Ed Haapala retired in 1968 as a Major in the United States Air Force. He was in the Army Air Corps from 1943-1945, and the A-AF Reserve in 1945, and the USAF in 1947.
During WWII, he was based in France with the 387th Bombardment Group (Medium), 557th Squadron "Tiger Tails", flying missions in B-26 Martin Marauder bombers. During his military service, Ed was checked out in at least 36 military aircraft and logged over 10,000 hours of flight time. While at George AFB in California, he broke the sound barrier in a F-100 Super Sabre and was a member of the "Mach Busters" club.
After the war, he flew helicopters for the Gordon Ball construction company, and later was in sales for Northern Waterworks Supply, Fargo, North Dakota. He lived the latter part of his life with wife, Edith S. Haapala (Murto) in Itasca County, Minnesota, building a house, working on cars, and doing all kinds of projects around the place by the lake.
During WWII, he was based in France with the 387th Bombardment Group (Medium), 557th Squadron "Tiger Tails", flying missions in B-26 Martin Marauder bombers. During his military service, Ed was checked out in at least 36 military aircraft and logged over 10,000 hours of flight time. While at George AFB in California, he broke the sound barrier in a F-100 Super Sabre and was a member of the "Mach Busters" club.
After the war, he flew helicopters for the Gordon Ball construction company, and later was in sales for Northern Waterworks Supply, Fargo, North Dakota. He lived the latter part of his life with wife, Edith S. Haapala (Murto) in Itasca County, Minnesota, building a house, working on cars, and doing all kinds of projects around the place by the lake.
Ed Haapala retired in 1968 as a Major in the United States Air Force. He was in the Army Air Corps from 1943-1945, and the A-AF Reserve in 1945, and the USAF in 1947.
During WWII, he was based in France with the 387th Bombardment Group (Medium), 557th Squadron "Tiger Tails", flying missions in B-26 Martin Marauder bombers. During his military service, Ed was checked out in at least 36 military aircraft and logged over 10,000 hours of flight time. While at George AFB in California, he broke the sound barrier in a F-100 Super Sabre and was a member of the "Mach Busters" club.
After the war, he flew helicopters for the Gordon Ball construction company, and later was in sales for Northern Waterworks Supply, Fargo, North Dakota. He lived the latter part of his life with wife, Edith S. Haapala (Murto) in Itasca County, Minnesota, building a house, working on cars, and doing all kinds of projects around the place by the lake.
During WWII, he was based in France with the 387th Bombardment Group (Medium), 557th Squadron "Tiger Tails", flying missions in B-26 Martin Marauder bombers. During his military service, Ed was checked out in at least 36 military aircraft and logged over 10,000 hours of flight time. While at George AFB in California, he broke the sound barrier in a F-100 Super Sabre and was a member of the "Mach Busters" club.
After the war, he flew helicopters for the Gordon Ball construction company, and later was in sales for Northern Waterworks Supply, Fargo, North Dakota. He lived the latter part of his life with wife, Edith S. Haapala (Murto) in Itasca County, Minnesota, building a house, working on cars, and doing all kinds of projects around the place by the lake.
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Edwin Ensio Haapala US Air Force World War II Korea APR 25 1917 SEP 3 2001
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