page_title: Edwin A. Doss
section_title: Early military years (1940–1941)
hierarchical_section_title: Edwin A. Doss / Career / Early military years (1940–1941)
caption_attribution_description: English: Army photograph of Aviation Cadet Edwin A. Doss during basic flight training in Glendale, California. The airplane is a Stearman primary trainer biplane.
context_page_description: Edwin A. Doss was an American fighter pilot and commander in the U.S. Air Force during World War II and Korean War. Logging more than 4,500 flying hours, Doss flew 573 combat hours and accrued 280 combat missions during his leadership in the South West Pacific Theatre and Korean War. For his two-year service as commander of the 35th Fighter Group during World War II, Doss was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, and the Air Medal. He received his second Legion of Merit and the Korean Ulchi medal with a Silver Star for his assignments as commander of the 49th Fighter Bomber Wing and the 3rd Bomber Wing at Kunsan, Korea. Colonel Doss's service has been cited as integral to the development of long-range fighter tactics in the South West Pacific Theater.
  After the Korean War, Doss held assignments including senior Air Force advisor to the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, Vice Commander of the 85th Air Division at Andrews Air Force Base, and Deputy Commander of the Washington Air Defense Sector at Fort Lee, Virginia. In 1963, Doss was assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe headquarters as Deputy Inspector General and Inspector General.
context_section_description: After being commissioned as a second lieutenant on December 20, 1940, Doss's first military assignment was to the 41st squadron of the 31st Operations Group at Selfridge Field, Michigan. There, he flew Seversky P-35 aircraft. In April 1941, he was appointed squadron operations officer.
  On April 9, 1941, Doss's P-35 crashed due to mechanical failure in Selfridge Field. The plane was severely damaged.
caption: Aviation Cadet Doss
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