Phil Cochran was born in Erie PA Jan 29, 1910. He was educated at local Erie schools, and the Ohio State University. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps prior to World War II. Illness prevented him from joining the squadron he commanded when they were deployed th North Africa, but talked his way into bringing over a squadron of replacement pilots. He trained these, and the Tuskeegee Airmen ( the famed black squadron of pilots). He then talked his way to the front, where he introduced many tactical innovations. He returned home to find himself famous as the model for "Flip Corkin" in the comic strip "Terry and the Pirates ( and later as the model for "General Philerie" in "Steve Canyon"). The Chief of the Army Air Corps, General Arnold- in response to a request from Winston Churchill to FDR, called upon Phil to lead (along with his good friend John Alison) air support for British Gen. Orde Wingate and his Chindit guerrillas in Burma. This top secret plan evolved into the 1st Air Commando, and their achievements included landing gliders with troops and heavy equipment deep behind Japanese lines, gaining air superiority in the Burmese skies, bombing bridges and rail lines, and evacuating the wounded from jungle clearings and riverbeds in light planes and the first use of a helicopter in combat. These activities were the birth of Air Assault warfare and of Air Force Special Forces, as cited on the official Air Special Forces website today. After the war Phil returned to Erie, joined his brother John's trucking firm-Lyons Transportation Lines_ and rose to President of that company. He had a lifelong love of horses, and indeed died of a massive heart attack while riding to hounds in 1979. His exploits are well known, but less well known are his community efforts in Erie. These included being A Trustee of Gannon University, Pennsylvania State Chairman of the Heart Fund and many other such activities.

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