The RAF Eagle Squadrons : American Pilots Who Flew for the Royal Air Force 9781555917791, 9781555917029

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“This is truly a remarkable and moving book.”

The

Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy KCB, CBE, DSO, ADC, BSc(Eng), FRAeS, RAF Chief of the Air Staff

General Ronald R. Fogleman, USAF (ret.) Former Chief of Staff

Brigadier General Philip D. Caine, US Air Force, Retired

P2-Eagle Squadron jacket.indd 1

The RAF Eagle Squadrons: American Pilots Who Flew for the Royal Air Force is a “must read” for the student of World War II and the history of air power, or the general reader who just wants a “captivating read.”

Among the most remarkable organizations in the history of air power are the three RAF Eagle Squadrons.

American Pilots Who Flew for the Royal Air Force

Made up of American volunteers they helped stop Hitler’s mighty Luftwaffe prior to American entry into the war and subsequently became the initial cadre of the legendary Fourth Fighter Group.

CAINE

General Caine, was commissioned as a Distinguished Military Graduate from the Air Force ROTC at the University of Denver. He graduated at the top of his pilot training class and, during his 37 year Air Force career, flew some 5000 hours in various military aircraft. He earned both his Masters and PhD. degrees in History from Stanford University. He is also a graduate of the Air War College and the National War College. General Caine’s assignments include: mission pilot and instructor pilot at Mather AFB, Hamilton AFB, Lowry AFB, and Peterson AFB; tenure professor and acting head of the Air Force Academy History Department; acting head of Project CHECO in Vietnam; Professor of Strategic Studies at the National War College; Senior Research Fellow at the National Defense University; Deputy Commandant of Cadets for Military Instruction at the Air Force Academy. General Caine retired from the Air Force in 1992. He is the author of four books: Eagles of the RAF and American Pilots in the RAF, the definitive history of the RAF Eagle Squadrons; Spitfires, Thunderbolts and Warm Beer, the story of a highly decorated American fighter pilot’s life in the RAF and Eighth Air Force; and Aircraft Down!, an account of six extraordinary evasion adventures that took place in Europe during World War II. He and his wife, Doris, live in Monument, Colorado.

The RAF EAGLE SQUADRONS

“… destined to become the primary source of information about those who were members of these historic units.”

RAF EAGLE SQUADRONS

$35.00

After years of painstaking study and research, Brigadier General Phil Caine has written a book that brings them to life and enables the reader to know each man as an individual who was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of freedom. It is destined to become the primary source of information about those who were members of these historic units. General Ronald R. Fogleman, USAF (ret)

$35.00

Former Chief of Staff

Military History

ISBN-13: 978-1-55591-702-9

Philip D. Caine

Jacket image Eagle Force by Robert Taylor © The Military Gallery, Ojai, CA

9/15/10 3:26 PM

RAF EAGLE SQUADRONS

The

American Pilots Who Flew for the Royal Air Force

Philip D. Caine

Fulcrum Publishing Golden, Colorado

To the men of the three RAF Eagle Squadrons

Text © 2009 Philip D. Caine Images © 2009 Philip D. Caine, unless otherwise noted

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Caine, Philip D., 1933The RAF Eagle Squadrons : American pilots who flew for the Royal Air Force / Philip D. Caine. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and indexes. ISBN 978-1-55591-702-9 (hardback) 1. World War, 1939-1945--Aerial operations, British. 2. Great Britain. Royal Air Force-History--World War, 1939-1945. 3. Fighter pilots--United States--Biography. 4. Fighter pilots--Great Britain--Biography. I. Title. D786.C335 2008 940.54’4941092273--dc22 2008042356 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Design by Patty Maher Fulcrum Publishing 4690 Table Mountain Drive, Suite 100 Golden, Colorado 80403 800-992-2908 • 303-277-1623 www.fulcrumbooks.com

Contents

v vii 1 39

Foreword Preface Introduction Biographies of the Eagle Squadron Members

471

Appendix A: Map

472

Appendix B: Birthplaces of the Eagle Squadron Members

474

For Further Reading

476

References

481

Indexes Eagle Squadron Members Subjects

486

About the Author

Foreword

I

n the summer and fall of 1940, the Royal Air Force seemed to be all that stood between England and a planned cross-Channel invasion

by Hitler’s forces. All our allies had fallen to the mighty blitzkrieg and the power of the Luftwaffe. It was up to RAF Fighter Command to stem the tide. While countries from the Commonwealth were doing their best to provide pilots for the overtaxed fighter force, pilots from the then neutral United States were prohibited by law from being involved in the conflict. Despite the many obstacles, a very small group of Americans volunteered to leave the security of their homeland, defy the neutrality legislation, and put their lives on the line in the defense of freedom. While these Americans became members of nearly every RAF squadron, it was three squadrons of Fighter Command, Numbers 71, 121 and 133, the well known RAF Eagle Squadrons, manned exclusively by Americans, who became the heroic precursors of the huge American effort that eventually brought Germany to its knees. While only seven Americans flew in the Battle of Britain, by early 1941 the first of these units was operational, and before Pearl Harbor, all three were in action defending the United Kingdom. These young American volunteers were much more than pilots, they were a living example to the beleaguered British people that the United States did care and that one-day would enter the war and ensure the survival of freedom in the world. The 245 Americans who flew with these famous squadrons achieved an enviable reputation during their time with the RAF, and went on to form the nucleus of the famed United States Fourth Fighter Group on 29 September 1942. In this book, Brigadier General Philip Caine has made these 245 v

American volunteers much more than simply numbers. Through his remarkable research he has been able to bring each individual to life. They are no longer just names—they are young men growing up in the United States, taking the decision to join the RAF or RCAF, training in England, and for over 40 percent of them, losing their lives in the fight for freedom. We see them falling in love and marrying English girls, watching their comrades fight, and suffering the heartbreak of lost colleagues and friends. General Caine makes one of the most significant chapters of the early air war in Europe become the personal adventure of each of these American pilots and, at the same time, ensures that they will never be forgotten. This is truly a remarkable and moving book. Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy GCB CBE DSO ADC BSc(Eng) FRAeS FCGI RAF Chief of the Air Staff

vi THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Preface

S

hortly after I began working with the members of the Eagle Squadrons in 1987, it became obvious that to understand the events surrounding

the origin of these three units one had to know about the Lafayette Flying Corps, commonly known as the Lafayette Escadrille. The standard work on this organization is The Lafayette Flying Corps by James Norman Hall and Charles Bernard Nordhoff, which was published by Houghton Mifflin in 1920. As I referred to that two-volume book, I realized that a similar publication about the American Eagle Squadrons of the RAF would be a vital contribution to both the history of military airpower and World War II. After I finished my history of the Eagles, American Pilots in the RAF (Brassey’s, Washington, DC, 1993), I began to think seriously about that project. My work on it was delayed while I wrote two other books about World War II, but the idea remained. About ten years ago, I began serious work on this volume. Writing a large compilation of biographical sketches is more difficult, time consuming, and frustrating than I ever imagined. The number of sources is huge but the amount of information on a particular individual may be almost nil. And it is terribly frustrating to want to find out about one of the pilots and be able to find nothing. Thus, the differing amounts of information led to uneven lengths of the biographical sketches in this book. I have not used endnotes in this project—with the exception of the introduction—simply because of the sheer number of notes that would be required to properly document it. In my work with the Eagles over the past twenty years, I have interviewed well over 50 veterans of the three Eagle Squadrons. Those interviews provided lots of data about them and some of their colleagues. But there were 245 American pilots who passed vii

through those organizations, some of them remaining only a short time, so it was impossible to find all the information on each airman. The official RAF and RCAF records were very useful, but in the late 1990s both the British and Canadian governments passed strict privacy laws that cut off access to any records not already available in libraries or archives. There are also significant errors in some of the records. The Eagle Squadron Association has maintained contact information on living Eagles, their widows, and other family members, most of whom have been helpful. Individual families also provided some information, but much of it is about Eagles who I had already interviewed. There are countless sites on the Internet that have some information on a number of these individuals, but much of it is only on the most well known. The end result was a complicated detective game that far too often ended in disappointment and frustration. I am sure that there are facts about many of the Eagles that I just haven’t found. But, as with any project, there is a time when you have to close it out and go with what you have. A few comments on the format of the individual entries are needed. The “RAF Number” generally indicates the approximate order in joining the RAF; the higher the number, the later the individual joined. There are some random exceptions to this rule, however. The same system generally applies to the RCAF. The dates served in the Eagle Squadrons are those reflected in either the official RAF and RCAF records or, in many cases, the squadron record book. In a few cases neither was available or the official record and squadron records conflicted. In those instances I used my best educated guess to establish a reasonably accurate date. Religious preference was an optional entry on the official records. If one was indicated I have used it, otherwise I entered “unknown.” “Civilian occupation” may indicate an occupation just prior to entry into the RAF or RCAF, but it might also indicate an occupation the individual held at some time prior to joining. The actual information came from any one of a number of sources and I had no way of verifying the accuracy of this entry for many Eagles. “Marital status” is indicated as it is entered on the official record and refers to the individual’s status when he entered the RAF or RCAF. If there was no entry or if I did not have the official record, I simply entered “unknown.” If an Eagle got married while in one of the Eagle Squadrons, I have noted that. “Transfer to USAAF” refers to a transviii THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

fer from one of the Eagle Squadrons or a known date of transfer from the RAF or RCAF. An entry of “killed in action” or “killed on active service” refers to a pilot being killed while he was an Eagle. Those who were killed after they transferred to the US Army Air Forces or those who remained in the RAF are not listed as killed in action or killed on active service, but rather have a transfer date or the notation “Did not transfer.” If they were subsequently killed I have noted that in their biographical sketch. On a number of entries I have reconstructed the person’s career using my own best judgment of what probably happened. While I cannot claim to be completely correct on these reconstructions, the sequence of events in becoming a pilot in the RAF or RCAF was fairly standardized, so I felt comfortable in reconstructing those biographical sketches. If that proved to be impossible I simply said that the information was unknown. Finally, I set an approximately fifteen-hundred-word limit on the length of the sketches. Finally, a word about pictures. As much as possible, I have used a picture of the individual taken when he was in the RAF or RCAF. If I was unable to find one, I used photos taken while the pilot was in the USAAF or other service. In some cases I have used a civilian photo. Unfortunately, a few photos are not up to the standards I would like. I apologize for this but I was faced with the dilemma of using the poor-quality photo or none at all. I also was unable to find photos of about six of the Eagles. This absence is even more unfortunate, since most of those whose picture I was unable to obtain were also those about whom the least is known. The pictures came from a number of sources, but most were from the McDermott Library at the Air Force Academy. As with any group that has been in existence for over fifty years, it is difficult to know where a particular photo originated. The same ones appear over and over in any number of places, so crediting them to their original source is generally impossible and they are in reality in the public domain. In those cases where I found or was given original pictures, they are used with the agreement that the source need not be acknowledged, unless otherwise noted. This volume represents my best effort over nearly ten years in obtaining facts and information about those men who were members of one of the three Eagle Squadrons at one time or another. All 245 were officially listed as having been assigned to one of the squadrons at some time. While some spent a year or more, others spent only a day. Including them all was ix P R E FA C E

the criterion adopted by the Eagle Squadron Association forty years ago, and I felt it was best that I also use it. As with any undertaking of this magnitude, there are a number of people who have played a significant role in its completion. First among those are the members of the three Eagle Squadrons, whose number has dwindled from about eighty when I first began my association with the Eagles to only sixteen at the time of this writing. They were members of “the greatest generation” and we are all the poorer for their passing. Each was a part of the process of writing this book in some way. I want to single out Wilson (Bill) Edwards, a wonderful friend and longtime president of the Eagle Squadron Association. Our monthly lunches provided me a forum for ideas, a venue to check facts, and a friendly confidant with whom to discuss the project. There are a number of other Eagles, widows, family members, and individuals who were particularly helpful but I do not have space to mention them all. I would single out the late Arthur Roscoe, the late Jim Griffin, the late Reade Tilley, Steve Pisanos, the late Barry Mahon, John Campbell, the late Chesley and Audrey Peterson, the late LeRoy Gover, Jim Gray, the late Dale Taylor, the late Dick Braley, Nancy Wicker, Valerie Almos, Susan Heavner, Christine Fessler, Gloria Fetrow, Pat Willis, and RAF Group Captain Mike Trace. I know I have not mentioned a number of those who helped me and I apologize for the omission. The archivists of the Clark Special Collections Division of the McDermott Library, now retired Duane Reed, and present archivist Mary Elizabeth Ruwell, as well as John Beardsley and Trudy Pollock, were always helpful. My publisher, Bob Baron, and my designer and liaison at Fulcrum Publishing, Patty Maher, have been ready with advice and help as we worked to make this book a true Eagle heritage. But most important, I want to thank my wife, Doris, who has traveled thousands of miles with me over the past twenty years meeting Eagles, recording interviews, attending reunions, and doing all those things that only a loving wife can do. She also spent hundreds of hours finding, scanning, and editing the pictures that are in this volume, and she was patient with my countless days and evenings spent in front of the computer. For all of that I will be forever grateful. While all those mentioned have been essential in the completion of this book, I remain solely responsible for its contents. Monument, Colorado • 20 August 08 x THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Introduction

A

s the bells rang in the new year of 1940 in London and the huge crowd watched the legendary ball drop in New York’s Times Square,

most people celebrating in the United Kingdom and the United States didn’t realize what their nations would be facing just a year later. Britain would be standing alone, facing the potential of invasion by the forces of the Third Reich, while the United States would be desperately trying to stay out of the war, yet at the same time ensuring that the United Kingdom would survive as the bulwark of democracy in Europe. Certainly, the Battle of Britain, which raged during the summer and fall of 1940, brought the reality of the war to mainstream America. The newspapers were full of the heroic efforts of those who were called “the few” of RAF Fighter Command by Prime Minister Winston Churchill. They daily flew their Hurricanes and Spitfires against the forces of the Luftwaffe in an effort to save their island nation. One of the challenges precipitated by this heroic effort was a shortage of pilots, and before the year was over, pilots from all over the world had joined the RAF to bolster and defend freedom. While members of the Commonwealth had no choice but to help the mother country, across the stormy and submarineinfested North Atlantic lay the United States, a potential source of pilots that had yet to be tapped. And by the end of that year there would be American pilots flying and dying for the cause of freedom as members of the Royal Air Force. But why should young American pilots risk their lives to fly for the British? In many ways the answer lies in the reality of flight itself. 1

What is it about flying that seems to capture the minds of young and old alike? Why do people still look skyward and wonder about flight in the twenty-first century? The reasons probably have not changed much since those daunting days of 1940. The first part of the flying mystic is freedom. In flight, barriers to movement and travel seem to disappear. The airplane gives one the ability to transcend rivers, mountains, highways, and cities and turns the countryside into a magical patchwork of fields, forests, lakes, and mountains. In the air the pilot is in control. He can climb and dive, twist and turn, and create thrills that are unequaled in any amusement park ride. There is a feeling of peace that is not available in any other medium. The sunrise or sunset over the clear, beautiful horizon, the blue of lakes and rivers on a sunny day, the miles of green in the summer, and the fairyland of twinkling, multicolored lights at night are all the domain of the pilot. Capping it all is the mystique of flight. Airplanes are a mystery to most people and those relatively few who have mastered the skills of making those machines fly must be in some way special. By the time all of these factors were brought together by the Battle of Britain, still another element had been added—speed. Not only were the British fighting for freedom and democracy, they were doing it in the most sophisticated and fastest airplanes in the world, the Hurricane and the Spitfire. What young pilot wouldn’t like to fly those hot ships, especially if that was the only sure way of being able to fly if the United States joined the war? As an increasing number of young fliers became convinced that the United States would soon enter the war, it became more and more important that they be able to fly when that time came. But most lacked the prerequisite for entering US military pilot training, primarily two years of college. Some had already washed out of the Army or Navy program, so they knew they would probably be drafted as ground troops. To a pilot this alternative was to be avoided in any reasonable way possible, so they were eager candidates. The obvious answer lay with the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force, since these services were also the mainstay of the battle for freedom, and for most American pilots that was another prerequisite if they were going to go to war.

2 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

The Lafayette Escadrille While the members of the Commonwealth had been training and supplying pilots to the RAF for many months, the number was proving to be far from sufficient. The resource of American pilots ready to join the British remained largely untapped as the events of 1940 continued to unfold. Only seven Americans had seen action in the Battle of Britain,1 and those pilots who wanted to join the RAF were hindered by the strict US neutrality acts, which made joining a foreign military—such as the RAF—nearly impossible. Still, some people believed Britain could obtain the help of American pilots with a little ingenuity. The same basic situation had existed in 1914, and yet Americans were serving in all branches of the French service shortly after World War I began. In 1916, the Lafayette Escadrille, one of the most famous flying organizations of World War I, was founded made up of American pilots flying for the French. Certainly this could be done again in 1940. But the World War II Eagle Squadrons were far from a re-creation of the World War I unit. A crucial difference lay in the matter of government support for the squadrons’ formation. In the case of the Lafayette Escadrille, by 1915 prominent officials on both sides of the Atlantic were interested in the idea of an American squadron to fly with the French. Their efforts resulted in the formation in early 1915 of a Franco-American committee to function as the official advocate for such a squadron. By the end of the year, it appeared that the only real unsolved issue was American neutrality, which had precluded any official government sanction of the effort to form a squadron. When the US State Department refused to honor a German protest against Americans flying with the French Air Service in early 1916, the door was finally open for the establishment of the squadron. Not only was such US government interest and support lacking in 1940, but the Eagle Squadrons were established despite opposition, albeit sometimes passive, from the United States government. When the Lafayette Escadrille became operational on 16 April 1916, its makeup was also different from the World War II Eagles. Most of the Americans in the Lafayette Escadrille were rather well off financially and had excellent educations, but little or no flying experience. Most Eagles, on the other hand, had only a high school education—but all of them knew how to fly. 3 IN T R O D U C T I O N

The French scheme for employing the American squadron is remarkably similar to that of the British more than twenty years later. Commanded by a French captain and his French lieutenant, both experienced career officers, the unit was initially posted in quiet sectors of the front and kept out of combat because the inexperienced Americans would have to face the overwhelming superiority of the Germans in the skies over Verdun. The French seemed content to use the escadrille as a propaganda tool rather than risking such a valuable resource in combat. But the crisis at Verdun in late May 1916 changed all that. With their backs to the wall, the French committed every unit available, the Lafayette Escadrille included. Fortunately, most members of the squadron had gained some combat experience in the preceding month, and the unit was strengthened by the addition of six pilots, including the legendary Raoul Lufbery. Thrown into action, the Americans acquitted themselves well. When the squadron was pulled from the Verdun sector nearly four months later, it had flown more than a thousand sorties, been engaged in 146 combats with German aircraft, and scored thirteen victories at the cost of one American dead and three wounded in action. The Americans of the escadrille continued in the thick of combat throughout their service with the French. The heroism and dedication they demonstrated became the standard for the entire French Air Service throughout the war. As it would in 1941 for the Eagles, American entry into World War I on 4 April 1917 raised the issue of the future of the Lafayette Escadrille. Although all parties agreed that the squadron should become a part of the American Expeditionary Force, no legal mechanism was available for commissioning the pilots and bringing them into the US forces. In addition, they were members of the French Air Service and had sworn to serve France for the duration of the war. Assignment of rank in the US forces was also a problem. So for almost a year the squadron of Americans continued to fight as part of the French Air Service. Finally, a workable, although not popular, agreement was reached, and on 18 February 1918 the Lafayette Escadrille folded the tricolor and became the American 103rd Aero Squadron, the first and only American combat squadron at the front. Of the thirty-eight Americans who served in the Lafayette Escadrille, nine were killed and two were removed from the ranks because of wounds. 4 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

The obvious question is, why did these young Americans give up their careers, their homes, their families—and in some cases their lives—to fly and fight? Most authors believe that patriotism and a taste for adventure were the initial motivators for most members of the escadrille. But it appears that, like the Eagles who would follow them, the majority decided to sign up because of their love of flying. Most, however, did eventually come to believe they had a moral obligation to be in France and in the war.2 The legacy of the Lafayette Escadrille impressed others as well. In the fall of 1940, the Chinese employed the retired US Army captain Claire Chennault, who began to form volunteer American Army pilots into the famous Flying Tigers. This unit was by far the most well known and most publicized volunteer unit of World War II. A number of books tell the story of the Flying Tigers, so I will not provide extensive details here. In sum, the Flying Tigers were all active US Army Air Corps pilots who were given a leave of absence from the Air Corps so they could join the famed group. They were also basically mercenaries, since they were paid a considerably higher salary than they would have received in the Army Air Corps, as well as a bounty of about five hundred dollars for every Japanese aircraft shot down. Further, they were not members of any country’s Air Forces while they were in the Flying Tigers.3 Although the Eagle Squadrons are frequently compared to the Flying Tigers, in reality there is little similarity.

Colonel Charles Sweeny The initial idea for capitalizing on the potential of pilots from the United States at the start of World War II, predating both the Flying Tigers and the Eagles, was aimed at aiding France. It was the brainchild of an American soldier of fortune, Colonel Charles Sweeny, who was later the cofounder of the Eagle Squadrons. Colonel Sweeny had a varied, exciting background. The son of a wealthy American entrepreneur, he became convinced early in life that the profession of arms was his calling. After serving in the Army as an underage soldier during the Spanish-American War, Sweeny entered West Point in 1899, but he was unable to fit into the system and was dismissed. When war came to Europe in 1914, he joined approximately thirty other young Americans in the French Foreign Legion (enlistment in the regular French forces would have cost them their US citizenship) and 5 IN T R O D U C T I O N

soon found himself in charge of the small American unit. His exuberance was obvious as he drilled his American charges daily and prepared them for the coming fight. Sweeny rose rapidly in the enlisted ranks of the Foreign Legion and, in 1915, found himself the first American commissioned as an officer in that body in World War I. That same year, he was wounded and given up for dead at a field hospital, but he recovered after several months. His sacrifice was not without reward, for he received both the Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honor (the first American in World War I to receive the latter) for his heroism in battle. America’s entry into the war prompted Sweeny to leave the Foreign Legion in favor of the US Army. He ended the war as a lieutenant colonel. Because of his subsequent activity organizing various flying units and his propensity to take whatever credit came his way, Colonel Sweeny has often been credited with being one of the founders of the Lafayette Escadrille, and even with being a pilot with that group. Neither is true. The closest Sweeny came to involvement with the Lafayette Escadrille was drilling several future members of the unit after they joined the Foreign Legion before the famed flying squadron was formed. Sweeny was always a ground officer. He continued his career as a soldier of fortune following World War I. In 1920, as a temporary brigadier general in the Polish Army, Sweeny was involved in the Battle of Warsaw with a contingent of some two hundred former American troops. In 1925, he heeded the Spanish call for aid in crushing the Riff Rebellion in Morocco and in 1937 journeyed to Spain to observe the civil war and, although he had no qualifications, assess the effectiveness of the airplanes France had furnished to the Republican Army. As war became imminent in 1939, Sweeny and an old friend, US Army Brigadier General Henry J. Reilly, conceived the formation of a division of American volunteers to fight for France. The French, using the World War I plan, decided to form the Americans into an ambulance corps to avoid the problems of US neutrality. But Sweeny continued to search for a more effective way to respond to the crisis his adopted homeland was facing. He evidently got the approval of General Armengaud, former commander in chief of the French Air Force, to try to form an American flying unit, a virtual recreation of the Lafayette Escadrille. Given Armengaud’s general 6 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

assurance, Colonel Sweeny departed for North America late in 1939 to enlist pilots for his new venture. Sweeny was very aware of the problems he would face in the United States. Congress had taken almost desperate measures to ensure the United States would not get involved in the war. In 1935, they passed a strict neutrality act that, among other provisions, stressed that Americans who traveled on belligerent ships did so at their own risk. Congress revised this act in 1936 and again in 1937 to forbid travel on belligerent ships or in a war zone. The Fourth Neutrality Act of November 1939, passed in response to the German onslaught in Europe, reaffirmed the congressional stance. The 1939 act had been preceded in September by a presidential proclamation specifically forbidding any recruiting for service in the armed forces of a foreign government within the United States or any territory over which the United States had jurisdiction. The proclamation also included, unfortunately for Sweeny, a provision that it was illegal to hire someone to go beyond the territorial limits of the United States—to Canada, for example—to enlist in the military of a foreign country. The president further proclaimed it to be against the law to use a US passport to get to a foreign country to enlist, to travel anywhere on a belligerent ship, or to travel on any ship in the North Atlantic.4 (After France fell, however, the United States abandoned the enforcement of a number of the provisions of the neutrality acts, including the prohibition of recruiting, while remaining technically neutral.) Under the circumstances, especially given his reputation for forming Americans into units to fight in foreign wars, Sweeny’s activities immediately came under the close scrutiny of the FBI, and Sweeny was under surveillance every time he came to the United States. Canada, too, was suspicious of an American soldier of fortune trying to enlist Canadians into the French Air Force, especially since the Canadians knew the FBI was hot on Sweeny’s trail for attempting to circumvent American neutrality. But Sweeny still managed to achieve results. He was able to enlist the aid of Edwin C. Parsons, a former member of the Lafayette Escadrille. Parsons, having connections with the flying business in Southern California, was able to provide Sweeny with several leads. He also interviewed a number of potential pilot recruits on Sweeny’s behalf. As a result of Sweeny’s efforts, thirty-two American pilots arrived 7 IN T R O D U C T I O N

in France between 13 April and 10 May 1940, including Eugene Tobin, Vernon Keough, and Andy Mamedoff, who eventually became the first three members of the Eagle Squadrons. Several other young men en route to France, including future Eagle commander Chesley Peterson, were stopped at the Canadian border and sent home. Sweeny and Parsons fled Los Angeles only one step ahead of the FBI, barely escaping the potential penalty of a $1,000 fine and up to three years in prison for violating the neutrality laws. All was not well in France in late April 1940 when Colonel Sweeny returned to assess the situation. At almost the moment of his arrival in France, Germany invaded Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg. The French, therefore, had little interest in training new pilots. Sweeny rapidly changed his focus to getting interested French pilots and his recruited Americans out of France so they could fight for England. Sweeny himself just managed to escape to England, but he had to leave his family behind. Of the thirty-two Americans Sweeny recruited for the French, four were killed, eleven were taken prisoner by the Germans, and five escaped to England. The remaining twelve disappeared, presumably escaping through Spain and finding their way back to the United States. On 22 June 1940, France surrendered and England stood alone. It appears that Sweeny, back in the United States, surrendered to some degree at the same time. He reduced his recruiting efforts and gradually ceased to be an active force in obtaining American pilots for duty in Europe. Nonetheless, he did keep recruiting long enough after the fall of France to send a number of American pilots to England, where they were met by his nephew, also named Charles Sweeny, and eventually formed the core of the first Eagle Squadron. Colonel Sweeny also played an active role in selecting the first commander of the Eagles. When he returned to England with another nephew, Robert, in late summer of 1940, he was made an honorary group captain in the Royal Air Force. He occasionally visited the bases where the Eagles were undergoing training in the Hurricane and later appeared infrequently with 71 Squadron after it was operational. He also helped briefly with recruiting in the autumn of 1940, but he never really played any key role with the Eagles. By 1941 Colonel Sweeny had returned to the United States and become involved in other wartime pursuits.5 8 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

So although Colonel Charles Sweeny was not the founder of the Eagle Squadrons or even responsible for recruiting most of their members, he was a significant force in their eventual formation and can certainly be considered a cofounder. He was responsible for creating the initial awareness in the United States of both the French and British need for pilots. He built an extensive recruiting network and numerous contacts others would use to bring pilots to Canada and England. He recruited many members of the first Eagle Squadron through his effort to find flyers for France and England. Through his huge appetite for publicity, factual or fictional, he also created, in the press and on the airfields of the United States, an interest in Americans flying in the European war that would bring scores of volunteers into the RAF.

Founding the Eagles The actual founder of the Eagle Squadrons was the younger Charles Sweeny, nephew of Colonel Charles Sweeny. Young Charles was the older of two sons of Robert Sr., Colonel Sweeny’s brother. (For clarity, from here on I will refer to the elder Charles Sweeny as Colonel Sweeny and to his brother as Robert Sweeny Sr.) Rather than pursue the less-than-conventional career of his brother Colonel Sweeny, Robert Sweeny Sr. decided on business. After graduating from Notre Dame and Harvard Law School, he settled in London, where the Sweeny family had business interests, and became a wealthy, well-known member of British society. His two sons, Charles and Robert, play crucial roles in the story of the Eagles. Charles was raised in a traditional English manner, despite the fact that his family was American. But instead of joining several of his friends in attending Oxford, Charles returned to the United States and graduated from Yale. He then went back to England, where he married and settled into the London business world. A patriotic American with his life centered in England, he was inspired to do something to help when World War II began in Europe. The Eagle Squadrons were the result. Later, when the United States entered the war, Sweeny joined the US Army Air Forces as a major and was assigned to Eighth Air Force Headquarters. After the war, Charles resumed his business career in London.6 He died in London in 1993. Charles’s brother, Robert, was a dashing man-about-town before World War II. After attending Oxford, he too settled into the family 9 IN T R O D U C T I O N

business of finance, but he also retained a great number of outside interests, including golf. He was probably the best known of the Sweenys because of his 1937 victory in the British Amateur Golf Championship. When the first Eagle Squadron was formed, the head of Fighter Command, Air Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas, personally chose Robert Sweeny as the squadron adjutant. Douglas thought Robert could “keep the squadron in line.” Robert left the squadron in late 1940 and went on to a distinguished career as a bomber pilot. At the end of the war he settled in Florida and continued both his business and golfing careers. He was beaten by Arnold Palmer on the last hole of the US Amateur Golf Championship in 1954. Robert returned to England in 1970 and died there in 1983.7 When war broke out in Europe, both Charles and Robert Sweeny rapidly became convinced that US help was essential to defeat Germany, and both became dedicated to gaining that help any way they could. In 1939, Charles organized the First Motorized Squadron, a home guard unit composed of Americans living in London, despite the opposition of Joseph P. Kennedy, US ambassador to the Court of Saint James. Ambassador Kennedy’s lack of support is interesting, because he also opposed the formation of the Eagle Squadrons. It appears he was convinced that Britain could not win, or even survive the German onslaught, and that the Americans were only jeopardizing themselves by such efforts.8 But Kennedy was soon replaced by John Winant, who was very receptive to the idea of American participation, and with whom Charles Sweeny freely discussed his ideas. Charles continued to look for more ways to contribute. Because any successful crossing of the English Channel by German invasion forces would require German air superiority, the real hope for the British was the RAF, specifically Fighter Command. There were already several squadrons manned by flyers from the Commonwealth countries, as well as pilots who had escaped from France, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. So why not an American squadron in Fighter Command? Certainly plenty of young men in the United States were ready and able to join the ranks of the RAF. The Aviation Cadet Program of the Army Air Corps had so many more applicants than it could accommodate that it had resorted to very high washout rates to keep the number of trainees manageable. This high washout rate, plus the already noted requirements 10 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

for two years of college and perfect eyesight, kept a number of experienced pilots out of the US Army Air Corps. Another factor that increased the qualified pilot training pool was the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP), which had been started in 1937 at many colleges and universities. This program was designed to help civilian airport operators, who had been hit hard by the Depression, and build a cadre of young Americans who knew how to fly. The initial goal of the CPTP was to teach flying to twenty thousand college students. The war in Europe and the shortage of military pilots completely changed the nature of the CPTP. The president’s call for fifty thousand planes annually from the American aircraft industry generated a great need for pilots. So the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) announced that the training goal beginning on 1 July 1940 would be forty-five thousand in primary pilot training and nine thousand in advanced training. The number of volunteers was consistent with the goals: nearly fifty thousand signed up by the end of the year.9 In addition, a visitor to any of the hundreds of airports across the United States would have been impressed by the number of young men hanging around waiting for a ride, a lesson, a job, any opportunity to fly. Charles Sweeny, keenly aware of these facts, was determined to form an RAF squadron composed of American volunteers. His real motivation was his conviction that the war could not be won without the assistance of the United States, and everything that registered the efforts of the Americans in the war would help to bring the United States in on the side of Great Britain. But building an American squadron would not be easy. First, Sweeny had to have the permission of the British Air Ministry to form such an organization. Second, he had to develop some system for recruiting the Americans. Third, he needed financing for the entire operation, at least to provide for each volunteer until he could be brought within the system of the RAF. And the details of squadron organization, including the choice of a commander, had to be worked out. This was a rather tough assignment, especially because the British, about to enter a fight for their existence against the mighty Luftwaffe, had more important concerns than helping Sweeny. But this very fight against Germany proved to be one of the factors that led to approval of the American squadron concept. 11 IN T R O D U C T I O N

In June 1940, Sweeny contacted Lord Beaverbrook, then minister of production, with his idea for the squadron. Sweeny, of course, addressed Britain’s need for pilots for their ever-growing Air Force, but he also stressed the idea that an American squadron would be good propaganda and might further the cause of American intervention. Lord Beaverbrook was amenable to the idea. He suggested that Sweeny talk to his good friend, Brendan Bracken, personal assistant to Winston Churchill. The idea intrigued the prime minister, and Sweeny was asked to put his thoughts on paper for use by the Air Ministry. A short time later, he was summoned to the offices of the Air Ministry, ostensibly to present his idea to Air Minister Sir Archibald Sinclair. Instead, he was brought before the entire Air Council to explain his proposal. Sweeny was actively supported at that meeting by the head of Fighter Command, Air Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas. Sweeny evidently made his points well, because on 2 July 1940 the Air Council approved his idea and told him to begin work, with the proviso that before the squadron could be organized there had to be twenty-five pilots and twenty-five reserves available. Undersecretary of State for Air Harold Balfour voiced the only significant opposition to Sweeny’s plan. Balfour feared that Sweeny’s work would interfere with his own efforts to recruit pilots in the United States to work as instructors at the growing number of flying schools in Canada. Balfour finally agreed, based on Air Ministry assurance, that all US volunteers for the Royal Canadian Air Force would be given the option of instructing in Canada or joining the fight in England.10 As Charles Sweeny thought about his presentation to the Air Ministry, he also considered the need for an appropriate shoulder patch, or flash, to wear on the RAF uniform to set the Americans apart from the rest of the service. Inspired by the insignia of the eagle on his US passport, he created a flash incorporating a similar eagle insignia. When his father saw the new flash, he suggested that the unit be called the American Eagle Squadron. Charles, in turn, took this idea to his friend at the Air Ministry, Sir Hugh Seeley, and it was approved. A New York Sun report described the insignia as “the American spread eagle embroidered in white against a background of gray. Over the top of the spread eagle are the three embroidered letters AES in white against a similar background.”11 (The A was eventually dropped, so just the letters ES remained across the top of the patch.) 12 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

After the squadron was approved, Charles Sweeny faced another vexing problem: how to both finance the recruiting effort and sustain the flyers until they became members of the RAF. Because of the American neutrality acts, the new recruits would have to be transported to Canada before they could enlist, and then be provided for until they could be put aboard a ship for England. (After the fall of France, US authorities only occasionally enforced the prohibition against moving Americans to Canada so they could enlist in the Canadian or British forces.) The logical source of money was the Sweeny coffers. A good friend of Robert’s, Barbara Hutton, commonly known as the Countess Reventlow and the heir to the Woolworth fortune, gave $15,000. In all, about $100,000 was raised, a sum adequate to sustain the effort in first-class style.12 Charles Sweeny apparently anticipated that the recruiting process would remain similar to that established by his uncle, Colonel Sweeny, before the fall of France. In that operation, either Colonel Sweeny or an associate would make it known around one of the US airports frequented by young, eager pilots that they were looking for flyers to join the French. The qualifications were 250 hours of logged flying time, a current flight physical, and good character. An interview, often conducted in a very outof-the-way place, would follow. If everything seemed in order, Sweeny would offer the prospective candidate second lieutenant’s pay, a possible commission, and, if the candidate accepted the terms, transportation across the Atlantic. When Charles Sweeny began recruiting Eagles, the US neutrality acts made it essential not only that the entire operation be conducted very quietly but also that those young men who became “Sweeny candidates” be routed through Canada in order to avoid legal penalties. Those who did get to Canada had to be provided with accommodations, typically a few days’ residence in a first-class hotel, meals, and five dollars a day for spending money, while the candidates took a flight check and filled out some preliminary paperwork. Assuming the new recruits passed the flight check, and it seems all recruits did, they would then be put on a train for the east coast of Canada, where they would board a ship for the ocean voyage. Such an operation would require a considerable amount of money, possibly the entire $100,000, in a short time. But circumstances changed shortly after the British approved the American squadron in July 1940 and the Sweeeny recruiting network was dissolved. 13 IN T R O D U C T I O N

Just how many members of the first Eagle Squadron were financed by the Sweenys is unclear, but certainly a number of them were. The organization and formation of one squadron is as far as Charles Sweeny had anticipated the Eagles story would go. Though he never played an active role in the operation of the unit, he did meet some of the Eagle recruits when they arrived in England. But overall, except for attending occasional social functions in the early days and setting up a welfare fund for the squadrons, he did not have any significant contact with the group. Many of the Eagles did not know that he was the actual founder of the squadron until nearly thirty years later, when the story came out at an Eagle Squadron Association reunion. Before that time, all the credit had gone to his uncle, Colonel Sweeny. Certainly, Charles Sweeny did not anticipate that there would eventually be three squadrons, a total of 245 Americans and 16 Englishmen, or that these squadrons would form the core of the highest-scoring fighter group in the US Army Air Force in World War II. The surprising growth from the initial squadron resulted from an entirely unforeseen change in both the system for recruiting RAF pilots in the United States and the environment in which the recruiters worked.

