In 1942, as Gerald Johnson (Oregon's top ace WW2 fighter pilot) headed off to war in his first combat deployment, his squadron flew through Oregon en route to the Aleutian Islands. Gerald, piloting a Bell P-39 Airacobra, flew right down the street in front of his family’s house, pulled up and executed a mini-aerobatics show for his neighbors

 

His family missed it. They’d been off having a spring picnic north of town.

They were remarkable neighbors. John Skillern who lived behind the Johnsons, served in the 10th Mountain Division. Jim Bennet was killed aboard a PT-Boat at Iwo Jima. Marge Goodman lived next door. She joined the Navy and documented captured Japanese aircraft brought back from the Pacific. Her brother became Haile Selassie’s personal pilot.

https://theamericanwarrior.com/2020/01/08/love-in-the-pioneer-cemetery/

this is the blog of New York Times best-selling author John R. Bruning, who wrote this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Race-Aces-Airmen-Battle-Become/dp/B0839M6NYD