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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

Mr. Hoesten enlisted as a Private in the Army Air Corps on March 16, 1942 in New York City. He began aviation cadet training on May 4, 1942. His primary flight training took place at Augustine Field in Jackson, MS where he trained in the PT17. His basic flight training was completed in Blythville, AR where he trained in the BT13. He completed advanced flight training at Craig Field, AL, where he trained in the AT6. His training was completed on January 14, 1943 and was commissioned as a 2nd LT. From there he was sent to the 48th Bomber group, 492nd Squadron at Key Field in Meridian, MS in February 1943. There he flew the A24, A36, P40, P35, and P39. On January 15, 1944, he was promoted to 1st LT.
In March 1944, he went overseas on the Queen Mary, landing at Firth of Clyde, Scotland. From there he went on to England as part of the 9th Tactical Air Force. He flew a P47 Thunderbolt for all his missions. He had 78 total combined missions with 231 combat hours. He flew fighter escort, then fighter bomber missions. He was stationed in Ibsley, England where he flew in the second wave of the D-Day invasion over Omaha Beach, Normandy, France on June 6, 1944. Later he was stationed in France in Deux Jumeaux, Villa Coublay, and Cambra/Neugnies.
He was promoted to Captain on November 22, 1944. In France he was later assigned as a Division Air Support Officer, where he was in charge of directing air missions protecting allied ground forces. He completed duty on May 13, 1945, arriving in FT Dix, NJ on July 6, 1945, and he entered inactive status on September 11, 1945.
His service included the European Theater of Operations, the Middle Eastern Theater, Air Offensive Europe, Northern France, and Germany. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 14 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Presidential Unit Citation Medal, and medals for service in the European, African, and Middle Eastern Theater.