Effective Recruiting Efforts: The Clayton Knight Committee During the 1930s, as the specter of war loomed larger in Europe, the British government and the Canadians both became active in planning ways to use American pilots and airfields for training if the need should arise. The most important of these ventures revolved around an American artist, Clayton Knight. Clayton Knight was rather an unlikely person to mastermind a huge pilot-acquisition program. Born in 1891, he embarked early on a career in art. Living in New York in 1917, Knight had been much troubled by the war in Europe for some time. Because of his early interest in airplanes, both as machines and as art subjects, he developed a keen interest in flying and a great admiration for the Lafayette Escadrille. By the time Knight decided to join the air service the United States had entered the war, so he was trained as an Army aviator. After completing a six-week course in primary flying at Austin, Texas, he went to Europe as part of the early 14 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

contingent of American flyers. Subsequently posted to the front with the British in France, he was wounded after being shot down behind enemy lines in October 1918, and taken prisoner by the Germans. He was released at the end of the war. Knight returned to the world of art and became one of America’s best-known aviation artists and illustrators. Knight’s work can be found in a number of volumes about World War I, and he and his wife coauthored several books on flying in both wars. Attached to the office of the Chief of the Air Staff during the later stages of World War II, Knight did sketches of a number of historic events, including the surrender of the Japanese aboard the USS Missouri. In 1946, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire for his conspicuous service to England’s cause in both world wars. He regularly attended the major air shows and races, as both an aficionado and an illustrator. Over the years he made many friends and acquaintances in flying circles.13 Little did Knight know that his trip to illustrate the Cleveland Air Races in September 1939 would be interrupted by an urgent request for help from an old friend and World War I pilot, Canadian Air Marshal Billy Bishop. At Cleveland, Bishop asked Knight to put together an organization to supply Canada with flying instructors to train pilots for the RAF in case the war in Europe expanded. As the planes roared around the race circuit, Bishop told Knight that when the war spread throughout Europe, which it would, Americans would be ready to help just as they had in World War I. Bishop’s scheme was to set up an official organization that could screen applicants and direct them into the proper area of service before they came across the border into Canada, preventing a repeat of the chaos that had characterized a similar effort early in World War I. While Knight was willing to devote his time and connections to the undertaking, he needed an experienced administrator to help. Air Marshal Bishop was able to secure the aid of gregarious Homer Smith, who administered a large family fortune derived from the Imperial Oil Company of Canada. (Smith, incidentally, was a cousin of Charles Sweeny.) He, like Knight and Bishop, had been a pilot in World War I and appreciated the problems that the emerging war would bring for England and the entire Western world. Smith suggested that he and Knight immediately travel across the United States to take the pulse of the flying business, determine 15 IN T R O D U C T I O N

the number of potential instructors, and get some idea of what it would take to successfully recruit available pilots. The trip was an unqualified success. Not only did the two men obtain dossiers on more than three hundred interested American pilots, they also built a corps of influential people, mostly previous acquaintances of Knight or Smith, who would help if the plan was put into operation. Within a few weeks, in April 1940, Knight found himself in Ottawa volunteering his list and his talent to the top air officials of the British Empire. With little discussion, the group accepted his offer and, according to Knight, “Thus the Clayton Knight Committee was born, and I began living the most hectic two years of my life.” There were still a number of problems to be addressed if recruiting was to be effective. The committee had to establish a headquarters, gain at least tacit approval of the US Army and Navy (since any pilots recruited by Knight might well be prospective pilots for the US forces if the United States were to enter the war), and obtain the consent of the US State Department so the strict neutrality legislation would not defeat the entire project. Overcoming these obstacles called into play all of the many connections Knight and Smith had established over the years. While Homer Smith worked on the headquarters, Clayton Knight again went on the road. Smith believed the best way to publicize the committee’s effort was to locate in the best location and establish a first-class operation. So he engaged a suite at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, hired a secretary, set up an accounting and administrative system, and awaited the go-ahead signal from Knight, whose tasks were more difficult. Fortunately, Knight knew both General Hap Arnold and Admiral Jack Towers, commanders of the Army and Navy Air Forces, from his work as an aviation illustrator, so he was able to contact them with little difficulty. Once they were assured that Knight’s group would not attempt to divert men away from the US forces or hire pilots already on active duty, they agreed to not oppose the enterprise. Actually, the Knight group was unlikely to be competing with the US services for the same pilots anyway, since the British and Canadian physical requirements were for 20/40 vision correctable to 20/20 with glasses, while the US standard was 20/20 uncorrected. In addition, the Canadian age limits were more liberal and a person could enter pilot training if he 16 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

was married, a disqualifier for the US forces. General Arnold proved prophetic when he remarked to Knight, “According to the rules I’m working under, if a flying cadet gets fractious, goes in for low stunt flying, gets drunk even once, or we discover he’s married, we’ve got to wash him out. If I was fighting a war, they’re the kind I would want to keep. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of our washouts look you up.”14 True to Arnold’s prediction, a number of Knight’s recruits were aviation cadet washouts. Knight perceived the State Department to be a tougher challenge, because he was not known in the political arena. He sought the advice of his World War I commander, fellow flyer, and longtime friend, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia of New York City. LaGuardia was an enthusiastic supporter of the Knight scheme and arranged for Knight to visit Foggy Bottom. Two problems arose during the meeting with the State Department. First was the anticipated issue of the neutrality legislation, which stated that “hiring or retaining another person to enlist or enter himself in the service of a belligerent as a soldier or a marine or seaman on board any ship of war” to be illegal. Knight’s solution was to not advertise or recruit but simply to provide a center to advise volunteers and to facilitate their training and subsequent journey to Canada or England. The State Department’s second concern was a surprise to Knight: the issue of citizenship, which would plague some of the volunteers well into the 1970s. According to the Citizenship Act of 1907, “any American citizen shall be deemed to have expatriated himself…when he has taken an oath of allegiance to any foreign state.” Unknown to Knight, this law had caused significant legal problems for many Americans who joined foreign military forces during World War I. According to the State Department, the same would hold true for recruits in Knight’s undertaking. The solution Knight eventually adopted, supported by both the Canadian and British governments, was to have Americans who entered the RCAF and RAF simply swear to obey the orders of their commanders without swearing allegiance to the king. Knight was a pioneer in dealing with the restrictions of the neutrality acts, and his solutions are classic in the history of World War II undercover operations.15 The State Department, however, was not pleased with this solution. In July 1940, the FBI investigated the entire Knight system, but found no basis for any legal charges and so did nothing to curtail the committee’s 17 IN T R O D U C T I O N

operation. The citizenship and neutrality issues were blurred considerably anyway by the American policy of not enforcing the prohibition of recruiting in the United States for foreign military forces after France fell in June 1940. Although Knight and Smith were worried about the opinion of the State Department, they were even more concerned with the situation in Europe. They decided to regard the State Department’s wrath as a calculated risk and begin active recruiting. Letters went out in large numbers informing the pilots on Knight’s list of the “opportunity” to enter the Canadian forces. Letters of acceptance, requests for information, and men wanting interviews came to New York in larger numbers than anticipated, requiring an expanded staff. Knight chose Harold Fowler, an ace with the British in World War I, and Pierpont (Pete) Hamilton, a banker, to join the group. Hamilton standardized office and interview procedures and was crucial in the forthcoming expansion of the Knight Committee’s operations. What were the requirements that those interested in flying for the Canadians or the British had to meet? Each man had to produce a high school diploma or its equivalent and a birth certificate to verify both his age and citizenship. He had to be between twenty and fortyfive and, if under twenty-one, he had to have a parent’s or guardian’s consent. He was required to have a minimum of 300 hours of certified flying time, a CAA license, and be currently capable of piloting a two-seat aircraft. When the Knight Committee began accepting applications for the RAF, it set an age ceiling of thirty-one and all candidates had to be unmarried, but both restrictions were soon waived. Despite the urgent need for pilots, the Knight organization was not so desperate that they took anyone who walked through the door. Every man who approached the Knight Committee first filled out a two-page questionnaire, including complete personal data, a narrative of flying experience, the number and type of his pilot’s license, hours flown and type of aircraft, and any records of flying violations. Interestingly, the only information required concerning a pilot’s physical qualifications was the date of his last flight physical, whether he had any waivers for physical defects, a history of any operations, his own opinion of whether his eyesight was at least 20/40 correctable to 20/20, and whether he was colorblind. The questionnaire also asked for a work history and a list of references. 18 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

If the application was accepted, the candidate had an interview to determine if he was officer material, since almost all the pilots who entered the RAF through the Knight Committee were commissioned. During the meeting, the interviewer generally was very careful to explain just what duties could be expected and what the conditions of enlistment were. In practice, however, a number of different stories and promises were made to candidates, depending on where and by whom they were interviewed. Most knew they would be flying in the RAF and would be paid as flight officers, about $85 per month. Many were told they would be fighter pilots, but not all. Several candidates, for example, were told they could be ferrying aircraft across the Atlantic to England. In many cases the issue of citizenship was also discussed and the applicant assured that he would not lose his US standing. If the interview was satisfactory the candidate took a thirty-minute flight check, often with a former instructor, to determine his flying proficiency. Nearly all of the candidates passed this test. The final step was the preparation of a confidential report on the candidate by the Hooper Holmes Agency of New York, a large private investigation firm. According to Knight, “We were especially anxious to avoid signing up a ‘plant,’ a man with pro-German or pro-Communist sympathies.” This entire process took from three to eight weeks. The rather detailed selection process served the Canadians and British well and, with few exceptions, resulted in the best candidates being accepted. Over the course of its existence, from April 1940 until October 1942, the Clayton Knight Committee accepted only about 6,700 pilots from among nearly 50,000 applicants.16 The large numbers of volunteers led Knight and Smith to open offices in several major US cities. The first area for expansion was California, where about one-fourth of the unemployed pilots in the United States lived. By the end of 1940 the Clayton Knight Committee had major offices in New York, Memphis, Cleveland, Chicago, Kansas City, Saint Louis, Dallas, San Antonio, Oakland, and Los Angeles. Apparently there were smaller offices, or simply individual representatives of the Knight organization, in a number of other cities, such as Washington, DC, since several Eagles report having signed up in other locations than the major cities listed. Each operation was as similar as possible to that in New York City; headquartered in the best hotel in the city and 19 IN T R O D U C T I O N

staffed by efficient and, in the case of secretaries, attractive people. The head of each operation and the people who did the interviewing were, as much as possible, men who had been flyers in World War I. In the Oakland office, for example, internationally famous flyer Clyde Pangborn was the head, assisted by another flyer, H. L. Stradley. Because of RAF Fighter Command’s loss of pilots during the summer of 1940, the British Air Ministry determined that the RAF could use all the flyers it could get to help fill the dwindling pilot pool. Thus, in the fall of 1940, the Knight Committee became the principal agent for channeling American pilots into the RAF, and eventually into the Eagle Squadrons. The Knight organization used various methods to make its presence known, depending on local circumstances. The most preferred way of advertising, at least by 1941, was through key people and on bulletin boards at local airports. In some areas Knight also took out small ads in key newspapers. Various regional flying magazines and newsletters also carried notices of the opportunity to join the RAF. When key members of the Knight organization, such as Knight himself or Clyde Pangborn, were interviewed by the press, they always pointed out how a pilot could contact them. And, as General Arnold had predicted, there was even an RAF information booth located outside the gate at Maxwell Field to catch some of those who washed out of aviation cadet training. The most effective advertising, however, was by word of mouth. By one means or another, the existence of the Clayton Knight Committee was well known in flying circles throughout the country. By early 1941, it would be responsible for enrolling more than 80 percent of those who became members of the RAF Eagle Squadrons. After being accepted by the committee, the candidate was sent to an RAF Refresher Training Program designed to provide refresher training for experienced American pilots. These schools became operational in November 1940. Their purpose was to give up to 150 hours of training to American volunteers, most of whom were signed up by the Clayton Knight Committee, before they were sent to England. Although the schools operated under the pretense of producing ferry pilots, the program was actually focused on training fighter and bomber pilots. These schools were: the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, owned by Captain Maxwell W. Balfour; the Dallas Aviation 20 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

School in Dallas, Texas, owned by Major William F. Long; and Polaris Flight Academy at Grand Central Air Terminal in Glendale, California, operated by Major C. C. Moseley. Balfour, Long, and Moseley were all World War I pilots who had gone into the aviation business and established well-regarded flying operations during the 1920s and 1930s. All the pilots who signed up after November 1940 were sent to one of these schools. Kern County Airport in Bakersfield, California, was added to the list in early 1941. The first students there came from the Dallas facility, which had become overcrowded. Bakersfield continued as a regular training location and eventually became the largest of the training facilities for Clayton Knight–recruited pilots. Also added was a second field for Polaris at Lancaster, California, on 8 December 1941.17

Other Routes to the RAF Another route to flying was to join the Royal Canadian Air Force with the hope of escaping instructor duty and getting to England as a combat pilot. The situation in Europe created great demand for pilots to be instructors in the various countries of the British Commonwealth. Not only did the war mean that these countries had to expand their own Air Forces, they had been put on notice that they might well have to train large numbers of RAF pilots. The Canadians naturally looked to the United States as a source of additional instructors. The basic ground rules were that the American pilots would come to Canada and work as civilian instructors. However, some saw this as a door into the RCAF. There were few openings for fighter pilots but many for pilots to ferry aircraft across the Atlantic to England. For those impatient Americans who did not know about the Clayton Knight Committee, joining the RCAF seemed like the best way to get into flying and the war. Those who did volunteer for the RCAF received the complete Canadian military training program and basic flight training and then had to fight for a fighter assignment, which only a few were lucky enough to get. A distinction of the RCAF enlistees was that most of them became sergeant pilots rather than officers. While this distinction was significant, most who lived long enough managed to eventually get their commission in the RCAF or RAF. All the Eagles who were sergeant pilots were commissioned as officers upon transfer to the US Army Air Forces.18 21 IN T R O D U C T I O N

Still another method of getting into the RAF, not involving either Colonel Sweeny or the Knight organizations, was simply to join the British or Canadian armed forces and try to get into a flying assignment. This was the least used method, but a few Eagles did take this route. Most of those who reached the Eagle Squadrons in this way really did not join the British or Canadian forces in an effort to get into the RAF or the Eagles. They simply had the opportunity and took it. Regardless of how they joined, all the potential Eagles faced the long voyage across the North Atlantic. Despite the weather, German submarine attacks, and the other countless perils that were part of such a voyage, most of the American volunteers made it safely to the United Kingdom and their first glimpse of war. Depending on where they disembarked, some of the new American arrivals found themselves in bomb shelters and subway tunnels almost as soon as they got off the ship, while others saw almost no signs of war. But for all, except those who were already in the RCAF, there was a train trip to London and the required processing into the RAF at the Air Ministry. From there they were sent to a clothier to get their uniforms and, when they emerged, they were pilot officers in the RAF and even sported pilot’s wings on their tunics. This simply heightened the impact of their experience, since they had no military training and didn’t even know how to return the salutes being rendered to them on the streets. But within a day or so most were sent to the Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth on the southern coast of England where they finished their in processing and then were sent to one of several assignments. (Those who arrived prior to June 1941 were sent to Uxbridge Depot rather than Bournemouth.)19

Assignments and More Training The key element in the ensuing assignment process was actually completely out of the control of the individual American pilot. In order to be assigned to an operational squadron in the RAF it was essential that the pilot complete his training at an Operational Training Unit (OTU). Therefore, all assignments were driven by the training capacity at the OTUs. If there was an opening when the American pilot finished his processing at Bournemouth, then he was sent immediately to the OTU to learn to fly either the Hurricane or the Spitfire. If there were no openings, he might 22 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

then be sent to a military training school, more advanced flying training, or just kept at Bournemouth for a few weeks waiting for an assignment. Eventually, all completed the approximately six-week course at the OTU and then they were sent to an operational fighter squadron. For a few it was directly to one of the three Eagle Squadrons (71, 121, or 133), but for most it was another RAF squadron. It was from these other squadrons that many pilots were eventually sent to one of the Eagle Squadrons. This process was different for the RCAF sergeant pilots who already had their uniforms and had also been through a military training program. They were generally not sent to Bournemouth but rather sent directly from London or, in a few instances, directly from their port of debarkation, to an advanced flying school and then to the OTU, a process that generally took three to four months. But no matter the process or the length of time required, all eventually found themselves in the very strange, exciting, and challenging new world of a fighter squadron and war. And it was in the squadron that the new pilots really learned how to fly in combat as part of a unit and what tactics to use against the Luftwaffe. They also learned rapidly about the hazards of war, the challenges of flying in the English weather, and about death when a friend was lost in combat or crashed under other circumstances. Although the first Eagle Squadron officially dated from July, 1940, it was not until 19 September that it was formed at Church Fenton, and not until 8 October, when several of the pilots were in place, that Air Minister Sir Archibald Sinclair made the official announcement of the existence of the first Eagle Squadron, 71 Squadron.20 There had already been considerable media coverage of the Americans in the RAF, but this announcement produced a new surge of newspaper articles about the squadron and its members, showing an interest that continued until the United States entered the war. The US government had no official reaction to the announcement. On 8 October 1940, 71 Squadron had no airplanes, nor were any expected soon. The pilots, with only a few weeks of training to bolster their civilian experience, were a very long way from being a real operational asset for the RAF. It would be months before the first Eagle Squadron would take its place with the other RAF units engaging the 23 IN T R O D U C T I O N

Germans over the English Channel. By that time the second Eagle Squadron, 121, would also be operational, and 133, the third and last squadron of Eagles, would be only a month from reality. Several of the pilots who were listed as original squadron members would be either dead or transferred by the time the shooting really began.

Joining the Fight By the spring of 1941, when the first of the three Eagle Squadrons finally began to see action against the Germans, the tactical situation of the air war had completely changed. When Fighter Command was consumed with the defense of the United Kingdom in the summer and fall of 1940, the RAF pilots were taking to the air and fighting over their homeland. They had to spend little time en route to combat and, if they had to abandon their aircraft, they were soon among their countrymen, having their wounds taken care of, having a cup of tea at a friendly farmhouse or a drink at a local pub, and were generally back with their unit and ready to fly again the next day if they were physically able. They did not have to worry about trying to nurse a badly damaged Spitfire across the Channel, bailing out over the unfriendly waters, trying to ditch their wounded aircraft—generally a fatal undertaking—or being taken prisoner; worries their German adversaries had to deal with during those days of the Battle of Britain. But by the time the Eagles began to see serious combat, the situation was completely reversed. It was now RAF Fighter Command that was flying across the cold and unfriendly English Channel and the North Sea, having that long and terrifying flight home if your aircraft was damaged or you were nearly out of fuel and the Luftwaffe on your tail. And bailing out generally meant capture and spending the rest of the war as a prisoner of the Germans. For most of the survivors of the Battle of Britain flying the circuses and rhubarbs over France, seeking out targets like railroad trains, aircraft on the ground, German troop convoys and the like, or escorting the bomber formations that were beginning to venture farther over France was even more nerve racking and dangerous. Add to this that the cream of the very experienced Luftwaffe was now flying on defense and choosing the time and place for any engagements, and you begin to get a picture of situation into which the fledging American fighter pilots were thrust. 24 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

The glow that permeated the small group of Americans in 71 when the formation of their squadron was announced on 8 October 1940 was short lived. The few pilots present in the squadron were there to fly, and a few already had some combat experience. Those who were arriving almost daily were eager to get into the action. Yet they were a fighter squadron without airplanes, and they were understandably upset that no one could tell them when their Hurricanes would arrive. After all, they had left their jobs and defied US law to get to Canada, survived an arduous voyage across the North Atlantic, and completed their initial operational training with the sole purpose of flying in combat. Few really understood that their lack of experience would make them simply “cannon fodder” for the very experienced pilots of the Luftwaffe who were then patrolling the skies over Europe. On 24 October, three Brewster Buffalo fighters arrived and the unit had new hope. The Brewster Buffalo, however, was hardly a satisfactory substitute for the Hurricane or Spitfire that the Americans had anticipated flying. The Buffalo was a short, stubby, obsolete mid-wing American fighter armed with four machine guns. It was universally, and correctly, considered too slow, ceiling limited, and lightly armed to compete with the German ME-109. It was also terribly vulnerable— one bullet in the wing and the aircraft either burned or needed a new wing. In addition, “The inspection doors on the wing had a nasty habit of opening in flight and making the airplane almost uncontrollable.” A number of Buffalos had been destined for Finland and Belgium, but the defeat of these two nations left the aircraft available for the British, who eventually used them mostly in the Far East. Clearly, something had to be done if the Eagles were to ever get their prized Hurricanes. So the squadron commander, W. M. Churchill, decided to take advantage of one of the Buffalo’s many bad characteristics, its tendency to ground loop if the tail wheel was not locked for landing. The Brewster craft was so short and its landing gear was so narrowly spaced that, if the tail wheel was allowed to pivot, the tail of the aircraft would swing uncontrollably, sending the aircraft into a circle on the ground. This spin usually ended with the airplane tipping onto one wing or even nosing over and breaking the wing off. Churchill simply instructed the pilots to land with the tail 25 IN T R O D U C T I O N

wheel unlocked, thus practically ensuring a ground loop and serious damage to the airplane. Within a short time, the three Brewster Buffalos were sufficiently damaged that they were not flyable.21 Whether related to the destruction of the Brewsters or not, in November, a month after being declared an operational squadron, the first nine Hurricane I’s were delivered and flying began in earnest, primarily convoy patrol.

121 Fighter Squadron Is Formed By the time the first Eagle Squadron, 71, became fully manned in October 1940, recruiting in the United States for Americans to fly with the RAF was in full swing. The RAF, and Charles Sweeny, had realized that there were enough Americans volunteering to more than fill the requirement for reserves for 71 Squadron, so plans were made to establish a second Eagle Squadron, 121, as soon as the groundwork could be laid and sufficient trained personnel were available. This time there was considerable emphasis on groundwork and training that was not apparent with 71 Squadron. There would be no new Eagle Squadrons until the proper organization existed and the pilots were given sufficient flying training in the United States or Canada to make them viable candidates for an OTU. Future Eagles would be equal to their British counterparts in ability before joining the squadron. The new squadron would be formed when enough volunteers met the criteria. The objective was, among other things, to avoid repeating the lapse of more than six months between 71’s initial operational announcement and its reaching combat-ready status. By May 1941, the necessary conditions had been met. On 14 May, the second Eagle Squadron, 121, was established at Kirton-in-Lindsey, a base formerly occupied by the first Eagle Squadron. In keeping with its policy that most squadron commanders be British officers, Fighter Command assigned Squadron Leader Peter Powell to command 121 Squadron, aided by Flight Lieutenants Hugh Kennard and Royce Wilkinson. Wilkinson transferred from 71 to 121, establishing the policy that, as much as possible, transfers to fill vacancies in an Eagle Squadron—particularly voids in the senior leadership—would be from another Eagle Squadron. The RAF maintained this policy throughout the units’ existence. The unit’s first Hurricanes were flown into Kirton-in-Lindsey on 17 May 1941. By the end of the month there were fifteen planes, enough 26 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

for the squadron to begin operational transition flying in full force. Both aircraft and pilots arrived at a rapid pace through early June, bringing the squadron to full strength by the middle of the month. In July, 121 Squadron transitioned to the newer Hurricane IIB. The unit’s first contact with the Germans occurred on 8 August, when they scored a probable destruction of a JU-88. In the middle of August, a month during which the unit flew 980 operational missions, 121 Squadron was moved from flying mainly convoy patrol and responding to alerts of German aircraft to staging out of bases in 11 Group and escorting bombers on nearly daily missions over France. Although there was little air-to-air action, the mission was essential and the members of the squadron were getting all the flying they could handle. Beginning in September, a number of the most experienced pilots in 121 were transferred to 71 to offset losses and transfers from that unit. This, combined with the receipt of Spitfire IIA aircraft in October and Spitfire VB a month later, as well as the arrival of inexperienced replacement pilots primarily from Operational Training Units, meant that 121 saw little action during the remainder of 1941. Although the unit flew over fifteen hundred missions, the rest of the year they were mostly convoy patrol and alert scrambles with an occasional escort mission, and they flew countless training missions to ensure they were really combat ready in the Spitfire.

133 Fighter Squadron Is Formed On 1 August 1941, the third and final Eagle Squadron, 133, was founded at Coltishall, again under the command of an Englishman transferred from 71 Squadron, Squadron Leader George A. Brown. Andy Mamedoff, one of the original Eagles, was also transferred from 71 Squadron as a flight leader. But pilots arrived more slowly in 133 than they had in 121. Many of the initial members of 121 had been transferred from other operational squadrons in order to get the unit into combat-ready status more rapidly. On the other hand, 133 was staffed primarily from the OTU bases, so the arrivals were more spread out. Not until the first week in September did the squadron begin regularly flying their Hurricane IIBs. Since almost all of the pilots arriving in 133 Squadron were fresh out of OTU, Fighter Command determined that they would need additional training before the unit was ready to actively engage the Germans. So after 27 IN T R O D U C T I O N

short stays at several bases in England, in October the unit was sent to Northern Ireland, where its pilots could cut their teeth on convoy escort over the Atlantic approaches to the United Kingdom while becoming more familiar with both their aircraft and the RAF system of combat. Unfortunately, the already accident-plagued unit suffered its first tragedy when, en route to Northern Ireland, four aircraft let down over the Isle of Man in the weather, to land and refuel. All four hit a high hill and the pilots were killed, including the last of the original three members of the Eagles, Andy Mamedoff. While the cold, dreary weather of Northern Ireland did not endear the base to most squadron members, the time at Eglinton proved to be valuable. On 28 October, they got Spitfire IIAs, which certainly lifted the spirits of the unit. The squadron remained at Eglinton in Northern Ireland until the end of 1941, primarily flying convoy patrol and training flights. They were then posted at Kirton-in-Lindsey, a base that had previously hosted the other two Eagle Squadrons, and given Spitfire VB aircraft. A month later the unit saw its first action with the Luftwaffe, and a Dornier 217 was destroyed and another damaged. However, it was not until late April 1942 that 133 was in day-to-day action.

Leading the RAF In the meantime, the senior Eagle Squadron was rapidly establishing its reputation as one of the premier fighter squadrons in the RAF. They had moved to Martlesham Heath in 11 Group, an area of greatly increased contact with the Luftwaffe, in April 1941, and in May received the much superior Hurricane IIAs. By July, having moved to North Weald, they flew 568 operational missions and destroyed their first German aircraft. The rest of the summer was spent in almost daily contact with the Luftwaffe and aerial victories were becoming commonplace. Unfortunately, the continual combat also took its toll on the unit, with several members killed in action. Late in August, 71 received its first Spitfire IIAs and only a month later exchanged them for the far superior Spitfire VB. Two months later the unit led all RAF squadrons in the number of German aircraft destroyed, and the subsequent letter of congratulations from the king prompted a real party at the officers’ mess. To prove it was no fluke, the squadron repeated the feat in November. Of nearly equal significance was breaking the heretofore requirement that all squadron commanders 28 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

had to be British with the appointment of one of the original American volunteers, Chesley Peterson, to command 71 Squadron. By the end of 1941, 71 had established itself firmly as one of the top squadrons in Fighter Command and, after over six months in the heat of the action, they were moved back to Martlesham Heath for the winter. English winters are not conducive to flying, and while all three of the Eagle Squadrons were involved in sporadic action during the first three months of 1942, it was not until March that they began to be in regular contact with the Luftwaffe. Early in the month 121 got its first victory when the pilots destroyed an FW-190 and damaged two other aircraft. In May, 133 moved to 11 Group and by June all three units were heavily involved in the action. For example, on 31 July 121 destroyed seven German aircraft, while 133 destroyed three and damaged one. The following day 71 got yet another German fighter. Operation Jubilee, an ill-advised and very costly Canadian reconnaissance in force in France on 19 August 1942, was the only action that all three Eagle Squadrons participated in together while in the RAF. It was the largest action the units had seen and, while flying air cover for the Canadian force, they combined for nine destroyed, four probably destroyed, and fourteen damaged—with no Eagle losses. During the following month nearly daily action continued for the three squadrons as they prepared for their transfer to the US Army Air Forces. Unfortunately, the greatest tragedy to befall the Eagles also happened during this time. On the morning of 26 September, 133 flew to the staging base at Bolthead and was briefed to fly an escort mission over France. At 1350, after a very sketchy briefing, twelve aircraft from 133 Squadron took off with orders to rendezvous with a formation of B-17 Flying Fortresses in mid-Channel, approximately halfway between Bolthead and Morlaix. Unknown to the pilots of 133, the thirty-five-mile-per-hour wind they were supposed to have from the south at their flight altitude, was really nearly one hundred miles per hour from the north. With the complete undercast, they were unknowingly being blown well down toward Spain while they searched for the B-17s. The last direction received by the fighters was to fly south to overtake the bombers, so they proceeded on course. After nearly forty-five minutes they encountered a group of bombers coming back toward England from the south. The fighters joined up with the 29 IN T R O D U C T I O N

bombers and began to escort them back to home base. As fuel got to the critical point, the acting squadron commander requested permission to go down through the clouds and try to see where they were. Unfortunately, the entire squadron followed him down. They had flown south for a little over an hour, so, after flying back north for the same amount of time they should have been over the English coast. Spotting land through a small hole in the clouds, the twelve dove through it expecting to be near the landing strip they had used two hours before. Once 133 descended, they did not have enough fuel to climb again. The sight that greeted the squadron below the clouds was startling. Not only did the area look unfamiliar, but when they flew toward a nearby city, they found themselves in formation over one of the most heavily fortified ports in France, Brest. Within a matter of minutes, six Spitfires were shot down, their pilots eventually becoming prisoners of war. Four more pilots were killed when they were either shot down or ran out of fuel. (Since all four had already been transferred to the US Army Air Forces they became the first casualties of the Fourth Fighter Group.) One more bailed out and was able to evade capture and return to England. Only one aircraft returned from the mission and it had turned back about fifty minutes into the flight because of engine trouble. The pilot of that aircraft was prepared to bail out because of fuel starvation when he spotted the English coast and was able to crash-land. He was critically injured but he survived. Of the twelve brand-new Spitfire IXs that departed on the mission, none returned to home base. The entire squadron had been wiped out. The Morlaix mission was the greatest tragedy to befall the Eagles and one of the worst for the entire RAF. The unfortunate mission was an unnecessary capstone to the history of 133, which had suffered an inordinate number of losses even without the Morlaix mission.22

Transferring to the US Army Air Forces Since December 1941 the issue of transferring to the US Army Air Forces had been a major topic of conversation among the Eagles. It was generally assumed by most of the Eagles that they would certainly have made the move by the summer of 1942. When that did not happen, and there was no indication of when a transfer would take place, many began to wonder what was taking so long. They knew that their representative in talks with 30 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

the Eighth Air Force, Chesley Peterson, the highest-ranking Eagle, was in constant contact with the Army Air Forces and with Major General Carl Spaatz, one of the legends of air power, who was the commander of the Eighth Air Force. However, there were several stumbling blocks to the transfer. And while the Eighth Air Force needed the Eagles, and most of the Americans wanted to transfer, the RAF was not very keen on losing some of their operational units made up of experienced combat pilots whom they had paid to have trained. Several specific issues slowed the process of transferring. First was the question of what rank the Americans would assume. Many of the Eagles were seasoned combat veterans who would be best used in leadership positions, but they had to have the rank to serve in those billets. Each of the Eagles was eventually interviewed to determine his qualifications and level of experience, and then a rank was assigned. Chesley Peterson transferred as a lieutenant colonel, while Carroll McColpin, Gus Daymond, and Jim Daley transferred as majors. All four went into command positions. The majority transferred at a rank equivalent to their RAF rank, lieutenant or captain. The status of sergeant pilots was of particular concern. Since all pilots in the AAF were officers, the sergeant pilots were commissioned and transferred as second lieutenants. Many Eagles believed this action was opposed by some American officials, who felt they were forced to take these sergeants and make them officers. Second, none of the Eagles had graduated from an Army-accredited flying training program and so were not qualified to be awarded US Army pilot’s wings. In the end, this qualification was waived. The third issue was how the former Eagles would be assigned. General Spaatz wanted the Eagles to be assigned individually to arriving fighter units to give each unit some experienced combat pilots. This option was not acceptable to Peterson, who believed it would not be good for the morale of Eighth Air Force fighter units to have new, outside pilots— and in some cases unit leaders—assigned when they arrived in England. In addition, the members of the three Eagle Squadrons wanted to stay together as units. Peterson was forced to take the bargaining position that if the Americans could not transfer intact as individual squadrons then they were not going to transfer at all. There was, after all, no way any of the Eagles could be forced to transfer. They had signed with the RAF or 31 IN T R O D U C T I O N

RCAF for the duration of the war and could certainly choose to honor that commitment. In fact, some negotiation was necessary to get the British to let the Americans out of that agreement. The negotiations also brought up the issue of compensation for the British. Because the RAF had trained these pilots, weren’t they to expect some reimbursement for their cost, time, and effort? There were rumors to the effect that the United States did pay something to the British, but no record of the matter exists. Finally, the three squadrons were transferred intact. Fourth, several of the Eagles believed there was some reluctance to take them into the US forces, or at least no hurry to get the job done. There apparently is some basis to this idea, since the orders of General Hap Arnold, chief of staff of the Army Air Forces, that the Eagles should be integrated as quickly as possible, were ignored at lower levels of command. One reason for this situation may well have been the above-mentioned bias against members of the three units. A final stumbling block concerned aircraft. Most Anglo-American negotiation focused on bombers, with little initial concern about the availability of fighter aircraft. Without some agreement, the Eagles would have no aircraft to fly in the US forces because the United States would not have acceptable fighters available in England until very late in 1942. If the Eagles were to fly fighters capable of doing their job in the Eighth Air Force, the planes would have to be Spitfires. In the end, the Eagle transfer was part of an aircraft exchange package that gave the United States two hundred Spitfires in exchange for two hundred P-51 Mustangs to be delivered at a later date. The Spitfires provided were model VBs rather than the new IX model. If there had been any idea of giving the newer aircraft to the Americans it was squelched by the loss of so many new Spit IXs by 133 Squadron on the Morlaix mission. The Fourth Fighter Group, with its three squadrons—the 334th, 335th, and 336th—was actually established by a secret US War Department order dated 22 August 1942. For unknown reasons, this order listed the real activation date of the units as 1 July 1942. It did not mention the RAF squadrons, nor did it recognize how the pilots and aircraft would be obtained.23 Arrangements for the transfer were agreed upon by the first week in September. Those Eagles who wanted to transfer, as most did, were being 32 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

sent into London to the American Army headquarters in small groups, where they were interviewed, normally by a small panel of two or three officers, and their rank upon transfer assigned. A physical examination was also required to ensure they met AAF requirements. These physical requirements had changed since the American entry into the war, so most of the Eagles who had been prevented from joining the US Army Air Corps earlier were now able to pass the physical. Not all, however, were willing to take the chance, and several stayed in the RAF. Following the interviews, the rest of the process went rather rapidly. Around the middle of September the Eagles were again called to London in small groups to be sworn into the US Army Air Forces. The commissioning document was simply a letter to the individual, signed by the adjutant general of the Headquarters of the European Theater of Operations, US Army. The

Secretary

of

War

has

directed

the

Theater

Commander to inform you that the President has appointed

and

commissioned

you

a

temporary

________________ in the Army of the United States RANK

effective ________________. This appointment may DATE

be vacated at any time by the President and unless sooner terminated, is for the duration of the present emergency and six months thereafter. Your serial number is_____________________ and you will rank from ________________. DATE

This letter should be retained by you as evidence of your appointment as no commissions will be issued during the period of the war. By command of Lieutenant General EISENHOWER.24 The new American officers had changed their rank, ordered new uniforms, tripled their pay, and, in most cases, returned as US officers to their RAF squadron and their Spitfires with British markings while waiting for the official transfer ceremony. On 23 September, 121 Squadron moved to Debden to join 71, and 133 moved to Great Sampford, a satellite base of Debden. All the units 33 IN T R O D U C T I O N

were then in position for the transfer ceremony on 29 September. On that day, the three Eagle Squadrons—71, 121, and 133—appeared together for the first time in history to officially become squadrons of the US Army Air Forces. (It should be noted that 133 had a number of officers standing in the ranks who had been hastily transferred after the Morlaix disaster, so the unit would be nearly at full strength.) The best account of the ceremony is in the 334th Fighter Squadron History. At 1200 hours, the Air Chief Marshal Sir W. Sholto Douglas, KCB, MC, DFC, accompanied by Major General Carl Spaatz, DFC, DSC, Air Marshal Edwards, RCAF, and Brigadier General Hunter, DFS, DSC, and other officers arrived at Debden. The party proceeded…to the Parade Ground where the squadrons were assembled in line in review order facing the flag staff in this order: 71st Squadron, Major G. A. (Gus) Daymond, DFC; 121st Squadron, W. A. Williams, DFC (S/Ldr) [Major James Daley was acting commander during the changeover ceremony because Williams, as a British member of the RAF, could not transfer]; 133rd Squadron, Major C. W. McColpin. The wing was under the command of W/C Flying R.M.B. Duke Woolley, DFC and Bar [recognition that he had been awarded a second DFC]. As the party arrived on the grounds, the wing commander brought all to attention and General Salute was played. The squadrons were then inspected and an address was delivered by Air Chief Marshal Sir Douglas. In part, he said: “We of Fighter Command deeply regret this parting, for in the course of the past eighteen months, we have seen the stuff of which you are made and we could not ask for better companions with whom to see this fight through to a finish…It is with deep personal regret that I today say `Goodbye’ to you whom it has been my privilege to command. You joined us readily and of your own free will when our need was greatest…There are those of your number who are not here today—those sons of the United 34 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

States who were first to give their lives for their country. We of the RAF, no less than yourselves, will always remember them with pride…The US Army Air Forces’ gain is very much the RAF’s loss. The loss to the Luftwaffe will no doubt continue as before…Of the 73.5 enemy aircraft destroyed, 41 have been claimed by the Senior Eagle Squadron No. 71—a record which I understand the other two squadrons are determined will not long remain unchallenged. Goodbye and thank you, Eagle Squadrons, and good hunting to you, Squadrons of Eighth US Air Force.” General Spaatz and General Hunter made brief talks and at their conclusion…the Stars and Stripes were hoisted…and the band played “The Star Spangled Banner.” The three squadrons then marched past the reviewing stand…After lunch, the party proceeded to the vicinity of the watch office where three Spitfires with RAF markings and three with USAAF markings were drawn up. Officers of each squadron were drawn up in front of the aircraft. General Hunter then presented US Army wings to the three squadron commanding officers, signifying that their commands were now part of the USAAF. The proceedings ended at 1500 hours.25 Just as the press had followed much of the Eagles Squadrons’ formation and combat with such interest, so too they carried the story of the transfer. Life magazine had several pages about the ceremony, including photographs of Sir Sholto Douglas and General Hunter presenting wings to Daymond, Daley, and McColpin. It carried some sobering words about the units for its readers as well. “Only four of the original thirty-four pilots were on hand. One hundred men were missing—killed in action or by accident, or prisoners of the Axis.” The figure of 100 is too high but represents the idea of sacrifice that Life wanted to convey to its readers. Time echoed its sister publication.26 Newspapers and magazines across America carried these stories, and the transfer was an occasion for a new rash of articles about individual Eagles and their accomplishments. The British were told of the accomplishments of the Eagles in a radio speech on the BBC by “Robbie” 35 IN T R O D U C T I O N

Robinson, the member of Parliament who was the first intelligence officer of 71 Squadron. His long talk concluded with a moving tribute to his friends, the Eagles. Now the first chapter of the Eagles’ story is told. These Americans who came to fight in the Royal Air Force have gone to join the great Air Force sent here by their own country. They have changed from the blue of the RAF to the brown of the American Air Force. It is a slight change, little more than a nominal one, because while a man changes his dress and his uniform, he never changes his heart, and those stout-hearted fellows who came from America to fight for us a year and a half ago, still fight with us, alongside thousands of other American boys. As we see the planes in the sky, the American and the British squadrons, flying together, there is no telling which is which, nor does it matter. We think only, as we look up at them, that there go our boys, our British and American boys. At this time of nominal parting, the Royal Air Force salutes the Eagles and wishes them good luck and Godspeed.27 Thus the three Eagle Squadrons ceased to exist. In their place were the 334th (71), 335th (121), and 336th (133) Squadrons of the Fourth Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force, US Army Air Forces. The Eagles carried into their new organizations a great tradition of performance and bravery. In all, 245 Americans and 16 British pilots had served in the three units. Seventy-seven Americans, or 31 percent, lost their lives as Eagles and another thirty-one former Eagles would be killed as members of the USAAF—a total of 108, 44 percent of those who passed through the squadrons. Countless more had been killed in training. Five Englishmen who flew with the Eagle Squadrons were killed during the war as well. Also not present at the transfer ceremony were sixteen Eagles who were prisoners of war and a number whom the RAF had transferred to Malta, Africa, and the Far East, as well as to other RAF squadrons. A major chapter in the history of aviation had come to a close, for the Eagles were probably the last group that would ever volunteer and endure such sac36 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

rifice for a cause and a nation not their own. At the end of World War II, 58 percent of those who had been Eagles had either been killed or spent time as prisoners of war. The transfer to the Fourth Fighter Group began a new chapter for the former members of the three Eagle Squadrons. It was not long before they began being transferred to other units or rotated back to the United States because of their long time in combat. Nonetheless, the Eagle heritage remained. Former Eagle Chesley Peterson led the unit until January 1944, when he handed command to another former Eagle, Don Blakeslee, who led the Fourth until October of that year. And several of the leading aces of World War II were former Eagles of the Fourth. At the end of the war, the Fourth Fighter Group emerged as the highest-scoring unit in Europe, having destroyed 1,016 German aircraft—a number that did not include the 73.5 destroyed while the Eagles were members of the RAF. Certainly the Eagles heritage and place in history was secure.28 When the circumstances, the people, and the nations involved are all put together, it is easy to realize that a group just like the Eagles will probably not be seen again in modern warfare. There will always be individuals ready to volunteer for causes just as the Eagles did, but it is unlikely that a situation like that in which the Eagles found themselves will arise again. We should take lessons from history, however, and we can learn from the story of the RAF Eagle Squadrons. They volunteered to go fight in a war that was not their own; they stood up to be counted for the cause of freedom. Their story also demonstrates the power that flight has over individuals, for seldom in history has a group of men been so consumed by an aircraft—the Spitfire— and so willingly give up their way of life, their security, and, for nearly half, their freedom or even their lives in order to fly and fight for freedom in those hot ships. History is replete with examples of individuals who took risks and, in so doing, became examples for those who followed. The Eagles were such a group. On 19 July 2002, the Eagle Squadrons were honored with the Milton Caniff Spirit of Flight award by the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

37 IN T R O D U C T I O N

Biographies of the Eagle Squadron Members

The following biographical sketches include all those Americans who are listed as having been assigned to 71, 121, or 133 Squadrons of RAF Fighter Command from the activation of the squadron until its deactivation on 29 September 1942.

