(See Corrections & Amplifications item below.)  John Alison was
a U.S. combat ace in World War II and an innovator in developing
Air Force commando tactics.  Maj. Gen. Alison, who died Monday
at age 98, served in the China-Burma-India and Pacific theaters,
was shot down at least twice and had seven confirmed kills as
well as a number of probable kills.  An intimate of Air Force
commander Henry "Hap" Arnold, he also advised Gen. Dwight
Eisenhower on using gliders to ferry troops on D-Day.  John
Alison in 1942 Air Force Association  Starting in 1942, Mr.
Alison served as deputy commander of the 75th Flying Squadron,
part of the successor to the fabled "Flying Tigers," who
defended Chinese cities against Japanese air assaults.  Soon
after arriving at the airfield in Hengyang, Mr. Alison initiated
a daring night interception of Japanese bombers, downing two.
His P-40 fighter—ill-equipped for night fighting—was badly shot
up and Mr. Alison ended up ditching in a river. He was awarded a
Distinguished Service Cross