My Time At Dreux By John Dixon (from email)

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As an engineer assigned to the 322 Engineer Aviation Group I visited Dreux AB in 1955 to review work being accomplished by the 821 EAB. For the visit I traveled with a lieutenant colonel (was my superior) who had previously been the commander of the 821 EAB at Dreux. He was a naturalized citizen who had graduated from the West Point Military Academy. Phonetically his name sounded like "Bisancion." I've tried to locate him or his family's address with this spelling and failed. I thought someone visiting this web site might know something more or at least how his name was spelled. He later was promoted to colonel assigned to the 322 EAG.


From email

Thank you for your response. I reported to the 322 EAG at Landstuhl in early 1955. I believe at the time Besancon was a new colonel who had recently reported from Dreux. I found him to be a quite an accomplished individual - in addition to the Military Academy, his career included WWII Pacific Theatre herocis, Civil Engineering Masters Degree (Iowa State), registered professional engineer (Illinois), many other achievements (Brunswick County Obituary, Nov 10, 1994). Later in 1955 I was deployed to Morocco with a number of SCARWAF officers and enlisted personnel form a number of French and German bases including Dreux. Some names I remember include: officers Lt Pete Milbratz, Lt James McGee, Lt Robert Curran, Maj Conners, enlisted: Msg Jack Gill, Pvt O'Brian, Pvt Ernest Goodspeed, Pvt Scarpelly, Sgt Jackson, Sge Rheys (Battan Death March survivor, Sgt Parker (equipment operator), Sgt McKenny (black), Pvt Scarpetti -- somewhere in the attic of my grandaughter's house I have a list of those who went TDY to Morocco (maybe 50 individuals) -- I hope to get my hands on it soon. So hang in there and maybe more individuals may find our emails and respond to us. My son, ex-Air Force B52s and Prime Beef engineering suggests I ask for SCARWAF members via FACEBOOK --- something I haven't fooled around with. Any way, take care. John Dixon, Gwynns Island Virginia.


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