Alexander, John Keith RAF Number: 86618 Born: 23 August 1912, in Joplin, Missouri Served: 71 Squadron from 6 January to 24 June 1941 Religious preference: Church of England Civilian occupation: Construction foreman Marital status: Divorced Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

John Alexander was twenty-eight years old in early September 1940 when he journeyed to Ottawa, Canada, in response to hearing of the opportunity to fly for the RAF. The Joplin, Missouri, native was tired of his job as a construction foreman in Southern California and had just been through a divorce, so he decided that he would try to capitalize on his more than 1,000 hours of flying experience. There is no record of how he obtained so much flying time, but he had to have been flying nearly full time for several years to reach that number. He was probably contacted by Colonel Charles Sweeny or a member of the Sweeny organization because of his 39

flying experience, and the trip to Canada was simply the first step in his journey to England. Alexander embarked for the United Kingdom on 27 September 1940 aboard the Duchess of Atholl. That same day he was granted a commission in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. He arrived in early October after a relatively uneventful trip and, after obtaining his uniforms, was immediately assigned to 5 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) for a short refresher flight-training course and to become familiar with RAF procedures. He apparently also learned to fly the Hurricane at that school, since there is no record of his having been assigned to an Operational Training Unit (OTU). On 6 January 1941, John became a member of 71 Squadron, then stationed at Kirton-in-Linsey. For the next three months the unit’s flying, while greatly curtailed by the winter weather, was focused on learning squadron procedures and fulfilling the requirements to become an operational fighter squadron. On 13 April 1941, Alexander became the first member of 71 Squadron to fire his guns at an enemy aircraft and during his combat career he was credited with probably destroying one German aircraft. Alexander remained in 71 Squadron for about six months, then on 24 June 1941, for unknown reasons, he was posted to 1 Squadron, where he remained until 22 November 1941. While in 1 Squadron he was promoted to flight officer. When Alexander left 1 Squadron, he was assigned to multi-engine training with 2 Central Flying School. There is confusion on this point, since his record also shows an assignment to 2 Advanced Gunnery School as a flight instructor on the same date, but that entry is probably in error. Alexander completed the transition to multiengine aircraft on 16 January 1942 and the next day was posted to 12 Service Flying Training School as a flight instructor. On 16 March 1942, he departed the United Kingdom for South Africa and assignment to 6 SFTS, again as an instructor. Alexander had several health problems throughout 1942 and spent a number of days in the hospital. He was again transferred in February 1943, this time to 4 SFTS, where he continued instructing the young men who were destined for service in the RAF. In April 1943, he was charged in a general court-martial with responsibility for extensive damage to an aircraft due to a collision with a ground object. He was reprimanded and fined. He resigned his commission in the RAF on 12 April 1943 and returned to the United States. Alexander lived in California after 40 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

the war, where he went into the charter aircraft business in Burbank. He was killed in an aircraft accident in West Virginia on 4 April 1976.

Alexander, Richard L. RCAF Number: R67881 Born: 22 July 1914, in Grant Park, Illinois Served: 133 Squadron from 9 February to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Construction worker and professional baseball player Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

Richard “Dixie” Alexander made his first flight in the summer of 1924 in a Curtiss “Jenny,” landing in a field near Grant Park, and he was never quite the same. He had flown paper gliders from the railroad viaduct near his house from the time he was old enough to make the little crafts, but the real airplane convinced him that he wanted to fly. During high school Dixie was an outstanding athlete, excelling in baseball and also lettering in football, basketball, and track. Still, despite his athletic success, his greatest interest was a Thomas Morse Scout airplane that was owned by a young mechanic he knew in Grant Park. Alexander would do anything to get a ride, and later some instruction. After graduation from Momence Community High School in 1932, Dixie had offers from two universities to play baseball, but they did not offer to pay his full expenses. He landed a good job in construction so he didn’t go to college, but the baseball bug was still biting. The next spring, 1933, he took all his money and went to a baseball school. He was indeed talented and landed a contract with the Cincinnati Reds. Alexander played minor league ball for about six years but never made it to the majors. By the time of the beginning of war in Europe, his baseball career seemed over and so Dixie once again focused his attention on flying. Dixie tried to join the US Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program, but was turned down because he didn’t have the required college background. Once again, he found himself back in construction, this time 41 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

with the Nu-Form Construction Company working in concrete fabrication. As fate would have it, there were several young Frenchmen staying in the same hotel where Alexander was living, and when they talked about going to Canada to join the Royal Canadian Air Force, Dixie was all ears. In the summer of 1940 he made his first attempt to get to Canada but was unsuccessful. He tried again on 17 October 1940, was successful, and joined the RCAF as a wireless operator and air gunner. After spending a cold winter in Ottawa on guard duty, he finally entered Initial Training School in April 1941. A month later he was sent to 11 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS), from which he graduated on 2 July after about 70 hours of instruction. His next posting was to 14 Service Flying Training School in Aylmer, Ontario. On 15 September 1941, after flying about 100 more hours, Dixie was awarded his wings, appointed as a sergeant pilot, and prepared to go to England. The following day he also got married. On about 9 October, Dixie and a number of his fellow sergeant pilots departed Halifax on their seventeen-day voyage to Scotland. Arrival at Glasgow was followed by an overnight train ride on a completely packed troop train to Bournemouth. There Alexander was boarded in a private home for several weeks before finally reporting to 56 Operational Training Unit outside of Sutton Bridge. He began flying the Miles Master but after a couple of flights he transitioned into the Hurricane. On 8 February 1942, Alexander graduated from the OTU with a grand total of 212 hours and 35 minutes of flying time. He was posted to 133 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey. The assignment brought a new challenge to Dixie, changing to the Spitfire. He took his first flight in that aircraft on 27 February and found it to be a wonderful airplane. There was little action for the unit during March and into early April because of the weather, which helped new pilots, such as Alexander, gain valuable flying experience in the Spitfire and learn the combat tactics used by the unit. By the end of April, the squadron was flying regular scrambles, convoy patrols, and escort missions. Dixie also had his first experience of having a squadron mate killed—a hard thing for any pilot. On 11 May, the squadron moved to Biggin Hill, a base in 11 Group and the area of England that had the most action against the Luftwaffe. There the unit was equipped with the Spitfire VB, which was armed with cannons rather than machine guns. It was in this new aircraft that over the next three months Dixie destroyed two German aircraft and damaged 42 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

another. On 22 September, Alexander, along with a number of other Eagle pilots, went to London and transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant, effective on the 23rd. The sergeant pilot was now an officer and as such part of the parade formation when 133 Squadron became the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group on 29 September 1942. For the first time all three Eagle Squadrons were stationed together at Debden, all still flying their Spitfires but with American markings. The action continued for the squadron and on 12 December, Alexander was cited for his skill in bringing his Spitfire back to England safely when his engine failed only ten miles off the coast of Spain. In late December 1942, Alexander, along with fellow Eagles Bert Stewart and Mick Lambert, transferred to the 109th Observation Squadron at Atcham Aerodrome as instructors. But Dixie yearned for action once again and applied for a transfer to the 52nd Fighter Group in North Africa. There, as part of his initial duties, he was to lead a flight of P-39 Airacobras that were to escort B-17s from England to Port Lyautey, North Africa. The mission was flown on 27 April 1943, but it ended unexpectedly for seven of the pilots when mechanical failure—in Alexander’s case a runaway propeller—forced them to land in Lisbon, Portugal. The group was interred there for almost three months, then taken to Algiers and on to Tunis, and finally to Palermo, Sicily, where the 52nd Fighter Group was headquartered. On 13 August 1943, Alexander began flying again and for the rest of the month he flew convoy patrol, again in the Spitfire. He subsequently was stationed in Corsica and then moved to Italy, flying the P-51. On 24 May 1944, Alexander became an ace when he destroyed his fifth enemy aircraft, a Focke-Wulf 190. For this accomplishment he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. On 30 May, Dixie got his sixth German aircraft, an ME-190, but the engine on his P-51 failed at a very low altitude and he was forced to crash-land in Austria. After evading Nazis for about a week, Alexander was captured and finally ended up in Stalag Luft III with a number of his former Eagle comrades. He remained there until the camp was abandoned in 1945, for the forced march in the dead of winter, first to Nuremberg and eventually the prisoner of war camp in Moosburg, Austria, from which he was liberated on 29 April 1945. Dixie remained in the Army but lost his right arm in an accident in Munich, Germany. He was medically retired on 6 February 1948. 43 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Alexander had flown 168 combat missions and been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with twelve oak leaf clusters, and the Purple Heart. He had destroyed six enemy aircraft, probably destroyed another, and damaged two. After leaving the Army, Dixie went into private business and operated Dick Alexander Limited for a number of years. He was also the national sales manager for the “Motor Guide” Division of Herschede Hall Clock company. Dixie and his wife retired in Piper City, Illinois, where he died on 19 April 1993.

Allen, Luke Elbert RAF Number: 84651 Born: 27 September 1917, in Rule, Colorado Served: 71 Squadron from 14 October 1940 to 31 July 1941 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Pilot with Thompson Flying Service, Denver, Colorado Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Luke Allen flew airplanes nearly his entire life. His father was a businessman and the family moved from Colorado to Gallup, New Mexico, when Allen was a small boy. After graduating from high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Allen went to California to study aircraft mechanics at the Curtiss-Wright Company. But flying was his real avocation and when he found a job with Thompson Flying Service, he moved to Denver. Luke’s flying progressed rapidly and he soon had an airplane of his own. He also got a job as a pilot for the US Bureau of Reclamation, flying throughout Colorado and the western United States. By 1940, he had become a very experienced pilot, having logged between 300 and 400 hours of flying time. It was early in 1940, on a flying trip to Arkansas, that he learned how to join the Royal Air Force. Luke was concerned about the war in Europe and wanted to ensure that he would be able to fly if the United States became involved. The RAF seemed a good option, since he did not have the required college for the Army Aviation Cadet Program. So Allen went to Windsor, Ontario, on his 44 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

own and volunteered for the RAF. Because of his significant flying experience, he was accepted, passed his physical, and sailed for England on the Duchess of Bedford on 2 August 1940. After arriving, he went to the Air Ministry in London and was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. His first assignment was to 57 Operational Training Unit at Hawarden in Wales to learn to fly the Spitfire. The day he completed that training, he was told that the RAF was forming a new Squadron made up of American volunteers, 71 Squadron. Luke was assigned to this unit at Church Fenton as part of the original cadre. When Allen arrived on 14 October 1940 there were no aircraft and only three pilots, Andy Mamedoff, Vernon Keough, and Eugene Tobin. The squadron originally had a few outdated American Brewster Buffalo aircraft, but rapidly decided they were worthless as fighters. On 7 November, after several discussions with the Air Ministry, 71 Squadron received their first Hurricanes and Allen and his squadron mates began flying them in earnest. But the English winter meant countless days of not flying, so progress to operational status was slow. On 9 April the squadron was moved to Martlesham Heath and the first real action began. It was not until 23 June 1941, when they moved again, this time to North Weald, that the unit was really in the thick of the air war. Allen was part of all the training and the early action, but late in the spring urgent family matters dictated that he return to the United States. At that same time, and for unknown reasons, he also decided that he could not remain in the RAF. So on 31 July 1941 Luke was sent back to the United States. He began flying for Air Transport Command in Dallas, Texas, and was formally discharged from the RAF on 23 January 1942. He then flew as a civilian ferry pilot until September 1942, when he was commissioned in the US Army Air Forces. He flew as part of the Fifth Ferry Group, flying all over the world, until October 1945. Luke then left the Army and became a corporate pilot. In 1951, with the advent of the Korean War, Allen was recalled into the Air Force and again discharged when the war was over. Allen then took a position with South Texas Oil and Gas Company as a corporate pilot. He retired in 1974 after accumulating over 25,000 hours of flying time. He and his wife moved to Saint George, Utah, where they still live.

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Allen, Thomas Willcase RCAF Number: J15015 Born: 13 June 1914, in Spartansburg, South Carolina Served: 121 Squadron from 4 June 1941 to 31 May 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Credit manager, Firestone Tire and Rubber Company Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 31 May 1942

Thomas Allen was convinced that the United States would get into World War II, so on 13 October 1940 he left his job at Firestone Tire and Rubber Company and enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Although he was very interested in flying, he apparently had little flying experience. Nonetheless, he was accepted into pilot training in Canada. After completing the Elementary and Service Flying Training Schools, and gaining about 100 hours of flying experience, Tom was awarded his pilot’s wings and appointed a sergeant pilot. The harrowing trip across the North Atlantic followed and in the early spring of 1941, he reported to the Personal Reception Center at Uxbridge for assignment to an Operational Training Unit to learn to fly the Hurricane. The blond, crew-cut Allen was older than many of his squadron mates when he reported to 121 Squadron on 4 June 1941. (The official record notes him reporting on 19 August 1941, but that is in error. The squadron record has the earlier June date and Allen was in combat well before the August date. This error is present in a number of the RCAF records. The date recorded as the reporting date to the squadron is actually the date that individual was promoted from sergeant pilot to pilot officer.) He was a popular member of the unit and also had more experience in the world than many of his squadron mates. He had entered North Carolina State University in 1932 but apparently became disillusioned with college, for he joined the Navy that December and stayed until 1935. What he did during the ensuing five years until he joined the RCAF is not recorded, other than his marriage in New York City on 25 May 1938. It was apparently not a happy marriage, and the couple had separated by the time Tom joined the RCAF. Allen had a reputation as a 46 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

solid pilot and, during his stay in 121, he shot down one German aircraft and damaged two others. His leadership and flying ability earned him an appointment as a commander of an RAF squadron in May of 1942. Before he was able to transfer and assume that position, however, his aircraft was seriously damaged on a low strafing mission against German ships off Walcheren Island in the Netherlands. His Spitfire, always identifiable by the Confederate flag painted on the fuselage, hit the water, bounced, and shortly impacted the water again. Tom Allen was reported missing and presumed killed in action on 31 May 1942.

Almos, Fred Edward RAF Number: 67578 Born: 29 November 1921, in Long Beach, California Served: 121 Squadron from 19 July 1941 to 12 April 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Student and aviation mechanic Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Fred Almos was the son of a Navy submariner whose varied assignments meant that his family moved frequently. So although Fred was born in Long Beach, he lived in places like Hawaii and Montana while he was growing up. Shortly after Almos entered high school his father was transferred to Norfolk, Virginia, but decided that Fred would remain in California in order to have some continuity in his education. So Fred lived with his grandparents and a maiden aunt in Sunnyvale. Living in Sunnyvale also put him near Moffett Field, a Navy flying and dirigible base, as well as all the flying activity of the Bay Area, so it is little wonder that he wanted to learn to fly. Fred actually took his first flight in 1935 in Montana and became hooked, although he was too young to work toward his license at the time. But his real love in high school was photography and he traveled all over the state shooting pictures, including many of airplanes and spectacular landscapes. When he was seventeen, he graduated from Fremont Union High School and decided he would become a pilot. On 9 August 1939, he took his first flying les47 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

son, a thirty-minute flight in an Aeronca C50 from the San Jose airport. From that time on, Almos focused on his quest and he continued to fly four or five times a month until he soloed on 5 November 1939 with a little less than 10 hours’ flying time. Fred also enrolled in San Jose State College and continued to fly regularly in the college flying club as well as participating in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. Although he had at one time wanted to go into the ministry, he pursued a major at San Jose State College in aeronautics and, by the end of 1940, had accumulated about 130 hours of flying time. Interestingly, among his classmates at San Jose State were future Eagles Malta Stepp and Seldon Edner. The Battle of Britain, the certainty that the United States would be involved in World War II, and the rumored opportunity to get into the RAF all came together in December 1940 when Fred decided he would try to become a military pilot. Since he had not yet completed the required two years of college, the door to the US Army program was closed. But he heard about the Clayton Knight Committee and decided to visit their offices in Oakland, California. By the end of the visit, he had signed up for the Royal Air Force. Almos took his physical on 14 December and shortly thereafter was sent to the RAF Refresher Training Program at the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In early April 1941, he completed the training program and took the train to Canada, the first step in his trip to England. On 30 April 1941, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England on the same ship with his college friend Malta Stepp. At that time his records also indicate that he had about 240 hours of flying time. Interestingly, his records indicate that both he and Stepp were also assigned to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge on that same day, but they actually reported nearly a month later, since they had yet to complete the voyage as well as process into the RAF. Almos completed the OTU in early July 1941 and on 19 July he reported to 121 Squadron, then posted at Kirton-in-Lindsey. At that time the new unit was in the process of becoming operational, so most of the flying was training with occasional convoy patrols, scrambles against German aircraft, and escort missions. Unfortunately, by the time they were really an operational squadron, the English winter had set in and there was little flying because of the weather. By spring, Almos and 48 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

several other members of the squadron—including Reade Tilley, Jim Peck, and “Tiger” Booth—were ready to leave the English weather behind and try for a location with more action. On 10 April, Almos was posted overseas to Malta. Ten days later, he was part of a group that flew unarmed Spitfires off the deck of the aircraft carrier Wasp over nearly eight hundred miles of water to Malta. Just ten days after that hazardous event, he was promoted to flight officer. Conditions on Malta were horrible and all of the former Eagles endured sickness, terrible food, constant air attacks, and flying in the heat of the Mediterranean summer. It is uncertain when Fred completed his tour in Malta, but he was next posted in Cairo, Egypt. However, his heart was no longer in flying fighters. He had suffered two head injuries in aircraft accidents, one of which caused him to be hospitalized for some time, and this, plus his desire to pilot flying boats (which was actually his original objective when he joined the RAF), caused him to resign his RAF commission on 26 October 1942. Actually, Almos was in the United States on leave at the time and was approached by Pan American Airways to become a flying boat pilot for them in the Pacific. For unknown reasons, Almos did not actually join Pan American until 2 November 1943. In the meantime, he maintained his flying proficiency by flying light aircraft at the Reno, Nevada, airport. In November, Fred became an officer in the US Navy Reserve and spent the rest of the war flying PB2Y3 Coronado’s and PB3M patrol bombers in the South Pacific. He was often the personal pilot for Admiral Halsey. During this time he also had one of his most memorable events, landing at sea in the South Pacific to rescue the crew of a torpedoed freighter. After the war, Almos remained with Pan American until July 1946 when he was furloughed. Interestingly, he was one of the pilots on the last flight of Pan American’s China Clipper. He then joined the California Highway Patrol as both a motorcycle and cruiser officer in Santa Clara, California. Fred went back to Pan American in 1952 for a year, flying the Douglas DC-4 and the Boeing B-314. He again left Pan American and returned to the highway patrol until September 1955 when he once again was activated by Pan American. Almos spent the next twenty-six years flying as a captain on the DC-4, B-377, DC-7C, B-707, and B-747, retiring as a captain on the 747 on 28 November 1981. After retirement 49 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

he continued a longtime hobby and business of raising Great Dane dogs. He was also much in demand as a speaker about both World War II and commercial aviation. Almos died on 23 December 1997 in Winter Garden, Florida. His wife, Valerie, remains active in the Eagle Squadron Association and is a regular attendee at reunions and other aviation gatherings. (The author thanks Mrs. Valerie Almos, widow of Fred Almos, for her help in preparing this biographical sketch.)

Anderson, Newton RAF Number: 87008 Born: 27 July 1910, in New Orleans, Louisiana Served: 71 Squadron from 31 May 1941 to 29 June 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Student, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 29 June 1942

Probably none of the Eagles had feelings about Europe, and particularly France, that were as strong as Newton Anderson’s. The soft-spoken young man from New Orleans had developed a great affinity for the French during the time he studied there in the late 1920s. But when his family lost its wealth in the crash of 1929, Anderson took up journalism and became a reporter in Chicago. He also enrolled in Northwestern University. The advent of the war in Europe was overpowering to him, so he left college and volunteered to fly for the French; not an unrealistic choice, since he had over 200 hours of flying time gathered in various ways during the 1930s. Because of his poor vision—he always had worn thick glasses—he was rejected for flying duty but given an opportunity to join French Foreign Legion. France fell to the Germans less than three weeks later and Anderson was forced to flee to England, along with many other members of the French forces. While he remained in the Foreign Legion until 8 August 1940 he was simply biding his time as part of a group of Legionnaires all trying to get into the RAF. Anderson’s situation initially seemed hopeless, since he 50 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

had never completed a military flying training program nor had he ever been awarded pilot’s wings. But the British were desperate and his quest was successful on 30 September, 1940, when he was commissioned as a pilot officer and sent to the personnel pool at Loughborough. He remained there, awaiting an opening in a training program, until 2 December, when he was finally sent to 50 Advanced Flying Training Group to begin a refresher flying course. He completed that training on 17 February 1941 and was sent to 56 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at Sutton Bridge, to begin flying Hurricanes. On 31 May 1941, having completed his Hurricane training, he was transferred to 71 Squadron at Martlesham Heath. During the rest of the year, the unit saw almost daily action and Anderson was part of it all. A few months after joining the first Eagle Squadron, he was promoted to flight officer and in November was made a flight commander. Anderson continued to excel in his flying, despite his nickname “Weak Eyes” and was promoted to acting flight leader in early 1942. He was credited for half an ME-109 destroyed (another pilot was also attacking the same German aircraft) and one damaged. He was also credited with destroying a train in northern France with his cannon and machine gun fire. On 27 May 1942, the quiet, somewhat studious Anderson was transferred to 222 Squadron as acting squadron leader, becoming the first American to lead an all-British unit into battle. Just a month later, on 29 June 1942, while leading a thirty-six-plane RAF wing on a bomber escort mission over France, he was shot down and reported missing and presumed dead. He was later confirmed as being killed in action on that date. He was survived by his wife, Phyllis, whom he had married on 11 September 1941 in London.

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Anderson, Paul Roger RAF Number: 85219 Born: 1 September 1913, in Riddle, Oregon Served: 71 Squadron from 8 October 1940 to 8 March 1941 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: Pilot Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 8 March 1941

Paul Anderson was one of the original Eagles. The son of the head of the San Francisco bureau of the FBI, he loved to fly and had decided very early on that was what he wanted to do with his life. In that regard, he was typical of many of the early candidates recruited in California by Colonel Charles Sweeny, for he already had nearly 900 hours of flying time and listed his occupation as a pilot. As with many of the early Eagles, there is some confusion between the official record and the reality of what happened in their early careers. In Anderson’s case, he is listed as having taken a medical board in Ottawa, Canada, for the RCAF on 27 August 1940. But another record, as well as eyewitness accounts, indicated that he had sailed for England on the Duchess of Richmond along with several early Eagles, including Chesley Peterson, Richard Moore, James McGinnis, and Charles Bateman, on 10 July 1940. It is unclear when he and his compatriots arrived in England, but the official record lists Anderson as being commissioned in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 6 September 1940. Whatever the case, Anderson was listed as part of 71 Squadron on 8 October 1940 when the Eagles were officially presented to the press by Air Minister Sir Archibald Sinclair. Like several others of the group, however, Anderson was still at flying training in 5 Student Flying Training School. He apparently did not have an easy time with the training, for he met with several medical boards during early 1941 regarding his judgment and flying anxiety. It is quite possible that because of these problems he never flew with 71 Squadron, although he was listed as a member of the unit from the very beginning. In fact, on 26 February 1941 he was given a ten-percent disability and removed from flying to await further instruc52 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

tions. On 8 March 1941, while awaiting a decision on his future with the RAF, the theater he was attending in London was hit by a German bomb. Anderson was among the large number of those killed in that attack, making him one of the very first Eagles to lose his life.

Anderson, Stanley Melick RCAF Number: J15530 Born: Day and month unknown, 1917, in New Haven, Connecticut Served: 71 Squadron from 3 March to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Late September 1942

Unfortunately, Stanley Anderson’s official record is not available, so there is no information about the early life of the red-haired, blue-eyed youngster, where he learned to fly, or what motivated him to join the RCAF. But one can assume it was his desire to fly high-performance aircraft and his concern with the probability of the war in Europe soon involving the United States that led him to leave his home in Connecticut and go to Canada, probably in March or April 1941. He was evidently accepted into RCAF pilot training almost immediately. Stanley would have attended both Elementary and Service Flying Training schools and completed his training in late September or early October. At that time he would have received his wings, been appointed a sergeant pilot, and then attended a short advanced course. He probably sailed for England in late November or early December 1941. At that same time he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RCAF, an unusual happening since most RCAF pilots remained sergeant pilots. Stanley arrived in England in December and was assigned to an Operational Training Unit as soon as he completed his processing at 3 Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth. He completed the OTU in late February and on 3 March 1942 he reported to 71 Squadron, which was posted at Martlesham Heath, to fly Spitfires. Anderson arrived just as the long period of winter-weather-induced inactivity for 53 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

the unit was coming to an end, and within a very short time he was flying combat missions over the North Sea and Europe. Stanley proved to be an aggressive fighter pilot, and on 19 August 1942 he was credited with damaging his first German aircraft, an FW-190, over Dieppe, France. About a month later, Anderson went into London and transferred to the US Army Air Forces. He flew on the last combat mission of 71 Squadron, “a shipping reconnaissance in force,” on 27 September 1942 and two days later became a member of the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force. Just three days after the transfer, on 2 October 1942, flying a Spitfire with American markings, Stanley shot down an FW-190, a feat for which he was awarded the Air Medal. Anderson continued to be one of the most productive members of the unit and on 14 January and again on 22 January 1943 he shot down FW-190s over Belgium and France. Those were to be his last victories in the Spitfire because the entire Fourth Fighter Group then began the transition to the P-47 Thunderbolt. Anderson was also promoted rapidly and by March, when the unit was declared operational in the Thunderbolt, he was a captain. Combat missions were the norm for the Fourth, and Anderson, after the first operational mission of the P-47 on 10 March, was in the thick of the action. On 15 April 1943, Stanley was part of the first P-47 mission to destroy an enemy aircraft. Unfortunately, on that mission he was shot down over Belgium. He was listed as missing in action, but his status was changed to killed in action on 15 April 1943. At the time of his death, he had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters.

Andrews, Thomas J. RAF Number: 102047 Born: 24 September 1921, location unknown Served: 71 Squadron from 10 September 1941 to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Aircraft factory worker Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

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Although Thomas Andrews is listed as entering the RAF from Kansas, that may not be correct since he was working in an aircraft factory at the time and most of those were in Southern California. Unfortunately, there is no record available of his birthplace or about his early life. He apparently got interested in flying at an early age because he had about 150 hours of flying time by the time he was twenty years old; enough to qualify for the RAF. It also appears that he attended college but there is no record of where or for how long. In fact, he may well have learned to fly in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. In any case, he visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in early 1941 and applied for the RAF. Tom was accepted and entered RAF refresher training at Bakersfield, California, in March 1941. Andrews completed his training in late June and took the train trip across the United States to eastern Canada where, on 10 July 1941 he embarked on the SS Mosdale for England, along with future Eagles Roger Atkinson, Moran Morris, and Edwin Taylor. That same day he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. The voyage was apparently quite short and on 28 July, after in processing in London and Bournemouth, he reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Debden to learn to fly the Hurricane. Andrews made his first flight just two days later in a Miles Master and on 7 September he logged his last flight at OTU, an air-to-air gunnery practice in the Hurricane. He had flown 46 hours in the training program. On 9 September 1941, Tom reported to 71 Squadron at North Weald. Two days later he made his first flight in the Spitfire. While it was three weeks before he flew again, he was part of the first Eagle Squadron’s almost daily missions throughout the fall. The winter of 1941–42 was dominated by convoy patrol flying and a number of days of being grounded because of weather. For example, Andrews flew 18 hours and 15 minutes in January 1942, 15 hours in February, but 33 hours in March. The number of scrambles and actual combat missions increased greatly for the unit in April and remained at that high level throughout the summer of 1942. The most significant action was on 19 August in support of the abortive Canadian invasion of France at Dieppe. On that day, Andrews led Blue Flight and flew three combat sorties for a total of 4 hours and 40 minutes. But the action decreased in September as the unit, along with 121 and 133 Squadrons, prepared to make the transfer to become the Fourth Fighter 55 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Group of the Eighth Air Force. On 16 September, just over a year after he arrived in the unit, Andrews went into London and transferred to the US Army Air Forces. While the records are not available, Tom may have transferred as a captain because he had served in the RAF for so long. The actual transfer ceremony took place on 29 September 1942, and Andrews became part of the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. On 2 October, he made his first flight in a Spitfire with American markings. The action continued for the Fourth through the fall, and in January 1943 the unit began the transition to the P-47 Thunderbolt. Andrews flew the P-47 first on 13 February 1943, and on 18 May he shot down an ME-109 in his P-47. He also continued to advance within the 334th. On 13 April he was made the acting commander, and on 16 April 1943 he was made “A” flight commander. He became the squadron operations officer on 2 June, and by that time he was a major. On 28 July 1943, he led his flight on the unit’s first P-47 mission into Germany, using belly tanks for longer range. But in September 1943, Andrews was told that he had to go back to the United States, since he had been actively flying combat for two years. His last flight in the P-47 was on 6 September 1943, and a few days later he left England for the United States. On 18 October 1943, he made his first flight in the United States in a Piper Cub—a far cry from the Spitfire. Unfortunately, the record of Andrews’s further wartime assignments is not available. He remained in the Air Force after the war and eventually retired as a colonel. He then moved to Melbourne, Florida, where he died in 1996.

Arends, William Albert RAF Number: 112280 Born: 28 July 1917, in Bottineau, North Dakota Served: 133 Squadron from 10 March to 20 June 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Clerk in the electrical department of his father’s business, H. A. Arends Electrical Contractor, Tulare, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 20 June 1942 56 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

When he reported to the RAF refresher training school in Bakersfield, California, on 11 August 1941, Bill Arends did not know he was to be a member of a group of pilots nearly half of whom were lost during World War II. Although he was born in North Dakota, his family evidently moved to California in the early 1920s. Bill grew up in the area around Visalia and Tulare, and airplanes were part of his everyday experience. Although the record does not indicate how much flying time he had when he reported to the Clayton Knight Committee offices on the top floor of the Leamington Hotel in Oakland, California, in the spring of 1941, he was an experienced pilot. At Bakersfield he became close friends with three other young men who were also destined to become Eagles; George Middleton, Mick Lambert, and Dave Logan. They called themselves the “Four Horsemen of Visalia.” (Dave Logan was killed at the Operational Training Unit in England and never became a member of an operational squadron. George Middleton was shot down and became a prisoner of war.) The group finished their training on 6 November 1941, and the comments in the record indicate that Arends was “level-headed and good officer material.” On 13 December, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England on the HMS Letitia, a thirteen-thousand-ton ship built in 1924. His two-week voyage ended in Liverpool when he disembarked on 26 December. He then went by train to London, signed into the RAF, got his uniforms, and took the train to the personnel center at Bournemouth. On 30 December he was assigned to 52 OTU at Aston Down. Arends completed his training about two months later and on 10 March 1942 he was assigned to 133 Squadron then posted at Kirton-in-Lindsey. He rapidly became a first-rate member of the unit and an excellent combat pilot. On 20 June 1942, however, while on a fighter sweep over Saint-Omer, France, he was shot down by an FW-190 and killed.

57 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Atkinson, Roger Hall RAF Number: 102048 Born: 8 April 1921, in Fort Worth, Texas Served: 71 Squadron from 9 September to 15 October 1941 Religious preference: Episcopalian Civilian occupation: Test stand operator at Allison Engine Company Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 15 October 1941

Roger Atkinson was one of the early recruits for the Eagle Squadrons. Unfortunately, there is no record of his early life. While he may have grown up in Texas, he apparently was in Chicago for some reason in early 1941 because he met with an RAF evaluation board at the Clayton Knight Committee offices there on 6 February 1941. Given his flying experience, 90 hours solo and 60 hours dual, he was considered marginally qualified for fighter duty. Nonetheless, he was sent to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Bakersfield, California. On 10 July 1941, he sailed for England aboard the Norwegian ship SS Mosdale. After he arrived in the United Kingdom and completed his in processing, he was assigned to 52 OTU, probably still at Debden. He completed his operational training in early September 1941 and was assigned to 71 Squadron on 9 September. A little over a month later, on 15 October 1941, before he had any opportunity to prove himself in combat, a wing collapsed on his Spitfire while he was in level flight. Although he bailed out of the stricken aircraft, he was too low for his parachute to deploy properly and he was killed when he hit the ground about half a mile north-northeast of Woodford in the United Kingdom. Atkinson is one of many who died before they had a chance to make a mark in combat, but they volunteered and gave their lives for the cause of freedom.

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Austin, Frederick Carleton RCAF Number: R58580 Born: Date unknown; possibly in Los Angeles, California Served: 133 Squadron from 9 December 1941 to 27 March 1942 and in 121 Squadron from 28 March to 17 April 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 17 April 1942

Because Frederick Austin’s official records are not available, there is no information about when and where he was born or where he grew up. It may well have been Los Angeles, since that is where he lived when he saw the war looming over the United States and decided he would rather fly than walk if that happened. After evaluating his opportunities, he decided to go to Canada in the summer of 1940 and try to join the Royal Canadian Air Force. He probably had some flying experience, although that was not a prerequisite for entry into RCAF training. In any case, he was accepted. He enlisted at Vancouver on 30 August 1940, took his flight physical, and then was sent off to begin his training. Fred’s first few weeks were spent in basic military training, which were followed by the approximately sixmonth flying training program at both the Elementary and Service Flying Training schools. He completed these in May 1941 and was awarded his pilot’s badge and appointed a sergeant pilot. Austin then probably went on to an advanced flying school in Canada and sometime during the summer he sailed to England. There is no account of what Fred did during the approximately three months between his arrival and his entry into 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge in the middle of October. He could well have attended another advanced flying school. Austin completed his OTU training in the Hurricane and on 9 December 1941 reported to 133 Squadron at Eglinton, Northern Ireland, along with Walter Wicker. Six days later he made his first operational flight in a Spitfire. Although he was in Ireland for only three weeks, he learned to fly the Spitfire and got a good taste of squadron life. On 1 January 1942, the unit was transferred to Kirton-in-Lindsey in England, but the type of duty remained the same. In addition, the winter weather 59 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

curtailed the flying and the squadron was grounded for days at a time. Just as the weather began to improve, Austin was transferred to 121 Squadron at North Weald on 28 March 1942. This was a welcome change to Fred, as well as to Robert Brossmer and Carl Bodding, who accompanied him from 133, because it meant more active flying against the Germans and an end to convoy patrol. But Fred did not have a chance to participate in many missions against the Luftwaffe. He was shot down and declared missing on 17 April 1942 on a fighter sweep over Calais, France. His status was later change to killed in action. He is buried at Hardinghen Churchyard at Boulogne-sur-Mer, France.

Ayer, John Butler RAF Number: 83702 Born: 21 September 1912, in Bangor, Maine Served: 71 Squadron from 16 December 1940 to 29 March 1941 Religious preference: Unitarian Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 10 April 1942

There is no information available on John Ayer’s early life or when and how he became interested in aviation. Nor is the record clear as to how or where he signed up for service in the RAF. Because he had over 800 hours of flying time he was probably one of the early fliers who were contacted by Colonel Charles Sweeny and sent directly to England, in which case he would have had moved to California at some point in the 1930s. Ayer apparently went to Canada in late June or early July of 1940, and on 10 July he sailed for England aboard the Duchess of Richmond with future Eagles Charles Bateman, Chesley Peterson, and Richard Moore. Ayer’s records are confusing because they indicate he took his flight physical in Windsor, Ontario, on 30 July, and had flight training in Canada at the same time he was in England and actively being trained by the RAF. The entry on training in Canada is probably incorrect, because with his flying experience John was a candidate for a direct RAF commission. He was, in fact, commissioned as a pilot officer 60 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

in the RAF Volunteer Reserve at the Air Ministry in London on 13 August 1940. That same day he was assigned to 7 Operational Training Unit. Probably because he needed more single-engine training, on 29 August he was sent to 8 Service Flying Training School, and on 9 September 1940 he was transferred to 5 Service Flying Training School. He completed this rather unusual training sequence and on 16 December 1940 he was assigned to 71 Squadron—then stationed at Kirton-in-Lindsey—apparently without having completed the course at an Operational Training Unit. The record is not clear as to John’s progress with the first Eagle Squadron, but for unknown reasons he was transferred to 3 School Squadron on 29 March 1941 for further training in navigation; a very unusual assignment for a pilot. Although he completed this training on 14 June 1941, after a bout with severe influenza, his record notes that he needed more practical experience in aerial navigation. On 22 June 1941, Ayer was assigned to 1 OTU, apparently to learn to fly the Hudson bomber, and on 8 September he reported to 206 Squadron as a Lockheed Hudson pilot, having been promoted to flight officer on 13 August. Ayer remained in 206 Squadron until 1 February 1942, when he was transferred to 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit. On 10 April 1942, he was reported missing and presumed dead on a combat mission over the English Channel.

Ayres, Henry Lee RAF Number: 116157 Born: 19 January 1921, in Indianapolis, Indiana Served: 133 Squadron from 14 July to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Machine operator, McQuary Norris Company, Indianapolis, Indiana Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

Unfortunately, there is little information about Henry Ayres’s early life or what got him interested in flying. But since he was very interested in automobile racing and even tried to become a race-car driver, it was probably his adventurous spirit that led him to learn to fly. He was tre61 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

mendously impressed with the heroic pilots of the Battle of Britain and by the summer of 1941 he was convinced that the United States would soon be involved in the war. If that happened, he wanted badly to fly but was unable to qualify for the US Army Pilot Training Program because he did not have the necessary two years of college. So on 18 August 1941, he went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Cleveland, Ohio, to apply for the RAF. He was accepted for training and reported to Bakersfield, California, the place where so many future Eagles did their initial training, on 22 September 1941. Hank completed the program at Bakersfield in mid-December and, after a month of leave, went to Canada and embarked for England on 7 February 1942. Upon leaving Canada, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Ayers arrived in England late in the month and was sent to officer training school at Cosford. That was followed by an Operational Training Unit assignment and eventual posting to 133 Squadron at Biggin Hill on 14 July 1942. Ayres remained with 133 Squadron and transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant on 23 September 1942. Six days later, he officially became a member of the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. He continued to fly with the 336th Squadron, moving from Spitfires to P-47 Thunderbolts in March of 1943. On 28 July 1943, he was shot down on the first P-47 bomber escort mission into Germany. His last radio transmission was a “so long” to his friend and squadron mate LeRoy Gover before he bailed out. He was captured by the Germans but was so badly wounded that he was repatriated on the Swedish-American ship Gripsholm prior to the end of the war. He died in California on 24 December 1971.

