1924 to 1942 - The Years Before Enlistment

Roger C. Ellis was born on September 23, 1924 in Erie PA.  His parents were Clifford and Marie Ellis.  He graduated from Academy High School in Erie on June 18, 1942 at a time in history when the United States was fully involved in World War II.

Sixteen million men and women, one in eight of the population of the United States, served in uniform during World War II.  Three million of them served in the Army Air Force.  Of this number 191,654 were awarded wings as pilots.  Of these pilots, approximately 70,000 were single engine fighter pilots.  This is the story of one of those fighter pilots - my father, Roger C. Ellis.

The history that is chronicled here was constructed from records including U.S. Government archives, discharge papers, pilot flight records, orders and certificates and dated photographs.

March 1943 - Enlistment and Induction

Roger enlisted in the Army on March 5, 1943 in Erie PA at the rank of Private.  The terms of his enlistment were "Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law". His enlisted service number was 33434298.

He was called to active duty on March 12, 1943.  He was eighteen years and five months of age on that date.

Source:  World War II Army Enlistment Records, Access to Archival Databases (AAD)

March and April 1943 - Basic Training - Miami Beach FL

Roger attended basic training in Miami Beach FL.  Basic training at that time typically lasted five weeks per the Official World War II Guide to the Army Air Forces.  

The following colorized photo was taken in Miami Beach, date unknown.

The following photo is also undated but appears to be from Miami Beach.

May to September 1943 - Aircraft Mechanic School - Keesler MS

After Basic Training, Roger attended Aircraft Mechanic school at Keesler Field, Mississippi.  The school specialized in B-24 mechanic training per the History of Keesler Air Force Base.  Basic mechanic training lasted eight weeks, and was followed by higher echelon, more specialized courses.  He graduated from the Army Air Force Technical Training School (Aircraft Mechanic) on September 19, 1943 as a Private First Class and received the following certificate.

The following photo was identified as taken at Keesler Field.

Graduates from Aircraft Mechanic school who were qualified for flight crew duty were eligible to apply for aerial gunnery school according to the History of Keesler Air Force Base, p. 68.

October and November 1943 - Aerial Gunnery School - Harlingen TX

After completing Aircraft Mechanic training, Roger was accepted for aerial gunnery training.  He attended the Army Air Force Field Gunnery School (AAFFGS) at Harlingen Army Air Field in Harlingen TX.  He graduated from Aerial Gunnery school on November 20, 1943 and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, per his Certificate of Service and Discharge from Enlisted papers.

Here is a file photo of aerial gunnery training at Harlingen Field.

1944 - Coe College - Cedar Rapids IA

According to Roger's resume he attended a five-month long accelerated college course as a prerequisite to Aviation cadet training.  Courses included math, history, weather and meteorology.

His Army Separation Qualification Record indicates that he completed a three and one half month course as part of a College Training Detachment at Coe College.

August 1944 - High Altitude Indoctrination - Santa Ana CA

Roger completed a high altitude indoctrination course on August 11, 1944 at Santa Ana Army Air Base and was awarded the following certificate.

The following photo was taken on a California hilltop on August 22, 1944 during a bivouac.  From left to right:  Student Squadron Commanding Officer Spencer Savage, Roger Ellis, and Student Squadron Executive Officer Fred Fulton.

June to September 1944 - Preflight Training - Santa Ana CA

Roger completed all required preflight training on September 9, 1944 according to the following certificate.  Preflight training was conducted at one of three places: Santa Ana Army Air Base, Randolph Field in San Antonio TX, and Maxwell Field in Montgomery AL.  All three were classification centers where cadets were classified as pilots, bombardiers or navigators.

His Separation Qualification Record indicates that he spent two and one half months in preflight training at Santa Ana, CA.

