More detail on this person: Flew CG'S C-47 at
Rucker after Vietnam, retired on medical, died
about 1980. Flew B-24's for 7th Air Force out of
North China in WWII.Hi was in the U.S. Army Air
corps in WWII and bombed the Japanese airfield at
Phu Loi, later to be his home station with the
128th AHC in 1969-70.
From: Pat Richardson, Tomahawk 29
This was from an in country article.
21Dec69
Reenlists 23 Years Later Pilot Makes Big
Comeback
PHU LOI, Vietnam (Special) - Short breaks in
military service are
somewhat commonplace, but for CWO Stanley E.
Whitman of the 128th Assault
Helicopter Co. It took him 23 years to make up
his mind.
Whitman enlisted in the Army in 1942 with the
dream of becoming a pilot.
He realized that dream 16 months later when he
earned his wings and was
commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army Air
Corps. With his
multi-engine "ticket" he received orders assigning
him to China as a B24
pilot.
Whitman served under Gen. Claire Chennault,
founder of the Flying Tigers.
Still in China and a year later, Whitman's
aircraft received heavy
anti-aircraft fire which severely damaged the
airplane. The young
lieutenant ordered his crew to bail out while he
stayed at the controls to
maintain stability and try to bring the plane
down. Seeing his crew were
safely out of the aircraft and realizing his
chances of landing the plane
were slim, Whitman parachuted some 750 miles
away from his crew and home
base.
After 45 days of evading the enemy and the loss
of 40 pounds Whitman
finally made it back to his home base suffering
only from malnutrition.
When asked what navigational devices and means
of survival he used, he
said, "I just headed East and hoped."
After a recuperation period, Whitman returned
to the States to attend
instrument instructors school in Lubbock, Tex. and
was in the first class
to be taught use of instrument landing systems.
He was released from active duty as a captain
in 1946.
During the 23-year interim, Whitman, married
and became the father of
two daughters, owned and operated a furniture
store in Boise, Idaho. He
was also a member of the Idaho National Guard
during the period.
In May of this year,(1969) Whitman liquidated
his furniture holdings and
returned to active duty as an Army pilot. *He
attended the helicopter
transition at Ft. Rucker, Ala., and is currently
rated in 16 fixed and
rotary wind aircraft.
The 46-year-old pilot's military record
reflects two Distinguished
Flying Crosses and two Air Medals for valor.
_________________________
*More: Stan Whitman said that he bombed the
Japanese airfield at Phu Loi in WWII.
When he attended helicopter transition at Ft.
Rucker they told him he had to go through the
Escape and Evasion course. He told them "I don't
need to". He then told them that he had evaded
capture in China for 45 days. He was excused from
E&E training. When he returned to Ft. Rucker after
his tour with the 128th AHC they made him an E&E
platform instructor.
Jay Riseden
Gunslinger 35
128th AHC 67-68
Burial information: Meadowlawn Cemetery, Enterprise, AL
This information was last updated 08/23/2021
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