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Baker, William Henry RAF Number: 108626 Born: 13 September 1920, in Temple, Texas Served: 133 Squadron from 31 December 1941 to 26 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Student, Texas A&M University Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

There is no record of why native Texan William Baker left Texas A&M University after three years and made the trip to California in the spring of 1941. Like so many of those who would become members of the Eagle Squadrons, he probably just wanted to fly and California was the place to do it. It is possible that he saw the war on the horizon and applied to the US Army Aviation Cadet Program but was rejected. If that is true, he might have been searching for another way to fly in the war. He probably heard about the opportunity to join the RAF at one of the airports in Southern California, for he went to the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel to interview with the Clayton Knight Committee on 19 May 1941. Baker must have had a reasonable amount of flying time because he was apparently accepted almost immediately and reported to RAF refresher training in Bakersfield, California, on 30 June 1941. Baker completed the program there on 6 September with a total of over 180 hours of dual and solo flying time. The long rail trip across the United States to Halifax followed and on 27 September 1941 he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and departed for England on the SS Bayano, part of the group of ten future Eagles on the voyage. A month later, he reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. On 31 December 1941, Bill was assigned to 133 Squadron, but didn’t join the unit until it became operational at Kirton-in-Lindsey a few days later. During the next four months, 133 Squadron was primarily involved in training and escorting shipping freighters, so there was little contact with the Luftwaffe. But on 27 April, William Baker got the first of his two probably destroyed German aircraft, becoming the second pilot in 133 to down a Luftwaffe aircraft. Baker continued as one of the most effective pilots in the unit and during the next five months, he destroyed two more 63 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

German aircraft, probably destroyed one more, and damaged another. Baker transferred to the US Army Air Forces on 15 September 1942, but continued to fly with 133 Squadron. He was the leader of Yellow Section and, as one of the most senior pilots in the unit, was second in command of 133 Squadron on the fateful Morlaix mission on 26 September 1942. Either because of anti-aircraft damage or running out of fuel, he was forced to ditch his Spitfire in Brest Harbor and was killed. His body was not recovered for quite some time. He was then officially listed as killed in action on that date. He is buried in Madingley Cemetery in England.

Barrell, Charles Sewall RAF Number: 102519 Born: 28 October 1911, in Boston, Massachusetts Served: 133 Squadron from 23 September to 27 September 1941 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Sugar planter Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 27 September 1941

Charles Barrell was thirty when he volunteered for service in the RAF, which made him one of the older volunteers to fly with the Eagle Squadrons. Unfortunately, there is no record of his early life, when and how he learned to fly, or what he did for a living. He had nearly 200 hours of flying time, about 150 hours of it solo, when he reported to the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, early in 1941. While there is also no record of when or where he visited the Clayton Knight Committee, he had to have enlisted through them to attend Spartan. After completing his training in Tulsa, he was sent to Canada and sailed for England. Shortly after his arrival in England, probably in May of 1941, he was assigned to an OTU, reporting on 7 June 1941, the first date confirmed by his record. Upon completion of that program, he joined the fledgling 133 Squadron, based at Duxford, signing in on 23 September 1941. Only four days later, on 27 September 1941, he collided with Walter Soares while on final approach to Duxford, and both men were killed. This was 64 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

the first fatal accident for the new squadron and it was the beginning of a string of problems for the unit. Barrell served only four days in the RAF after training before he gave his life for the cause of freedom.

Bateman, Charles Edward RAF Number: 83703 Born: 19 May 1912, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts Served: 71 Squadron from 16 December 1940 to 23 October 1941, and 133 Squadron from 23 October 1941 to January 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Electrician, Los Angeles, California Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1944

Although Charles Bateman is officially listed on the RAF rolls as having joined 71 Squadron in December 1940, press releases on 8 October of that year, which announced the formation of the new RAF unit, listed him as an original member of that historic unit. He had early been captivated by aviation and, in the 1930s, moved from the East Coast to California to be closer to both the center of flying in the United States and the aviation industry. While working as an electrician in Los Angeles, he managed to acquire of 250 hours of flying time by mid-1940. In March 1940 he had journeyed to Arizona and married Neva O’Neal. It was during his flying activity at the Culver City Airport that he heard about the mysterious Colonel Charles Sweeny who was recruiting flyers to help the British cause. He went to a contractor’s office on Melrose Boulevard, probably in early June 1940, where he was asked a number of questions about his flying background. He was then told to go to a certain place and pick up his ticket for expenses to travel to Ottawa, Canada. There he was given an RCAF flight physical and on 10 July 1940 he sailed for England on the SS Duchess of Richmond along with future Eagles Chesley Peterson, Kenneth Taylor, and John Ayer. On 13 August, he reported to the Air Ministry and was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Several months 65 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

of training followed and he finally reported to 71 Squadron in early December 1940 as part of the original cadre, although he was still in training when the squadron was announced. Bateman flew regularly with the unit as they prepared for combat duty and was part of the first mission in Spitfires flown by the first Eagle Squadron on 17 August 1941. Unfortunately, 133 Squadron, the third Eagle Squadron, had a serious mishap in October of 1941 in which four members of the squadron were killed when their aircraft hit a hill on the Isle of Man. This created a need for experienced American pilots to fill key positions in 133 Squadron, and Bateman, who had been promoted to flight officer in August, was transferred as a flight commander on 23 October 1941. Bateman played a key role in getting the unit prepared to enter combat, but a relatively minor sinus problem was exacerbated during the three months at the end of 1941 that the unit spent in the cold, damp climate of Northern Ireland. This sinus condition continued to cause Bateman serious problems, and in January 1942 he was transferred to instructor duty and apparently sent to Canada. In July 1942 he was officially declared physically disqualified from combat and operational flying but he continued to instruct in Canada. He also divorced his first wife and remarried. On 15 September 1944, he transferred to the US Army Air Forces, where he remained until the end of World War II. Bateman remained in the Air Force after World War II and attended the Eagle reunion in 1983. At that time he was retired from the service and lived in California. He died on 23 June 1987.

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Beatie, Ernest D. RAF Number: 116468 Born: 17 June 1918, in Albany, Georgia Served: 121 Squadron from June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Lifeguard in El Centro, California, and student at UCLA Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 25 September 1942

Ernest Beatie’s all-time hero was Winston Churchill. Thus, it was only natural that as he tended to his lifeguard duties at the pool in El Centro, California, during the summer of 1941, the short but athletic Beatie thought seriously about joining the Royal Air Force. Although he was born in Georgia and his family still lived there, Beatie had moved to California after he graduated from high school and enrolled at the University of California at Los Angeles in the fall of 1940. But the news from Europe was not good and Ernie had been flying for over two years. In fact, he had put all the money he could afford into getting flying time and had nearly 100 hours of experience in various aircraft. So on 14 June 1941 Beatie visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee at the HollywoodRoosevelt Hotel and signed up. He didn’t have far to go for RAF refresher training, since he was assigned to school at Polaris Flight Academy in Burbank, California. He began his training in late August and graduated on 6 December 1941. At the time of Pearl Harbor Ernie was on a train for Georgia and a week of leave before continuing on to Canada and then to England. In early January, Beatie was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked on the hazardous and rough voyage across the North Atlantic in the middle of winter. He arrived in England about the middle of January and, after signing in at the Air Ministry in London and getting his RAF officer uniforms, reported to the Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth. But like a number of other American volunteers, Ernie arrived at a time when the Operational Training Unit system was overwhelmed with pilots, so he was first sent to the Service Flying Training School at Midlands where he flew the Miles Master. Then he was sent 67 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

to 52 OTU at Aston Down, to learn to fly the Spitfire. In mid-June 1942, about year after he first visited the Clayton Knight Committee, Beatie reported to 121 Squadron at Southend-on-Sea. But nothing he had done thus far had adequately prepared Beatie for his first operational mission. It was a rhubarb mission, on which you flew on the deck, below the German radar, to shoot up canal barges that were hauling supplies and troops for the German Army. Beatie’s lead got shot up very badly and not only had several wounds in his legs and hand, but several of his instruments were shot away. Beatie flew alongside him, telling him what airspeed they were flying, and basically talked him home. As Beatie put it, “Good God, this is hairy! It’s not a wonder we are losing a lot of pilots.” Beatie continued this high level of activity throughout the summer and, in the process, was credited with two German aircraft damaged. On 25 September 1942, he went to London and transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. Four days later he was part of the parade formation of 121 Squadron as it became the 335th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. Ernie was only in that unit for about three months when he joined seven other Eagles returning to the United States for a war bond sales trip. Beatie returned to the 335th late in the winter and on 16 May 1943 he was credited with probably destroying a German fighter. Just a month later, on 22 June, he destroyed an FW-190 and an ME-109 on the same mission. Although the record isn’t precise, it appears that Beatie left the 335th sometime in the summer of 1943 and returned to the United States. He was assigned as a gunnery instructor at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and it was there he was awarded the Legion of Merit for work he had done the previous year while he was assigned to the 335th. Beatie was then transferred to El Centro, Texas, as a gunnery instructor where he was when World War II ended. Beatie left the Army after the war with the idea of returning to UCLA, but that did not work out. He apparently went into business in Hawaii and California and remained active in the Hawaii National Guard until at least 1952. He then went into the real estate business in California and also continued to fly. He died in Palm Springs, California, on 29 January 1994.

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Beaty, Richard Norton RAF Number: 115121 Born: 30 January 1920, in New York City, New York Served: 133 Squadron from 14 April to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

There is no record of when Dick Beaty was bitten by the flying bug, possibly it was while he was a student at Princeton University in the late 1930s. In any case, he must have had strong feelings about wanting to fly and about World War II because he volunteered with the RAF nearly nine months before the United States entered the war. Interestingly, he did not finish his sophomore year at Princeton, which would have almost assured him entry into the US Army Aviation Cadet Program. On 8 April 1941, Dick took his Clayton Knight Committee–sponsored medical exam in New York City and was told to go home and await further instruction. The telegram came in July, and on 10 August 1941 he reported to RAF refresher training at Bakersfield, California, along with future Eagles LeRoy Gover, Len Ryerson, and George Middleton. His record does not indicate how much flying experience he had when he arrived at Bakersfield, but he was reported to be a very good pilot. Beaty graduated from training on 11 November 1941 and was in Canada, awaiting transportation to England, when the United States entered the war. He finally sailed on 13 December aboard the HMS Letitia, along with sixteen other future Eagles, including Ryerson and Middleton. That same day he was also commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Beaty arrived in the United Kingdom on 26 December 1941, and, after visiting the Air Ministry and getting his uniforms at Moss Brothers Clothiers, was posted directly to the personnel center at Bournemouth. Two days later he was sent to 52 Operational Training Unit at Aston Down, where he stayed until April, learning to fly the Spitfire. His first assignment to a combat unit was to 133 Squadron on 14 April 1942, while they were based at Kirton-in Lindsey. Sometime in the next three months, while on a routine combat mission, he was forced to 69 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

bail out of his Spitfire over the English Channel. He nearly drowned while awaiting pickup from rescue forces. His next memorable experience was in support of the ill-fated Canadian invasion of France at Dieppe, Operation Jubilee, on 19 August 1942. During that operation he was credited with probably destroying an FW-190 and damaging another. A little over a month later, on 26 September 1942, after he had officially transferred to the US Army Air Forces, he was part of the disastrous mission to Morlaix that basically wiped out the 133 Squadron. About fifty minutes into the mission, when the squadron had been blown far south of its intended course, he was detailed to escort a fellow squadron member, Gene Neville, back to home base, because Neville was having engine trouble. When the two ran dangerously short of fuel, they let down and found they were over France. Neville ran out of fuel before he could get back to England and was killed in the subsequent effort to crash-land. Beaty barely got back to England, where he also crash-landed and was critically injured. The cumulative effect of his experiences and injuries caused him to be returned to the United States in November 1942. While there is no record of his activities for the rest of the war, Beaty returned to New York City after his discharge, where he became an investment banker. He died there in February 1965.

Beeson, Duane Willard RCAF Number: J10522 Born: 16 July 1921, in Boise, Idaho Served: 71 Squadron from 5 September to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: Hotel clerk in Oakland, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 22 September 1942

Duane Beeson had wanted to fly since he was a child. So after completing high school in Boise, he went to California, the real hub of aviation in the 1930s. There he began to live his dream, but unable to make a living as a pilot, he survived as a clerk in a hotel in Oakland. Duane was concerned about the war that was rapidly engulfing Europe but he did not have the 70 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

required two years of college to become a US Army aviation cadet. The logical alternative to Beeson was to try to fly in Canada, so on 28 July 1941 he made the journey north and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. This enlistment began nearly seven months of training, leading up to the awarding of his Pilot’s Flying Badge on 27 February 1942. His record noted him to be an average student. On that same day he was also commissioned as a pilot officer in the RCAF Special Reserve, an unusual move since most RCAF pilot training graduates were appointed as sergeant pilots. Beeson embarked for England on 20 March 1942 and arrived just nine days later. After his arrival in England he was assigned to the personnel center at Bournemouth for a few weeks and on 19 May he joined 3 Advanced Flying Unit for further flying training. Three weeks later, he was posted to 55 Operational Training Unit at Annam in Dumfries and Galloway, and on 5 September he joined 71 Squadron at Debden. Because Beeson was only in 71 Squadron for two weeks before he transferred to the US Army Air Forces on 22 September, he probably flew no combat missions with that unit. But his move to the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force on 29 September gave him an opportunity to earn a lasting reputation as a fighter pilot. Beeson very rapidly became one of the most productive pilots in the American squadron. He transitioned from the Spitfire with US insignia, which the Americans took with them when they transferred, to the P-47 in March 1943 and later to the P-51. Everyone knew which aircraft was Beeson’s since he named each of them “Boise Bee.” Duane was in hot competition with his fellow Fourth Fighter Group friend, Don Gentile, for the lead in destroying enemy aircraft, and by early 1944 both pilots had qualified to return to the United States having served more than their required time in combat. But neither was ready to leave because of his competition with the other. The competition came to abrupt halt on 5 April 1944 when Beeson, who had been promoted to commander of the 334th just three weeks earlier, was shot down. As he described the incident, “Our group was strafing aerodromes near Berlin. I picked an ME-323 to shoot at…just as I opened fire and began to see some results, tracers flashed past my cockpit and my Mustang was hit.” He landed in a group of Germans and spent the rest of the war in a German POW camp, Stalag Luft I, where he roomed with another former 71 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Eagle, Wilson Edwards. Beeson was officially credited with 17.33 enemy aircraft destroyed, which made him a triple ace. He was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Silver Star, and the Air Medal. His Fourth Fighter Group friend and former Eagle LeRoy Gover said of him, “Beeson was the best man we ever had.” After World War II, Beeson remained in the Army Air Forces achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel. But in late 1946, he began to suffer serious headaches as the result of a brain tumor. Duane died on 15 February 1947 while en route to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, DC, on an air evacuation aircraft. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. As a final tribute to Duane Beeson, the municipal airport in Boise, Idaho, is named after him.

Bennett, Joe Lee RAF Number: 102635 (1802635) Born: 19 January 1917, in Boise, Idaho Served: 133 Squadron from 1 September to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Aeronautical engineer; flying cadet, US Army Air Corps Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 24 September 1942

The military was an early interest to Joe Bennett. At Boise High School, the five-foot, five-inch Bennett focused on Junior ROTC, where he earned the rank of captain and learned to target shoot. He also became interested in flying and aeronautics in general. After graduation, he went to Los Angeles and enrolled in the aeronautical engineering program at Los Angeles City College. Joe graduated in 1939 and took a job at Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica, California. Unfortunately, his department was disbanded in August 1939 and the recent college graduate was left without a job. Having no prospect in sight and given his interest in flying, he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in September 1939. Bennett was sent to armament school and became a crewmember on a B-17 aircraft in the 19th Bomb Group, but he really wanted to become an Army pilot. A little 72 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

over a year later, his quest seemed to be answered when he was accepted as an aviation cadet and sent to flying school at Santa Maria, California. He did well there and moved on to Randolph Field and then Kelly Field in Texas, but in June 1941 he was eliminated because of a apparently minor medical problem. Of some small consolation to the crestfallen Bennett was the experience he had gained in the PT-13, BT-14, and AT-6, which helped raise his total flying time to nearly 200 hours. Bennett had heard about the effort to recruit pilots for the RAF and in September 1941 he went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Dallas, Texas, and applied. He was sent to Love Field outside Dallas for a flight check, which he easily passed, and then off to Cal Aero in Glendale, California, for RAF refresher training. Bennett completed his training in December 1941 and the next month sailed for the United Kingdom aboard the SS Vollendam, along with future Eagle George Carpenter. Bennett, like Carpenter, was unique among those who were brought into the RAF by the Clayton Knight Committee in that he was not commissioned as a pilot officer when he embarked for England. While Carpenter sailed as an aircraftsman second class, there is some confusion in the official record as to what Bennett’s status was when he sailed. According to the record, he was not appointed to any rank until 11 February 1942, the date he arrived in London. If that is true, Bennett was apparently the only Clayton Knight appointee who sailed with no official rank. The following day, he was promoted to technical sergeant, issued his uniforms and, along with Carpenter, sent to a three-week school at Saint John’s Woods for noncommissioned officer training. On 16 March, he went to an Advanced Flying Unit for another two months. So it wasn’t until 19 May 1942 that Bennett finally reported to 53 Operational Training Unit at Llandow in Wales. There he finally got to fly the aircraft of his dreams, the Spitfire. On 1 September 1942, Bennett reported to 133 Squadron at Biggin Hill. He was only in the unit for three weeks when he went to London and, on 24 September, transferred to the US Army Air Forces and was finally commissioned as a second lieutenant. Five days later, on 29 September, the squadron became the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force. Bennett really had not had much taste of combat when he transferred, but in October alone he flew twelve convoy patrol missions over 73 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

the North Sea in his Mark V Spitfire with American markings. Bennett continued to fly the Spitfire until January 1943, when he began his checkout in the P-47. During the next year, Joe flew fifty combat missions escorting B-17 and B-24 bombers on their missions over Europe. In July 1943, he was badly shot up over Holland but managed to get back to England and make a crash landing at North Weald. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his accomplishments. He was also awarded the Air Medal, which would have three oak leaf clusters by the end of the war. In January 1944, Joe completed his tour of operational flying and was assigned the Eighth Air Force Headquarters as an engineering officer. As the Allies advanced, he moved with the headquarters to France and then into Germany, gathering information about German weapons development and aircraft. He was able to fly numerous German aircraft and even stayed in the residence of Dr. Ferdinand Porsche while collecting information on the V-1 rocket motor. Bennett returned to the United States in 1946 and elected to remain in the Army Air Forces and the US Air Force. He was initially assigned to Williams Field in Arizona and then Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, after which he went into the special weapons program and was eventually assigned to Sandia Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. While there he married former Air Force nurse Billie McDonald and his daughter Mary Ann was born. In 1957, he was assigned to Upper Heyford in England as a maintenance officer and in 1961 the family returned to Albuquerque. Bennett retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel on 1 November 1963. After retirement, Bennett returned to the engineering field with Custom Pools Company in Albuquerque, where he remained until his second retirement in 1980. Bennett then raised Labrador retrievers, hunted, fished, and just enjoyed life. When his wife passed away in 1995, he moved to Hobbs, New Mexico, where he still lives.

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Bicksler, Edwin Hurlbert RAF Number: 107781 Born: 26 February 1920, in Clinton, Indiana Served: 133 Squadron from 31 December 1941 to 13 April 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 29 December 1942

Edwin Bicksler began flying as soon as he was old enough to find an instructor. He made good progress and was an experienced pilot while still a teenager. By the time of the Battle of Britain, when he was twenty, he had nearly 200 flying hours. Since he did not have enough education to qualify for either the American Army or Navy flying programs, Ed decided that the RAF was the place to go to fly really first-class fighters. At some point in time, probably after he graduated from high school, he had moved to California primarily to pursue his flying dream. He approached the Clayton Knight Committee in Los Angeles, California, in early 1941 and was accepted into training, reporting to Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California, on 12 May 1941. Bicksler was an average student and graduated from Polaris on 5 August 1941 with about 270 total flying hours. He was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England aboard the SS Manchester Division on 26 August 1941. On the same ship were future Eagles Joe Kelly and Leo Nomis. After arriving in England in early September, he was initially sent to a month of military and officer training before reporting to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge on 28 October 1941. After completing OTU, Bicksler was assigned to 133 Squadron on 31 December 1941. Because the unit was in the process of moving from Eglinton Air Base in Northern Ireland, he actually joined them when they arrived at Kirton-in-Lindsey in early January 1942. There is no record of his activities in 133 Squadron but convoy patrols and training flights dominated the relatively few days the unit could fly because of the weather. For unknown reasons, Ed apparently volunteered for overseas duty and on 13 April 1942 he was transferred to the Middle East. There he was assigned to the RAF headquarters and then to 145 Squadron. While there is no record of his flying 75 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

activities, it is safe to assume that he flew against the Luftwaffe during the battle in North Africa. He was wounded on 5 September 1942 and spent several weeks in an RAF hospital in Egypt. On 29 December 1942, Bicksler transferred to the US Army Air Forces, still in Africa, and was assigned to fly P-40s. He was killed during an attack on German transport planes over Tunisia on 18 April 1943.

Blakeslee, Donald James Matthew RCAF Number: J4551 Born: 11 September 1917, in Fairport, Ohio Served: 133 Squadron from May to 19 August 1942 Religious preference: Lutheran Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Approximately 10 October 1942

“Don Blakeslee was the greatest fighter leader that the war produced,” said Major General Chesley Peterson, the first American to command one of the three Eagle Squadrons. And this sentiment is echoed time and again by those who flew with him. But as with many famous men, Blakeslee came from humble beginnings. He was born on the Great Lakes in Fairport, Ohio, went to school there, and worked there until he was about twenty-three years old, when he decided that he really wanted to fly the fastest and best fighters in the world. To do that, he had to get into the military. He tried the US Army Air Corps, but without any college, he was turned down. As Don searched for alternatives, he heard that if he could get to Canada, it might be possible to join the Royal Canadian Air Force. But Blakeslee’s situation was complicated by the fact that he already had a reserve commission as a second lieutenant in the Army. He had joined the Civilian Officer Training Program while he was still in high school, and by going to camp for a month for four summers and taking some courses by correspondence he had earned the commission in the infantry. But being in the infantry was certainly the furthest thing from what Blakeslee wanted to do if the United States got into the war. After all, from the time 76 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

he was a boy, flying had been his passion. Having the Cleveland Air Races close by and being able to watch the world-famous Thompson Trophy Races—featuring such legends as Jimmy Doolittle flying Gee Bee—made Don yearn to fly and fly fast. He took as many flying lessons as he possibly could, but when they got too expensive he bought a Piper Cub to perfect his skills. As one could predict, it was not powerful enough or fast enough for Blakeslee so he soon sold it and bought a Waco biplane. But as fate would have it, Don loaned the plane to a friend who was trying to get more flying time in higher-horsepower aircraft. Imagine Blakeslee’s thoughts when he heard over the radio that the airplane had crashed and his friend had been killed. Unfortunately, Don had no insurance on the Waco, so he was without an airplane. This was another motivation for him to explore military flying. So in July 1940, he successfully crossed into Canada and joined the RCAF. Blakeslee completed the training, which he described as very good, in the early spring of 1941 and, probably because of his superb record in training, was commissioned as a pilot officer rather than being appointed a sergeant pilot, as was normal for RCAF trainees. He sailed for England on the Georgic and always remembered the great deposits of ice on the ship as they went far north across the Atlantic to avoid German submarines. After his arrival in England and the usual personnel processing, Blakeslee was sent to a Spitfire Operational Training Unit and then to 411 Squadron of RAF Fighter Command. But Don was not happy there because the unit was stationed at Digby, west of the Wash, and to fly a combat mission it was necessary to leave early in the morning, fly south to a base in the vicinity of London, refuel, and fly the assigned escort mission or sweep, then land and refuel again before flying back to home base. Blakeslee soon had enough of this routine and requested a transfer to 401 Squadron at Biggin Hill. There action against the Germans was a nearly daily occurrence, except when bad weather interfered, and, during the next year, Blakeslee rapidly rose in both position and rank within the unit. In late May 1942, 133 Squadron needed experienced pilots so Don was transferred to the third Eagle Squadron. At the time of his departure from 401 Squadron, he had already been awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross and had been promoted to acting flight lieutenant. In July, the commander of 133 Squadron, Squadron Leader Eric Thomas, was promoted to 77 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

wing commander and Blakeslee was put in the position Thomas vacated. On 31 July 1942, he led his first mission as the commander of 133. Just three weeks later, he led the unit on its largest operation, support of the Canadian landing at Dieppe in France. Blakeslee flew four sorties that day in support of the Canadian forces and the squadron didn’t lose a single aircraft while destroying six German aircraft and damaging eight, one of them by Blakeslee. Don continued leading the unit until late September when he was replaced by Carroll McColpin. At that time, Blakeslee had not yet transferred to the US Army Air Forces, a move he made about 10 October. He transferred as a captain, credited with two German aircraft destroyed and four damaged while in the RAF, but was promoted to major a month later and returned to the headquarters of the Fourth Fighter Group. He continued as a key part of leadership in the group as well as flying frequent combat missions. On 15 April 1943, Don shot down two FW-190s, the first to be downed by a P-47. Throughout the spring and summer of 1943, Blakeslee led many missions of the Fourth, including one on 16 August during which the group destroyed sixteen German aircraft with the loss of only one American plane. On 1 December 1943, he was sent to the 354th Fighter Group to lead that unit on its first combat mission in the P-51. Six missions later, he returned to the Fourth with an Me-109 destroyed and bubbling enthusiasm for the P-51. Just a few weeks later, on 1 January 1944, Don took command of the Fourth when Chesley Peterson left for Ninth Air Force Headquarters. For the next eight months, he led the group as they established a record that would make them the highest-scoring fighter unit in the European Theater during World War II. One of his most remarkable feats of leadership was leading the Fourth on the first fighter shuttle mission to Russia. After escorting B-17s on their raid over Germany, he led the sixty-one Mustangs over nearly unmapped terrain to arrive exactly on time at the remote field in Piryatin, Russia. Blakeslee was to repeat this accomplishment several years later when he led seventy-five F-84 aircraft across the Pacific to Hawaii, Midway, and finally Japan, using in-flight refueling. On 1 September 1944, after over five hundred combat missions during more than three and a half years of continuous combat flying, Blakeslee was relieved of command of the Fourth Fighter Group and returned to the United States. During that time, he had been awarded both the British and 78 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

American Distinguished Flying Crosses, the latter with seven oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Service Cross with one oak leaf cluster, the Silver Star with three oak leaf clusters, and the Air Medal. He was credited with destroying 15.5 German aircraft while in the USAAF in addition to his tallies while in the RAF. He flew his first combat mission on 15 May 1941 and his last on 11 October 1944. He had logged approximately 1,200 combat hours—an American record. When he returned to the United States. Don really wanted to fly jets (in keeping with his boyhood dream of flying the fastest aircraft available), but his first assignment was to the TwentySeventh Fighter Group, flying F-82 Twin Mustangs. Blakeslee remained in the Air Force after World War II and served in several key assignments over the next twenty years, ranging from base commander in Sarasota, Florida, commander of a National Guard wing in Texas, commander of an F-84 wing in Korea, and on the Seventeenth Air Force staff at Ramstein, Germany. Blakeslee retired from the Air Force as a colonel in 1965 while stationed in Germany, and he and his wife moved to Florida. Don passed away on 3 September, 2008.

Blanding, Leon McFaddin RCAF Number: R79288 Born: 30 October 1918, in Sumter, South Carolina Served: 121 Squadron from 11 June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Laborer and salesman Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 24 September 1942

Leon Blanding was a true Southerner. He lived his entire life in Sumter, South Carolina, except for his years of service during World War II. In high school, the tall, slim Blanding, whose nickname was “Lum,” was a star athlete and after graduation he went on to the Citadel on a football scholarship. Although his two brothers had graduated from the school, it was not a good fit for Blanding; and after one semester he left and returned to Sumter. There he worked for his brother in the venetian blinds 79 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

business and did some construction work on the side. But the news of the war in Europe continued to bother Leon, and when the draft was instituted he and a friend decided to join the US Army Air Corps. They soon found that they needed two years of college to qualify so they sought another avenue into the Army. They made the trip to Fort Bragg, South Carolina, and took the exam for officer training school. They had to get a tutor to help them with physics, trigonometry, and geography, but in the end they were able to pass the course. By that time, however, Blanding had taken a ride in a Piper Cub, and found that he did not get airsick and really enjoyed flying. He heard that it was possible to go to Canada and join the Royal Canadian Air Force, so he saved his money for a few weeks and made the very long bus trip to Toronto. There, on 13 March 1941, he enlisted in the RCAF to learn how to be a fighter pilot. For the next nine months, Leon progressed through basic training at Toronto, Elementary Flight Training School in Hamilton, and Service Flying Training School in Uplands. Blanding completed that school on 19 December 1941 and was awarded his flying badge and appointed a sergeant pilot in the RCAF. He sailed for England the first week in January and arrived at the reception center at Bournemouth on 20 January 1942. Blanding wanted to get all the training he could before going into combat, so he went from Bournemouth to a gunnery school in Scotland. Finally, on 31 March 1942, just over a year after he joined the RCAF, Lum was sent to 52 Operational Training Unit at Aston Down to learn to fly the Spitfire. He completed his training on 1 May and on 4 May reported to 165 Squadron in Ayn, Scotland, as a full-fledged fighter pilot. Just over a month later, on 12 June 1942, Blanding was transferred to 121 Squadron at Southend-on-Sea, joining the unit he would fly with for more than two years. Action was not long in coming, and on 19 August, while supporting the reconnaissance in force at Dieppe, Blanding destroyed his first German aircraft. On 24 September 1942, Lum went into London and transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. At last he was an officer. Three days later he flew as part of the Eagles last operational mission as squadrons of the RAF. On 29 September, Blanding stood in the ranks of 121 Squadron as it formally became the 335th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. After the transfer, Blanding rapidly advanced in both rank and responsibility in the 335th. In December he 80 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

was promoted to first lieutenant, and eight months later to captain. By December 1943 he was a major and a flight commander. He also transitioned from the Spitfire to the P-47 in March 1943. Blanding shot down his second German in that aircraft on 28 July 1943. In February 1944, the Fourth transitioned into the P-51 Mustang and Blanding was one of the first pilots in the unit to fly that aircraft in combat. He was also promoted to commander of the 335th. In that capacity Blanding was also the deputy commander of the Fourth Fighter Group. He was flying in that capacity when, on 21 June 1944, the Fourth flew a historic escort mission on which the P-51s escorted B-17 bombers deep into Germany and then continued on to Russia to land. After a five-day rest, the unit flew an escort mission via Poland to Foggia, Italy, and then on to their home base at Debden. But Leon’s fortunes were about to change for the worse. On 8 August, Blanding was hit and seriously wounded while on a strafing mission against German aircraft at a coastal aerodrome in Norway in his P-51. Despite a fractured skull and being hit in the arm, both legs, and his ear and having his skin shredded so it hung down in front of his eyes, he managed to stop the bleeding by tearing strips from his flight suit and also gave himself a shot of morphine from his survival kit so he could keep flying. With the encouragement of his squadron mates, Blanding flew for two hours back to the nearest base in Scotland where he safely landed. Lum was put in the hospital and that was the end of his combat flying career. He had flown about 150 combat missions. On 24 September 1944, he was released for limited duty and returned to the United States. But all was not well with Blanding after his return. While he wanted to be put back in flying, the medical personnel would not give the necessary clearance because of the metal plate in his head from his earlier injuries, so Blanding was kept in grounded status. He had resolved to remain in the Army as long as possible since he had no job awaiting him in South Carolina. He was finally given a medical retirement as a lieutenant colonel and returned to Sumter where he received a hero’s welcome. He then opened Blanding Iron Works in Sumter and made structural steel and associated products. He retired from his business in 1992. He and his wife, Patsy, lived in Sumter until his death on 15 April 1998.

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Bodding, Carl Olaf RAF Number: 108628 Born: 25 November 1914, in Randall, Kansas Served: 133 Squadron from 31 December 1941 to 28 March 1942, and 121 Squadron from 28 March to 24 April 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Machinist, Southern Pacific Railroad, Sparks, Nevada Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 24 April 1942

While there is nothing in the record concerning Carl Bodding’s early life, it is probably safe to assume that he grew up in Kansas and went to work for the Southern Pacific after he graduated from high school. Somewhere along the line he had also learned how to fly. In any case, he had a good job as a machinist for the Southern Pacific Railroad in Sparks, Nevada, when he decided that the United States was about to become involved in World War II. Since he was already a pilot and by flying as much as possible while still maintaining his railroad job, had accumulated about 190 hours of flying time. Carl was sure that he wanted to fly when that involvement came. Bodding had heard about the possible opportunity to fly for the RAF from some friends at the Reno airport, so on 16 April 1941 he made the trip from Reno to Oakland, California, to visit the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in the Lemington Hotel. Carl was nervous about the visit because he had flying time less than the RAF requirement, and was still flying with a student permit. He was told to return to Sparks and await word on his application. The delay was not long and on 9 June 1941 he reported to Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California, to begin his RAF flight refresher training. Three months later, on 6 September, after gaining experience in the Stearman, Ryan, and Spartan Executive aircraft, he completed his training with average grades. Bodding received his commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and departed Canada for England on 27 September 1941 aboard the SS Bayano, along with nine other future Eagles, including Jim Gray, Barry Mahon, and Roy Evans. After his arrival in England and the required processing, he was sent 82 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

almost immediately 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge, arriving on 28 October. On New Year’s Eve, as 133 Squadron was celebrating both the arrival of 1942 and their departure from the cold and dreary base at Eglinton, Northern Ireland, Bodding was traveling with Edwin Bicksler to Kirton-in-Lindsey to join the unit when they arrived on 2 January 1942. Action was swift in coming as the unit engaged the Germans for the first time in early February. Bodding was part of that action and remained a key member of 133 Squadron until the end of March when he was transferred to 121 Squadron at North Weald to help provide some experienced replacements for several members of that unit who had been lost. Unfortunately, Carl flew operational missions with 121 for just a month and on 24 April 1942 he was shot down over Dunkirk on a squadron fighter sweep. Bodding managed to bail out of his aircraft but he was too low for his parachute to open and he was killed.

Boehle, Vernon Arthur RAF Number: 605367 Born: 26 May 1915, in Dickenson, Marion County, Indiana Served: 71 Squadron from 25 August to 29 September 1942 Civilian occupation: Elevator mechanic Religious preference: Roman Catholic Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 22 September 1942

Vernon Boehle absolutely loved airplanes. He became consumed with building models in his teens, and by 1933 he had become a well-known competitor in the model airplane national meet. In 1933, he set a world endurance record for a rubber-band-powered plane and won the Comet Model Airplane Company Cup for the best general outdoor rubber-powered performance. For this performance he was listed in “Who’s Who at the National Championships.” He continued to set national records through 1936, when his Boehle Giant with a fifteen-foot wingspan was the talk of the meet. Vernon also learned how to fly and knew that was what he wanted to do for a living. As the war clouds continued to gather in 1940, 83 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Boehle gave serious thought to what he wanted to do if the United States became involved in the war. Since he did not have two years of college he sought alternatives to the Army Aviation Cadet Program. The record is not clear as to how Boehle got into the RAF or what kind of flight training he was given. Since he had an RAF (as opposed to an RCAF) serial number it is fairly safe to assume he went through the Clayton Knight Committee, although there is no record of his contacting them. The first concrete service date in his record is his appointment as a sergeant pilot in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 6 March 1942, the same date he sailed from Canada for England. Although nearly all Americans who were sergeant pilots came through the Canadian flying training system, there were a few like Joe Bennett and George Carpenter who did go through the Clayton Knight organization. The fact that he also had 358 hours of flying time when he came into the RAF would indicate that he did meet the Clayton Knight requirements. In any case, Boehle arrived in the United Kingdom on 24 March 1942. He was probably given some kind of military training during April and on 12 May was assigned to an advanced flying unit. He completed that training and was posted to 61 OTU on 2 June. Finally, on 25 August 1942, Boehle reported to 71 Squadron at Debden. Even though he was with that unit for less than a month, Boehle flew several combat missions, including the last Eagle combat mission on 27 September. He actually transferred to the US Army Air Forces and was promoted to second lieutenant on 22 September, but nearly all the members of the Eagle Squadrons did the same thing, flying their last missions with the RAF as officers in the USAAF. After the formal transfer of the Eagles, Vernon continued to fly as a member of the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. One of his most memorable days was 9 September 1943, when he was shot down in his P-47 by a German FW-190. He bailed out and landed in the English Channel, within sight of Dover. He inflated his dinghy and then waited for nearly two days to be picked up because no one saw him go down. On 23 November 1943, he transferred to the Ninth Fighter Command and on 15 December joined the 378th Fighter Squadron as a flight commander. Boehle stayed in the Air Force after the war and, among other assignments, flew with the 71st Troop Carrier Squadron. After his retirement he became a superintendent 84 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

with the Otis Elevator Company in Indiana. He died from a fatal heart attack while fishing in the Gulf of Mexico on 26 April 1977.

Bono, Victor Robert RAF Number: 85220 Born: 16 January 1914, in AaPesun, Norway Served: 71 Squadron from 6 January to 23 December 1941 Religious preference: Episcopal Civilian occupation: Longshoreman and pilot Marital status: Married Transfer to USAFA: Did not transfer

Vic Bono was one of the most experienced pilots to fly in the Eagle Squadrons. While there is no record of how he got his flying time, by the time he went to Ottawa and took his RAF physical on 26 August 1940, he had over 1,000 hours. Bono apparently worked at that time as a longshoreman in the port of San Francisco or Oakland and also flew for at least part of his livelihood. The record indicates that Vic was accepted into the RAF and then sent immediately to England, for he is listed as being posted to a military training school on 6 September. On 14 October 1940, he was transferred to 5 Service Flying Training School where he remained until 6 January 1941. Although he was still in training when the first Eagle Squadron, 71, was announced on 8 October 1940, Bono was included on the roster of the original cadre. He actually arrived at the unit’s base at Kirton-in-Lindsey during the funeral for one of the unit’s first casualties, Philip Leckrone. Bono immediately became a well thought of and productive member of the unit and on 19 July 1941 he got a probable shoot down of a German ME-109 in his Hawker Hurricane. He was the best man at squadron mate Andy Mamedoff’s wedding and was responsible for the unit “buzzing” the bridal party—one of the most spectacular “buzz jobs” in the unit’s history. He was also featured in the Hollywood movie Eagle Squadron. Unfortunately, on 23 December 1941, Bono was detached from 71 Squadron and moved to North Weald to face a general courts-martial. According to the official record: “Tried by G.C.M. at North Weald 85 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

on 19/1/42 on 2 charges under Sections 18(4) and 40 AFA, that, when on active service stole public property, i.e. petrol. Guilty. Sentence: Dismissed from H.M.S. Services. Confirmed: By H.M. the King on 2-3-42. Promulgated 11-3-42.” Bono’s commission in the RAF was officially terminated on 11 March 1942, and he apparently returned to the United States where he became a flight instructor in California and Oregon. He later attended law school and also was a private detective and professional photographer. Bono died on 5 August 1987.

Boock, Robert Alfred RAF Number: 120127 Born: 15 May 1920, in Saint Cloud, Minnesota Served: 71 Squadron from 11 September to 29 September 1942 Civilian occupation: Tool designer at Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, Lindbergh Field, San Diego, California Religious preference: Roman Catholic Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

There is no record of Robert Boock’s flying experience prior to his visit to the Clayton Knight Committee in San Diego, California, on 3 October 1941, but he had to have had at least 100 hours to have been accepted into training. Boock attended high school in West Allis, Wisconsin, and then enrolled in the University of Wisconsin. He transferred to the University of Illinois, probably after his freshman year, to study engineering. It is safe to assume that because Boock wanted to be involved in aviation, and Southern California was the national focal point of flying, he left the University of Illinois and moved to San Diego where he found a job with Consolidated Aircraft Corporation as a tool designer. It was at Lindbergh Field that he learned of the existence of the Clayton Knight Committee and the possibility of flying for the RAF. Boock was sent to Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California, for his RAF refresher training, arriving on 8 December 1941. While at Polaris he flew the PT-13B, BT-13A, and the AT-6A. He graduated from the program on 2 March 1942 and was noted as being a “good 86 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

leader.” After the long train trip to Canada, a trip on which he met future Eagle Dick Braley, he arrived in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, to board a ship for England. But after waiting for a number of days, he and Braley were put on a train for Norfolk, Virginia, from which they sailed for England on 25 March 1942. (Boock and Braley were apparently the only Eagles to sail from the United States for England after having been trained through the Clayton Knight system.) On that date they were also commissioned as pilot officers in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Upon arrival in the United Kingdom, Bob was initially assigned to the Officer’s Training School (OTS) at Cosford. Attendance at the OTS was based completely on the luck of the draw, but American pilots were often sent to that school to take up time if there was no room for them at advanced flying training or an Operational Training Unit. Boock completed that training on 5 May 1942, and on 19 May he was assigned to 17 Advanced Flying School. Bob completed his advanced training on 15 June and the next day was assigned to 58 OTU at Grangemouth. He finally achieved his objective of going to an operational fighter squadron on 11 September 1942, when he was assigned to 71 Squadron at Debden. His tenure with that unit was very short—just twelve days later he transferred to the US Army Air Forces, so he probably never flew an operational mission with 71. On 29 September, 71 Squadron became the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. Boock rapidly became a mainstay of the combat force, destroying at least three German aircraft by May 1943. On 18 May 1943, however, while on an escort mission over Belgium, his squadron encountered eighteen ME-109s. In the ensuing melee, Boock was seen in a steep dive with his P-47 on fire. He crashed directly into the ground and was killed. He had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and the Purple Heart. He is listed in the University of Illinois Veterans Memorial.