September to December 1944 - Primary Flight Training - Lancaster CA

Roger began Primary Flight training on September 11, 1944 at War Eagle Field in Lancaster CA.  His training was conducted by the Mira Loma Flight Academy (a civilian flight school) and he was assigned to the 3043rd Army Air Force Base Unit.  Here is a copy of his orders to flight status, cropped to emphasize his name.

Primary training lasted nine to ten weeks and consisted of a minimum 60 to 70 hours of flight instruction.   Roger's flight records indicate that he received 90 hours of primary flight instruction.  The following photo was taken at War Eagle Field.  The plane is either a PT-13 or PT-17 Kaydet.  Flight records indicate that at least part of his primary flight training was conducted in a PT-13B.

The following photo in old weather flying gear is undated but is most likely from Primary Training as the plane is a Kaydet.

The following photo was take in October 1944 in Hollywood CA.

Here is his Certificate of Completion - Primary Training dated December 28, 1944.

Engagement to Georgia Whalley

Roger became engaged to marry Georgia M. Whalley in late December 1944 in Denver CO when he was enroute between assignments, per Georgia's recollection.  His Army records indicate that he completed Primary Flight Training on December 28, 1944 and began Basic Flight Training on December 31, 1944 so it is most likely that they became engaged during this short period at the end of 1944.

January to March 1945 - Basic Flight Training - Bakersfield CA

Roger began Basic Flight Training on December 31, 1944 at Minter Field in Bakersfield CA.  He was assigned to the 2nd Training Squadron, Class 45-C.

Per the U.S. Air Force Museum History:

"During basic flight training, a cadet received approximately 70 hours in the air during a nine-week period.  The basic course made military pilots of those who had learned only the fundamentals in primary school.  In addition to operating an airplane of greater weight, horsepower and speed, such as the BT-9 or BT-13, the cadet was taught how to fly at night, by instruments in formation, and on cross-country from one point to another.  Also, for the fist time, he was operating an airplane equipped with a two-way radio and a two-pitch propeller.  This was the point in his career where it was decided whether he would go to single-engine or twin-engine advanced flying school".

Below is a photo of the BT-13 aircraft that was taken at Minter Field.

The following photo is of Merwyn Bogue and Roger, taken at Minter Field on January 9, 1945.  Merwyn, who was Roger's uncle, played trumpet in the Kay Kyser Orchestra under the stage name Ish Kabibble.

The following photo was taken on January 25, 1945 at Minter Field.  On the back of the photo are listed the names of all of the students in Class 45-C.

Here is an additional photo of Class 45-C, Squadron 2, followed by the names of the members of the squadron.

Roger completed basic Flight Training on March 11, 1945 and was awarded the following certificate.

March to May 1945 - Advanced Training - Luke Field AZ

Roger began Advanced Flight Training at Luke Field AZ, single engine (fighters).   Advanced training lasted approximately 10 weeks and 70 hours and was conducted in a 600 horsepower AT-6 aircraft.

Per the U.S. Air Force Museum website:  "Advanced flying school was to prepare a cadet for the kind of airplane he was to fly in combat, either single or multi-engine.  Those who went to single engine school flew AT-6s for the first 70 hours during a nine-week period, learning aerial gunnery and combat maneuvers and increasing their skills in navigation, formation and instrument flying".

The following photos are of Roger at Luke Field.  The aircraft is an AT-6.

In April 1945 Roger took instrument flight instruction and on April 24, 1945 he successfully completed his instrument flight check ride.  His Instrument Certificate and Flight Check Form is shown below.

April and May 1945 - WWII ends in Europe

On April 27, 1945 Italian dictator benito Mussolini was captured by Italian partisans and he was executed the next day.  On April 29, 1945 all Italian fascist forces surrendered.

On April 30, 1945 as the Battle of Berlin raged on, German dictator Adolph Hitler committed suicide.

Beginning on April 29, 1945 German forces began surrendering piecemeal.  The official end of the war in Europe was declared on May 8, 1945 but some isolated pockets of German soldiers continued to resist until mid-May 1945.

