This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SSgt Robert Bruce McClelland, Jr.
to remember
Shannon, Joseph Lewis, Lt Col USAF(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Coal Valley, Alabama
Last Address Birmingham, Alabama
Date of Passing Jan 05, 2010
Location of Interment Elmwood Cemetery - Birmingham, Alabama
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
He flew 70 combat missions in the Mediterranean Theater and another 32 combat missions in the China-Burma-India Theater during WWII and was credited with damaging 1 enemy aircraft in aerial combat and destroying 3 more on the ground. He also flew in the Bay of Pigs invasion operation in Cuba in Apr 1961.
Aircraft/Missile Information
(Fairchild Republic) The first of the modern jets to be designed specifically for photo-reconnaissance, the Thunderflash was the first reconnaissance airplane equipped with a combination of standard aerial cameras and dicing camera for close-up photos of individual targets. It was also the first fighter-type aircraft to be equipped with the Tri-Metrogon camera which could take horizon-to-horizon pictures. Unlike the Thunderstreak, the Thunderflash had its air-intake ducts located in the wing roots rather than the nose, which was elongated and enclosed to permit installation of a sweeping variety of camera and electronic equipment. It was the first reconnaissance fighter to have a camera control system and a viewfinder for the pilot, who also acted as the cameraman. The aircraft was first tested in February 1952, and 715 of the aircraft were produced.