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Booth, Douglas Everett RAF Number: 100984 Born: 1 June 1919, in New York, New York Served: 121 Squadron from 26 August 1941 to 12 April 1942 Religious preference: Episcopal Civilian occupation: Student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

Douglas “Tiger” Booth grew up in New York City. He lived in a brownstone on West 162nd Street and there the strong family ties that Doug kept through his life were formed. He learned to ice skate when he was only three years old, a skill he continued to enjoy throughout his life. His grandfather paid for Booth’s first airplane ride when he was still a youngster and that got him hooked on aviation. In high school he was a genuine “all-around” guy who participated in track, football, student government, and even won awards for ballroom dancing. But his real interest, as noted in his high school yearbook, was aeronautics. By the time had finished high school, the six-foot, 165-pound Booth decided that he wanted to fly. He enrolled first in Stewart Technical School and then in the Parks Air College in East Saint Louis, Illinois, in 1940. During his time at Parks, he got about 140 hours of flying time in various kinds of aircraft. After completing his studies at Parks, he returned to New York. But in late 1940, while on a trip to Washington, DC, his life changed. He met a Colonel Hartney who claimed to be a member of the Lafayette Escadrille during World War I. The colonel told Booth of the opportunity to fly the best aircraft in the world as a member of the RAF and where to sign up. On his return to New York, Doug went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, as directed by Colonel Hartney, and volunteered. He was accepted; and in early February 1941 Booth reported to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Love Field in Dallas, Texas. At the time he signed up with the Clayton Knight Committee he had about 200 hours of flying time. Booth remained at Dallas until late April 1941 and then was moved to Ottawa, Canada, and subsequently to Halifax. On 5 June, after a month’s wait, Booth was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England on the SS Bayano, along 88 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

with future Eagles Tom Andrews, Vernon Parker, George Sperry, Edwin Taylor, and Bud Wolfe. Booth arrived in England in late June and, after processing into the RAF, was assigned to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge reporting on 14 July 1941. Six weeks later, on 26 August, he joined 121 Squadron, then posted at Kirton-in-Lindsey. His checkout in the Hurricane went smoothly and Booth soon became a full-fledged member of the unit. But the winter of 1941–42 was characterized by particularly bad weather and that, combined with days on end sitting around and not being able to fly, led several Eagles to seek more action by requesting a transfer overseas. Thus, in April 1942, Booth and two of his good friends, Reade Tilley and Fred Almos, were sent to the Mediterranean island of Malta, reporting to 126 Squadron on 1 May 1942. The group’s transit was exciting, for they flew their Spitfires off the deck of the USS Wasp, a first for all the members of the group. In order to have enough fuel to fly all the way to Malta, the guns and armament were removed from the fighters, making the flight even more hazardous. Assignment to Malta usually meant almost immediate action and such was the case with Booth. He was in the air against the Luftwaffe within a day and during his three-month tour on Malta he continued to be in nearly daily action. He was credited with shooting down one ME-109 and damaging two other enemy aircraft. Conditions on Malta were arduous and the normal tour was only three months. Thus, on 29 July Booth was transferred back to England, but he had to find his own transportation. After a few days’ wait, a US Army Air Forces B-24 Liberator arrived on Malta without any waist gunners on the crew. Booth and a friend were able to assume those positions and fly to Gibraltar, where they waited another two weeks for transportation. Upon arrival in London Doug took a couple of weeks of leave and was then assigned to administrative flying, since he had applied for transfer to the US Army Air Forces. On 23 September 1942, Booth relinquished his RAF commission and was assigned to the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. He first flew the Spitfire with US markings, then transitioned into the P-47, flying regular combat missions with the squadron. In late 1943, Doug was returned to the United States because of the length of time he had been overseas. He served in several different assignments during the remainder of the war and was transferred to 89 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Hawaii in 1945. He left the service in September 1947. Booth subsequently had a career in accounting with his final position being the finance director and sometime acting city manager of Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan. Booth remained there after retirement and died on 28 July 1989. (The author wishes to thank Mrs. Rosemary Booth, Douglas Bruce’s widow, for her help in preparing this biographical sketch.)

Boyles, Frank Raymond RAF Number: 111571 Born: 24 July 1920, in Syriam, Burma Served: 133 Squadron from 26 May to 5 June 1942, and 121 Squadron from 5 June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: University student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

It is unfortunate that the official record says nothing about Frank Boyles’s early life because we don’t know where he grew up, how he got his flying experience, or where he was attending school when he made the decision to volunteer for the RAF. However, his father must have been a permanent resident of Burma because he is listed as living there at the time Frank joined the RAF. We don’t know what motivated Boyles to join the RAF, but he had 100 hours of solo and 70 hours of dual flying time when he visited the Clayton Knight Committee in Denver on 14 May 1941. (Frank must have had some arrangement to meet with a traveling representative of the committee since there was not a Clayton Knight office in Denver.) Since he is listed as a university student he may well have been attending the University of Colorado or the University of Denver. He might have been enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program as well. It is probably safe to assume that for some reason Boyles thought that joining the RAF was a sure way to fly in the coming conflict, but whether he quit school to join the RAF is not known. In any case, Boyles reported to RAF refresher training at Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California, on 7 July 1941 and completed his training on 12 October. He was noted to have had 90 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

above-average flying abilities when he graduated. Just three weeks later, on 2 November, he embarked for England and was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Frank arrived in England on 14 November and spent nearly a month at the personnel center in Bournemouth waiting for an Operational Training Unit class opening. He reported to 61 OTU at Heston on 16 December 1941 and apparently was above average in that training as well. On 3 March, Frank was sent to 234 Squadron, where he really learned the essentials of combat flying. On 26 May 1942, he was transferred to 133 Squadron at Biggin Hill to help replace combat losses. His stay there was very short, however, and a little over a week later he moved to North Weald and 121 Squadron, where he stayed until he transferred to the US Army Air Forces on 16 September 1942. On 31 July 1942, Boyles shot down his first German fighter on a bombing escort mission over France. After transferring to the US Army Air Forces, Boyles continued to be a mainstay of the 335th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group, first flying Spitfires with American markings and then the Republic P-47. On 28 July 1943, flying a P-47 Thunderbolt, he shot down his second German aircraft. But on 8 April 1944, Boyles and his squadron mate Steve Pisanos were both shot down in their P-51s over France. While Pisanos survived his crash-landing and managed to evade capture, Boyles was killed in the crash.

Braley, Richard Gordon RAF Number: 120128 Born: 17 June 1921, in Pasadena, California Served: 133 Squadron from 27 September to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Episcopalian Civilian occupation: Clerk, L. B. Marsh Electric Company, Santa Ana, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 24 September 1942

Dick Braley was one of several Eagles who were in 133 Squadron for only two or three days. After the disastrous Morlaix mission, on which ten pilots were lost, the commander of 133 Squadron, “Red” McColpin, went 91 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

into London and recruited every American fighter pilot he could find to transfer to the seriously depleted 133 Squadron. Braley and Kenneth Peterson happened to run into McColpin on the street. He simply said, “As of right now, you are both in 133 Squadron. Don’t worry about going back to your old unit, just go straight to Debden and join 133.” So that’s what Braley and Peterson did, and three days later, on 29 September 1942, they became members of the 336th Fighter Squadron of the American Fourth Fighter Group. Braley had thought out the realities of serving in the RAF very carefully before he signed up. He knew Eagle Bill Geiger very well and was very concerned when Geiger was shot down and taken prisoner in 1941. He also was a good friend of Eagle Bill Nichols who was shot down and taken prisoner that same year. Dick really wanted to join the RAF with his two friends, but he was several years younger than they and he was not ready to try to get his parents’ permission at that time. However, having his friends in a German prison camp, plus the desire to fly in the imminent war, made Braley eager to sign up. Dick grew up in Southern California, and as a young man he had spent two years as a money runner at Santa Anita Racetrack making seven dollars a day. He enrolled in Pasadena Junior College after high school and had been bitten by the flying bug while there. He flew about 40 hours in the Civilian Pilot Training Program in college and then gained another 30 hours on his own. He thought that this would be enough flying time to get into the RAF, so on 26 September 1941 he went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel. There he was interviewed by Captain Benway, a World War I flyer and the primary recruiter for the Clayton Knight organization. Benway signed him up and, after securing his parents’ approval, Braley reported to Grand Central Air Terminal in Glendale, California, on 8 December 1941 to begin his RAF refresher training. But instead of flying airplanes, the students were issued rifles and told to be prepared to protect their aircraft from the Japanese. A day later, the instructors and students flew the aircraft to Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California, and Dick completed his training there on 2 March 1942. He had flown 81 hours and 27 minutes, an inordinately high amount, while in the RAF Refresher Training Program. This included 19 hours of dual instrument instruction and 13 hours in the Link trainer, both of which would be vital when Dick started to fly in the 92 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

English weather. He went back to Pasadena for a few days to say good-bye to his family and then boarded the train for Chicago and eventually New York City. On the trip he wore his tweed suit and nearly froze to death walking around the streets of Chicago. From New York he went to Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, to board the ship for England. But that was not to be. After days of waiting in the cold and rain, Braley and another future Eagle, Robert Boock, were put on the train for Norfolk, Virginia, where they boarded a British merchant cruiser. They sailed on 25 March 1942, the same date that Dick was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. The ship arrived in Scotland on 8 April, and the next day Braley was on the train for London. After signing in at the Air Ministry and getting his uniforms at Moss Brothers, it was on to Bournemouth and the personnel center. But because the Operational Training Units were all overwhelmed with pilots, many of the Americans who arrived during the first six months of 1942 were sent to other training. Dick was sent first to an officers training school and then to advanced flight training. Finally, on 23 June 1942, he reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Aston Down in Gloucestershire to learn to fly the Spitfire. He completed his training and was posted to 65 Squadron of RAF Fighter Command on 24 September 1942. On that same day, however, he transferred to the US Army Air Forces. Three days later he was on his way to Debden and 133 Squadron. On 29 September, Braley was part of the formation marking the official transfer of the Eagles to the US Army Air Forces. So Braley never had a chance to fly a combat mission with the RAF but he saw nearly daily action against the Luftwaffe when he became a member of the 336th Fighter Squadron on 29 September 1942. For the next nearly two years, until June 1944, Dick was a key member of the 336th. His logbook depicts flying combat missions in the Spitfire, then the P-47 Thunderbolt, and finally the P-51 Mustang, often two or three missions in one day. It also notes the members of the Fourth that were shot down and killed or missing. In the five days from 25 May to 30 May 1944, for example, the unit lost ten pilots. Braley was promoted to first lieutenant on 23 April 1943 and made a section leader on 1 July 1943. He was made a flight commander on 4 May 1944, and three weeks later he was promoted to captain. When he left England to return to the United States in June 1944, Dick had 93 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

flown 108 combat sorties and 738 hours, and had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. Dick spent the remainder of the war at Pollock Field and Esler Field in Louisiana as a mission pilot and instructor, and occasionally ferrying planes from one base to another. His last military flight was on 21 May 1945. Braley left the US Army Air Forces in late 1945 and returned to California. He enrolled in the University of Southern California for a short period but then left to enter the mortgage banking business. This expanded into construction as well and his firm, Smith, Braley Investment Company, constructed and financed buildings throughout the western United States for several decades. After his retirement he and his wife, Virginia, continued to live in Newport Beach, California. Dick Braley died on 24 January 2006.

Brite, William O. RCAF Number: R88786 Born: Date unknown in unknown city, Indiana Served: 71 Squadron from 19 May to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: 13 October 1942

There is almost no information about William “Ossie” Brite, and his RAF personnel record is nearly blank. He apparently went to Canada from his home in Indiana in the spring of 1941. Although there is no concrete information available, it would have taken him about eight months to complete the RCAF program, earn his pilot’s badge, and be appointed a sergeant pilot in the RCAF. A short time later, he would have sailed for England, arriving in late February 1942. After completing the required in processing he would have been assigned to an Operational Training Unit. Ossie’s first documented assignment was to 71 Squadron arriving on 19 May 1942, when the unit was stationed in Debden. Although there is no record of his having destroyed any German aircraft, he flew combat regularly through the summer of 1942. The only written record of his time in 71 Squadron was by the squadron adjutant, Paul Salkeld, who 94 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

flew on local flights with Brite and found him to be a good pilot and a great guy. Although the record indicates he transferred to the USAAF on 13 October 1942, as a second lieutenant, he probably transferred earlier since nearly all of the Eagles who moved to the Fourth Fighter Group were officers in the US Army Air Forces by 29 September. Ossie was a member of the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group after the transfer. He continued flying combat in his Spitfire through the fall, except for a short time in October when he was in the hospital at RAF Halton. In the early winter of 1943 he transitioned into the P-47. Unfortunately, William Brite was killed in action on 27 April 1943. He is buried in Madingley Cemetery in England.

Brossmer, Robert Vincent RAF Number: 106352 Born: 10 March 1915, in New York, New York Served: 133 Squadron from 28 October to 1 December 1941, and in 121 Squadron from 20 March until 4 May 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Student clerk at Guarantee Trust Company in New York City Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 4 May 1942

Robert Brossmer was concerned about his future if World War II was to spread past the boundaries of Europe. He attended Riverdale County School in the Bronx and was an active athlete and a Boy Scout. After graduation in 1934 he attended Colgate University, from which he graduated in 1938. He then went to work for the Guaranty Trust company in New York and was also an assistant scout master of a troop in the Bronx. It is interesting that since Brossmer was a college graduate, he apparently did not apply for the Army or Navy Aviation Cadet Programs, or else tried to join but was unsuccessful. Apparently Robert thought that the best way to ensure he could fly in the coming conflict was to go to Canada, so on 22 June 1940 he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He apparently was unsuccessful in his efforts to get into flying training through the RCAF and on 13 February 1941 he was discharged and returned to the 95 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

United States. Just a month later he heard about the Clayton Knight Committee and the opportunity to join the RAF. Brossmer visited their offices in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City and, although there is no record of how much flying experience he had, Brossmer was accepted. The first portion of his quest to become a fighter pilot began on 10 April 1941, when he started the RAF refresher training course at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While at Spartan he flew the PT-19A, the AT-6A, and the Spartan Executive. Brossmer was rated as a satisfactory pilot with the note that he “should prove a capable pilot officer.” He graduated from Spartan on 24 July 1941. On 15 August 1941, he was granted a commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and departed for England. Brossmer arrived in England about 1 September 1941 and immediately entered 52 Operational Training Unit at Aston Down. At the time he began flying the Hurricane at the OTU he had about 200 total hours of flying experience. Brossmer spent nearly six weeks at Aston Down before joining 133 Squadron at Eglinton, Northern Ireland, on 28 October 1941. He remained with the unit flying the deceptively dangerous convoy patrols and generally becoming more familiar with the combat environment until 1 December when, for unknown reasons, he returned to 52 OTU. In late March 1942 he again left 52 OTU and joined 121 Squadron at North Weald. The action began almost immediately for Robert and he was a key part of the record 740 operational missions the unit flew in April. Although slightly injured on 16 April, he continued to fly combat missions until 4 May 1942, when he was shot down and killed in action, along with his squadron mate Ralph Freiberg, while escorting Boston bombers to a target in France.

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Brown, Hugh Card RAF Number: 103467 Born: 22 October 1919, in Cardston, Alberta, Canada Served: 133 Squadron from 21 October 1941 to 16 March 1942 Religious preference: Church of Latter-Day Saints Civilian occupation: Student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 16 March 1942

Hugh Brown, great-grandson of Mormon founder Brigham Young, loved to fly. By early 1941, he had accumulated about 170 hours of diverse flying time at airports near his home in Glendale, California. As with so many of his future RAF mates, he did not have enough education to qualify for the US Army Aviation Cadet Program and so decided that the RAF was the only way to ensure that he would be able to fly in the coming war. His interest took him to meet with a representative of the Clayton Knight Committee in Salt Lake City on 6 March 1941, where he volunteered to fly for the RAF. Along with nothing in the record about his early life or when he moved from Canada to the United States, there is also nothing to indicate why he signed up in Salt Lake City rather than Los Angeles. Hugh was accepted almost immediately and on 28 April he reported to the Polaris Flight Academy at Lancaster, California, to begin his training. Less than three months later, on 5 July 1941, he graduated and began the long trip to eastern Canada and England. Along with future Eagles Forrest Cox, Don McLeod, John Lynch, James Peck, Robert Sprague, James Coxetter, and Kenneth Holder, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and departed for England on 22 July. Three weeks later, on 12 August, he arrived at the personnel center in Bournemouth, England, and just five days later reported to Usworth in Tyne and Wear to 55 Operational Training Unit. Brown completed OTU and was assigned to 133 Squadron, then stationed at Eglinton, Northern Ireland, on 21 October 1941. The unit spent the remainder of 1941 flying the boring, but dangerous, convoy patrol over the North Sea and generally becoming more proficient at flying the Spitfire and becoming a combat-ready squadron. 97 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

At the end of 1941, 133 left the cold and wet of Northern Ireland and moved to Kirton-in-Lindsey. Just a month later, Brown, who was one of the most highly regarded pilots in the squadron, left for three weeks of advanced training in the new Spitfire VB. He rejoined the unit on 21 February 1942, and on 16 March flew his last mission. As noted in the 133 Squadron record book, “F/Sgt. Harp and P/O Brown were ordered to make a weather test (over) the (wind)swept Channel…with a view to finding out if it was possible to (fly) convoy patrol…F/Sgt. Harp called up P/O Brown, telling him that he was going to climb as visibility was practically nil. There was no answer, and it was assumed that P/O Brown crashed into the sea at that moment or a bit before.” Hugh Brown was listed as presumed dead that same day.

Brown, John Innes RAF Number: 101456 Born: 13 January 1920, in Chicago, Illinois Served: 121 Squadron from 1 September 1941 to 5 August 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Inspector, Carnegie Steel Corporation Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 1 October 1942

John “Brownie” Brown grew up in Chicago. During his school days he was an outstanding athlete, especially in football. His father was fairly well to do, so in 1935 John enrolled in Morgan Park Military Academy in Chicago, from which he graduated. While there he learned to fly, and that became his first love. After graduation, he went to Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he played football and also enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. Because of his previous flying experience, he was asked to get his instructor’s rating and return to Coe as an instructor in the CPTP. But during the summer of 1940, John was faced with a major change. He had a summer job as an inspector in a steel mill and, at the same time, he continued to fly. As fate would have it, he was offered a significant promotion at Carnegie Illinois Steel Company—one that could 98 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

lead to a career with them—so he decided not to return to college. He also heard about the Clayton Knight Committee and the opportunity to join the RAF from some friends at the airport, and in the early fall he visited their offices to get more information. Brown was told that if he would sign up he would go to England and fly fighters and be paid $600 a month to do it (neither of these was true, so he was obviously getting a sales pitch). Brownie agonized over what he wanted to do. With war on the horizon and lacking the two years of college needed for aviation cadets, he knew the RAF was his only opportunity to fly. In the end he decided that he would join the RAF. His father, who was a Canadian, supported the idea, as did his entire family. On 10 January 1941, John took his RAF physical in Chicago and on 28 February he quit Carnegie Steel and was soon on his way to Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for his RAF refresher training. At that time he had about 175 hours of flying time. During the next three months, Brown flew formation, instruments, aerobatics, and cross-country navigation flights and in early June 1941 he graduated from Spartan. After a short leave at home in Chicago, he was off to Canada on the first leg of his trip to England. A short stay in Canada followed, and on 27 June 1941 John was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England on the SS Olaf Fostenes. With him on that voyage were future Eagles Jim Daley, Eric Doorly, Fred Gamble, LeRoy Skinner, Harold Strickland, and Sam Whedon. The group arrived in Glasgow, Scotland, on 9 July 1941 and immediately boarded the train for London. John was bursting with pride the next day when he left Moss Brothers Clothiers in the uniform of an RAF pilot officer with RAF wings on his chest. The next stop was the Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth followed by an almost immediate assignment, on 14 July, to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. Over the course of the next six weeks Brown was able to fly nearly 50 hours in the Hurricane learning gunnery, instruments, and formation tactics. On 1 September 1941, John reported to 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey flying Hurricane Mark IIB fighters. A month after he arrived, the unit transitioned into Spitfires and in December they moved to North Weald and the thick of the action against the Germans. Unfortunately, the unit was hampered in its operations by bad weather during most of the first three months of 1942, but John certainly 99 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

was one of the mainstays of the unit flying convoy patrol, bomber escort, and fighter sweep missions. He seemed to always be in the thick of the action and was regarded as one of the leaders of the squadron. On 27 June, he was promoted to flight officer. On 5 August 1942, Brown left 121 Squadron and went to 53 Operational Training Unit at Llandow in Wales as an instructor. On 1 October 1942, he transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a first lieutenant. Unbeknownst to him, had he stayed in the RAF a few more days he would have transferred as a captain. Within a few weeks, Brown was on his way to the United States, along with several other Eagles, to work on a war bond sales drive. As a result, he was never in the Fourth Fighter Group. Brown eventually returned to England with the Twenty-Eighth Fighter Group and was stationed at Duxford. Brown left the Army after the war and went to work for Armour Pharmaceutical Company as a salesman but remained active in the US Air National Guard flying B-26 medium bombers. His guard unit was activated in 1951 for the Korean War but Brown was lucky enough to be sent to Europe rather than Korea. He was initially stationed in France but then moved to Germany where he remained for three years. After a tour in the United States, he returned to France as the technical representative for the US Air Force to the French Air Force. He returned again to the United States and was given a disability retirement in 1965. Although John had finished college, he returned to school to earn his teaching credential and then taught for twenty-five years in the San Diego Public Schools. He also continued private flying until he was medically grounded. John Brown died unexpectedly in San Diego on 25 July 1999. At that time, he was the president of the Eagle Squadron Association.

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Bruce, George Russell RAF Number: 67580 Born: 12 August 1914, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Served: 133 Squadron from 29 July to 23 October 1941 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Sales promotion, California Lima Bean Growers Association, 1939–1941 Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 23 October 1941

There is no record of George Bruce’s early life; when he moved to the United States or how he learned to fly. We do know that by the 1930s California and flying had beckoned Bruce and, over the last few years of that decade, he managed to accumulate over 200 hours of flying time at airports around the state. As a result, as war seemed inevitable, he decided that flying duty was the only way he wanted to enter the military. He had no college, so he lacked the prerequisite for aviation cadets. But he had heard about the RAF and the Clayton Knight Committee. After visiting their offices, probably in January 1941, and being accepted for training, he was sent to Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California, for RAF refresher school. He graduated in early May and, on 23 May 1941 was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve, sailing from Canada to England along with future Eagles and Polaris friends Bud Crowe and Hugh McCall. After his arrival and the required in processing at Bournemouth, George entered 52 Operational Training Unit at Debden on 16 June 1941. Five weeks later, on 29 July, he became part of the initial cadre of 133 Squadron, which was forming at Coltishall. He spent his early days with 133 learning how to fly the Spitfire in combat situations, doing convoy patrol, and other training that was required of a newly formed RAF fighter squadron. In early October he was part of the ill-fated flight of 133 to its new station at Eglinton, Northern Ireland, on which four pilots were killed when they hit a hill while trying to land in the weather on the Isle of Man. On 23 October, just two weeks after arriving in Eglinton, Bruce made an unauthorized low pass over the airfield, struck a tree, and was killed in the crash.

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Campbell, John Acey III RAF Number: 64859 Born: 3 November 1921, in San Pedro, California Served: 121 Squadron from 2 June to 6 October 1941 Religious preference: Church of Latter-Day Saints Civilian occupation: Airplane mechanic and pilot Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

John “Red” Campbell III had always been rather unconventional. The tall redhead, who liked to play football, fish, and camp, had started to fly when he was only fourteen. He hung around at the local airport (an airport between Chula Vista and National City, California, that no longer exists) and did odd jobs—from helping strap in passengers to fueling and cleaning up when a person got airsick—in exchange for flying time. As a result he had his pilot’s license when he was sixteen and a limited commercial ticket and over 200 hours of flying time when he graduated from high school in 1939. Given all that experience, which was a great deal in those days, he applied for a job as an instructor in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. It was a good job and both the flying time and the pay were real incentives. But he was turned down because he looked like he was about twelve years old and they told him that no student would want to learn from him for that reason. Campbell then tried the airlines but he didn’t have enough experience. That was followed by an application to the Army Air Corps, but he lacked the two years of college needed and also was too young to hold a commission. But Campbell had heard a lot about the RAF because of World War II in Europe, and had also read an article by Art Donahue, one of the first members of the first Eagle Squadron, in the Saturday Evening Post. The idea of flying one of the fastest airplanes in the world appealed to Red, and he also was convinced that the United States would soon be involved in the war and he certainly wanted to fly in the coming conflict. But how to get into the RAF? Campbell inquired around the airport, wrote to the Saturday Evening Post, and scoured the newspapers, but all to no avail. Then one day three brothers Campbell knew came to the airport to tell him good102 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

bye since they were leaving to go to Canada and then on to England to fly with the RAF. They told Red about a contractor in Los Angeles who got them in contact with the RCAF, since they were Canadians, and how to contact him. Campbell took his logbook and drove to Los Angeles to seek out the mysterious man. When he arrived, the contractor was talking to a lady about building a house, but after she left he took Red into a back room and they talked about the RAF. He told Red he had enough flying experience but was not old enough to join. Nineteen was the age limit, he said. (The contractor was apparently in error, since a number of flyers joined the RAF when they were only eighteen.) So Campbell went back home and waited a month or so until he was nineteen, and then returned. He had also obtained his parents’ permission to go into RAF training. This time the contractor sent him to the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel to visit the Clayton Knight Committee. He was called to take his physical on 13 December 1940, and soon thereafter reported to Polaris Flight Academy at Grand Central Air Terminal in Glendale, California, to begin training. Campbell completed his RAF refresher training in March 1941 after flying about 90 hours. On 25 March 1941, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked from Halifax for England. On the same ship were future Eagles Seldon Edner, Don Geffene, Bill Geiger, Bob Mannix, Wally Tribken, and Vivian Watkins. Arrival in Liverpool a couple of weeks later was quite a jolt to the nineteen-year-old Campbell. Wreckage in the harbor, barrage balloons, all sorts of people in uniforms, and bombed-out buildings made him begin to realize that he was indeed in a war zone and this was for real. After an overnight trip to London and signing in at the Air Ministry, Red was given a room at the Overseas League. The next day, he went to Moss Brothers Clothiers and finally exchanged his light California clothes for RAF officer uniforms. From there he went to the personnel center at Uxbridge and on 22 April 1941 reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge for advanced training in the Hurricane. The reality of the war hit Campbell even more when he saw the camouflaged aircraft, was given two flights in a two-place Miles Master, and then told to go fly the Hurricane. But Campbell survived that flight and all the rigors of OTU and, on 2 June 1941, he reported to 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey as part of the initial cadre of that new Eagle Squadron. The unit was flying Hurricanes. 103 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

It was not until August that members of 121 had their first contact with the Luftwaffe, and from that time onward, sweeps over France, convoy patrol, and contact with the Germans was routine. But by that time Campbell was becoming restless. He had been in the RAF for nearly six months and had yet to see a German aircraft so he decided to ask for a transfer overseas, which generally meant the Middle East or Malta. In those locations, he knew, there was a great deal of action against the Germans. His application was initially turned down because of a shortage of seasoned pilots in 121, but on 6 October 1941 he left the Eagles and was transferred to 258 Fighter Squadron, initially flying out of Gibraltar. But his squadron soon began a series of trips that took them to the Gold Coast of Africa, Khartoum, Bengehzi, and Port Sudan on the Red Sea. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, Red’s unit was loaded onto the British aircraft carrier Indomitable, along with their Hurricanes, and sent to Java. From there they made the long and dangerous flight to Singapore, arriving on 29 January 1942. Just seventeen days later Singapore fell to the Japanese and the squadron evacuated south, eventually to Java. There, on 28 February 1942, Campbell was shot down, and after a couple of weeks evading capture in the countryside, was captured by the Japanese—the only former Eagle to become a prisoner of the Japanese in World War II. Campbell spent the rest of the war on Java in various prison camps. His records indicate that the British were not notified that he was a prisoner until 3 February 1944, but during his confinement he had been promoted to flight officer and then flight lieutenant, as well as awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his exploits in the defense of Singapore. He was repatriated on 24 September 1945 and returned to England, still a member of the RAF. Campbell returned to the United States on leave in November 1945 and on 8 December he married his high school sweetheart in Glendale. Red then returned to England for refresher flight training but became discouraged when he could not get an assignment into jet aircraft. So on 12 November 1946, he resigned his commission in the RAF and returned to the United States. Campbell then worked as a pilot, an aircraft factory worker, and then joined the Utilities Department of Chula Vista, California, where he worked until he retired. He and his wife live in Tucson, Arizona. 104 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Care, Raymond Charles RAF Number: 118572 Born: 30 March 1918, in Angola, Indiana Served: 71 Squadron from 11 September to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Salesman, Golden Auto Parts, Angola, Indiana Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 25 September 1942

Raymond “Bud” Care was a typical Midwestern kid growing up in Indiana. He liked the outdoors and was eager to explore anything new. During high school he played football, chased girls, and was fascinated by airplanes. He also was very interested in mechanics, and after graduating from high school he took a job at a local auto parts store. His infatuation with airplanes and mechanical leanings combined to make him willing to spend part of what he earned at his job to learn to fly, and he was able to accumulate quite a few flying hours. Bud was also concerned about the war in Europe and the fact that he did not have the two years of college required to enter the Army Aviation Cadet Program. These factors led Bud to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Cleveland, Ohio, in September 1941 to inquire about service in the RAF. While there is no record of how much flying time Bud had, he apparently had the needed qualifications, because he passed his physical on 9 September and on 3 October 1941 he reported to the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While there, he was noted to be an average pilot with good leadership qualities. On 31 January 1942, he completed his training and three days later left Tulsa for a short leave prior to sailing for England. A month later, on 2 March 1942, Care was granted his commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England. The voyage took two weeks and after the mandatory in processing and uniform fitting in London, Bud went on to the personnel center at Bournemouth. He apparently arrived at a time when there were more new pilots than the system could handle for he was kept at Bournemouth until 15 April, when he was sent to a three-week officer training school. He then spent another two weeks at RAF Cosford before being assigned to an advanced flying unit on 19 May. Nearly a month later, Bud reported to 58 105 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Operational Training Unit at Grangemouth in Strathclyde to learn to fly the Spitfire. Finally, on 11 September 1942, six months after his arrival in England and a year after he initially visited the Clayton Knight Committee, Bud Care was assigned to an operational RAF unit, 71 Squadron, at Debden. Care’s experience with that unit was very limited because on 25 September 1942 he transferred to the US Army Air Forces, and four days later the Eagle Squadrons became the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. Because he was not an experienced fighter pilot, it took Bud some time to really come into his own as a combat pilot. But when he did, he very rapidly became a combat leader. His initial assignment was with the 334th Fighter Squadron, the destination of most of the members of 71 RAF Fighter Squadron. He actually saw little combat until the late winter of 1943 because the squadron changed from Spitfires to P-47 Thunderbolts early in the year. And it was in the latter aircraft that he scored his first victories as a fighter pilot. On 26 June 1943, he shot down an ME-109 over the English Channel, and a month later, on 28 July 1943, he destroyed an FW-190 over Germany. His final victory in the P-47 was on 16 August 1943, when he shot down an FW-190 over France. In the spring of 1943, Bud married an English girl. On 29 October 1943, he became the flight commander of “B” Flight. Bud then transitioned to the P-51 Mustang, and on 21 February 1944 he scored his fourth victory, destroying an FW-190 over Germany. A week later, he left the 334th and went to the headquarters of the 65th Fighter Wing. Care was only there a short time before returning to the Fourth Fighter Group on 6 April as commander of the 336th Fighter Squadron. Two days later he became an ace when he shot down an ME-109 over Germany, and on 11 April he destroyed an ME-110, again over Germany. But Bud Care’s time as the commander of the unit was short lived. On 15 April he destroyed a Junkers 52 on the ground but his aircraft was also heavily damaged in the raid and he was forced to bail out. He was immediately captured and spent the remainder of the war in a German prison camp. Care stayed in the Army after the war and then became part of the new US Air Force from which he retired on 30 April 1963 as a colonel. He then took a position with the civil service, working at Kelly Air Force Base in Texas. After he retired from the civil service, Care remained in San Antonio, where he died on 3 April 1987. 106 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Carpenter, George, Jr. RAF Number: 102636 (1802636) Born: 14 May 1917, in Townville, Pennsylvania Served: 121 Squadron from 9 June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

George Carpenter Jr. came from a typical twentieth-century family. His mother was a housewife and his father was an insurance salesman. Both his parents’ ancestors were English. He also had a very typical childhood and was just an average guy in high school. In the fall of 1938, George enrolled in Grove City College in Pennsylvania. This was his second experience in college, the first at Taylor University in Indiana, which he entered in 1936 but left in 1938 after a year and a half. During the short time between leaving Taylor University and enrolling at Grove City College, Carpenter had learned to fly. His academic interest had also turned from business administration to medicine and he continued to hone his flying skills in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. After a year and a half, in the winter of 1940, he again dropped out of college in order to try to join the US Army Air Corps. George had remained in college long enough to have the basic two-year requirement, and after a physical exam at Middletown, Pennsylvania, he was accepted for pilot training in class 42-A. He was sent to the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for his primary training, but about two weeks before he was to graduate, he fainted when given a tetanus shot and was washed out of pilot training. While at Tulsa, he had learned about the RAF and the Clayton Knight Committee from the students who were there as part of that program. After taking a pleasure trip to California with two other “tetanus shot” casualties, Carpenter contacted the Clayton Knight Committee and was accepted for training. In October 1941, he was sent to Bakersfield, California, for his RAF refresher training. George had a little over 100 hours of flying experience at that time. He graduated from the school at Bakersfield on 24 December 1941 and went home to Pennsylvania for a short leave. Then he was on his way to Canada and England. Carpenter was 107 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

unique, however, in that he was one of the few volunteers who entered through the Clayton Knight Committee and was not commissioned in the RAF Volunteer Reserve when he left Canada. George was sent over as an aircraftsman second class and would not be commissioned until he transferred to the US Army Air Forces. His voyage on the Dutch ship Vollendam was relatively fast and George disembarked in Scotland in early February. He arrived in London on 11 February and the next day was promoted to technical sergeant (sergeant pilot), issued his uniforms, and sent to a three-week school in Saint John’s Woods to learn how to be a noncommissioned officer. Carpenter’s next assignment was to advanced flying training on 16 March where he flew the Miles Master. Three weeks later, on 7 April, he reported to 57 Operational Training Unit at Hawarden in Wales. George graduated from OTU on 8 June 1942 and reported to 121 Squadron stationed at Southend-on-Sea. He was excited about being posted to that unit since they were in the 11 Group area where most of the action against the Germans occurred. His first operational mission was convoy patrol but he soon was also making sweeps searching for targets in France. While action continued throughout the summer, George was still a new guy in the unit and so had little opportunity to engage German aircraft. By the end of August, the squadron’s intense action began to decrease as its members prepared to transfer to the US Army Air Forces and become the 335th Fighter Squadron of the Eighth Air Force. For George that date was 23 September 1942. He not only became a second lieutenant, his pay tripled and soldiers on the streets of London saluted him. George continued to fly with 121 Squadron until the formal transfer ceremony on 29 September. Carpenter then flew Spitfires with US markings until 13 January, when he was sent to the newly formed 334th Thunderbolt Squadron to learn how to fly and fight with the new P-47. He stayed in that unit through February, and on 20 March returned to 335th Squadron to help check out his old squadron mates in the radically different P-47. George continued to fly primarily B-17 escort missions through 1943 and into 1944. On 22 February 1943, he shot down an FW-190 for his first and only victory in the P-47. Then it was another transition, this time into the P-51 Mustang. On 14 February 1944, Carpenter made his first flight in the P-51, and from that date on, he became a potent force in the allied air effort. By the time Carpenter 108 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

was shot down, on 18 April 1944, he was a double ace, having destroyed a total of 13.83 German aircraft, all but one of those in the P-51. Carpenter spent about a year as a German POW before being liberated in April 1945. He returned to the United States, and in the fall of 1945 he was discharged as a major at Davis-Monthan Army Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona. George returned to Oil City, Pennsylvania, and bought a small farm with his father. They subsequently went into the lumber business but he soon lost his investment. In 1947, his first child, a daughter, was born, and two years later his week-old son had to have significant surgery. This impressed Carpenter to the point of convincing him to resume his study of medicine. He returned to Grove City College and graduated in 1952. He immediately enrolled in Kirksville School of Osteopathic Medicine, in Kirksville, Missouri, and graduated in 1956. After a year of internship, he moved to Paris, Tennessee, and began a general family practice. He remained in that practice for nearly forty years and was still active when he passed away on 1 July 2005.

Chap, Norman Richard RCAF Number: J16637 (R67989) Born: 13 September 1915, in Chicago, Illinois Served: 121 Squadron from 18 December 1941 to 6 April 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Pressman’s assistant, R. R. Donnelley and Sons, Chicago, Illinois Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 7 November 1942

There is no record of Norman Chap’s youth or how he became interested in flying. Chap must have been an athletic young man, however, since he was the pitcher on his R. R. Donnelley championship softball team. He had been a pressman’s assistant with that firm in his native Chicago for three years when he decided that he wanted to fly in the war that had come to Europe. In November 1940 he made the trek to Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. He was sent to initial military 109 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

training, then to Elementary and Service Flying Training schools. This training took about a year and, when he completed it probably in July 1941, he was awarded his flying badge and appointed a sergeant pilot in the RCAF. Shortly thereafter he sailed to England probably arriving in late August. He was first sent to Saint John’s Woods for non-commissioned officer training, then to a short advanced flying course and finally to an OTU which he successfully completed in early December. Chap was then assigned to 121 Squadron arriving at the unit on 18 December 1941. Norman was only with 121 Squadron for a short time before he, along with several other squadron mates, volunteered for duty overseas in an effort to see more flying action. In April 1942, Norman departed 121 and in August joined 250 Squadron in North Africa. While he was still a very inexperienced combat pilot he progressed rapidly and soon began to make his mark with the unit. His commander was impressed enough to recommend he be commissioned in the RCAF. As his section leader said, “On several occasions he saved me from losing my life.” He was continually in the thick of the action and was credited with destroying at least three enemy aircraft. On 7 November 1942, he and his section leader were involved in an intensive aerial combat during which they had destroyed four German JU-52s. On their way back to their home base, the pair ran into a flight of eight or more enemy aircraft. The running battle lasted for twenty-five to thirty minutes during which time Chap and his section leader were separated. Norman never returned to his home base and was posted as missing in action. His status was later changed to killed in action. As his section leader said, “I personally felt just as though I had lost my right arm. “ Chap was posthumously commissioned a pilot officer in the RCAF. (The author wishes to thank the R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co. for their help in locating an archived collection of employee newsletters, which contained Norman Chap’s picture and some information that was of help in preparing this biographical sketch.)

