Lt. John D. Kroening, Esq. (1923-2016), loved airplanes as a boy, and wanted to fly as a pilot when WWII broke out. Unfortunately he was too young to meet training requirements. But as the war went on, the need for pilots grew and the age and college requirements went down to John's delight. He enlisted and earned his "wings" in 1944.
With approximately 65 hours of flight time in his logbook, John was given a B-25 bomber to fly across the Atlantic. Taking the southern route through South America and up the coast of Africa (an amazing experience for a boy who had never been further from home than four hours) to Corsica off the west coast of Italy. That was August 23, 1944. That very same day he flew on his first bombing mission to the Settimo Road Bridge.
John flew 65 combat missions. He earned an Air Medal for his very first mission (for an eventual total of 8). Later he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for a raid in 1945. His citation read: “Upon the commencement of the bomb run, shell fragments from the intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire heavily damaged his airplane. Courageously maintaining his crippled airplane on course in the face of this heavy barrage, Lieutenant Kroening enabled his bombardier to release his bombs with precision and accuracy upon this vital objective”. The ability to return his crews safely back to base made him a very popular pilot with whom to fly.
Lt. Kroening finished his combat tour in March 1945. John declined the Army's offer to make him Captain.
He and his daughter Leslie Bridgett wrote a book together called: Flyboy: A Teenager's Fast Track to becoming a WWII Combat Pilot.
