World War II United States Army Air Corps Fighter Ace. He graduated from the University of Scranton, Scranton, Pennsylvania, with two degrees. In May 1940 he entered the United States Army Air Corps. His first assignment as a commissioned pilot was at Clark Field in the Philippine Islands. He was stationed at Nichols Field, Manila, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the Philippine Islands. During the early years of World War II, as a combat fighter pilot in northern Australia, Java and the Philippines, he flew P-40 fighters, downed one Japanese Zero fighter and logged 175 combat hours. In 1943 he became squadron commander and later deputy commander of the 361st Fighter Group at Richmond, Virginia, and went to England in November 1943 with the group, where he flew P-47 and P-51 aircraft. During his tour of duty in the European Theater of Operations he logged 325 combat hours, destroyed three German ME-109s and one FW-190 to become an American ACE with four German and one Japanese fighter aircraft to his credit. He moved up the chain of command with various duties and holding various ranks. Some of these commands included an F-100 Fighter Wing and an F-100 Air Division. Key staff posts were in Operations at Headquarters PACAF and at Headquarters, USAF, Pentagon. His final rank being that of Major General, USAF. His son, was the United States Diplomat, Joseph John Kruzel, who died on a peace mission in Bosnia in 1995. General Kruzel was the recipient of three Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, four Air Medals, the Bronze Star, the Distinguished Service Medal, and the Presidential Unit Citation.
World War II United States Army Air Corps Fighter Ace. He graduated from the University of Scranton, Scranton, Pennsylvania, with two degrees. In May 1940 he entered the United States Army Air Corps. His first assignment as a commissioned pilot was at Clark Field in the Philippine Islands. He was stationed at Nichols Field, Manila, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the Philippine Islands. During the early years of World War II, as a combat fighter pilot in northern Australia, Java and the Philippines, he flew P-40 fighters, downed one Japanese Zero fighter and logged 175 combat hours. In 1943 he became squadron commander and later deputy commander of the 361st Fighter Group at Richmond, Virginia, and went to England in November 1943 with the group, where he flew P-47 and P-51 aircraft. During his tour of duty in the European Theater of Operations he logged 325 combat hours, destroyed three German ME-109s and one FW-190 to become an American ACE with four German and one Japanese fighter aircraft to his credit. He moved up the chain of command with various duties and holding various ranks. Some of these commands included an F-100 Fighter Wing and an F-100 Air Division. Key staff posts were in Operations at Headquarters PACAF and at Headquarters, USAF, Pentagon. His final rank being that of Major General, USAF. His son, was the United States Diplomat, Joseph John Kruzel, who died on a peace mission in Bosnia in 1995. General Kruzel was the recipient of three Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, four Air Medals, the Bronze Star, the Distinguished Service Medal, and the Presidential Unit Citation.
Bio by: Ugaalltheway
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