt-17 Stearman and made his first solo flight after 8 hours of flying time. Of the 120 cadets at Hemet, 59 completed Primary flight training • >His next level of flight training was Basic training at Randolph Field at San Antonio, Texas and Advanced training at Kelly Field in San Anton- io. In September 1941 he graduated as a pilot and commissioned a 2nd Lt.
First Airplane • His first assignment was Portland OR as a fighter pilot and flying the P-43. • February 1942, received P-38 Fighter plane • Named his airplane Scotty II, after his girlfriend who later became his wife. • Was a pursuit pilot (pursue the enemy fight pilots) • This plane was very unique and flew 1100 hours in this aircraft
Inside Aircraft • For him, one of the most interesting things about the P-38, and interesting to us as well, was that instead of a stick to maneuver the aircraft. it had a wheel, similar to that in a car, • They were always on alert, and when called they would run to their airplanes which were warmed periodically to be ready for instant take-off
Career Life • During one of his combat missions in Ascension Island, where the Japanese occupied, one of his Engine was shot and nearly shot down. And had to land on his own with the engine that he had left.
Beginning of the War • > He heard about Pearl harbor when he and fellow pilots were on their way to the Mess Hall and a Captain yelled “Japs bombed Pearl Harbor!” • >His Squadron was moved to Olympia Washington because a Japanese attack in the northwest area of the United States was a possibility. • > In February 1942 he started flying the P-38 Fighter plane which was very unique for a fighter in that it had two engines. He said this was his favorite plane of all those he flew. He had about 1100 hours flying time in the P-38
John kept moving up in his positions quickly. He became the leader of flight. • He was always in charge up to 16 to 48 airplanes up in the air on this combat missions. Which was a difficult task without a doubt
Combat • His first combat mission was over the island of Kiska in the Aleutian Islands, which was occupied by the Japanese. They shot out one of histwo engines but it didn’t catch fire and he returned to his base and landed with his one good engine. • After his tour in the Aleutians he was sent to Europe. His first mission in Europe was a target in France and first experience with very heavy anti-aircraft fire (Flack) and remembers thinking these guys are trying to kill me. • On June 6 1944, D-Day, he flew 3 missions protecting the landings in France. Most of his missions in Europe were escorting B-17 bombers to targets over Germany. These missions lasted 4 to 6 plus hours.
P-51 Scotty III • P-51 flew to North Africa, Palm Springs, Georgia, Puerto Rico, South America, Casa Blanca landing (show a picture of that plane) • Combat P-17 targets over Germany • St . France bombers, they stood aside and what he was thinking was, “Geez these guys are trying to kill me.” A very apprehensive attitude.
Upgrading to P-51 • > About mid-way through his combat tour in Europe his outfit converted from the P-38 to the P-51. The P-51 had a longer range than the P-38 and they could take the bombers all the way to the targets and back. There were times when you couldn’t do that in the P-38. • >For bomber escort missions he preferred the P-51 and had about 300 hours in that airplane.
Memorable Moment • On one combat mission he was the leader of 48 aircraft crossing into Ger- many. He saw enemy aircraft below and followed them down and shot down a German FW190 airplane. He remembers seeing the enemy pilot bailing out of the plane.
Meeting his Wife • He met his wife who was a singer in a night club in Hollywood, CA when he was stationed at Glendale, CA. He • Almost lost her when he arranged to take her to a tea dance at the Coconut Grove and failed to show up. He had to fly a P-38 from Palm Springs to Casa Blanca in North Africa via Georgia, Puerto Rico, the coast of South America, across the south Atlantic to Africa and across the Sahara Desert to Casa Blanca. . It was hard convincing her why he was unable to take her to the Coconut Grove • She later joined the USO as a singer and in England while he was there. They were married in England and just celebrated 65 years of marriage.(:
Jobs throughout his time in the service • He was a Pilot, Jr. Pilot, group leader, air base group commander, 2nd Lieutenant, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel
Medals • Distinguished Flying Cross, seven Air Medals, Legion of Merit, the Army and Air Force Commendation medals and campaign medals.
After war / retirement • > He retired in November 1968 as a Colonel and had a few jobs after he retired; One with Computer Graphics as part of General Dynamics in San Diego for four years and with a real estate office for 12 yrs. He then completely retired and played a lot of golf which he plays to this day but not quite as often (nor as well).
He was in Australia with his family while the Korean War was going on and so he was not involved in this war.
Prayer From Mother • He Carried a prayer that his mother gave him for good luck and still carries it today
After War • > He Lived at Rancho Bernardo in San Diego, for 30 years and now lives in Air Force Village West in Riverside. • > He made a lot of good friends and lost a lot of friends but still maintains contact with a few of those that are left. Every year there is a reunion with his flying school class mates but it’s sad to see fewer and fewer of them.
In the service he accomplished a lot things he never thought he would ever have been able to do. Importantly he learned the true meaning of patriotism, leadership, respect and human values all of which are with him to this day. In retrospect he has no regrets about his exciting military career. He feels very fortunate and privileged to have served with so many fine officers and men in the United States Air Force. • He wrote his autobiography for his wife and children. His daughter, after reading it, said:” you are my hero”
Motivated to do a job that he has trained to do nothing will change that. Exciting career and has no regrets. He said he had no time to think or worry about himself while up in the air because he was worried about all of the other airplanes and making sure the mission was accomplished.