May 5, 1945 - Marriage to Georgia M. Whalley

Roger C. Ellis and Georgia M. Whalley were married on May 5, 1945 at the Base Chapel at Luke Field, AZ.

The following photos were taken at Luke Field on the occasion of their wedding:

Georgia and Roger

Georgia and Roger

 Roger, Georgia, Ena Shingle, Robert C. Butler

 Georgia. Mrs. Robert Butler, Ena Shingle

 Georgia, Roger, Hazel Whalley

Ena "Tootie" Shingle, Georgia, Roger, George "Jack" Shingle

May 23, 1945 - Appointment as Flight Officer

Roger was honorably discharged from enlisted duty at Luke Field as an Aviation Student (Sergeant) on May 22, 1945 in order to accept an appointment as a Flight Officer.

On that same date he passed his flight physical at the base hospital at Luke Field.

On May 23, 1945 he was appointed 2nd Lieutenant and Flight Officer at Luke Field.  The Flight Officer was a Warrant Officer (Junior Grade) and wore silver wings.  His Flight Officer service number was T-12 870.  Also on this date Roger was transferred to active duty at Luke Field in the 3028th Army Air Force Base Unit.  His flight training records show that he had 233 total flight hours upon completion of Advanced Training.

The following photo of Georgia and Roger is undated, but certainly dates from this time period as Roger is wearing his wings.

The following information was taken from the U.S. Air Force Museum history:

"The successful completion of pilot training was a difficult and dangerous task.  During the period from January 1941 until August 1945, there were 191,654 cadets who were awarded pilot wings.  But there were also 132,993 who "washed out" or were killed during training, a loss rate of approximately 40 percent due to accidents, academic or physical problems, and other causes.

Those who graduated from flying school were usually assigned to the type of plane they were to fly in combat.  Some were assigned to specific squadrons already scheduled for overseas duty while others were assigned to replacement training units for subsequent assignment to squadrons already overseas.  Regardless, it required two months of additional training before a pilot was considered ready for combat".

June and July 1945

Flight records show an additional seven hours of flight training in June 1945 and five hours in July 1945.

August 6 and 9, 1945 - Atomic bombing of Japan

On August 6, 1945 the 20th Air Force dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.  On August 9, 1945 another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan.  On August 15, 1945 Emperor Hirohito announced the unconditional surrender of Japan.  The surrender ceremony was held on September 2, 1945 on the battleship USS Missouri.  Isolated units of the Japanese armed forces continued to resist surrender into the 1970's.  Hiroo Onoda, who had been in hiding in the Philippines, was the last soldier to surrender in February 1974.

August 13, 1945 - Commercial Pilot Rating

On August 13, 1945 Roger received a Commercial Pilot Rating from the Civil Aeronautics Administration.

August and September 1945 - Ajo AZ Army Air Field

Roger was transferred to the 3011st Base Unit at Ajo, AZ on August 15, 1945.  Aerial gunnery training was typically conducted at Ajo Army Air Field.  His flight records for August and September 1945 indicate continued assignment at Ajo.

October and November 1945 - separation from service

On October 17, 1945 Roger was transferred from Ajo back to the 3028th Base Unit at Luke Field.

On October 18, 1945 he was demobilized at Luke Field.

On October 22, 1945 he received clearance from Luke Field regarding return of property, satisfaction of financial obligations, etc.

On October 23, 1945 he was transferred to the Army Air Force Separation Command at Davis-Monthan Field in Tucson AZ.

On October 24, 1945 he received separation travel and terminal leave.  His final flight records indicate 233 hours of flight time as an Aviation Cadet and 30 hours as a Flight Officer for a total of 263 hours.

On November 22, 1945 Roger was Honorably Discharged at Davis-Monthan Field.

Subsequent to his discharge he received an undated letter from President Harry Truman expressing the thanks of a grateful nation.

He was a proud member America's greatest generation.