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Chatterton, Lawrence Albert RAF Number: 100987 Born: 23 June 1917 in Brooklyn, New York Served: 71 Squadron from 9 September to 22 October 1941 Religious preference: Church of England Civilian occupation: Flight control—American Airlines, 1935-1941 Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 22 October 1941

Flying had always been in Larry Chatterton’s blood. Right after graduating from high school the eighteen-year-old took a job with American Airlines. He probably wanted to work into flying if he could, since he was already learning how to fly, but he ended up in flight control working on aircraft scheduling. He continued to fly on his own, however, and by 1941 he had over 200 hours of time in several different light aircraft. Like so many of his fellow pilots, he viewed the coming war with concern, and after being impressed by the heroics of the fliers during the Battle of Britain, decided that if he went to war it would be as a pilot. Knowing that he couldn’t get into the US military flying programs, he jumped at the chance to visit the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in New York City. On 25 March 1941, after leaving his job with American Airlines, he passed his physical and was sent to Polaris Flight Academy in Glendale, California, for RAF refresher training. After about 80 hours of instruction, a higher number than most RAF volunteers received, he was graduated and awarded the RAF Flying Badge. A long train trip to New York to say his good-byes followed, and he was on his way to Canada and the life of an RAF pilot. On 19 June 1941, he received his commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve, and the same day, he sailed for England, along with fellow Polaris classmates and future Eagles Tony Gallo, Richard McHan, Denver Miner, and Robert Mueller. The trip over took about three weeks, and after in processing and getting his uniforms, he reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Debden on 28 July. After completing that training on 9 September he was assigned to 71 Squadron at North Weald where he began to learn the intricacies of combat flying. Less than six 111 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

weeks later, on 22 October 1941, Chatterton’s Spitfire II apparently suffered a broken wing spar and he crashed near London and was killed.

Clark, James Averell RAF Number: 112301 Born: 7 September 1920 in Westbury, Long Island, New York Served: 71 Squadron from 9 June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

James Clark was born into a well-to-do Long Island family. Following his graduation from high school he enrolled in Dartmouth College. Clark’s uncle was the well-known polo player Tommy Hitchcock who also was a famed member of the World War I Lafayette Escadrille. Whether or not his example was Jimmy Clark’s motivation, the blue-eyed and uncommonly handsome Clark decided to leave Dartmouth at the end of the spring semester of 1941 and join the RAF. His record does not indicate how much flying experience he had at the time, but he certainly loved to fly and probably had at least 100 hours of flying time. He visited the Clayton Knight Committee in New York City in June and on 30 July 1941 Clark entered the RAF refresher course at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He completed his training on 26 November 1941 with above average performance. His record notes that he had “good all-around personal qualities” and that he flew the Fairchild PT-19A, Stearman PT-13, and North American AT-6. Less than three weeks later, on 13 December 1941, Jim was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England aboard the HMS Letitia, along with future Eagles Don Gentile, Alfred Hopson, George Middleton, Ervin Miller, Len Ryerson, Bill Taylor, Glenn Smart, and Don Smith. Clark disembarked on 26 December and two days later was at the Bournemouth personnel center. On 1 January he reported to advanced 112 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

flying training at 9 Student Flying Training School. About seven weeks later, on 24 February, he was transferred to 57 Operational Training Unit at Hawarden in Clwyd. Clark apparently remained at Hawarden as an instructor for a period of time because it was over three months later, on 9 June 1942, that he finally reported to 71 Squadron at Debden. Clark’s flying talents and leadership ability rapidly became evident as he learned the many facets of flying in an operational squadron. His real baptism of fire came on 19 August when he was part of the first operation that included all three Eagle Squadrons flying in support of the same mission, the illfated Canadian invasion of Dieppe, France. A little over a month later, on 27 September 1942, Clark was part of the last combat mission flown by the Eagle Squadrons. By that time he had actually been in the US Army Air Forces for two weeks, having transferred on 15 September. On 29 September, 71 Squadron of the RAF became the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force, and it was there that Clark became almost a legend. Just three days after the changeover, Jim flew on the first combat mission of the Fourth and was credited with his first enemy aircraft shot down, an honor he shared with Wing Commander Duke Woolley. But the winter of 1942–43 saw little action against the Germans. On 17 January 1943, the Fourth began training on the P-47 Thunderbolt. This process took three months, and it was not until 10 March that the 334th would mount another mission against the Luftwaffe. During the next year, Clark continued to move to the top of the Fourth both in leadership positions and enemy aircraft destroyed. By the end of 1943, he had destroyed four German aircraft and in the next six months he would add six and a half to that record, making him one of the higher scoring aces of the war. On 28 February 1944, Clark, now a major, led the Fourth’s first P-51 mission against the Germans. His ability led to increasingly higher positions from light commander to lieutenant colonel and Acting Fourth Fighter Group Commander in September of 1944. Jim departed the Fourth on 15 September 1944 to become the Military Attaché in London where his uncle, John Winant was the Ambassador. Clark left the Army after the war and was subsequently involved in several very successful business ventures. He died in New York City on 11 January 1990.

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Coen, Oscar Hoffman RAF Number: 62244 Born: 11 May 1917, in Walum, North Dakota Served: 71 Squadron from April 19 1941 to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: Schoolteacher; aviation cadet, US Army Air Corps Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

Oscar Coen was rather unusual for those young Americans entering the RAF in 1940. First, the five-foot, six-inch, 125-pound Coen had a college education. He had graduated from the University of Wisconsin in June 1939 with a Bachelor of Science degree. And although he had no real flying experience, he had taken two years of ROTC training just in case the world situation worsened and he found himself in the military. But at the same time, he had participated in peace marches while in college, reflecting the isolationist spirit of the upper-midwestern United States. Second, Oscar was not an experienced pilot. He had flown a few times but was not, as opposed to many of his fellow Eagle pilots, a frustrated and unemployed private pilot. Oscar had prepared himself to be a teacher and in the fall of 1939 began teaching high school chemistry and agriculture in Thompson, Illinois. But as events worsened in Europe, Coen decided that he had better try to become a pilot so he could fly in the war he saw coming. Oscar finished his one-year teaching contract and on 15 May 1940 entered the US Army as an aviation cadet. His primary training was at Love Field in Dallas, Texas, and with the completion of that program, he was sent to Randolph Field in San Antonio. While all had gone well for Oscar at Love Field, such was not the case at Randolph. Shortly after his arrival at the advanced training base, Coen and several other members of his class were told that there was a shortage of training aircraft and so they were to be sent to navigator training. For Oscar, and a number of his friends, this was unacceptable, so they were allowed to resign from the Army program, and many of the group, including Coen, went to Canada to fly for the Royal Canadian Air Force. On 10 September 1940, Oscar joined the RCAF and began their pilot training program. Because of his training in the US Army, he was placed in 114 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

an abbreviated program, which he completed in December. He was then sent to instructor school. This was not what Coen had signed up to do either, so he asked that the RCAF release him to try to join the Royal Air Force and go to England as a fighter pilot. His subsequent trip to Ottawa and visit to the RAF headquarters proved successful and Coen was given a flight check, which he passed. On 6 February 1941, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed, along with future Eagles Bert Stewart and Bill Hall, for England. Since the ship they were on was a cruise ship that had just recently completed its last cruise prior to being put into service as a personnel transport, the bar was well stocked, there were Javanese waiters, and the trip was much more comfortable than that of most of the soldiers going to Europe. Oscar arrived at Glasgow, Scotland, in mid-February, and after the necessary in processing and uniform issue in London, was off to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly the Hurricane. At that time, he had about 200 hours total flying time, most of it from military flying training. While the Hurricane was a lot more powerful aircraft than Oscar had flown before, he easily completed OTU with flying colors and on 19 April 1941 joined 71 Squadron at Martlesham Heath. This was a learning period for 71 and they were seeing little action against the Germans. There was a lot of convoy patrol as well as sweeps over France, and in flying these Oscar learned a great deal about both the Hurricane and being part of an operational fighter squadron. The unit actually did not make its first scramble against enemy aircraft until June 1941. On 20 August the squadron traded their Hurricanes for Spitfire IIA aircraft and just a month later these were replaced by the newer MK VB Spitfire that was armed with cannons rather than machine guns. This made them much more effective against both other aircraft and ground targets such as locomotives. And it was a locomotive that Oscar Coen and his commander, Chesley Peterson, were after in the predawn hours of 20 October 1941. The pair located a train about which they had been previously briefed, and rolled in for the attack. Oscar concentrated on the train and at about 250 yards opened up with devastating fire from his cannons. When he was about twenty-five feet above the ground, Oscar leveled off, and as he passed over the train, the locomotive blew up and threw all sorts of shrapnel into his oil and coolant intakes. His engine began to overheat and Coen knew his flight was over. He 115 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

called Peterson to say he was leaving his airplane and successfully bailed out. For the next two months, Coen evaded capture with the aid of the underground as he went from one harrowing experience to another and made his way to Spain and finally, Gibraltar. On New Year’s Eve, 1941, he returned to his unit and his presence made their party even more special. Coen immediately resumed his flying duties in the squadron but once again the action was limited because of England’s winter weather. The unit flew convoy patrol and increasingly bomber escort. On 6 February 1942, Oscar was promoted to flight officer and on 30 May was made an acting flight lieutenant. On 27 April 1942, just a week after he celebrated having been in 71 for a year, he and Mike McPharlin jointly shot down three Germans in one day, each being credited with one and a half destroyed. He teamed with McPharlin again in August to each get a German aircraft probably destroyed during Operation Jubilee. On 15 September 1942, Oscar transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a captain and on 29 September formally transferred to the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force. Three days later the 334th, still flying Spitfires, flew its first mission and Coen was one of four members of the unit to destroy an enemy aircraft, this time an FW-190. Shortly after the first of the year, transition from the Spitfire to the new Republic P-47 Thunderbolt began for the Fourth Fighter Group. Oscar was promoted to major on 30 December and in March he assumed command of the 334th Squadron. On 10 March 1943, he was part of the first combat mission flown with the new aircraft. But three weeks later, on 3 April 1943, Coen had to bail out of his P-47 at high altitude over England when the engine exploded. In the process he broke his shoulder and was sent back to the United States on convalescent leave. On 4 August he returned to his unit and on 11 April 1944 was transferred to Eighth Air Force Headquarters to work on the plans for the invasion of France. Meanwhile, he had been promoted to lieutenant colonel. Coen returned to the United States in July 1944 and was assigned to the fighter branch at the Pentagon. In 1945, he went to the Pacific but the war ended before he saw any action. Coen was subsequently promoted to colonel. He ended the war with six German aircraft destroyed, the Silver Star, two Distinguished Flying Crosses and numerous other decorations. Coen remained in the Air Force after the war and initially went to his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin, as the Professor of Air 116 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Science for the Air Force ROTC. He subsequently was responsible for the ROTC summer training for the entire United States. He also served as the Mission Chief to Venezuela. His final assignment was as deputy wing commander for operations at Kincheloe Air Force Base. Oscar retired in 1962 as a colonel. He and his wife, Ginny, then moved to a small ranch in Baker, Oregon. Coen later moved to Seattle where he worked for H&R Block but returned to Baker after a few years. Oscar and Ginny returned to Europe twice in later years to visit the brave Frenchmen who were responsible for his being able to evade capture and not spend World War II in a German prison camp. Oscar Coen died on 25 June 2004. (For a complete account of Oscar Coen’s evasion adventure see Philip D. Caine, Aircraft Down!, Brassey’s, Washington, DC, 1997. The author thanks Oscar Coen’s sister, Mildred Coen Robeck, for some of the information contained in this biographical sketch.)

Cook, Charles A. RAF Number: 103476 Born: 11 July 1916, in Pasadena, California Served: 133 Squadron from 16 October 1941 to 26 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Student; US Army aviation cadet Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

Charles “Cookie” Cook lived at only two addresses in California prior to going to college, one in Pasadena and one in Alhambra. After graduation from high school in Alhambra, where he was a star athlete, he went north to San Luis Obispo to attend California Polytechnic Institute and to play football. While there, he enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program and learned to fly. He also became convinced that flying was a critical part of his future. After three years of college and with war on the horizon, Cook left California Polytechnic Institute and enlisted in the US Army as an aviation cadet. Unfortunately, he washed out of aviation cadets but heard about the Clayton Knight Committee and the opportu117 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

nity to fly for the RAF from some other former cadets. So in February or March 1941, shortly after he left the Army flying program, he visited the Clayton Knight offices at the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel and signed up. He was sent to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Cookie completed that training in July 1941 and was immediately sent to Canada. On 4 August 1941, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England along with two of his friends from Tulsa, future Eagles Wilson Edwards and William Wallace. (Unbeknownst to any of the passengers on his ship, they saw history in the making on their voyage when they were passed on the high seas by the battleship HMS Prince of Wales, which was carrying Prime Minister Winston Churchill back to the United Kingdom after his historic meeting with President Franklin Roosevelt and the signing of the Atlantic Charter). On 21 August the trio landed in Glasgow, Scotland, and took the train to London where they were sworn into the RAF at the Air Ministry and visited Moss Brothers to get their RAF uniforms. Cook and his friends remained in London for a few days and then were put on a train to go directly to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. (The three apparently did all the necessary paperwork at the Air Ministry and never went to the Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth. In this regard they were unique since most processing was done at Bournemouth.) On 16 October 1941, after 56 hours of training in the Hurricane, Cook, along with Edwards and Wallace, was sent to 133 Squadron, which had just moved to Eglinton, Northern Ireland. During the first three months Cookie was in 133 the flying was both sporadic, because of the weather, and boring because of the seemingly endless hours of hazardous convoy patrol over the North Atlantic and training flights in the Spitfire. Just a month after he joined the unit, Cook’s flying career nearly came to an end when he and Jimmy Nelson had a midair collision. Fortunately, both of them landed safely. Things looked brighter as 1942 dawned since the unit was sent back to England and stationed at Kirton-in-Lindsey, where action against the Germans awaited only better weather. Still, it wasn’t until May 1942 that Cook flew in his first direct combat with the Luftwaffe. But then it was frequent and regular. During this time also, Cookie met a British WAAF 118 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

(member of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force) who worked on refueling the Squadron Spitfires. Her name was Edna Hutchinson and the two were married after the war. By August 1942, Cook had become one of the more senior members of 133 as well as a combat leader with over 300 hours in the Spitfire and Hurricane. That month he led Blue Section on three sorties in support of the abortive Canadian reconnaissance in force at Dieppe, France. Just a month later, on 15 September 1942, Cookie went to London and transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. But on 26 September, Cook’s world changed dramatically. He was flying one of the twelve new Spitfire IX’s that were to escort a number of B-17s on a bombing raid on a target near Morlaix, France. Unfortunately, they were given an erroneous weather briefing. Winds were forecast to be from the south, but they were in fact over one hundred miles per hour from the north. The squadron was blown far to the south and ended up out of radar and radio contact with their control facility in England and unsure of their location because of a continuous undercast. As their fuel reached the critical point, the squadron descended through the clouds to find where they were. Unfortunately, they were over Brest, France, and the Germans proceeded to decimate the unit. Of the twelve aircraft, eleven were lost and ten of the pilots were either killed or captured. Cook was one of those who crash-landed his aircraft when it ran out of fuel and was captured by the Germans. During his initial interrogation, Cookie was amazed to find that the Germans had been able to obtain copies of all the information that the British had about him; where he was from, what his assignments had been, information about his family and the like. He was then sent to Stalag Luft III near Sagan, which is now in Poland, where all of the Eagles who were captured before their squadrons became part of the US Eighth Air Force, were interred. There he spent most of the rest of the war. While there he wrote a dedication to those who were lost at Morlaix on which he listed all their names and said they were lost “due to unforgivable circumstances while flying their Spit 9s.” Late in the war, the Germans abandoned Stalag Luft III and moved the entire camp west in the dead of winter to keep from being captured by the Russians. But Cook had cut his finger quite badly and it had infected his entire arm to the point that the Germans, and his American buddies as well, believed that he could not survive the trek. So his fellow Eagle Marion 119 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Jackson got him to a German hospital and there he was left for the Russians to deal with. Fortunately, there were three British doctors at the hospital. They treated his infection and gave him some penicillin thus saving both his arm and his life. When the Russians arrived they put him in a Model T ambulance to begin his journey to the east. He then went by train to Krakow and eventually on to Odessa on the Black Sea. He was then put on a ship to Istanbul and finally to Naples, Italy, where he was turned over to American control. Interestingly, Cook thought that he was treated very well by the Russians. He eventually was able to make his way back to England arriving on 1 June 1945. Cook left the Army after being returned to the United States and finished his college degree. He then began a teaching career and taught Life Sciences in Nogales High School in La Puentge, California, for nineteen years. He then retired to Goleta, California, where he still lives.

Cox, Forrest Melvin RAF Number: 103468 Born: 20 February 1916, in Greene, Illinois Served: 121 Squadron from 9 October to 6 December 1941 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Vultee Aircraft, Inc., Downey, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 24 August 1942

There seems to be no record of when Forrest Cox went to California or how much private flying experience he had when he began work at Vultee Aircraft in Downey in August 1940. But there is little doubt that it was flying that brought him to the center of the US aircraft industry or that he became convinced that he wanted to fly in the coming war. Thus, in early March of 1941 he visited the Clayton Knight Committee at the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel and apparently had enough flying experience to be accepted. Cox was sent to Polaris Flight Academy in Glendale for RAF refresher training, arriving on 28 April. He received average marks at Polaris and his record notes that he was “Good officer material. Should be encouraged to continue to study in aviation books.” 120 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Cox was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England on 22 July 1941, along with seven other future Eagles, on the two-week voyage to England. After being processed into the RAF and spending several days at the personnel center at Bournemouth, he reported to 55 Operational Training Unit at Usworth on 17 August 1941. During the next six weeks, Cox learned how to fly the Spitfire and some of the basics of aerial combat. On 30 September he was assigned to 232 Squadron of the RAF Fighter Command but was there only ten days before being transferred to 121 Squadron, joining the unit at Kirton-in-Lindsey. About three weeks later, he had an aircraft accident that sent him to the hospital for three weeks. He returned to the unit on 21 November 1941. Cox then left 121 almost immediately for the Headquarters of 266 Wing, Far East, probably because he had earlier volunteered for overseas duty. He reported on 6 December 1941. Forrest was then sent to India where he went to a brief refresher course at 151 OTU in April of 1942. He was then assigned to a unit stationed at Lahore. On 24 August 1942, Forrest transferred to the US Army Air Forces while stationed in India, the only former Eagle to be in that country at the time he transferred. Although there is no record of his subsequent assignments, Forrest Cox survived the war. He was killed in a helicopter accident in Arizona on 22 April 1961.

Coxetter, James Geiger RAF Number: 104392 Born: 29 October 1917, in Jacksonville, Florida Served: 133 Squadron from 30 September to 27 October 1941 Religious preference: Episcopalian Civilian occupation: Engineering and flying Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 27 October 1941

Although James ”Gene” Coxetter was working as an engineer in the New York area in early 1941, we know little about his early life, how he got his flying time or what initially motivated him to become a pilot. He apparently attended the University of North Carolina after high school 121 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

and graduated with the Class of 1939. His name is on the University War Memorial. Although he probably was eligible for the Army Aviation Cadet Program he apparently never tried to join or may have tried and was turned down. In any case, he had accumulated a significant amount of flying time. Whatever the situation, armed with a flying logbook documenting his 160 hours of flying experience, Gene entered the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in New York City on 16 April 1941. He was nervous because he knew he had less than what he understood to be the desired 250 hours of flying time for RAF duty and flying in the RAF was the only way he saw to be in the military as a pilot. There was apparently little question raised about his qualifications, for just twelve days later he had completed the train trip across the United States and walked through the gate at Polaris Flight Academy in Glendale, California, to begin his RAF refresher training. Gene spent a little over two months at Polaris but was not a stellar student. He was rated as poor officer material because of poor judgment and an inability to remember instruction. Nonetheless, he was graduated on 5 July 1941 and awarded his flying badge. Then it was the long train trip back across the country. After bidding farewell to his uncle in Maryland, Gene embarked for England on 22 July 1941, the same date he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Accompanying him were seven classmates from Polaris who were also destined to become Eagles. The group had a relatively fast trip across the Atlantic and less than a month later, on 17 August 1941, after being processed into the RAF and getting his uniforms, Coxetter reported to 55 Operational Training Unit at Usworth. After six weeks of training in the Spitfire, Gene completed the course, interestingly without any repeat of the comments from Polaris, and on 7 October he reported to 133 Squadron. That unit had just completed a disastrous move to Eglinton, Northern Ireland, on which four pilots were killed. Less than three weeks later, on 27 October 1941, Gene was letting down through clouds near Rasharkin, about forty miles east of Londonderry when, probably due to his inexperience, he lost control of his Spitfire. He bailed out of his craft but was too low for his parachute to open, and he was killed.

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Crowe, Stephen H. RAF Number: 67582 Born: 3 February 1920, in Bellaire, Ohio Served: 133 Squadron from August 1941 to early 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Sheet metal worker at Lockheed Aircraft, Los Angeles Marital status: Single Transferred to USAAF: Did not transfer

When he heard the news of Charles Lindberg flying across the Atlantic, seven-year-old Stephen “Bud” Crowe turned to his mother and said, “I’m going to be a pilot.” And with that pronouncement, the focus of his future life was determined. It was simply airplanes and more airplanes from models to figuring out ways to get a ride. In retrospect, his quest had been made easier when, in about 1925, his parents had divorced and he and his mother had moved from Ohio to Eagle Rock, California. Certainly that was a great place for a young man smitten with flying to live. By the time Bud graduated from Eagle Rock High School, he had earned his private pilot’s license and was ready for the next step. That turned out to be enrolling in the CurtissWright Institute to learn a trade in aircraft manufacturing. Steve focused on sheet metal working and when he completed that training, he took a job at North American Aviation and later moved to Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in Los Angeles. But flying the best aircraft in the world was his real quest and he realized that the only way to do that was to become a military pilot. Steve lacked the required two years of college so in late 1939 or early 1940, he and a fellow Lockheed employee, Stan Mason, decided to try to go to Canada and volunteer to fly for the French. Because of the US neutrality laws, the two were turned back at the border. A second attempt to fly for Canada was also foiled at the border and the two seemed to be nearly at wits end. But in late 1940, Bud heard about the Clayton Knight Committee and off the two went to the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel to sign up. Bud had already heard that he needed 150 hours to be accepted so he padded his logbook a bit and, after talking to Ernest Benway, a well-known World War I pilot, Crowe was accepted. He then was sent, as were several other future Eagles, to take a check flight with another well-known pilot, Hank 123 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Coffin, which he easily passed. Bud was also apparently investigated by the Hooper-Holmes Investigation Agency as were many volunteers to make sure that he had no connections with Germany before he was accepted. In early 1941 he reported to Polaris Flight Academy in Glendale for his RAF refresher training. Bud completed the course in early May and, after a big going-away party at home, departed on the long train ride to Canada. On 23 May 1941, Steve was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and set sail for England on a Norwegian steamer. With him were fellow Polaris classmates and future Eagles, George Bruce and Hugh McCall. In early June, the trio landed in Liverpool and were greeted by several relatively high-ranking RAF officers (this was one of only a handful of times that American volunteers got any special recognition upon their arrival in England. Why the trio was accorded this special treatment is unknown). Upon their arrival in London, they were again greeted by several senior officers and taken to the Dorchester Hotel. The next day, Crowe went to Moss Brothers Clothiers to get his RAF officer uniforms and was then off to the personnel center at Bournemouth. This was followed a few days later by assignment to 52 Operational Training Unit at Debden where Bud learned to fly the Hurricane. His time at the OTU was short and in late July 1941 he reported to 257 Squadron of Fighter Command flying Hurricanes. Although he was in that unit only briefly, he did enough operational flying to encounter his first German aircraft over Holland. In early August, just a couple of weeks after his arrival at 257, Crowe was transferred to 133 Squadron at Coltishall as one of the initial cadre. On his arrival, he joined his Polaris friends McCall and Bruce once again. 133 was unique among the three Eagle Squadrons in that it had very few veteran pilots in the initial cadre. Unfortunately, this led to a number of accidents and the unit rapidly became known as a “tough luck” squadron. Because of the inexperience of the unit as a whole, Fighter Command made the decision in early October 1941 to transfer 133 Squadron to Eglinton, near Londonderry, in Northern Ireland. There they were to have additional training and fly the unpopular, but essential, convoy patrols over the North Atlantic in order to give the unit more experience and thus make them more fit for combat over France. On 8 October 1941, the unit took off from Fowlmere for Eglinton. While letting down for a refueling stop at Andreas RAF Station on the Isle of Man, four members of 124 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

“B” flight hit a high hill and all were killed. Among those who lost their lives in this unfortunate incident, was Crowe’s friend, Hugh McCall. The time in Ireland was not pleasant for the unit with cold, rainy weather and the ever boring and dangerous convoy patrol. By the time 133 was moved to Kirton-in-Lindsey in England, on 1 January 1942, Bud Crowe had made the decision to ask for transfer back to Canada to be mustered out of the RAF. He left England in the early spring and in August 1942 resigned his commission in the RAF and returned to California. As part of the process, he accepted a commission in the US Army Air Forces reserve and he was soon called to active duty as an instructor in Texas. Shortly thereafter, he was sent to India flying C-47 transports and was there when World War II ended. Once again, Crowe returned to California and, like so many other Army Air Forces veterans, tried to find work as a pilot. He eventually got a job as an instructor at Whitman Air Park in the San Fernando Valley. But instructing was not really Bud’s cup of tea and in the early 1950s he went to Alaska to become a bush pilot. Because Crowe had no experience flying in Alaska, it was difficult to find work but he eventually got a flying job with the US Department of the Interior taking fire fighters to remote areas of the state and flying supply missions for them. He returned from Alaska in 1961, had several other flying jobs, and eventually retired in Arizona. Among his activities after retirement was restoring and flying a T-6 trainer at air shows throughout the west. He and his son also had a B-25. One of Bud’s most exciting moments was when his son took their B-25 off the deck of an aircraft carrier in 1991 as part of the reenactment of the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo. Bud Crowe presently lives in Chino Valley, Arizona.

Daley, William James RAF Number: 101457 Born: 30 November 1919, in Canadian County of Hemphill, Texas Served: 121 Squadron from 1 September 1941 to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Clerk in Blackstone Drugs, Amarillo, Texas Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942 125 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

William “Jim” Daley was a Texan through and through. He was tall, ruggedly handsome, gregarious, the life of any party, and everyone’s friend. His squadron mates reported that women found him irresistible. He had lived most of his life in Amarillo where he was a hometown hero. Jim graduated from Amarillo High School and then attended Price College for a short period of time. He transferred to Amarillo College and that is probably where he learned to fly in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. He did considerable additional flying, however, for he had about 190 hours of flying time, enough flying experience to satisfy the Clayton Knight Committee, when he went to their offices in Dallas on 19 February 1941 to join the RAF. Prior to trying to join the RAF, he had applied for the Army Aviation Cadet Program but was rejected because of poor eyesight. Amazingly, when he was tested on his physical for the RAF his eyes were perfect. In March 1941, Jim was sent to the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for refresher training. He flew 88 hours in that course and at completion, was awarded the RAF flying badge. On 27 June, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and, along with several other future Eagles—including Eric Doorly, Harold Strickland, and Fred Gamble—sailed from Montreal on board the Norwegian freighter, Olaf Fostenes. Daley arrived in Glasgow, Scotland, on 9 July and took the train to London. After getting his uniforms, Jim reported to the personnel center at Bournemouth and from there he was sent to the Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge, arriving on 14 July 1941. Daley made good progress and on 1 September he reported to 121 Squadron stationed at Kirton-in-Lindsey. When he arrived in 121, the unit was still flying Hurricane II fighters, but hardly had Daley been checked out in that airplane when they changed over to the Spitfire II, a much faster and more modern aircraft. Just a month later the unit again upgraded to Spitfire VB aircraft. The missions of the squadron were primarily convoy escort, a very boring but highly dangerous mission of orbiting shipping in the North Sea to preclude German attack. These were mixed with fighter sweeps across the English Channel into France. In December the groundwork was laid for a change to more active combat missions with the transfer of 121 to North Weald. But it takes time for a combat fighter pilot to develop and such was the case with Daley. He continued with training, convoy patrols, and 126 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

sweeps over France, which produced an occasional encounter with the Luftwaffe. The unit and Jim were coming of age however, and on 8 March 1942 Daley became one of the first members of the squadron to damage a German aircraft, in his case an ME-109. The action for 121 Squadron continued and on 24 April, Daley and LeRoy Skinner shot down a Junkers 52. Three weeks later Daley shot down yet another German aircraft, this time an FW-190 over France. On 27 May, Daley was the hero of the day as he sank a thousand-ton German minesweeper and then shot down another FW-190 for good measure. This made him one of the combat leaders of the Squadron and in June this fact was recognized by his being awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross, one of only thirty-one Eagles to receive that honor. In recognition of that achievement the citizens of Amarillo sent him a congratulatory album that many had signed. It was awarded with appropriate “honors” at the 121 officers’ mess in July. Jim was also promoted to flight officer and then to acting flight lieutenant in June. Action continued for the unit throughout the summer and in September most members of 121 Squadron, including Daley, began transferring to the US Army Air Forces. The formal ceremony actually took place on 29 September 1942, and Major William Daley, USAAF, stood as the commander of the squadron on that day. (Daley was one of only five Eagles to serve as the commander of an Eagle Squadron). He immediately assumed command of the 335th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. However, Jim did not remain in that position for long. Because of his long time in combat, he was sent home to the United States before the end of the year and subsequently returned to Europe as Deputy Commander of the 371st Fighter Bomber Group of the Ninth Air Force. On 10 September 1944, in a freak ground accident at Coulommiers, France, a P-47 aircraft went out of control on the ground and ran into Daley’s aircraft as he was taxiing. He was killed in that accident.

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Daniel, Gilmore Cecil RCAF Number: J15016 Born: 30 November 1919, in Skiatook, Oklahoma Served: 121 Squadron from 9 June to 19 August 1941, in 133 Squadron from 19 August to 28 September 1941, and in 71 Squadron from 28 September to 13 October 1941 Religious preference: Christian Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Gilmore “Danny” Daniel is a difficult person about whom to write because of the contradictions in his record and story. For example, the official record notes his birth date as 30 November 1919, but he said he altered his birth certificate and that he was really born on 30 November 1925, which would make him only fifteen years old when he began his service with the Royal Canadian Air Force. He was probably born in 1921, which would make him about nineteen when he joined the RCAF. According to Daniel’s account he was born on an Osage Indian reservation in Oklahoma and was sent off to the Oklahoma Military Academy at Claremore when he was eight years old. Danny had become convinced he wanted to be a pilot when his father had driven past a field where a barnstormer was taking people for airplane rides. Danny convinced his father that a flight was a good idea and so off he went. From that moment on he wanted to fly and spent his free time building model airplanes and yelling at airplanes that flew over his home in an effort to get the pilot to land and take him for a ride. At some point, probably after his time at Claremore, Danny went to Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa to learn how to fly. There he finally achieved his dream of becoming a pilot and logged about 150 hours of flying time. Danny apparently went to Spartan as a private student since the Clayton Knight Committee had not yet begun to recruit and Spartan was not yet an RAF Refresher Training Program site. Danny then went to Canada and on 9 December 1939 enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He was sent to basic training and on 19 July 1940 reenlisted to begin his flying training. On 22 October 1940, he reported to the 1 Service Flying Training School. The baby-faced, five-foot-eight, 140-pound youngster remained in 128 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

that assignment for about two months before reporting to 25 Service Flying Training School for advanced training. He completed that training on 4 March 1941 and was awarded his flying badge. Danny soon set sail for England. He arrived in the United Kingdom in early April 1941 and was sent to an Operational Training Unit, although that assignment is not noted on his record. At that time he was a technical sergeant, or sergeant pilot, as were most of the pilots who were in the RCAF. Unfortunately, at this point, the story again gets blurred. One account has Daniel going to 121 Squadron, then to 129 Squadron where he is credited with shooting down a JU-88 bomber. Then he was assigned to 43 Squadron where he scored a probably destroyed and from there to 257 Squadron at Coltishall where he got two more German fighters. His next assignment was to 242 Squadron where he was shot down but bailed out successfully. He then went to 133 Squadron but soon found himself in 19 Fighter Squadron where he shot down an HE-111 but was also shot down for the second time. Next it was 401 Squadron at Duxford and finally to 71 Squadron at North Weald. This claimed record differs markedly from the official record, which unfortunately is rather incomplete, but probably more accurate. It credits Daniel with no enemy aircraft destroyed and with assignments as part of the original cadre of 121 Squadron with a transfer on 19 August 1941 to 133 Squadron and on 28 September 1941 to 71 Squadron. This version of his story is given further credibility by his being appointed a pilot officer in the RCAF Special Reserve on 19 August, the same day he went into 133 Squadron. He also did not have time between his arrival in England and his assignment to 133 Squadron to do all the things with which he is credited in the first account. But both accounts of his time in the RAF agree that Danny was shot down by an ME-109 on 13 October 1941. He drifted in his dinghy for over seventy hours before he was washed up on the shores of France. He was immediately captured by a flak guncrew and taken to the hospital at Saint-Omer to treat a fractured knee and frostbite. He was then sent to Stalag Luft III at Sagan in present-day Poland, where he spent the rest of World War II as a prisoner of the Germans. Regardless of the graphic differences in the accounts of his service in the RAF, Daniel was one of the youngest members of the Eagles and one of the first to be taken prisoner. He certainly gave his all to the squadrons of 129 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

which he was a member and spent three years of his life as a POW. Daniel was part of the terrible march west from Stalag Luft III to Moosburg in the winter of 1944–45 to stay ahead of the Russians. He was liberated in April 1945 and left the RAF in 1946 with the rank of squadron leader. He subsequently joined the US Air Force and flew in the Korean War, the Middle East, and in Vietnam. Danny retired from the Air Force as a major in 1969 and became a corporation pilot for the Phillips 66 Oil Company stationed in his home state of Oklahoma. He retired in Tulsa. Daniel always enjoyed flying and, even in World War II, thought it was fun until a mission where he strafed German soldiers and saw them being killed by his bullets. As he said of that day, “That is when I realized that war is between men and it is them that are killed, not the machines.” He died in Tulsa on 4 September 1992.

Daymond, Gregory A. RAF Number: 84657 Born: November, 1920, near Great Falls, Montana Served: 71 Squadron from 7 November 1940 to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Pilot Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: September, 1942

Gregory “Gus” Daymond was one of the youngest pilots in the unit when he entered 71 Squadron at age twenty. Certainly the six-foot, 135-pound Californian didn’t look any older than a teenager and was called a “dear sweet child” by his first squadron commander. Gus came from a well-todo family and really didn’t want for anything as a young man. He began to fly when he was thirteen and got his pilot’s license when he was sixteen. He loved to fly and his father bought an airplane primarily so Gus could pursue his dream. In the late 1930s his parents took him to Europe, and there he saw the huge German dirigibles and was able to fly up and down the Rhine in one of the giant machines as well as have a tour of the craft because he was a pilot. Daymond’s ideas about Germany were probably formed by the night he spent in Munich and the disturbing actions 130 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

he saw of the fascist Brownshirts in that city. His connection with Hollywood also began about this time when his sister, a starlet, got him a job at Warner Brothers as a messenger. He subsequently got involved in flying for the famous director Howard Hawks and even went to South America as part of that position. As a side note, it was there that he met and became friends with a very attractive girl who spoke good English and did not look at all Latin. She later became known as Rita Hayworth. But Daymond’s family was both dysfunctional and wealthy and when the war began, Gus decided that he wanted to get out on his own and joining the RAF seemed like the best solution. There he could both fly and be part of a glamorous organization that was making headlines. Daymond told the author that he went to the British consulate in Los Angeles, probably in May or June 1940, and was told that the only way to join the RAF was to go to Canada. (Another account says that he was contacted by Colonel Charles Sweeny who was recruiting pilots for the RAF and through that medium went to Canada.) So Gus put on his best suit, packed a few clothes and was off on the long trip to Ottawa. There he found an RAF recruiting office and was conditionally accepted because of his over 300 hours of flying time. A check ride in a T-6 Harvard cemented the appointment and in late July or early August 1940, Daymond was off to England. On his arrival in London, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve, went to Moss Brothers Clothiers to get his uniforms, and reported to 1 Operational Training Unit to learn to fly Hurricanes. (Only the very first Eagles and a few others with special circumstances were sent to an OTU without going either to an RAF Refresher Training Program in the United States or RCAF Pilot Training in Canada.) At about the half way point of his training in the Hurricane, he was called into London and asked if he would like to be part of the initial cadre of a new RAF Squadron that was just forming that would be made up exclusively of Americans. Daymond agreed and when he completed his Hurricane training on 7 November 1940, he reported to 71 Squadron at Church Fenton as one of it’s original members. (Although Daymond was listed as one of the original cadre when the unit was announced on 8 October 1940, he was still in training at the OTU as were most other members of the new squadron.) But there was little action during the first winter as the new unit struggled with marginal leadership, poor weather, 131 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

and trying to become a proficient enough squadron to be put on operational status. It was not until 17 April 1941 that a squadron member got a shot at a German aircraft and that man was Gus Daymond. This seemed to be a portent of things to come for the young fighter pilot. He shot down his first German aircraft on 2 July and on 4 September 1941 got his fifth to make him an ace, possibly the first American to become an ace in World War II. (There is some question as to whether the first American ace was Daymond or his squadron mate, Bill Dunn. While most Eagles and the RAF say it was Daymond, the Fighter Aces Association says it was Dunn. The argument has continued for over fifty years.) For this feat, Daymond was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by King George V, at a ceremony on 4 October 1941, in Buckingham Palace, where Eagles Chesley Peterson and Carroll McColpin were similarly honored. On 17 August 1941, Daymond flew his first mission in a Spitfire so four out of his first five German aircraft were shot down while he was flying the Hurricane. The action continued for Gus and his squadron mates as 71 lead all fighter squadrons in the RAF in the number of German aircraft shot down in October and November 1941. Daymond continued with the unit as pilot after pilot either was transferred to another assignment or was killed or taken prisoner. His final aircraft shot down while in the RAF was on 27 August 1942. Earlier that month, Gus had been made the squadron commander of 71, replacing his good friend Chesley Peterson who had been the first American to command the unit. In mid-September 1942, Daymond transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a major and on 29 September was in command when 71 became the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. He was the only original member of 71 still in the unit. Daymond continued as the commander of the 334th and was responsible for the unit replacement of the Spitfire with the P-47, an aircraft that Daymond never liked. In March 1943 he became seriously ill and was returned to the United States where he was confined to Walter Reed Hospital for a number of weeks. After his discharge, he applied for an assignment back to Europe in a combat unit. Instead, he was sent to Muroc Field (now Edwards Air Force Base) to become a test and evaluation pilot. He was then sent back to Europe to evaluate certain aspects of the performance of the P-51. He flew a number of combat missions out of 132 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Foggia, Italy, and several locations in France before returning to Muroc. Daymond then served as one of the test and evaluation pilots on the first operational American jet fighter, the P-80. By the end of World War II, Daymond was burned out and decided to leave the Army but remain in the reserves. At that time he had seven enemy aircraft destroyed to his record and had been awarded a bar for his RAF Distinguished Flying Cross. Only four other Eagles earned this honor. He went back to Hollywood and became part of a group working for Paramount Pictures. However, he had a breakup with well-known producer-director Hal Wallis and left the movie business. He remained in Southern California and became the director of quality reliability for Interstate Electronics. After he retired, he moved to Newport Beach, California, where he died on 17 December 1996.

