Last New Forest D-Day flyer Floyd Blair passes at 105

FONFA life member John Levesley has kindly informed me of the passing of Captain Floyd Blair at the age of 105 earlier this month.

Floyd flew his P-47 Thunderbolt named “Ramblin Wreck” from RAF Winkton USAAF station 414 now Sopley PYO  on two support missions across Omaha Beach on D-Day .

I mention him often at the centre. This is due to when I  was carrying out my research for our  D-Day 80 commemoration  in 2024 ,Floyd then at 103! ,was the only pilot I could find alive , who flew from an airfield in the New Forest on D-Day.

The fact he flew from an airfield less than  a mile from the centre was even more amazing

Also, at 103 he was invited to attend the D-Day commemoration in France and he accepted.

“Congratulations Floyd! What a honor it was to plant a red rose with you on Omaha Beach on the 80th anniversary of D-Day. That is an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. As we discussed on Omaha Beach, my father Quentin Aanenson’s first mission was also flying a P 47 over Omaha Beach and Point du Hoc on D-Day , June 6, 1944. Again, congratulations!”

Jerry Aanenson Marion County, Florida Facebook post 30 November 2025 ·

This Facebook post is reproduced below as a tribute to Floyd

“Honoring Captain Floyd F. Blair

As we close out the month of November and Veterans Appreciation Month here in Marion County, we proudly celebrate the remarkable service and life of local resident, Captain Floyd F. Blair, U.S. Army Air Corps (1942–1945).

Born on November 15, 1920, in Fort Payne, Alabama, and raised in Tifton, Georgia, Floyd Blair went on to study electrical engineering at Georgia Tech while serving in ROTC. In June 1942, he joined the Army Air Corps and trained to become a fighter pilot, eventually flying the iconic P-47 “Jug.”

Assigned to the 507th Fighter Squadron, 404th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force, Blair piloted his P-47, Ramblin’ Wreck, through some of the most pivotal missions of WWII. He flew over Normandy on D-Day as part of Operation Overlord, provided relentless low-level ground support through the Battle of the Bulge, and completed 100 combat missions supporting Allied troops across Europe.

Beyond the cockpit, Blair brought music to the front lines. While stationed in Belgium, he organized a five-piece band called “Nix Compris”—a morale-boosting favorite among both troops and locals.

For his extraordinary service, Captain Blair received numerous honors, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Belgian Fourragere, multiple Campaign Medals, and an Air Medal with 15 bronze and three silver oak leaf clusters. In 2016, he was further recognized with the French Legion of Honor Medal.

After WWII, Blair continued to serve his country during the Korean War and went on to build a successful career in electrical engineering and business, retiring at age 95.

Today, we honor Captain Floyd F. Blair, his bravery, his service, and his enduring legacy.

Thank you, Captain Blair.”

A web search using Floyd Blair WW2 brings up a wealth of detail on this distinguished pilot.

Below is a link to one of these items and explains why his aircraft was called Ramblin Wreck