Tomorrow Lt. Col Don Schoen USAF (RET) will visit Jim Goodwin's TF-51 "The Little Witch" for the first time since leaving the original "witch" at the end of the war. Don who is 86 will also be taking one last flight with Lee Lauderback. Stay tuned for photos from this awesome reunion of man and machine !
Note: there was no clear original photos of the original witch art so with the blessing and imput of Don, Mr. Goodwin's 11 year old son Gordon designed the modern day witch which was painted on the plane.
Lt. Col Donald Schoen USAF (Ret)
Donald Schoen was sworn in the Army Air Corp on December 1st 1942. He reported for active duty at Jefferson Barracks, MO for basic training. Upon completion of basic training Schoen reported to Aviation Cadet Training at San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center. From October 1943 until April 1944, Lt Schoen flew the PT-19, BT-13 and AT-6 Texan. He graduated from advanced flying training in class 44-D. Next he was stationed on Almagorda Island, TX for advanced gunnery and formation training. In August 1944 Schoen reported to Waycross. GA and checked out in the Curtis P-40 Warhawk where he continued to hone his gunnery and formation skills.
In September 1944, after 5 days at sea, Lt. Don Schoen arrived at the port of Liverpool, England. Immediately, he was sent to Great Grimsby, a Army Air Corp training base where he was introduced to the P-51 Mustang. After a few days of familiarization and checkout on the P-51, he was assigned to the 353rd Fighter Group 352nd Fighter Squadron at Raydon Air Base in East Anglia. Between October 1944 and the end of the War in September 1945, Lt Schoen flew escort missions for allied bombers into Nazi Germany. During this time he was awarded eight Air Medals and a Distinguished Flying Cross, the highest honor bestowed to an aviator.
On October 24th 1945 Don Schoen was officially released from the Army Air Corp and went to work for Layne Atlantic Corp. in Orlando, FL. Shortly thereafter, Don enlisted in the Army as a Tech Sgt. During this time he was assigned to McCoy Air Base, Fl, and Smyrna Air Base TN. In 1947 when the United States Air Force was created, Don joined the Office of Special Investigations. In April 1949, he re-enlisted for another 3 years as a Tech Sgt and was stationed at BW-1 in Greenland where he opened the OSI office on base. After a few months in Greenland, he was recalled back to his Army Air Corp rank of 1st Lt and returned to flying status due to a shortage of pilots during the Berlin Blockade. During the remainder of Lt. Schoen’s time in Greenland he maintained flying currency in the C-47 Commando and C-54 Skymaster.
After returning from Greenland, Lt Schoen was assigned to England AFB, LA. where he was assigned as Det. Commander of Office Of Special Investigation. He was later transferred to Offutt AFB, NB and assigned the position of Asst. Chief of General Investigation (Criminal Division). While serving at the Offutt detachment he was re- called back to the cockpit for jet upgrading. This was accomplished at Craig AFB, Selma, AL where Schoen spent two months getting checked out in the Lockeed T-33. From Craig he was sent to Tyndall AFB, FL to get checked out in the F-86D followed by a year standing alert at Ellsworth AFB, SD.
In the summer of 1958 Lt. Schoen received orders sending him to OSI District Office 5 in Paris, France where he was again assigned duty as the Asst GI Div Chief. While there he was promoted to the rank of Capt. From 1961 until retirement in 1969, Schoen further served in Robbins AFB, GA, Kadina AB, Okinawa and in the Office of Special Investigation headquarters in Washington, DC.
Donald Schoen retired from the United States Air Force on Sept 1st 1969 at the rank of Lt. Col. Currently Don resides in Arizona with his wife of 55 years, the former Geraldine Buley.
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