Aviation Cadet Alfred Asch, of Beaverton, has completed the nine-week period of basic training at the recently established air corps basic flying school at Lemoore, California. Entering the school from the Primary Training Detachment at Hemet, California he already had 60 hours of flying to his credit; in moving on to Advance Flying School for either single engine pursuit or twin engine bomber instruction, he has, successfully concluded another 70 hours of flying in the BT-13-A training plane, 120 hours of ground school covering military 1aw, meteorology, navigation, radio communications and code, and airplane mechanics, and has passed strenuous flight checks and examinations. He is a graduate of the Beaverton school and attended college at Mt Pleasant where he first became interested in flying. His present address is Class 42-D, Co. C, Mather Field, California. Gladwin County Record 3/4/1942

Alfred Asch, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Chris Asch of Beaverton, recently was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U. S. Army Air Forces at the Air Forces Advanced Flying School, Mather Field, Calif. He was graduated from the Beaverton High School and attended the Central Michigan College. Gladwin County Record 4/29/1942

A cable received recently from 2nd lieutenant Alfred Asch, reveals that he has landed safely. Gladwin County Record 9/23/1942

Beaverton Co-Pilot Is Hero In Saga of Disabled Bomber: As co-pilot of a United States Liberator bomber, Lieut. Alfred Asch, 22, of Beaverton, distinguished himself in a bombing trip over occupied France Friday, according to reports from the U. S. Bomber Command in England. His plane was one of a group that attack Lille and knocked down 105 German planes in air combat. Young Asch's quick action in taking over the controls of the ship when his commander, Lieut. J. S. Tate of St; Augustine, Florida, passed out from lack of oxygen brought commendation from all of his companions in the bomber.
He is the son of Mr and Mrs Chris Asch, of Beaverton. The big four-motored Liberator plane made a belated return to its base Saturday and members of the crew had a harrowing tale to tell. The plane, known as the "Ball of Fire" had shot down three Focke-Wulf fighters and damaged several others in a scramble which followed an attack by about 30 Nazi planes as the bomber returned from a successful run over warehouses and railway yards at Lille. Gas Line Ripped: "One 20-millimeter cannon shell hit our tail and a couple went into the bomb bay, cutting cables and tearing a three-inch rip in the gas line," Lieut. Tate said. "Then another 20-millimeter came in right under the pilot's seat. When it blew up it busted our oxygen lines.'' Lieut. Tate kept the ship at from 20,000 to 26,000 feet, and instructed the crew to use emergency supplies of oxygen in "walk-about bottles" and "bailout flasks." "After we got to safe territory and were about half way back across the channel Aaron Moses of Monroe, Indiana, one of our gunners, crawled from his upper gun turret and down through the bomb bay," Lieut. Tate continued "Gas squirting from the broken line blew into his face, blinding him, but he kept feeling about until he found the hole.'' By that time gasoline was half an inch deep in the bomb bay. At freezing altitudes Moses held the break closed until he was relieved by Lieut. Orval Huff of Waterman, Ill., bombardier. Then turns holding the line, were taken by Lieut. Thaddeus Isaiah Hawkins, Jr., of Griffin, Ga., navigator and Staff Sgt. Edward W. Eichmann, Milwaukee, Wis., gunner. At the same time, in the nose of the plane, Hawkins was performing a similar service for Huff who lost consciousness when the oxygen lines were hit. Tate brought the stricken plane down on a fighter field with both tires punctured, and there was momentary danger of crashing into a group of grounded Spitfires. But quick action by Asch locked one of the wheels, causing the plane to swerve and avoid a collision. Gladwin County Record 10/14/1942

LIEUT. ALFRED ASCH, son of Mr and Mrs Chris Asch, of Beaverton, was among 28 officers and enlisted men of the Eighth U. S. Air Force stationed in England who were given the Purple Heart award last week. All of the men had been wounded in aerial combat. Gladwin County Record 12/23/1942

Lt. Alfred Asch, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chris Asch of Beaverton, is with Uncle Sam's air forces in North Africa. Alfred was recently awarded the Order of the Purple Heart for bravery and has been wounded in action in the North Africa fighting. Gladwin County Record 1/6/1943

LIEUT. ALFRED Asch, Beaverton bomber pilot who has participated in 28 bombing raids over Africa and the European continent, is spending a well earned 15-day furlough with his mother, Mrs. Lydia Asch and other relatives in Beaverton. Alfred, who has been awarded the Order of the Purple Heart for heroism in landing a damaged plane, is modest about his exploits. He told us Monday that his most frightening experience was during the time his plane was based in Africa. Returning from a bombing mission, heavy winds forced the plane off course and when the navigator finally got his bearings they found they were over Nazi-occupied Greece with very little gas left. Alfred and his crew decided that their best bet was to head straight south for the African coast and take a chance on their gas holding out. Luckily, the gas lasted and they were able to get across the African coast and land in a small pursuit plane field that was in Allied hands. Their plane had been in the air more than 13 hours when they finally landed. Gladwin County Record 5/19/1943

ALFRED ASCH, former Beaverton boy and son of Mrs Lydia Asch, of Midland, has been promoted from Captain to the rank of Major with the U. S. Army air force. Major Asch returned to the European war theatre in December and is now in command; of an air squadron of ten B-24 bombers stationed somewhere in Italy....Previously he spent more than a year with an air corps unit in England and in the Mediterranean war- zone. At 24 he is one of the; Army's youngest Majors. Gladwin County Record 5/24/1944

