Voll, John James, COL

He flew Mustangs with the 308th FS of the 31st Fighter Group, 15th Air Force. John Voll was the third highest scoring Mustang ace of the war, and the top U.S.A.A.F. ace of the MTO, with 21 victories.

COL John J. Voll

John Voll was born on May 3, 1922, in Cincinatti, Ohio. He enlisted in the Air Corps Reserve on August 5, 1942, and began Aviation Cadet training on March 8, 1943. Voll was commissioned a 2Lt in the Army Air Forces and awarded his pilot wings on January 7, 1944. After completing P-47 Thunderbolt training, Voll was assigned to the 308th Fighter Squadron of the 31st Fighter Group in the Mediterranean Theater, where he started flying combat missions in May 1944. Capt Voll was credited with destroying 21 enemy aircraft in aerial combat between June and November 1944. After returning to the states, he served in the Pacific Theater before leaving active duty on November 13, 1945. Voll was recalled to active duty on October 26, 1948, and served with the 3525th Pilot Training Wing at Williams AFB, Arizona, until October 1949, when he was transferred to the 66th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. Voll served with the 66th FIS until October 1951, and then was assigned to the 1002nd Inspector General Group at Norton AFB, California, where he served as a Power Plant Specialist and Inspector until August 1954, when he attended Air Command and Staff College, graduating in June 1955. Voll then served with Air Defense Command at Hamilton AFB, California, from July 1955 to November 1958, when he was assigned to the Air Force Advisory Group at Kimpo AB, South Korea, where he served until November 1960. From November 1960 to October 1961, Voll served with the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing at Cannon AFB, New Mexico. He then served as the Commander of the 522nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, also at Cannon, from October 1961 to July 1962, when he was assigned as an Operations Staff Officer for the 832nd Air Division at Cannon. His next assignment was with Headquarters Tactical Air Command at Langley AFB, Virginia, where he served from October 1962 to August 1964. He then attended Naval Warfare School at Newport, Rhode Island, graduating in June 1965. From July 1965 to June 1966, he went through air Attache training and then was assigned as Air Attache to Singapore from June 1966 to July 1968. Col Voll served as the Chief of the Plans Division for the 6250th Support Squadron at Tan Son Nhut AB in the Republic of Vietnam from July 1968 to August 1969. He then completed Armed Forces Staff College, graduating in June 1970. Col Voll's final assignment was as commander of the 77th Aeronautical Systems Wing at McClellan AFB, California, from October 1973 until his retirement from the Air Force on July 31, 1974. John Voll died on September 12, 1987.

The Synopsis from the General Orders for his Distinguished Service Cross reads:

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to John J. Voll (0-705511), Captain (Air Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-51 Fighter Airplane in the 308th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group, FIFTEENTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 16 November 1944, in the European Theater of Operations. After destroying a JU 88 in the Udine area, Captain Voll was jumped by a dozen enemy fighters. Despite being heavily outnumbered, he remained in the fight, shooting down four more enemy to become an ace in a day. Captain Voll's unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 15th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.