Aviation Graduate
George Abdouch, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Jake, 903 Court Street, was graduated Tuesday from an intensive course in aviation mechanics at Sheppard field, Texas, site of the world’s largest and newest air corps technical school. Marian Anderson, noted concert star, sang "The Star Spangled Banner" as the cadets passed in review. Private Abdouch attended Central High School.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, February 25, 1942 (photo included)
When Sgt. George Abdouch comes home from service with a fighter squadron in the Pacific area, he will be greeted by his wife and two daughters, one of whom he has never seen. Paula Julienne, left, was born a few weeks after the sergeant left this country. Karen Marie is the other daughter. Mrs. Abdouch is the former Charline Chandler, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Chandler of Lawton, Okla. She and the girls now live with Sgt. Abdouch’s mother, Mrs. Paul Jakes, 914 Court Street, Sioux City.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, March 25, 1945
MEMBERS OF FAMOUS AIR FORCE GROUP
NOW ARE ON THEIR WAY BACK HOME
Headquarters, 13th Air Force, Philippines.—The smile on the faces of these five “Jungle” airforce veterans of the Midwest and Oklahoma means “they’re headin’ home.”
First to leave the famed Sunbusters group since the surrender of Japan, the thought foremost in their minds was the prospect of trading their khakis for “civvies” and settling down to normal life in a world at peace. They are being returned to the United States under the point system.
These five men were formerly members of such famed squadrons in the Fightin’ 13th Sunbusters group as the Lightning Lancers and Fighting Cocks, shoe airmen fought the Nips from the first counteroffensive at Guadalcanal, through the air battles of the Philippines, Borneo, the coast of French Indo-China and Singapore.
They average 20 months service with Brig. Gen. Earl W. Barnes’ 13th airforce fighter command, and have an averge of 91 points. All hold the Asiatic-Pacific campaign ribbon with at least five battle stars and the Philippine liberation ribbon with one battle star.
The men pictured above are (standing left to right): S. Sgt. Lucian C. Hunkapillar, suppy sergeant, Sulphur Okla.; Cpl. Charles W. Cheeseman, heavy equipment operator, Shannon, Ill.; T. Sgt. Alexander N. Deisher, aircraft inspector, Bellefontaine, O.
(bottom left to right)
Sgt. George Abdouch, aircraft mechanic, 914 Court Street, Sioux City, Iowa; and T. Sgt. Arthur G. Doggett, aircraft mechanic, Windfall, Ind.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, October 7, 1945
George Abdouch was born May 10, 1917 to Thomas and Eva Gebran Abdouch. He died Aug. 27, 2002 and has a cenotaph in Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum, Fort Worth, TX.
Source: ancestry.com
