Col. George E. French of Venice, Fla. Golf & Country Club retired from the Air Force in 1966 after serving in World War II as a B-24 “Liberator” bomber pilot in the Pacific. His final post in his 24-year military career may have been one of his most interesting.He worked for Eugene Zuckert, secretary of the Air Force and Gen. Curtis LeMay, chief of staff of the Air Force in the 1960s before he retired. He headed the F-104G “Starfighter” jet fighter program from the Pentagon.“As the head of the F-104G fighter program I was attending a management team meeting in Paris. At this meeting Madam Jacqueline Auriol, a French lady pilot, just broken Jackie Cochran’s Woman’s World Speed Record in a “Mirage “ fighter jet flying 1,266 mph.”Cochran, who was also at the Paris meeting, told Madam Auriol, ‘I’m going to get that speed record back,” French recalled more than four decades later.“When I got back to the States a few weeks later, I received a call from Gen. LeMay. He said, ‘George we understand that Jackie Cochran would like to…
I am Colonel Frenchs son and have fond memories of when pop set this up with LBJ and General May, one of his many exploits, not to mention all the perfidious journeys over the S Pacific and flying the first Heavy Bomber to be used against enemy shipping, Battle of Leyte Gulf, PI.Octber ’44
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How very kind of you to visit and comment. Your father was clearly a splendid man.
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Thank you sir! I am seeking anyone who might see these posts who may have been family to any pilots and crew with the 307th Bombardment Group, 370th Squadron, 13th AF, “Long Rangers”…Noemfoor and Morotai oct ;44 to June ’45.
Tommy French
USMC Veteran
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I’ll retweet the post and hope others may see. I wish you luck. (I’m female, by the way!)
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OOOps! My Bad Mlle. Sincerest apologies! And thank you for your efforts and God Bless you!
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Don’t worry – you weren’t to know unless you’d looked at my About page!
Sarah
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Fateful, My first child, daughter Sara Jayne,….lol, Ill never forget your name! Cheers!
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