Lt. Asch Speaks at School Banquet

Lt. Alfred Asch, Beaverton pilot and veteran of 28 bombing raids over Africa and the European continent, was the principal speaker at last Wednesday night's Gladwin High School Achievement Banquet. Lt. Asch congratulated the Gladwin school students on their work in the recent "Buy a Bomber" campaign and answered questions about his experiences as an Army bomber pilot. Lt. Asch also pinned U. S. Treasury Department award medals on three of the outstanding Gladwin student bond salesmen—Dorothy Ward, Dorothy Leonard, and Mary Louise Wagar. The Achievement is sponsored annually by the school Activity Association and is designed to honor students who have been outstanding in both academic and extra-curricular activity. More than 100 students, teachers and school board members were in attendance. Miss Mary Ellen Horton served capably as toastmistress for the banquet and the program, included —an Invocation by Elenore Brietzke; songs led by Virginia Scrafford; the introduction of the toastmistress by Kate Card; a vocal solo by Thelma Bellinger; an address, "Our. Place in the World of Tomorrow," by Ruth Jean Flynn; an address, "We Can, We Will, We Must," by Bob Scott; a saxophone solo by Robert Greer; presentations of awards by the various class sponsors; and a brief address by Ink White, editor of The Record. Gladwin County Record 6/2/1943

Alfred Asch, former Beaverton boy who is now with the U. S. Air Force, was recently promoted from the rank of First Lieutenant to Captain. Gladwin County Record 1/19/1944

Fairfield - Suisun AAB, Fairfield, California, May 12th . . .Major Alfred Asch, son of Mrs. Lydia Asch of Beaverton, was one of a group of eleven Staff Officers who received a special letter of commendation today, from Brig. General Archie J. Old, Jr., Commanding General, Eastern Pacific wing Headquarters, Air Transport Command. "It was through their attention to duty, spirit of cooperation and efficiency as a team that the 1st Air Transport Wing was activated here, April 23, 1947. Approximately 2000 officers and enlisted men were regrouped and reassigned to various transport groups and Squadrons," said General Old. The commendation reads in part: "Through your exemplary deportment, cooperation, efficiency and manifest competence as a member of this special project team, this command was prepared to and did put the complete reorganization plan into effect on 23 April 1947 without any loss of efficiency or operations. Your actions ideally conformed with the high standards established by the Eastern Pacific Wing, Air Transport Command and tend to enhance greatly the prestige of the new organization which will in all probability, establish a precedent for the entire Air Transport Command."' Gladwin County Record 5/21/1947

Lt Colonel and Mrs Alfred Asch and their two sons, Peter, two and David, four, are shown debarking from the ship that brought Mrs Asch and two boys to Okinawa where they will remain for the rest of his tour with 20th Air Force. Colonel Asch purchased land and had a home constructed in the Kadena Dependent Housing Area. He is comptroller of the 6351st Air Base Wing at present, but was a bomber pilot during World War II, and has served in various capacities since then. He attended Beaverton high school, Central Michigan College and the University of Michigan. His wife and sons arrived in Okinawa July 29, under the current Air Force dependent travel facilities. Gladwin County Record 9/19/1951


Gladwin County Record 8/18/1943


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DURING A ceremony in the Pentagon Building, Washington, D.C., November 4, 1952, Brig. Gen. Harold Q. Huglin (left) presented the Commendation Ribbon to Lt. Col. Alfred Asch for meritorious service from May 1, 1951, to July ,15, 1952, with the 20th Air Force.

By direction of the Secretary of the Air Force, Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Asch, U. S. Air Force, has been awarded the Commendation Ribbon during a ceremony in the Pentagon Building, Washington, D.C., by Brig. Gen. Harold Q. Huglin, above.

CITATION: Lt. Col. Alfred Asch distinguished himself as Comptroller, 6351st Air Base Wing, Okinawa, Ryukyus Islands, from 1 May 1951 to 15, July 1952. Col. Asch displayed outstanding foresight and superior technical skill in obtaining and programming needed monies to effect the rehabilitation of Naha Air Base. He formulated sound, well devised budgets amounting to several million dollars and effected sizeable savings by his effective i programming for efficient utilization of personnel, supplies, and equipment. By his unusual aggressiveness, and comprehensive knowledge of his position, Col. Asch established an organized system of collecting cross-service agreements with the Army and Navy, and monies due from, civilian airlines and other agencies. Col. Asch established a central accounting system to consolidate the accounting work of all Non-Appropriated funds for Naha Air Base, which insured maximum efficiency and economy. Through his outstanding leadership, diligence and exemplary devotion to duty, Col. Asch has saved the Air Force many thousands of dollars through sound programming and the successful formulation of, well integrated plans and budgets which reflect great credit upon himself, his organization and the United States Air Force. Col. Asch is the son of Mrs Lydia Asch, brother of Mrs Victor Caldecourt, Mrs Bud Simpson and Vyril Asch all of Midland, and son of Chris Asch of Bay City. Col. Asch is now stationed in the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Gladwin County Record 1/27/1954

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