Paul P. Douglas Jr.

Douglas was born in Paragould, Arkansas on 1919, to Bess Douglas and Paul Page Douglas. He graduated from high school in Paragould on 1938 and on the same year, he enrolled at Arkansas State Teachers College. During his studies at ASTC, he also earned his flying license. ==World War II==

After the outbreak of World War II in 1939, he joined the Arkansas National Guard and was called to active duty in 1941. He entered the aviation cadet program on April 28, 1941, and received his wings and commission as a second lieutenant at Victoria Field in Texas on December 12, just five days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Flying the P-47 Thunderbolt, Douglas logged a total of 136 missions and 337 combat hours while serving as commander of the 396th Fighter Squadron, vice commander of the 368th Fighter Group and later with the 36th Fighter Group in Belgium, France and Germany. On two occasions, he shot down three enemy aircraft in one flight. He was recommended for the Medal of Honor and twice received the Distinguished Service Cross. In the first ten days of the fall 1944, he led his unit in the interception of German V-1 rockets that were launched toward England. They used P-47’s high-speed dive capability in destroying 494 V-1s. ==United States Air Force career==

Following the war, he entered Texas Christian University and received his bachelor of science degree in business administration in June 1948. He then returned to his former wartime organization, the 36th Fighter Wing, at Furstenfeldbruck, West Germany, as commander of the 22d Fighter Squadron until December 1949. He returned to the United States in January 1950 and he served as jet operations officer at Tactical Air Command Headquarters at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, an instructor in the first class of the Air-Ground Operations School at Ninth Air Force Headquarters at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina, where he organized the Forward Air Controllers School and the first jump trained FAC School at Pope. He next went to George Air Force Base in California, and served as commander of the 21st Fighter Bomber Group, an F-86 Sabre unit. From 1954 to 1958, he served as chief of the Fighter Branch, Flight Safety Research Division, 1002d Inspector General Group at Norton Air Force Base, California. In February 1958, he went to the NATO Defense College in Paris. In August 1958, he went to Keflavik, Iceland, as commander of the 1400th Operations Group, Iceland Defense Force, flying the F-89 Scorpion. In August 1959, he was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in Washington, D.C., as assistant for Flight Missile and Nuclear Safety in the Office of the Inspector General. He returned to Norton Air Force Base in 1963 as deputy director of Aerospace Safety. Douglas went to Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, as director of operations for the Tactical Air Command's 832d Air Division in June 1964 and in September assumed command of the 474th Tactical Fighter Wing there. In July 1965, he was assigned as commander of the 41st Air Division in Yokota Air Base in Japan. He was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure (3rd Class) from the Government of Japan, for his efforts as the commander of 41st Air Division at Yokota. During the Vietnam War, Douglas took the command of 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand, after the previous commander, Colonel Neil J. Graham died of a heart attack. During his tour in Vietnam, Douglas flew Republic F-105D Thunderchief 59-1743, which he also named "The Arkansas Traveler". In February 1969 he was assigned as commander of the 836th Air Division in MacDill Air Force Base in Florida until his retirement from the Air Force on February 1, 1970. ==Later life==

Douglas married Sarah Lee Chandler on December 23, 1944. They had two daughters and a son. Following his retirement, he and his wife moved to Conway, Arkansas, where he joined the staff of the University of Central Arkansas. He later worked as the purchasing agent at the university and operated a cattle farm in Faulkner County. In 1983, he acquired ranch property in Bertram, Texas, and built a home and moved his family and cattle rearing there. Douglas died on December 26, 2002. He was buried at the Central Texas State Veteran's Cemetery in Killeen, Texas. ==Awards and decorations==

His awards include: 2nd Distinguished Service Cross citation :Douglas Jr., Paul P. :Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces :Date of Action: March 11, 1945 :Citation: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps) Paul Page Douglas, Jr., United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-47 Fighter Airplane in the 396th Fighter Squadron, 368th Fighter Group, Ninth Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 14 March 1945. On this date, with only three aircraft supporting him, Colonel Douglas attacked a force of more than fifty enemy aircraft carrying bombs toward the American lines in the Remagen Bridgehead. Completely disregarding the enemy's overwhelming numerical superiority, he attacked relentlessly, compelling the hostile aircraft to jettison their bombs. In the ensuing combat Colonel Douglas destroyed three enemy planes while the aircraft he was leading destroyed seven additional enemy planes with no loss to themselves. The extraordinary heroism and determination of this officer to destroy the enemy are in keeping with the highest traditions of the Armed Forces of the United States. ==Aerial victory credits==

SOURCE: Air Force Historical Study 85: USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II, Pg.55 ==See also==