DeHaven, Ben Perry RAF Number: 116467 Born: 29 August 1916, in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky Served: 133 Squadron from 23 June to 28 July 1942 Religious preference: Christian Civilian occupation: Assistant metallurgist, Republic Steel Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 28 July 1942

Although there is no record of Ben DeHaven’s boyhood, high school or motivation for flying, he is rather unusual among his Eagle comrades since he had a college education. He graduated from the University of Kentucky in the late 1930s with a degree in metallurgy. He then went to work for the Republic Steel Corporation, but his real interest was flying, although we don’t know why since there is no record of his flying experience. Ben apparently sought out the Clayton Knight Committee in the spring of 1941, possibly in Lexington, Kentucky, to try to join the RAF. Why, we do not know since he was eligible for the Army Aviation Cadet Program. He may have tried to join aviation cadets or even been accepted and then eliminated, but the record is silent on these questions. In any case, he entered 133 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

flying training at the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on 30 July 1941 and successfully completed the course on 26 November 1941. His flying there included the Fairchild M-62, Fairchild PT-19, Stearman PT-18 and North American AT-6A. DeHaven departed Canada on 7 January 1942 along with future Eagles Cadman Padgett, Bob Priser, John Slater, Bob Smith, Dennis Smith and Gordon Whitlow, the same date he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. He arrived in England about two weeks later. DeHaven reported to the personnel center at Bournemouth on 24 January 1942, but for reasons that are not part of the record, he was admitted to the hospital on 12 February, before he had a chance to enter an Operational Training Unit. He was in and out of the hospital until late February when he was assigned to a military training unit. He completed that training in April and reported to 52 OTU at Aston Down from which he graduated in mid-June, having logged about 30 hours in the Spitfire. He reported to 133 Squadron on 23 June 1942 at Biggin Hill. A month later, on 28 July 1942, he was killed in a flying accident.

Donahue, Arthur Gerald RAF Number: 81624 Born: 19 March 1913 in Saint Charles, Minnesota Served: 71 Squadron from 20 September to 25 October 1940 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Flying instructor and mechanic, International Flying School, Laredo, Texas Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action 11 September 1942

Certainly one of the most well known Americans in the RAF at the time he became a member of 71 Squadron was Arthur Donahue. Art was born and raised on a dairy farm near Saint Charles, Minnesota. He graduated from Saint Charles High School in 1930, but it was flying rather than farming that captured his interest. He went to Max Conrad’s Flying School at Winona, Minnesota and earned his commercial pilot’s license by the time he was nineteen years old. During the last half of the 1930s, Donahue hopscotched the Midwest as a barnstormer, instructor, pilot for hire and mechanic. In 134 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

1938, he found himself in Laredo, Texas, and spent the next two years as an instructor at the International Flying School. But with the advent of World War II in Europe, Art felt he had to get involved in the fight for freedom and, since he had about 1,800 hours of flying time, volunteered for the US Army Air Corps Reserve with the idea that he could become an Army pilot. But after several months of fruitless waiting to hear from the Army, he decided to take matters into his own hands. He heard of the opportunity to go to Canada and ferry aircraft to England and on 26 June 1940 he traveled to Windsor, Ontario, produced his log book, which must have impressed everyone, took the RCAF pilot physical, and was immediately accepted into the RAF. He sailed from Montreal on a passenger liner on 7 July 1940, the same day he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Art landed in Liverpool a little over a week later. The same day as he sailed he was also assigned to 5 Operational Training Unit at Hawarden, a graphic demonstration of how desperate the British were for pilots. Because of this need for pilots, Art spent less than a month learning to fly the Hurricane and on 5 August 1940 reported to 64 Squadron flying Spitfire I aircraft. The next day, he was involved in his first combat in the Battle of Britain. Art was one of only seven Americans to fly in that historic defense of England. By the time he had been in the unit for a week, he had been in a number of aerial combats, and had hit and probably destroyed at least one German aircraft, but on 12 August, Art was shot down and badly burned. Donahue spent about six weeks in the hospital, during which time he began work on his first book, Tally-Ho, Yankee in a Spitfire, which was published by MacMillan and Co. Upon his release, Art reported to his new unit, 71 Squadron at Church Fenton, as one of the original cadre. But Donahue was not happy with the transfer. The new Eagle Squadron had neither aircraft, a full contingent of pilots, nor a mission. After just a month, Donahue applied for and was given a transfer back to his previous unit, 64 Squadron, then posted at Hornchurch. Art remained with 64 Squadron until 19 February 1941, when he was moved to 91 Squadron. In July, Donahue was promoted to flight officer and in October was transferred to Singapore to fly Hurricanes with 258 Squadron. His transit to Singapore took over a month and by the time he arrived, the colony was doomed. Donahue flew one of the last four operational fighters from the beleaguered city to Sumatra on 12 February 135 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

1942, but on 15 February he was shot in the calf while in combat with a Japanese Zero and was put on a hospital ship bound for India. He ended up in a hospital in Ceylon until 4 July 1942. During the convalescence, he wrote a second book, Last Flight from Singapore, which was about his experiences in the Far East. It was published posthumously. On 7 July 1942, he was promoted to flight lieutenant and the following month, after returning to England, he was assigned as a flight commander in his old unit, 91 Squadron. On 11 September 1942, Art shot down a German Junkers 88 over the English Channel but in that combat his radiator was hit and his engine seized. He was too low to bail out and attempted to ditch his fatally wounded aircraft. Because of terrible weather, the search vessels were delayed in going to his aid and his body was never recovered.

Doorly, Eric RAF Number: 101458 Born: 1 December 1920, in East Orange, New Jersey Served: 133 Squadron from 1 September 1941 to 6 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: College student and aircraft mechanic Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: April 1943

Eric Doorly came from a rather unusual family. His father, a newspaper editor, was British and had lived for a number of years in Barbados. Most of his family remained in Great Britain, however. His mother was an English teacher and an accomplished musician. Eric grew up in Garden City, New York, on Long Island and had always wanted to be an engineer. But this was tempered by an equally strong love of airplanes and flying. As a youth he built gliders and rubber band powered model airplanes. He also had developed a love of three things that would be important to him his entire life; classical music, reading, and golf. So as a boy, he would spend hours listening to the great masters and building airplanes. In 1938, after graduation from high school in Garden City, Eric enrolled in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, to become an engineer. But war was already on the horizon in Europe, and in the spring of 1940, near the 136 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

end of his sophomore year, Doorly enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program at Rensselaer. He was enthusiastic about the program because he could both learn to fly and be in a better position to get into the Air Corps if the war did involve the United States. That summer, Eric got a job at Safe Air Flying School at Rodel Field on Long Island. There he was able to enroll in another flying course to learn aerobatics. This proved to be the turning point for Doorly. He quit college and went to work at Safe Air as an apprentice mechanic for $15.00 a week. But by then war was raging in Europe and Doorly closely followed the daily accounts of the RAF in the Battle of Britain. He became convinced that he wanted to fly the best fighters in the world so, when he heard about the Clayton Knight Committee and an opportunity to fly for the RAF, he knew what he wanted to do. But he lacked the minimum flying requirements and it took a few months to get the required 100 hours for RAF training. He also was afraid that his parents would not give their permission for him to join the RAF so he ended up telling them he was going to ferry aircraft to England. Finally, after having obtained his parents OK, Eric was off to the Waldorf -Astoria Hotel to sign up. He was accepted and in late March reported to the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for RAF refresher training. Doorly got about 80 more hours of flying and completed the course in early June. On 27 June 1941, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England on the SS Olaf Fostenes, a Norwegian freighter. With him on the voyage were future Eagles and fellow Spartan graduates Jim Daley, Fred Gamble, LeRoy Skinner, Harold Strickland and Sam Whedon. The group arrived in Glasgow, Scotland, on 9 July 1941, and after in processing in London and at 3 Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth, Doorly was assigned to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge flying the Hurricane. On 1 September 1941, he reported to 133 Squadron at Duxford as part of the early cadre of that unit. The squadron was initially plagued with accidents and just a month after Doorly reported, and about the time he began to really feel comfortable in the Hurricane, they were sent to Eglinton, Northern Ireland, to consolidate their organization and learn to fly as an operational fighter squadron. The Hurricanes were also replaced by Spitfires. During the time in Ireland, the primary mission was the deceivingly dangerous convoy patrol along with a lot of training flights. 137 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

On 1 January 1942, the unit returned to England and was posted at Kirtonin-Lindsey. Still the action remained primarily convoy patrol over the North Sea. The winter weather of February and March kept the unit grounded a large part of the time so it wasn’t until April that Doorly really had his first taste of combat. In the ensuing months, he emerged as a very effective fighter pilot and was credited with two German aircraft damaged during the summer. His aircraft was also so badly damaged by the tail gunner on a Dornier 217 during one combat, that he had to abandon it. Fortunately, he was over England when he bailed out. But he was not so fortunate on 6 September when his Spitfire was literally shot in two by an FW-190 over France and Doorly was lucky to successfully have bailed out. During the next four months, Eric was able to evade the Germans and make his way to Spain, with the help of the underground, in a series of hair-raising adventures. He nearly died of jaundice. On the portion of his trek through Southern France and over the Pyrenees, he was joined by a fellow Eagle from 133 Squadron, Bob Smith, who had been shot down two weeks after Eric. Smith told Eric that he had been given up for dead since no one could imagine how he had been able to escape from his Spitfire. After crossing the mountains into Spain, the two fliers were separated and Doorly ended up being sent to a Spanish concentration camp in December 1942 for illegally entering Spain. Eric spent three months in the horrible conditions in the camp at Miranda de Ebro. He was finally freed thanks, in no small part, to the help of his British relatives, and returned to England via Gibraltar in April 1943. Doorly then transferred to the US Army Air Forces and returned to the United States. Eric immediately began flying P-47s with the 371st Fighter Squadron where he was reunited with another friend from 133 Squadron, Edwin Taylor. Doorly returned to Europe in the spring of 1944 and was stationed near Bournemouth on D-day. He began flying again shortly after the invasion and continued to fly from France until November 1944 when returned to the United States. Eric left the service in November 1945 after having shot down three German aircraft, damaging two others, and destroying another on the ground. He had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and five Air Medals. Eric returned to college, completed his engineering degree, and went to work for General Electric. After a number of years, he moved to the solar and gas turbine 138 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

division of International Harvester where he worked until his retirement. During these years he retained his love of golf and for a long time was a scratch golfer. Eric died in San Diego, California, on 30 November 1994. (For the complete account of Eric Doorly’s evasion experience, see Philip D. Caine Aircraft Down!, Brassey’s, Washington, DC, 1997.)

Dowling, Forrest Patty RAF Number: 100515 Born: 18 July 1916, in Dallas, Texas Served: 121 Squadron from 25 August to 28 August 1941, and in 71 Squadron from 29 August 1941 to 9 May 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Copilot, Braniff Airways Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 24 September 1942

World War I had not begun for the United States when Forrest “Pappy” Dowling was born, but he certainly gained his love of flying from the aircraft of that conflict. It was the barnstormers of the 1920s and early 1930s that got his attention and fueled his love of flight. And his commitment to flying had led to a job with Braniff Airways, which put him well on his way to a career in flight when World War II intervened. Forrest was caught up in the exploits and dedication of the pilots in the Royal Air Force as they defended their homeland in the fall of 1940, so late that year he approached the Clayton Knight Committee in Dallas for information on joining the RAF. He was a natural candidate since he was already employed as a pilot and Dowling signed up. In February of 1941 he completed a military training program at the University of Oklahoma, a unique requirement for Clayton Knight recruits, and was then sent to the RAF refresher course at Polaris Flight Academy in Glendale, California, which he completed at the end of May. On 5 June 1941, he sailed for England on the SS Bayano, having been granted a commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. There were eighteen other future Eagles on this voyage, by far the largest number to sail for England on one ship. The voyage lasted twenty-five 139 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

days, one of the longest for any future Eagles, and after signing into the RAF and getting his uniforms, Dowling reported to the Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth. His wait for his next assignment was short and on 14 July 1941 Forrest entered 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge to learn how to fly the Hurricane. On 25 August, he was assigned to 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey but just four days later he was transferred to 71 Squadron at North Weald. Three weeks after his arrival he was in one of the fiercest engagements the Eagles had yet encountered. Nearly one hundred ME-109s attacked the nine-ship RAF formation and Dowling’s plane was so badly damaged that one of his friends credited his survival to “Divine Providence.” He barely made it across the cliffs of Dover and crash-landed in an open field, hitting a dense hedgerow. He suffered a broken collarbone but it was not enough to keep him from becoming one of the first Eagles to be married when, on 1 October, he took Dinah Bisclier as his bride at the Holy Trinity Parish Church in Southall, Middlesex. A further honor for Dowling was to be one of the featured Eagles in the movie Eagle Squadron, which unfortunately did not accurately portray these heroic fighting squadrons. On 10 May 1942, he left 71 for 116 Squadron, and on 24 September 1942 he relinquished his RAF commission and transferred to the US Army Air Forces. There is no record of his assignments during the remainder of the war. Forrest Dowling survived World War II and after the war, returned to his home in Oklahoma where he became a real estate broker. It was there that he was tragically killed in an automobile accident on 3 May 1955.

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Downs, Bruce Charles RAF Number: 108631 Born: 24 June 1916, in San Angelo, Texas Served: 121 Squadron from 23 December 1941 to 24 May 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Mining engineer Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 25 September 1942

Little is known about Bruce Downs’s early life. After graduation from high school, he apparently attended college, but there is no record of where. While in college he joined the Army ROTC program. After graduation in 1937, Bruce went to work as a mining engineer. For unknown reasons, he left that profession in late 1939 and joined the National Guard. During his tenure in the Guard, he began to fly and by early 1941 had accumulated nearly 200 hours of flying time. Because of his intense interest in flying, he was no doubt one of those young men who decided that war was coming and he wanted to fly in the conflict that lay ahead. He may have tried and failed to become part of the US Army Aviation Cadet Program, but early in 1941 he heard about the Clayton Knight Committee and the opportunity to fly for the RAF at his local airport. On 24 May 1941, Bruce went to Kansas City, Missouri, to visit their representative. He passed his physical with no problem and on 29 June 1941 reported to RAF refresher training at Bakersfield, California. His instructor noted that he got off to a slow start but did well in the program and “should make a good pilot and officer.” He graduated from Bakersfield on 6 September 1941, and just three weeks later, on 27 September, departed Canada on the reliable SS Bayano as part of a contingent of nine other future Eagles. On the same day, Downs received his commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Bruce arrived in England about the end of the first week in October, and after his obligatory indoctrination into the military and the RAF at Bournemouth, he reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge on 28 October. Bruce spent less than two months learning to fly the Hurricane, and just two days before Christmas 1941 he reported to 121 Squadron at North Weald. Downs remained in that unit for five months. At the end of May 1942, he volunteered for overseas duty, as 141 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

did a number of his squadron mates, and was posted from North Weald to 126 Squadron of Fighter Command where he joined several of his former 121 Eagle Squadron mates flying out of the island of Malta. Flying in Malta was always challenging since the RAF was constantly outnumbered as they intercepted German bomber formations intent on forcing that heroic island to surrender. Life was very hard for those flying there and a three-month tour was about as long as any of the pilots could endure. Bruce was no exception, having spent a week in the hospital in July. On 2 September 1942, he was transferred from Malta to Gibraltar. There, on 25 September 1942, he transferred from the RAF to the US Army Air Forces and was shipped back to the United Kingdom. Downs apparently served in the 74th Fighter Squadron and survived World War II but there is no record of his activity following the war. He died on 7 August 1986.

Driver, William Richard RAF Number: 64869 Born: 2 April 1919, in Memphis, Tennessee Served: 71 Squadron from 14 July to 5 August 1941 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Assistant car distributor, Buick Motor Division, Memphis, Tennessee Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 5 August 1941

William Driver was one of the early American volunteers for the RAF. He grew up in the Memphis area and was an active and popular young man. He was very interested in Boy Scouts and achieved the rank of Star Scout. He also was a member of Tau Delta Tau, a prep fraternity, and the Yuletide Revelers, a Memphis social club. Buddy, as he was popularly known, was also interested in mechanical things and built model railroads. Interestingly, several of his train modeler friends were also pilots. Driver attended the Memphis schools until enrolling in Columbia Military Academy in Columbia, Tennessee. After graduating from high school, either at Columbia Military Academy or Tunica High School, Buddy went to work for Bluff City Buick Company in Memphis and then transferred to the wholesale division 142 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

of Buick Motor Company in Atlanta. Buddy’s love of things mechanical probably led him to learn to fly. He soloed in August 1939, at Mid-South Airways in Memphis and then continued to fly regularly to increase both his experience and flying time. But Driver was also concerned with events in Europe and determined that he wanted to fly if he was in the military. Since he did not have the two years of college necessary for the Aviation Cadet Program, he left his job with Buick in February 1941 and made the long trip to Toronto, Canada, to try to join the RCAF. There is a significant problem with Driver’s story at this point. His official record notes that he had over 1,100 hours of flying time when he went to Canada while local newspaper accounts say he had 135 hours. The latter figure seems more reasonable. Still, his path into the RAF was very unique. He successfully passed his RCAF physical on 3 March and was accepted for RCAF duty, probably as an instructor. But just three weeks later, on 25 March, in the company of eight other Americans who, unlike Driver, had joined the RAF through the Clayton Knight Committee, Buddy sailed for England, having been appointed to an unknown rank in the RCAF. Driver appears to be the only Eagle to take this unusual route to becoming an RAF fighter pilot. After he arrived in England, Buddy apparently transferred from the RCAF, or possibly just enlisted in the RAF, because on 9 April 1941 he was granted a commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Driver attended some advanced training during his first six weeks in England for it wasn’t until 31 May 1941 that he entered Number 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge flying the Hurricane. He did well in his operational training and just six weeks later, on 14 July 1941, reported to Number 71 Eagle Squadron at North Weald. He took his first flight with the unit on 17 July, but less than three weeks later, on 5 August 1941, he was killed at North Weald when his plane failed to come out of a dive. He was credited with having destroyed his first German aircraft just the day before. He is remembered in a memorial book at Westminster Cathedral in London. (The author wishes to thank Mr. Robert Taylor, Director of the Tunica, Mississippi Museum, for his help in preparing this biographical sketch and Ms. Sandra Atkinson, Records Supervisor, Memphis City Schools, and W. Stolz, Memphis citizen, for their help in locating Mr. Robert Taylor and the Tunica Museum.) 143 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

DuFour, John Guilbert (aka Crowley, James Jay) RAF Number: 89765 Born: 6 July 1909, in Oakland, California Served: 71 Squadron from 14 July 1941 to 3 June 1942, and in 121 Squadron from 3 June to 14 August 1942 Religious preference: Church of England Civilian occupation: Chief Dispatcher, Condor Airlines, California, 1939–1940 Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

John DuFour is an interesting case of a young man who wanted to get into the war on the British side no matter what. His father was a university president and Jim attended the University of California for three years. There is no record of why he did not complete his college education but his desire to fly was apparently such that he chose that vocation. By the time he was the chief dispatcher for Condor Airlines in 1939, he had at least 450 hours of flying time, which marked him as a very experienced pilot. His desire to get into the war and fly motivated the thirty-year-old DuFour to go to Canada in early 1940 to enlist in the RCAF. (He was too old to join the US Army Aviation Cadet Program.) He was apparently turned down for unknown reasons and returned to California. A few weeks later he returned to Canada, this time to a different location, with a new name, James Jay Crowley, and possibly some type of documentation that made him able to claim Canadian citizenship. The official RAF record notes, “Name J. J. Crowley was assumed for purposes of enlistment in Canadian Forces and to avoid domestic trouble.” The type of domestic trouble is not specified. This time he was successful and entered the Seaforth Highlanders as a private on 24 April 1940. He was immediately sent to England. His progress was rapid, for on 13 June he was promoted to acting lance corporal and then to corporal on 19 August. But his desire to fly burned stronger than ever, and in late 1940, he made contact with Charles Sweeny and learned of the option to join the RAF. Jim went to the Air Ministry in London on 5 January 1941 and applied, was accepted, and on 8 January 1941 he was discharged from the Canadian Army. The next day, 144 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve, but importantly for Crowley, his seniority date was 13 December 1940. Thus, he was one of only a handful of Americans who was commissioned directly as a pilot apparently without any type of military pilot training whatsoever. That same day, however, he was posted to 5 Service Pilot Training School where he was to remain for about five months getting instruction in single engine aircraft, instrument flying and the general realities of flying in England rather than California. On 2 June 1941, he was assigned to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge where he learned to fly the Hurricane. Just four weeks later, on 14 July Jim Crowley reported to 71 Squadron at North Weald. Crowley very rapidly became a popular squadron member and accomplished combat pilot. Along the way, he also picked up the nickname of “Gentleman Jim.” As his squadron mate Leo Nomis said, “Jim was an extremely clever pilot with a high IQ.” He also had a great sense of humor. Jim was promoted to flight officer on 9 January 1942, again with a month earlier date of seniority, so he was emerging as a leader in the young Squadron. But Crowley’s life was complicated when the love bug bit him. On 9 May 1942, he married the WAAF (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force) commander at Fort Hood Air Base, Doreen Cohen. Jim Crowley had decided that, although it would be easier to keep his false name and citizenship, it would not be fair to his new wife-to-be, so he had his name changed back to John DuFour and his American citizenship recognized effective 9 April 1942. The last missions listed for Jim Crowley in the 71 Squadron record book were on 28 April. His name never appeared in the record book again. While the RAF personnel record notes the change by simply crossing out Crowley and entering DuFour, the Eagle records continued to record him as missing as late as 1974. But “Gentleman Jim” DuFour was not missing. On 2 June 1942, John DuFour was promoted to acting flight lieutenant, because of both his proven leadership and his seniority in rank, and a day later transferred to 121 Squadron as a flight commander. On 14 August 1942, DuFour apparently went to some kind of gunnery school, which he completed in time to transfer from the RAF to the US Army Air Forces on 23 September 1942. Because of his RAF rank and experience, DuFour was transferred as a captain and became a flight commander in the 336th Squadron of the Fourth 145 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force. On 4 March 1943, DuFour became squadron commander of 336th Squadron, then flying P-47 Thunderbolts and was promoted to major. On 2 September 1943, he was transferred to Eighth Air Force Headquarters. During World War II he was credited with destroying two German aircraft, probably destroying two more and damaging one. Following World War II DuFour remained in the Air Force and was in the Korean War. “Gentleman Jim” ended his career as the Base Commander of Ent Air Force Base, Colorado. He retired as a lieutenant colonel on 31 July 1961 having accrued over 10,000 hours of flying time. He then became a school teacher in Reno, Nevada. He also continued to fly for his own enjoyment. He died on 7 October 1993 in Seminole, Florida.

Dunn, William R. RAF Number: 60510 Born: 16 November 1916, in Minneapolis, Minnesota Served: 71 Squadron from May to 27 August 1941 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Member of the Seaforth Highlanders Regiment of the British Army Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 June 1943

William “Wild Bill” Dunn was indeed an extraordinary man. During his life he was a cowboy, “broke” wild horses, flew airplanes, wrote books, painted beautiful pictures, built airplanes, was quite possibly the first American ace of World War II and served his country in three wars. His father was a medical doctor and a medical officer with a horse cavalry regiment during World War I. Amazingly, all the male members of his family from his great grandfather on were soldiers and all fought against the Germans starting in the Franco-Prussian War. Bill had his first airplane ride when he was about twelve years old, and for the two-dollar fee Dunn became hooked on aviation. His uncle had an airplane so Bill really learned to fly from him, but he also was able to get some flying time when he visited his mother and stepfather in Dallas. By the time he was fifteen years old, Dunn already had about 100 hours of flying time. As a teenager, Bill also would visit his grandparents in North Dakota where his grandfather was an Indian agent and it was there he learned to break wild horses. This eventually led to a 146 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

summer riding as a cowboy on the rodeo circuit. It was a summer of pain, sleeping wherever he could find a place, eating with uncertain regularity and making very little money. The experience was enough to convince Bill to join the Army. Of course, the recruiting sergeant led Dunn to believe that, given his flying experience, he would soon be an aviation cadet. He neglected to note that such things as two years of college were required. So in 1934, Dunn became a buck private in M Company, Third Battalion, Fourth United States Infantry Regiment. Needless to say, his pursuit of flying training was futile and in 1937 Dunn was discharged from the Army. He returned to school and in 1939 became a commercial artist in Dallas, Texas. But in September of that year, World War II began in Europe and Dunn immediately went to Canada intent on joining the Royal Canadian Air Force. He was told that the RCAF was not accepting American volunteers but he could join the Canadian Army and would probably be able to transfer into the RCAF quickly and fly. So Dunn became a member of the Seaforth Highlander’s Regiment and on 22 December 1939 sailed for England. These were times of turmoil in England and Dunn eventually found himself part of an air defense unit during the early days of the Battle of Britain. On 16 August 1940, Dunn, manning a Lewis machine gun, shot down two German Stuka dive-bombers as they attacked his base. About six weeks later, a message came to all Army and Navy units saying that anyone who had some flying experince and wanted to transfer to the Royal Air Force should apply. This was the opportunity Dunn had been waiting for since he had enlisted in the US Army in 1934 and he jumped at the chance. He padded his flying record to indicate about 560 hours rather than his actual 160 and on 13 December was accepted by the RAF and commissioned a pilot officer. While the training program for newly accepted pilots was to include Elementary Flying Training School for a couple of months, followed by an advanced Service Flying Training School and finally an Operational Training Unit, the extreme need for pilots led the British to eliminate the EFTS requirement. Thus, on 6 February 1941, Bill reported to 5 Service Flying Training School at Tern Hill to begin his training. The seven hundred horsepower Miles Master was quite a handful for Dunn who had never flown anything with more than 125 horsepower, but he succeeded and in mid-April was told he had completed the course. Since there was no OTU available, he was sent directly 147 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

to 71 Squadron based at Martlesham Heath. But the gap in his training was quickly recognized and his orders were changed the next day to 52 Hurricane OTU at Debden. After only 7 hours of flying in the Hurricane, Dunn was back at Martlesham Heath. It didn’t take long for him to feel like a very seasoned fighter pilot. One morning he took a Hurricane up for an air test after some maintenance, the engine cooling system blew out, the engine seized, and Dunn bailed out, fortunately near his home base. Actual contact with the Germans came a few weeks later, and as a German ME-109’s tracer bullets streamed by Bill’s cockpit, he realized he was in combat and someone out there was trying to kill him. Bill learned quickly, and on 2 July 1941 got the first victory of the Eagles when he shot down an ME-109, just five minutes before his squadron mate Gus Daymond did the same thing. Four days later, Bill shared credit for another German fighter with a Polish pilot. He continued on this pace and by 9 August, had four Germans to his credit. Although he was also shot down for the first time, Dunn was rescued from the English Channel and returned to his unit. The most critical day in his RAF career was 27 August, when he got his fifth German aircraft to possibly become the first American ace of World War II. (Dunn’s squadron mate Gus Daymond also laid claim to that title and the debate has continued for over fifty years without being completely resolved.) But Dunn was also seriously wounded in the melee, including having part of his right foot shot off, an event which ended his RAF flying career. Bill was returned to the United States on convalescent leave and then assigned to duty in Canada where he was promoted to flight lieutenant and given command of 130 Squadron. On 15 June 1943, Dunn transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a captain. After several assignments, he joined the 406th Fighter Squadron flying P-47s, and in March of 1944 he embarked once again for England. Bill flew in support of D-day operations but in mid-October his tour was over and he volunteered for duty in the Far East. He was credited with eight and one-half enemy aircraft destroyed, seven probably destroyed and four damaged. After leave and three months at Command and General Staff College, Dunn was sent to the Far East where he flew P-51s in the China-Burma-India Theater and, after the Japanese surrender, with the Chinese Nationalist Air Force. In January 1947, he returned to the United States. Bill then transferred to the new US Air Force and served in assignments throughout the world, 148 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

his last overseas assignment being in Vietnam. Dunn retired from the Air Force on 1 February 1968 as a lieutenant colonel and settled in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He had served in the military for thirty-eight years, in the Canadian Army, the Royal Air Force, the US Army Air Forces, and the US Air Force. He had fought in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam conflict and had flown 378 combat missions. After retirement, he became a successful author and painter, in addition to building flying replicas of historic fighter aircraft. Bill Dunn died in Colorado Springs on 14 February 1995. (For a complete biography of Bill Dunn see, William R. Dunn, Fighter Pilot: The First American Ace of World War II, University of Kentucky Press, Lexington, Kentucky, 1982.)

Durham, Joseph Ellsworth RAF Number: 61923 Born: 16 August 1915, in Fort Smith, Arkansas Served: 121 Squadron from 9 June to 23 August 1941 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Golf professional Marital status: Divorced Transfer to USAAF: 24 September 1942

Joe Durham was torn between two loves, flying and golf. As early as he could remember, he was absolutely fascinated with flying. He read the books and magazines of the time that extolled the future of aviation and he thought he had to be a part of that. If there was any doubt, his first flight—on his sixteenth birthday—cemented this love. It was a clear, moonlit night and the Ford Trimotor took him over Fort Smith and he could not believe how beautiful it all was. And then he got a chance to actually fly the big plane for a little while and “my decision to become a pilot at all costs was solidly set at that time.” Still, golf was his real passion and he pursued it with a vengeance as he was growing up. After graduating from high school, Joe went to college and by the time he was twenty he was known throughout Arkansas for his golfing ability. The golf-flying conflict was evident once again when he enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program and really learned 149 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

how to fly. But when it looked like flying would win out, he found that at six feet, four inches he was too tall for any of the military Aviation Cadet Programs. So, after two years of college, he decided that golf was his future. At twenty-one, he dropped out of college and became a professional golfer. But as Joe saw the clouds of war towering over Europe, he decided that he had better act or, if the United States got involved, he would spend the war on the ground. Golf moved to second place, and in the fall of 1940 Durham went to Dallas and talked to the Clayton Knight Committee representative in the Baker Hotel. When he found out that his 60 hours of flying was not enough experience, he altered his log book to indicate 300 hours, went back to Dallas for a second visit with the Clayton Knight Committee and, probably because he was interviewed by a different person, was accepted for training. Joe was sent to Dallas Aviation School at Love Field in late November 1940 for a flying refresher course. He apparently did not impress his instructor who, at the end of the course, advised Durham to go home because everyone in Europe could fly better than he could and he would surely be killed if he went into the RAF. Joe persisted nonetheless, and on 24 February 1941 he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and set sail for England, along with eleven other future Eagle Squadron members, five of whom were his classmates from Dallas. Just two weeks later, he found himself at 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge, taking his first flight in a Hurricane. Like a number of his American comrades, rather than having the about 350 hours of flying time noted in his record, Durham had more like 100 hours so the Hurricane was a handful, especially given the tight quarters provided for his six-foot, four-inch frame in the small cockpit. All went smoothly, however, and as Durham later said it was “pure joy I experienced after I had slipped into the air and then landed smoothly after a wide circle of the field.” Still, all did not go smoothly, as his instructor at Dallas had predicted, and Durham was transferred from the OTU to another refresher school at the end of March. On 19 April he was back at 56 OTU, which he successfully completed, and on 9 June 1941 he reported to 121 Squadron as part of the original cadre. For unspecified reasons, however, he left the unit on 23 August 1941 and entered multi-engine training. At the completion of that training, he was sent to single-engine instructor school, which he completed on 14 December. Joe continued as an instructor until his transfer from the RAF to the US 150 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Army Air Forces on 24 September 1942. He was assigned to the 82nd FighterBomber Group flying P-38s and saw action in North Africa. He subsequently flew both the P-47 and the P-51. Durham survived World War II and left the US Army Air Forces in October 1946 as a major because problems with his eyes precluded his staying on flying status. During his time in the RAF and the USAAF he was credited with two German aircraft destroyed, two others probably destroyed and four damaged. Joe then returned to his other passion, golf. He moved to Los Angeles, California, where he eventually managed the city’s thirteen golf courses. He retired in 1975 and returned to Fort Smith. He died there on 19 August 1991.

Edner, Selden Raymond RAF Number: 64860 Born: 26 January 1919, in Fergus Falls, Minnesota Served: 121 Squadron from 2 June 1941 until 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: Student at San Jose State College Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

When Selden “Sel” Edner reported to the Clayton Knight Committee in Oakland, California, in November 1940, the Battle of Britain had just ended and the RAF pilots were the heroes of the day. Although he was born in Minnesota, his family moved quite early to San Jose, California, so Edner grew up with aviation all around him. After attending elementary and high school in San Jose, the always popular Sel entered San Jose State College and, by the time he finished his education in 1939, had decided that flying was his future. Interestingly, future Eagles Fred Almos and Malta Stepp were at San Jose State at the same time. By the end of 1940, Edner had acquired nearly 500 hours of flying time and earned his commercial pilot’s license. But because he was six feet, six inches tall he could not qualify for the US Army Air Corps and so had resigned himself to having no future in military aviation, until he heard about the Clayton Knight Committee. 151 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Late 1940, Sel went to Oakland and visited their offices. He was eagerly accepted because of his flying experience. Edner easily passed the RAF physical and was sent almost immediately to the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for refresher training. On 25 March 1941, along with seven other future Eagles, newly commissioned RAF Pilot Officer Edner left Canada for the long voyage to England and his duties as a fighter pilot. After the usual issue of uniforms in London and in processing at Uxbridge, Sel was sent to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. On 2 June 1941, he reported to the newly formed 121 Squadron, then stationed at Kirton-in-Lindsey, as a member of the first cadre of pilots flying Hawker Hurricanes. Just two months later, on 8 August 1941, Edner and his squadron mate Jack Mooney, engaged in the unit’s first combat when they destroyed a German Junkers 88. Another first for Sel occurred on 15 October when he became the first member of his squadron to get married. He wed Helen Ann Young at Dunkeld Cathedral in Perth, Scotland. Sel continued to be at the forefront of the action throughout his more than fifteen months in 121 Squadron. For example, on 31 July 1941 he destroyed two German planes, while on 19 August, during the famous support of the Canadians at Dieppe, he destroyed another. He was also credited with halting a German freight train, which was subsequently destroyed, by repeated strafing of the locomotive. During his time in the RAF, Edner accounted for five German aircraft destroyed and one probably destroyed, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. On 16 September 1942, Edner relinquished his commission in the RAF and became an officer in the US Army Air Forces. He continued to fly with the Fourth Fighter Group, first in Spitfires, then P-47s and finally P-51s. It was in the latter aircraft that Edner was shot down on 8 March 1944 and became a prisoner of war. After World War II, Edner remained in the Air Force. In 1949, as a lieutenant colonel, he was stationed in Greece as part of the Military Assistance and Advisory Group. He apparently was kidnapped by Greek soldiers or guerrilla forces involved in the Greek Civil War and subsequently killed on 22 January 1949. (The author thanks Valerie Almos for providing some of the information in this biographical sketch.)

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Edwards, Wilson Victor RAF Number: 103477 Born: 19 July 1918, in Los Angeles, California Served: 133 Squadron from 16 October 1941 to July 1942 Civilian occupation: Student at Santa Monica City College, California Religious preference: Protestant Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 26 September 1942

Wilson “Bill” Edwards was a good looking, dynamic young man who was popular with all the people he met. While he was born in California, he spent his boyhood years in Arizona. He was an all-around student in high school in Winslow, Arizona, and after graduation, decided to go back to California to attend Santa Monica City College. But the war in Europe changed any plans Bill had for the future. He had been interested in flying ever since he visited his brother-in-law in Wichita, Kansas, where he had learned to fly at the Hart Flying Service. At Santa Monica City College he enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program and got over 35 hours of flying experience to boost his total to about 55 hours. His love of flying, his concern for the plight of the British, and the ominous signs that the United States would soon be in the war drove Edwards to try to join the Army Aviation Cadet Program after finishing the required two years of college. He took the cadet exams at March Field in Riverside, California, and although he passed the written exams he failed the physical exam because he had two teeth missing. Having failed in his dream of becoming an Air Corps pilot, Bill took a job with the Federal Aviation Authority as a mechanical engineer—his major in college. While at Santa Monica he had heard of the Clayton Knight Committee but not given the RAF serious consideration. But after failing to qualify for the Army Air Corps, and driven by the desire to ensure that he could fly rather than fight on the ground, Edwards went to the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel and visited the Clayton Knight Committee in October of 1940. There he was greeted by a very attractive lady, Ernistine Willingham, who apparently took pity on him because of his unsuccessful effort to join the Aviation Cadet Program. Although he had only about 55 153 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

hours of flying time, far less than the Clayton Knight requirements, she arranged for him to take a flight check, and after a return to March Field for an RAF physical that he easily passed, he was accepted. However, there was an unexpected delay before Bill was sent to RAF refresher training and he did not arrive at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, until late February or early March 1941. He completed his training in July, and after a short leave, he was off to Canada and the first portion of his journey to Europe. On 4 August 1941, along with two of his Spartan classmates and future Eagles, William Wallace and Charles Cook, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England. On 21 August Edwards landed in Glasgow, Scotland. The three buddies took the train to London where they were sworn into the RAF at the Air Ministry and visited Moss Brothers Clothiers to get their RAF uniforms. Edwards and his friends remained in London for a few days and then were put on a train to go directly to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. (The three apparently did all the necessary paperwork at the Air Ministry and never went to the Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth. In this regard they were unique since most processing was done at Bournemouth.) On 16 October 1941, after 56 hours of training in the Hurricane, Edwards was sent to 133 Squadron, which had just moved to Eglinton, Northern Ireland. None of the members of the unit were happy with the dreary weather or the boredom of flying the very dangerous convoy patrol over the North Sea. But in the months to come, they came to appreciate the valuable experience they received in operational flying as well as flying in terrible weather. On New Years Day 1942, 133 Squadron was sent back to England and posted at Kirton-in-Lindsey. There they continued to be hampered by bad weather and it was not until March that the unit was able to really resume a full flying schedule. As luck would have it, a month later Edwards became seriously ill with spinal meningitis and was moved to an RAF hospital where he remained until July. Still weak from his ordeal, Bill did not return to 133 Squadron but was assigned to 616 Squadron at Hounslaw to get current in his flying once again. He remained there until 26 September when he transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a first lieutenant. That same day, he was assigned to the staff of Headquarters, Eighth Air Force. Edwards 154 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

remained at the Headquarters until January 1944 when he was sent to be the operations officer of a new Operational Training Unit for P-38 and P-51 transition. Five months later, in June he was posted to the Fourth Fighter Group at Debden. He subsequently led the 336th Fighter Squadron, formerly 133 Squadron of the RAF, the unit to which he had first been assigned when he arrived in England. Ironically, Edwards had been one of the first members of 133 Squadron and was the last Eagle to lead a squadron in the Fourth Fighter Group. His tenure with the Fourth was brief, for on 13 July 1944 his P-51 was hit by anti-aircraft fire at 28,000 feet over Stuttgart, Germany. Bill was able to bail out but was captured and remained in the German prison camp, Stalag Luft I, for the remainder of the war. After being liberated, Bill returned to the United States on a hospital ship and decided to remain in the Army Air Forces and then the US Air Force, so he could continue a career in flying. He was first assigned to Randolph Field, Texas, and then began a career that took him literally all over the world. Among his assignments were Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, as a squadron commander; the Air Force Fighter Gunnery School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada; Director of Operations at Hamilton Air Force Base, California: a member of the Military Assistance Group to Yugoslavia from 1951 to 1953, military advisor to British Lord Mountbatten in Malta; three tours in Germany and one in France. He ended his career as Director of Maintenance at McCord Air Force Base, Washington, where he was medically retired in 1968. He then moved to Colorado Springs, where he was in the city planning department until 1972. But travel was in Bill’s blood and he spent the next three years in Saudi Arabia, followed by a year working on the DEW line radar defense system in Northern Canada. In 1976, he returned to the Middle East, this time to Yeman, where he remained until 1980 working on the placement of aviation navigation aids in that country’s airports. Edwards then returned to Colorado Springs, where he began another career as a flight instructor. Over the years, he taught over two hundred people to fly, among them a number of cadets and graduates from the Air Force Academy. In 2001, he was inducted into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame. Bill and his wife Barbara live in Colorado Springs.

