This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Barbara Roesch-Family
to remember
Breece, David Sessions, Lt Col.
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Contact Info
Last Address Fayetteville, NC
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Served Africa 1942-1943; transferred to "Ferry Command" in Long Beach, CA in an aircraft maintenance/inspection capacity. This command used the women pilots to return aircraft to assigned bases. Before discharge he spent time at "Sunken Lunken" AFB in Cincinnati OH, so named after a heavy storm caused serious flooding. About 1946 he was discharged to civilian life. He was recalled c1950 for duty in Japan during Korean War, as non-combat pilot. He was an avid sportsman and acted as an ambassador of sorts at the Tokyo Tennis Club and spoke on the radio to Japanese youth giving them encouragement to persevere through hard times.
Transferred mainland in 1954, he decided to remain in the Air Force and was attached to Norton AFB 1954-1958, San Bernardino, CA; Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH 1958-1961 and finally Vandenburg AFB, Lompoc, CA 1961-1965. I believe most of his post war service involved some type of quality control function as he was attached to the Inspector General's Office in OH and spent two weeks of every month traveling to bases around the Pacific.
Other Comments:
After my father retired, he became a graduate from the Professional Golfer's Association and moved to Gold Rush country in CA where he sold real estate, played golf and generally enjoyed his much deserved last 36 years of life.
1942-1946, T-28 Trojan
From Year 1942
To Year 1946
Personal Memories
Qualified Aug 1942
Image
T-28 Trojan Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
Operational history
In the COIN role, T-28s saw extensive service during the Vietnam War in VNAF hands, as well as the Secret War in Laos. They were also supplied to Congo by the CIA to support Moise Tshombe's regime. France used locally remanufactured T-28s in close-support and patrol roles in Algeria. In the Philippines, T-28s, known locally as "Tora-toras", figured prominently in a series of coup de etats in the 1980s and were employed as dive bombers by rebel military forces. The T-28 Trojan was the first US attack fixed wing aircraft (non-transport type) lost in SOUTH Vietnam, during the Vietnam War. Capt. Robert L. Simpson, USAF, Detachment 2A, lst Air Commando Group, and Lt. Hoa, SVNAF, were shot down by ground fire on 28 August 1962 while flying Close Air Support (CAS). Neither crewman survived. The USAF lost 23 T-28s to all causes during the war, with the last two losses occurring in 1968. [2]
General characteristics
* Crew: Two * Length: 33 ft 0 in (10.06 m) * Wingspan: 40 ft 1 in (12.22 m) * Height: 12 ft 8 in (3.86 m) * Wing area: 268 ft� (24.9 m�) * Empty weight: 6,424 lb (2,914 kg) * Max takeoff weight: 8,500 lb (3,856 kg) * Powerplant: 1� Wright R-1820-86 Cyclone radial engine, 1,425 hp (1,063 kW)
Performance
* Maximum speed: 343 mph (552 km/h) * Service ceiling 35,500 ft (10,820 m)