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Eichar, Grant Eugene RCAF Number: J15650 Born: 20 April 1915, in Marshalltown, Iowa Served: 133 Squadron from 18 February to 31 July 1942 Religious preference: Episcopalian Civilian occupation: Employed by McGraw Electric Company, Elgin, Illinois Marital status: Divorced Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 31 July 1942

Grant “Ike” Eichar was a great grandson of Ulysses Grant and was always very patriotic, so he was extremely concerned with the expansion of Germany in the late 1930s. During his high school days in Elgin, Illinois, he was an excellent athlete, an Eagle Scout, and was named the American Legion “Boy of the Year” for courage, honor, leadership, service, and scholarship. After graduation he went to work for McGraw Electric Company in Elgin, but the sense of duty that he demonstrated in high school led Eichar to repeatedly try to join the US Army Air Corps. Unfortunately, he was always turned down because he lacked the necessary two years of college. When all the American avenues for becoming a pilot seemed closed, he made the journey to Toronto, Canada, in April 1941 and enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Eichar went through the RCAF military and pilot training program, including the Elementary Flying and Service Flying Training schools, and was appointed a sergeant pilot upon graduation in late 1941. While his record does not indicate when he sailed for England, newspaper articles note he sailed in late 1941, probably December. After his arrival in England, he was sent to the reception center at Bournemouth and then to an Operational Training Unit where he flew the Hurricane. Grant completed that training, and on 18 February 1942 joined 133 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey. The assignment brought a new challenge to Grant, changing to the Spitfire. He took his first flight in that aircraft in late February and found it to be a wonderful airplane. There was little action for the unit during March and into early April because of the weather, which helped new pilots, such as Eicher, gain valuable flying experience in the Spitfire and learn the combat tactics used by the unit. By the end of April, the squadron was flying regular scrambles, convoy patrols and escort missions. 156 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

On 11 May, the squadron moved to Biggin Hill, a base in 11 Group, and the area of England that had the most action against the Luftwaffe. There they were equipped with the Spitfire VB, which was armed with cannons rather than machine guns. On 22 June, Eichar, along with his squadron mate Spike Miley, was promoted from sergeant pilot to pilot officer in the RCAF Special Reserve. Just five weeks later, on 31 July 1942, during one of the most intense days of air action that the third Eagle Squadron had seen, Grant Eichar was shot down over France and killed, along with fellow Eagles Carter Harp and Coburn King. He was remembered as a quiet guy with an easy sense of humor. Said his roommate, “He was good fun.”

Ellington, Paul M. RAF Number: 115967 Born: 31 May 1920, in Tulsa, Oklahoma Served: 121 Squadron from 18 August to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: US Army Air Corps aviation cadet Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 25 September 1942

When Paul Ellington visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, in August 1941, he was a pretty discouraged young man. Just eight months before, he had joined the US Army Aviation Cadet Program and had completed both his primary training at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, and his basic training at Randolph Field with no apparent difficulty. Much to his surprise and disappointment, shortly after he arrived at Craig Army Air Corps Base, he was eliminated for flying deficiency. Paul could certainly see that the United States would soon be involved in the war and now wanted desperately to fly. Ellington had a considerable amount of military training at Oklahoma Military Academy, the junior college from which he had graduated in May 1940. His plan had been to then go to Oklahoma A&M to study engineering. However, the more he heard about the war in Europe and the more convinced he became that the United States would soon be involved, 157 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

the more he thought that flying would be the way to go. He applied to the US Army Aviation Cadet Program, and after what seemed like an eternity, he was accepted. But now he was wondering what the Clayton Knight Committee would think of his having been eliminated from pilot training even though he had nearly 200 hours of flying time. Paul had no need to worry because the RAF was impressed with his record and he was accepted on the spot. Amazingly, within a few weeks he found himself back at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, but this time in the RAF Refresher Training Program. He finished his training in November, and in early December 1941 was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England on the Dominion Monarch, a 28,000 ton British vessel. The trip, according to Ellington, was delightful. The accommodations and food were superb and he enjoyed himself immensely as part of a small convoy. But the reality of war came rapidly when the ship arrived in Liverpool and anchored in the middle of a minefield. That night the city was bombed by the Germans and suddenly Paul knew that there really was a war going on and he was right in the middle of it. The following day he boarded a train for London, went to the Air Ministry, then Moss Brothers Clothiers to get his uniforms, to the Eagle Club for a hamburger and a Coke and boarded a train for 3 Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth. Paul had been recommended for fighters while at Spartan and so was confident that was where he would be assigned. Thus he was flabbergasted when his first assignment was not to a fighter Operational Training Unit but rather to the training depot at Wolvershampton, near Bristol, to learn drill and military courtesies. He also qualified on pistols, machine guns and unarmed combat. Because the OTU system was saturated, Ellington was then sent to an advanced flying training school at Lavington. There he flew about 10 hours in the Miles Master and the Hurricane. Finally, in late March or early April, he reported to 58 Operational Training Unit at Grangemouth, Scotland, to learn to fly the Spitfire. On his first flight, Ellington knew he was flying the best airplane in the world because it was so easy to fly and so responsive to his every move of the controls. Ellington completed the OTU and was assigned to 121 Squadron at Southend-on-Sea. He arrived on 16 August 1942, the day before the biggest operation thus far in the unit’s history, supporting the Canadian reconnaissance-in-force at Dieppe on the 158 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

coast of France. Ellington said, “I just stood around in shocked amazement at all the comings and goings, the tired and shot-up birds and so on. The old hands earned their sale that day.” It was about two weeks before Paul flew his first combat sortie, a shipping reconnaissance mission. He continued to fly with the more experienced members of the unit and, while he was exposed to some flak, he did not have any interaction with enemy aircraft while he was an Eagle. Only four weeks after he flew that first mission, he went to London and on 25 September 1942 transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. Four days later, on 29 September 1942, Paul stood in formation with rest of his Eagle comrades as they formally became the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force and Ellington a member of the 335th Fighter Squadron. Paul initially flew Spitfires with US markings but in early 1943 transitioned to the P-47. It was in that aircraft that he shot down his only German of World War II on 31 January 1944. Shortly after that, the Fourth finished its transition into the P-51, an airplane that Ellington thought was the best propeller driven fighter ever constructed. By that time he had become a leader in the squadron, and on 4 March 1944 he was a flight leader on the 335th’s first bomber escort mission to Berlin. On the way back from the target, the unit encountered light flak and Ellington was hit badly enough that he had to crash-land near the Dutch coast. He was able to evade for about a day but then was turned in to the Germans by two young men and he spent the remainder of World War II at Stalag Luft I, a German POW camp at Barth in Northern Germany. After being liberated in April 1945, Ellington returned to the United States. He was separated from the Army at Camp Chaffee in September 1945. His first job was as a flight instructor at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, where he had been both an Army aviation cadet and then at the RAF Refresher Training Program nearly four years earlier. He then returned to college at the University of Tulsa. A job with Skelly Oil Company as a corporate pilot followed, but after four or five years, Paul decided he wanted to really use his education so he transferred to the petroleum exploration division and moved to Wyoming and then to Denver, Colorado. In 1977, Skelly merged with Gay Oil Company to form Mission Oil Company, and Paul moved to Lafayette, Louisiana. In 1982, he retired and moved to Slidell, Louisiana, where he lived until his death on 29 June 2001. 159 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Evans, Jack E. RCAF Number: R98138 Born: Day unknown, 1921, city unknown, Ohio Served: 71 Squadron from 30 May to 27 August 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 27 August 1942

Because his official record is not available, little is known about Jack Evans. He apparently went from his home in Ohio to Canada in April or May of 1941 to join the RCAF. It is fairly safe to say that, like most Eagles, he wanted to fly the best fighters in the world and also wanted to fly in the war that he was sure was coming to the United States. We don’t know how Jack got interested in aviation and how much flying experience, if any, he had. He probably completed pilot training in Canada in February 1942, was awarded his flying badge, appointed a sergeant pilot, and departed for England. After arriving in the United Kingdom, he reported to the personnel center at Bournemouth and was assigned to an Operational Training Unit in March 1942 to learn to fly the Spitfire. Jack completed that training in May and on 30 May 1942 reported to 71 Squadron at Debden. This was a period of high activity for the unit and they were flying almost daily missions over France and Belgium as well as escort duty for various kinds of bombers. On 27 August 1942, Jack Evans was part of a large-scale combined fighter and bomber operation that was designed to bring German fighters into action. Over the French city of Saint-Omer, he was shot down and killed.

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Evans, Roy William RAF Number: 108632 Born: 20 August 1914, in Carthage, Missouri Served: 121 Squadron from 23 December 1941 to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: First Christian Church Civilian occupation: Locomotive Fireman, Santa Fe Railroad Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 24 September 1942

Roy Evans had a particularly warm spot in his heart for the British from the time he was a young boy. His mother and father divorced when he was six or seven years old and his mother moved the family to Santa Rosa, California. The family found themselves in very difficult circumstances and were taken in by an English couple who had a ranch outside of town. It was there that Roy grew up, and in the process he came to believe that he owed them a debt that he could never repay. Roy was apparently on his own fairly early, and in 1930 and 1931 he was enrolled in the Civilian Military Training Corps in Monterey, California, where he learned military discipline and how to handle firearms. He graduated from San Bernardino High School where the six-foot, one hundred and eighty pound Evans played football. Roy then went to work for the Santa Fe Railroad. In 1936, he moved from line work to engine service and became a locomotive fireman. At the same time he went to a local junior college and also learned to fly, possibly in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. As the war clouds gathered in Europe, Evans believed that he needed to go to England and help repay his debt. He tried to enlist in the US Army Aviation Cadet Program, but did not have the required two years of college. After trying to go to Canada to join the RCAF but being turned back at the border, Roy learned of the Clayton Knight Committee. He apparently visited their offices at the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel sometime in early 1941. He passed his RAF physical in Pasadena, California, on 4 April and was declared fit for the RAF. He reported 185 hours of flying time. On 15 May 1941, Roy arrived at the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to begin his RAF refresher training. He graduated on 4 September after having flown about 100 hours in the Fairchild M-62, Fairchild 24, 161 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Fairchild PT-19, North American AT-6 and Spartan Executive. He also had 10.5 hours of Link trainer time. While at Spartan, he was paid $2.55 per day, and upon completing the course he was given a Pullman and chair car rail fare to Ottawa, Canada. Evans departed Halifax on 27 September 1941 aboard the SS Bayano along with nine other future Eagles. That same day he was appointed a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. His ship arrived in the United Kingdom in early October. As was the norm, Roy went to Moss Brothers Clothiers in London for his uniforms and on 15 October he reported to the Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth. He was there for about a week, during which time he was given his choice of the type of aircraft he wanted to fly. This was very unusual since most of the Eagles knew they were going to fly fighters well before they arrived at Bournemouth. So Roy picked fighters and on 28 October 1941 he reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly the Hurricane. Evans was there about two months and was again given his choice of assignments. He picked going to Singapore both first and second and going to a fighter squadron in the United Kingdom third. Not surprisingly, he got his third choice and on 23 December 1941 he joined 121 Squadron at North Weald flying Spitfires. While there was some sporadic action during the next few months, the unit often was grounded for weather so it was not until the spring that the action really began. The primary mission was escorting bombers on their raids on targets in France. Unfortunately, Roy entered the hospital on 10 March 1942 after being injured and was not released to return to flying until 18 June. Thus he missed most of the unit’s springtime action. But the summer was full of flying and encounters with the Germans as well, and Roy rapidly learned to be a dependable and very effective fighter pilot. On 24 September 1942, Evans transferred to the US Army Air Forces and on 29 September became a member of the 335th Fighter Squadron in the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. The unit continued to fly Spitfires and on 20 November, Evans destroyed his first enemy aircraft. Roy transitioned into the P-47 in early 1943 and in the ensuing months shot down four more German aircraft to become an ace. In February 1944, Evans was rotated back to the United States for leave since he had been in an active combat unit for more than two years. He was nearly killed before leaving England on this rotation when the hotel in which he and former fellow Eagle LeRoy Gover were staying in London 162 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

was bombed. Roy was not in the United States long before he again was in the skies over Europe, this time as a member and Deputy Commander of the 359th Fighter Group flying the P-51 Mustang. And his skill as a fighter pilot continued as he destroyed yet another German aircraft. But on 14 February 1945, Evans was shot down and seriously injured. He was captured and was the last person to have served in one of the Eagle Squadrons to become a prisoner of war. Evans spent his POW time in a hospital and was released in May 1945. He was returned to the United States and was again hospitalized at Norton Air Force Base, California. After his release he moved to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, the first of several assignments during his Air Force career. Roy retired from the Air Force as a colonel. He then moved to Victorville, California, where he still lives.

Fenlaw, Hilliard Sidney RAF Number: 61924 Born: 18 April 1919, in Louisville, Texas Served: 71 Squadron from 2 May to 7 September 1941 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Drugstore clerk, 1939; mechanic, US Army Air Corps, 1940 Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 7 September 1941

There is little in the official record about Hilliard Fenlaw’s early life. It is safe to assume that he learned to fly relatively early and was certain that if the United States were to become involved in the war in Europe, he wanted to fly. Shortly after graduation from high school, he took a job as a clerk in a Dallas drugstore. He is then listed as having served as a mechanic in the US Army Air Corps in 1940. This seems highly unlikely since he would have had to join the Army for a three or four year tour for such a job and Hilliard reported to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee on 19 November 1940 to volunteer for duty in the RAF. At that time he had about 70 hours of solo and 50 hours of dual flying time, which would indicate that he had done quite a little flying in the two or three years 163 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

since he was old enough to have a license. Hilliard was accepted into RAF refresher training and reported to Polaris Flight Academy at Lancaster, California. He completed that program in early February 1941. Fenlaw was commissioned in the RAF Volunteer Reserve as a pilot officer and sailed for England on 24 February 1941, along with eleven other future Eagles including three from Polaris. Upon arrival in England he was assigned to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge where he flew the Hurricane. He completed that training on 23 April and was assigned to 111 Squadron. Just ten days later, on 2 May 1941, Fenlaw was reassigned to 71 Squadron, joining the unit at Martlesham Heath and flying the Hurricane. Hilliard soon met the girl of his dreams and on 21 August 1941 he was married to Jean Barbara Henwell in the Parish Church, Gaywood, King’s Lynn, Norfolk. About this time, 71 Squadron also made the transition into the Spitfire. Just a little over two weeks later, on 7 September, while flying as part of a three squadron sweep over France, the first for 71 in their new Spitfires, newlywed Hilliard Fenlaw was shot down in combat and tragically killed. During his short time with the Eagles, he accounted for one German aircraft damaged and one possibly destroyed.

Fessler, Morris Wilbur RAF Number: 88385 Born: 8 May 1913, in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin Served: 71 Squadron from 12 July to 27 October 1941 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Electric arc and gas welder; pilot Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Morris “Jack” Fessler was one of the last American pilots recruited for the RAF by the Sweeny organization. Although Colonel Charles Sweeny had gone back to England in the summer of 1940, the remnants of his organization were still recruiting a few candidates and Fessler, who was in airline pilot training with United Airlines at Oakland, California, was one of them. He and a good friend saw an ad in the Oakland newspaper about 164 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

opportunities to fly with the RAF and decided to see what it was all about. But flying had not always been Fessler’s vocation. After he finished high school, he embarked on a career as a gas and electric arc welder. At some point, his family had moved to Northern California and it was there that Jack also become interested in flying. During the mid-1930s he learned to fly, and by 1939 Fessler had decided that a flying career was what he really wanted so he entered the United Airlines training program. According to Jack, the event that made him consider joining the RAF “was the historical conditions occurring at the time France fell, Europe fell, Dunkirk was going, and the Battle of Britain was on.” His friend, Frans Stock, who became an RCAF bomber pilot, may also have influenced Jack since he had gone to school at Cambridge. In any case, the six-foot-three Fessler answered the newspaper ad and went to meet with Clyde Pangborn, a famous American flyer, at the Livingstone Hotel in Oakland in September 1940. He was accepted because of his approximately 200 hours of flying time and given instructions to Ottawa, Canada, where he would be given a check flight. Fessler drove to Canada, passed his forty-five-minute check ride on 23 October, sold his car to his friend Frans, and then took the train to Montreal where he boarded the Duchess of Atholl for the voyage to England. He sailed on 2 November 1940 and that same day was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. About ten days later Jack arrived in war-torn London and reported to the Air Ministry for assignment. But Fessler was far from ready to join an operational fighter squadron and on 4 December 1940 he began training at 5 Service Flying Training School. The program there included a refresher of the basics of flying, instruments, formation, and gunnery training, as well as courses on such subjects as tactics. He completed that course on 14 April 1941 and was sent to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge where he learned to fly the Hurricane. Because he had more flying experience than most of those in training he remained at the OTU as in instructor for one class and finally reported to 71 Squadron at North Weald on 12 July 1941. By that time, the inordinate amount of publicity that had originally been accorded the squadron had ended and the unit members were focused on their role in the air war. They also did not continue to fly the Hurricane for long. In August the Hurricanes were exchanged for the Spitfire IIA, which were exchanged just a month later 165 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

for the Spitfire VB, which had cannons instead of machine guns. Because of his experience and acknowledged flying skill, Jack was a member of the first Spitfire mission flown by the Eagles. During the summer and fall of 1941, the squadron and Fessler were in the thick of the action. He destroyed two German aircraft, probably destroyed another, and damaged two, which made him one of the leaders in the squadron in a very short time. But Jack’s productivity was not to last. Very early in the morning of 27 October 1941, he departed on a “rhubarb” mission (two aircraft strafing trucks, trains, or any other likely target in France). He crossed the French coast just outside of Boulogne and came across a large freight train. Fessler and his wingman, Wally Tribken, strafed the locomotive but it didn’t blow up. Fessler continued his attack, getting lower and lower and just as he pulled up over the train, the locomotive exploded and the debris got into the oil cooler and glycol cooler of his Spitfire. Fessler knew he had about a minute and a half before his engine would overheat and either freeze up or catch fire so he crash-landed in a plowed field. He lit his aircraft on fire and then spent the rest of the day evading his German pursuers. When they gave up late in the afternoon, Fessler found a good hiding place near a farmhouse. But by about eleven o’clock in the evening he realized he needed help, for he had no food or water, so he knocked on the door. The farmer took him in, gave him some soup and wine, but then explained to him—using sign language and a few English words—that the family would be shot if the Germans found they had aided him. Fessler did not want the family killed because of him, so he agreed to give himself up. He was taken prisoner six weeks before the United States entered the war and he spent the rest of World War II in Stalag Luft III, a prison camp near Sagan in what is now Poland. Because he was a POW, Fessler never transferred to the US Army Air Forces, so when he was released in April 1945 he was flight lieutenant in the RAF. Fessler returned to the United States on leave and visited United Airlines to ask about his future. Because he had been a fighter pilot, Jack was told that he needed to get both two- and four-engine experience if he was going to fly for United. Fessler returned to England and began learning to fly multi-engine aircraft. After he completed his four-engine training, he flew RAF transports for a year in the Middle East and India. 166 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

On 21 September 1946, he resigned his commission in the RAF and returned to the United States to fly for United. He continued to fly for them until the 1970s, when he retired in California. Morris Fessler died on 4 August 1992. (The author thanks Mrs. Christine Fessler, widow of Morris Fessler, for her help with this biographical sketch.)

Fetrow, Gene Bailey RAF Number: 113977 Born: 28 August 1918, in Torrance, California Served: 121 Squadron from 24 February to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Inspector, Douglas Aircraft Corporation, Santa Monica, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

Gene Fetrow was a real California guy. He was born there and lived in California most of his life. He grew up in Torrance where he graduated from high school. Gene was a popular young man and a very good athlete in high school but his real vocation of choice was flying. He had begun building model airplanes as soon as he was old enough to figure out the plans and his mother remembered going to Bullock’s in Los Angeles to get silk to cover the models. Gene continued to build and fly model airplanes his entire life. By the time he was twelve years old, he was mowing lawns and working about any other job he could get so he could earn money to take a flying lesson, for which he would have to sneak out of the house since his parents didn’t approve of him doing such a dangerous thing as flying. His efforts were successful and when he was sixteen he had his pilot’s license. Gene also began working part time at Douglas Aircraft Company when he was still in high school and when he graduated he became a full-time employee. In 1939, he transferred to the Douglas plant in Santa Monica. He also bought a new 1939 Mercury that made him really an “All-American guy.” Always the entrepreneur, he rented his car to his friends for five dollars a night so he could pay for his own gas. 167 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

He also drove to Santa Anna on weekends to see Gloria Spoffart who, on 9 July 1943, was to became Gene’s wife for over sixty years. But war clouds were on the horizon and, although Gene had planned to go to college and was saving for that eventuality, he really wanted to fly if the United States got involved in the war, as he assumed it would. He knew that he was not eligible for the US Army Aviation Cadet Program since he lacked the required two years of college so, in order to fly the finest and fastest planes in the world, he jumped at the opportunity to join the RAF. Gene had heard about the Clayton Knight Committee at work but when he took Gloria dancing at the Rendezvous Ballroom and asked her about his idea of going into the RAF, her response was, “I’ll never speak to you again.” Despite Gloria’s threat, and his mother and grandmother being devastated by his idea, Fetrow visited the Clayton Knight Committee in the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel in the spring of 1941, carrying with him his log book reflecting his 95 hours of flight time, which he padded slightly to ensure that he would be credited with over 100 hours. He filled out the necessary paper work, and went back to work at Douglas while he awaited word about flying for the RAF. On 16 July he took the RAF flight physical in Pasadena and just two weeks later, on 29 July 1941, a telegram arrived from the Clayton Knight Committee asking him if he could report to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Glendale that day. Gene left his job on the spot, drove to Glendale and was immediately part of the training program. Fetrow did well at Glendale and graduated in early November 1941 after gaining about 75 more hours of flight experience. He was rated as an “above average pilot with excellent officer potential” He spent a short leave at home, most of it with Gloria, and then began the long trip across the United States to Ottawa and Halifax, Nova Scotia, and finally to England. On 20 November 1941, Gene was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England on the SS Emma Alexander. Also on board were future Eagles LeRoy Gover and Don Young who had trained at Bakersfield, as well as Fletcher Hancock, Joe Helgason and George Teicheira who had been with him at Polaris Flight Academy in Glendale. Although the trip was fairly uneventful, despite a couple of very rough weather days and a tanker in the convoy being sunk by a German submarine, Fetrow realized he was indeed going to war. 168 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

On 7 December 1941, Gene and his fellow pilots disembarked at Wallasey, across the river from Liverpool, and soon began the train trip to London. They arrived late in the afternoon, signed in at the Air Ministry and were given accommodations for the night at the Overseas Club. The next day, Gene was transformed from an American civilian into an RAF officer and pilot after getting his uniforms at Moss Brothers Clothiers. That afternoon he boarded the train for the resort town of Bournemouth and the RAF personnel reception center. The following week featured formations and some drill, but also social time and even a tea dance. Still, by 16 December, Fetrow and his buddies were happy to receive their orders to an Operational Training Unit where they would learn to fly the best and fastest aircraft in the world. For Gene, this meant a trip to Llantwitt Major in Wales and 53 OTU at Llandow. His first flight in a Spitfire, a few days later would always be remembered for, as Gene said, “I didn’t take the aircraft off, it took me off.” But it was the aircraft of his dreams and during the next two months he worked hard to become a good Spitfire pilot. On 24 February 1942, Fetrow completed his training and was assigned to 121 Squadron stationed at North Weald. During the ensuing months, Gene flew regularly with his squadron and rapidly earned a reputation for his ability. His most memorable flight was on 19 August when all three Eagle Squadrons flew together for the first time in support of the ill-fated Canadian invasion of France at Dieppe. During the first sortie of the day, Gene was attacked by two FW-190s and his Spitfire was soon on fire. He was unable to get his canopy free and had visions of crashing as a prisoner in his burning aircraft. Miraculously, he was able to jar the canopy lose enough for the air stream to strip it away and he was able to bail out. He landed in the English Channel and was soon picked out of the water by a British patrol boat. Unfortunately, he was listed as missing since his squadron mates had seen him go down but didn’t know he was rescued. His parents and Gloria were notified that he was missing and there were articles in the Los Angeles and Upland newspapers that amounted to a eulogy. Needless to say, his family celebrated when he sent them a cable telling them that he was all right. Less than a month later, on 16 September 1942, he transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. Fetrow was part of the formation at Debden on 29 September 1942 when the three Eagle Squadrons became the 169 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force and on 2 October he flew as a member of the 335th Fighter Squadron on the first combat mission of the Fourth. On that mission, Gene shot down his first German aircraft. Fetrow remained in the 335th until 21 June 1943, when he returned to the United States and was assigned to Rome Army Air Field, New York, as a test pilot and also married Gloria on 9 July. His assignment as a test pilot marked the end of his combat flying career. Gene had flown 200 hours of combat, destroyed one German aircraft, probably destroyed one and damaged another. He had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters. But his flying days weren’t over and during his tour as a test pilot, Fetrow flew fifty-six different airplanes, ranging from the P-51 to the B-29. Gene left the Army as a major after the war and returned to Ontario. His first undertaking was to build a house for he and Gloria. He also bought a Stinson airplane so he could continue to fly. After his house was finished, Gene stayed in the construction business for nearly twenty years. He and a friend then established a very successful firm that built bottom-dumping truck trailers. During this time he also built and flew a BG-12 sailplane. In 1985, Gene retired in Ontario, but flying was still in his blood. After he was medically disqualified from flying he began to build and fly radio controlled model airplanes; a hobby he continued for the rest of his life. A man who always had a smile on his face, Gene Fetrow died on 2 April 2004 in Ontario. (The author wishes to thank Mrs. Gloria Fetrow, widow of Gene Fetrow, for her help in preparing this biographical sketch.)

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Fink, Frank Maurice RAF Number: 88385 Born: 27 June 1918, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Served: 121 Squadron from 25 August to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

Frank Fink’s record is sparse but we do know he grew up in Philadelphia. He apparently went to college after graduation from high school and got his initial flight training in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. Frank came into the RAF through the Clayton Knight Committee probably visiting them in New York City at the Waldorf- Astoria Hotel in September or October of 1941. Frank was accepted and sent to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in November of 1941. After graduation in late March 1942, he went to Canada, was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve, and sailed for England in April 1942. Fink arrived in England in late April and was sent to the RAF personnel center at Bournemouth and then to 53 Operational Training Unit at Landow in South Wales. He arrived at 121 Squadron at Southend-on-Sea on 25 August 1942. Fink spent a very short time in 121 and probably flew only seven operational missions before he went to London and transferred to the US Army Air Forces on 23 September 1942. He was present for the transfer ceremony at Debden on 29 September 1942 and became a member of the 335th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. Fink continued to actively fly combat with that unit, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and in early 1943 checked out in the P-47 Thunderbolt. On 16 August 1943, he shared the destruction of an FW-190 with former Eagle Don Young. But on 9 September 1943, the engine on his P-47 failed and he had to bail out near Paris. He managed to evade for sometime but Frank was captured and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of the Germans in Stalag Luft III. Frank Fink was returned to the United States after being liberated in 1945 and resumed flying in 1946. While assigned to a six-week refresher training course, he was killed while flying an AT-6 near Roxbury, Pennsylvania, on 18 June 1946. 171 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Florance, David Ray RCAF Number: J15193 Born: 30 July 1919 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Served: 133 Squadron from 29 July 1941 to 19 May 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 19 May 1942

There is nothing in the official records about David Florance’s early life. He apparently moved from Canada to the United States before he graduated from high school, and in the fall of 1936 he enrolled in the University of California. He stayed there only one year. There is no record of what he did during the next three years, but on 23 August 1940 he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force and two months later began his flying training in Canada. He continued through the Elementary and Service Flying Training schools and on 21 April 1941 David he was awarded his flight badge and became a sergeant pilot. Just a month later he left Canada for England arriving on 19 May 1941. Florance immediately began his training in fighters and completed the program at an Operational Training Unit on 28 July. He then joined the newly formed 133 Squadron at Coltshall as one of the original cadre. In December of 1941, just three weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Florance married Norma Boocock in Newcastle, further expanding the ranks of Eagles who married English girls. Although David began his service with 133 Squadron as a sergeant pilot, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RCAF on 3 February 1942. In May 1942, 133 Squadron was moved from Kirton-in-Lindsey, a base in the relatively quiet 12 Group well north of London, to Biggin Hill, just outside London, in 11 Group. This move put them, for the first time, in the heat of the action. Unfortunately, it also meant more combat losses for the squadron. On 19 May 1942, David Florance became one of those casualties when he was shot down and killed on a sweep over France.

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Flynn, John RAF Number: 61956 Born: 2 February 1913, in Chicago, Illinois Served: 71 Squadron from 14 April 1941 to 27 April 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: US Treasury Department, London, England; and the US Customs Service, location unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 27 April 1942

To all of his squadron mates in 71 Squadron, John Flynn was the personification of Gary Cooper, tall and slim. Flynn was one of the pioneer Eagles. He had grown up in an atmosphere of privilege and wealth. His father was a very wealthy businessman in New York and his family estate was next door to that of famed actress Gloria Swanson. His parents were also acquainted with Henry Ford and his mother was instrumental in establishing the Henry Ford Museum. John and his brother Fred would spend their summers in the west on a ranch learning how to be “cowboys.” John was twenty-eight years old when he was commissioned in the RAF Volunteer Reserve, much older than most of the Eagles, but he was no stranger to the military. He had attended the New York Military Academy from 1925 to 1931 and held the rank of captain in the cadet corps. He had also spent four years, 1931 to 1933 and 1934 to 1936, at the University of Notre Dame. He apparently spent the one-year hiatus from Notre Dame doing a short tour in the US Army. Following his time at Notre Dame, he was with both the US Customs Service and the Treasury Department, the latter assignment in England. His official record does not indicate where or when he learned to fly, but on 8 December 1939 he enlisted in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on inactive status, apparently while still in England. Six months later, on 14 June 1940, he was mobilized. During that six-month period he apparently had some flight training. He was probably in some type of flying training program for another few months, and on 18 February 1941 John was granted a commission in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and a week later reported to 55 Operational Training Unit at Aston Down for advanced fighter training. On 14 April 1941, he 173 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

joined 71 Squadron at Martlesham Heath. The recent move of the unit from Kirton-in-Lindsey to Martlesham Heath meant that 71 Squadron was getting into the heat of the action. Just a month after he reported, John Flynn became the first member of the unit to be shot down after a spirited combat with an ME-109 during which Flynn had over 130 hits on his aircraft. Flynn survived this experience, and during the next year he became one of the most senior and respected flight commanders in the unit and also destroyed one German aircraft. On 27 April 1942, 71 Squadron was assigned to escort a flight of bombers on a raid to Saint Omer, France. The Luftwaffe scrambled an overwhelming force against the few Spitfires escorting the bombers and, in the ensuing melee, John Flynn was shot down and killed. He crashed near Watten, about five kilometers north of Saint Omer. At the time of his death, Flynn’s parents lived in the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC. His death was reported on the front page of the Washington Post. Flynn was probably shot down by Oblt. Fuelbert Zink, a pilot in Luftwaffe JG 26, flying an FW-190.

Ford, William Kenneth RAF Number: 111238 Born: 13 February 1920, in Aspermont, Texas Served: 133 Squadron from 10 March to 31 May 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 31 May 1942

William Ford is one of those members of the Eagle Squadrons about whom little is known. There is no record of what he did as a young man, where he lived, or how he learned to fly. He obviously was very interested in flying as a young man because when he visited a representative of the Clayton Knight Committee in Las Vegas, Nevada, on 5 June 1941, he had about 110 hours of dual and a like amount of solo flying experience. Ford was immediately accepted, passed his RAF physical and was sent to RAF refresher training at 174 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Bakersfield, California. He completed that program in early October 1941 and 20 October embarked on the voyage to England. That same day he was granted a commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Ford arrived in England on 8 November 1941, after a harrowing nineteen-day crossing of the Atlantic. Ten days later reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Aston Down for training in the Spitfire. He was not transferred to an active flying unit until 10 March 1942, which indicates that he may well have been kept at the OTU as an instructor for a short period of time. He was then assigned to 133 Squadron stationed at Kirton-in-Lindsey. On 7 May 1942, two weeks after Bill had made his first operational flight, 133 was posted to Biggin Hill and was almost immediately in the thick of the action against the Luftwaffe. Just three weeks later, on 31 May 1942, William Ford was part of a squadron sweep over France. During the ensuing action, he was shot down and killed.

Fox, Philip Jerome RCAF Number: R99663 Born: 15 March 1917, in New York, New York Served: 121 Squadron from 13 June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: British Purchasing Company, Larchmont, New York Marital status: Divorced Transfer to USAAF: 25 September 1942

Philip Fox is a man of many talents and many experiences. He grew up in New York and after graduating from high school at Rakskin Military Academy decided that he would join the Marine Corps. He served in the Caribbean aboard the USS New York and also spent time as a surveyor. He got out of the Marines in 1938 and decided that he wanted to become a medical doctor. Phil went to Duke University for one year but that experience convinced him that medicine would not be a good profession for him so he transferred to Peekskill Military Academy in the Hudson Valley. He was not there long before he got married, which terminated his career at Peekskill. He then took a job with the British Purchasing Company and 175 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

worked there until he decided that he wanted to fly in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Fox had no flying experience but believed that flying would be the best thing for him in the war he was sure was coming. So in February 1941, Phil went to Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. He applied for pilot training and in March, after basic training, he began flight school. His first assignment was to an Elementary Flying Training School, followed by a Service Flying Training School. Eight months later, on 4 December 1941, Phil got his wings and was appointed a sergeant pilot. He had just arrived in New York for a short leave when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Fox, who sometime between 1938 and 1941 had obtained a divorce, tried to join the Marines again but was told that since he was a member of the RCAF he was not eligible to enlist in any of the American forces. So Phil returned to Canada and embarked for England. He had a relatively smooth crossing in a small convoy and after twelve days they landed in Liverpool. Because Fox was a sergeant pilot he was given his uniforms before he left Canada. Thus his trip from Liverpool was direct to the personnel center at Bournemouth via London. After his arrival, Phil was given a series of screening tests and then assigned to fighters. Fox spent a couple of weeks at Bournemouth waiting for a space at an Operational Training Unit and, in late January, was assigned to 52 OTU in Aston Down to learn to fly the Spitfire. Phil loved that airplane from the first time he flew it and knew that volunteering for the RCAF had been the right thing to do. Fox completed OTU in early May after flying about 50 hours in all kinds of weather. He was assigned to 167 Squadron posted in northern Scotland. But he never had a flight there because the weather was so bad. In early June he was reassigned to 121 Squadron at Southend-on-Sea where he arrived on 13 June 1942. Phil’s first mission was a scramble against German E-boats being tied to English Channel markers. Typical for the unit were escort missions, convoy patrols and sweeps over the European mainland. As Fox recalled, he generally flew two or three times a week but there were exceptions. For example, on 19 August he flew five sorties in support of the reconnaissance in force against the French port of Dieppe. But with all this action, Fox never really got a shot at a German aircraft while he was in the RAF. Just a month after Dieppe, on 25 September 1942, Phil went into London and transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieuten176 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

ant. He stayed a couple of days to get new uniforms and then returned to Debden. He was part of the formation at Debden on 29 September when the three Eagle Squadrons became the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. But Phil did not remain in the 335th Fighter Squadron for long before he asked to transfer to North Africa. There he ended up in a Spitfire squadron where he shot down his first ME-109. In 1943, Fox had reached the maximum for combat missions and returned to the United States. His first assignment was at Sarasota, Florida where he served as an instructor. When the war ended, he was base operations officer in Pinellas, Florida. Fox then went to Huntsville, Alabama, where he flew aircraft to Hobbs, New Mexico, to put them in storage. Phil remained in the Air Force for the next ten years in various flying assignments but left in 1957. He then returned to college at the University of Texas and completed his engineering degree. Upon graduation he was offered a position with Westinghouse where he worked for a number of years. Interestingly, he was listed as whereabouts unknown by the Eagle Squadron Association until the mid1990s. In 1995, at an air show in Scottsdale, Arizona, he approached the author and asked where he might find the members of the Eagle Squadron Association. A long lost Eagle had been found! Phil and his wife retired in Phoenix, Arizona, where they still live.

France, Victor James RAF Number: 605369 Born: 12 December 1917, in Joplin, Missouri Served: 71 Squadron from 29 July to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Christian Civilian occupation: Advertising Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 22 September 1942

Although he was born in Missouri, the six-foot, blue-eyed, brown-haired outgoing Victor France called Dallas, Texas, home when he embarked on a career in advertising shortly before World War II began. He had attended college and played football but there is no record of his having graduated. And while there also is no information available on when he began flying, 177 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

he had 83 hours of flying time, possibly obtained through the Civilian Pilot Training Program while he was in college. During the early fall of 1941, probably because he saw the war coming and wanted to fly, he visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Dallas, Texas, and was accepted into the RAF. Vic was sent to Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California, for his RAF refresher training. While there he earned the reputation of being the unit playboy. His girl friend had a Chevrolet convertible and almost every weekend found Vic, and probably a friend or two from Polaris, hitting the road to Los Angeles and Hollywood. As one of his classmates put it, “He possessed something that drove the girls crazy.” France completed his training at Polaris in late January or early February and began the journey to Canada and England. On 7 March 1942, he was appointed a sergeant pilot in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed from Moncton, New Brunswick, for England arriving on 24 March. (While most of the young men recruited through the Clayton Knight Committee were commissioned as pilot officers, after the United States entry into World War II, the British increasingly appointed them sergeant pilots. However, most of the sergeant pilots in the Eagle Squadrons had enlisted in the RCAF.) France was immediately sent to a short basic flying program that lasted about two months and then to 55 Operational Training Unit at Annam on 19 May. He completed that phase of his training and joined 116 Squadron of Fighter Command on 29 July, but less than two weeks later, on 7 August 1942, he was transferred to 71 Squadron. France saw little action in the RAF before being transferred to the US Army Air Forces on 22 September 1942. On 29 September he became a member of the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force. He certainly made up for the lack of action in the RAF, shooting down an ME-109 on 11 December in his Spitfire, and following that victory with four more within the next three months, making Vic an ace with five German aircraft destroyed. Unfortunately, on 18 April 1944, while flying his P-51 Mustang on a mission supporting the withdrawal of B-17 bombers that had just completed a raid to Berlin, Vic France, then a captain and one of the most experienced pilots in his unit, crashed into the ground while on the tail of an ME-109 and was killed.

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Freiberg, Ralph William RAF Number: 110340 Born: 28 April 1911, in Eitzen, Minnesota Served: 121 Squadron from 27 March to 4 May 1942 Religious preference: Protestant—Evangelical Civilian occupation: Credit manager and collector, Commercial Credit Corporation, San Antonio, Texas Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 4 May 1942

Ralph Freiberg was already thirty years old, which makes him one of the older volunteers for service in the RAF, when he visited the Clayton Knight Committee on 10 June 1941 in San Antonio, Texas. At that time he was the Credit Manager and Collector at the Commercial Credit Corporation in San Antonio. Although there is no indication of why he decided to join the RAF, he was apparently quite interested in the military even before World War II enveloped Europe. He had been an ROTC cadet while attending the University of Minnesota and his record also notes some service with the US Navy Air Corps. That service, and possibly being in the Civilian Pilot Training Program at the University of Minnesota, are probably where he got most of the 115 hours of dual and 160 hours of solo flying time that he had logged by the time he volunteered for the RAF. In June 1941, Ralph was sent to the RAF flight refresher course at Bakersfield, California. After completing that training and gaining about 75 additional hours of flying experience, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England on 15 October 1941, along with his classmate at Bakersfield, Jim Taylor. Upon arrival in that war-torn country, he processed into the RAF at the Air Ministry in London, was issued his uniforms, and, after a few days at the Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth, was assigned to 55 Operational Training Unit at Usworth, which he completed in early March 1942. The length of time Freiberg spent at the OTU would indicate that he probably was retained there as an instructor for several weeks. He was assigned to 121 Squadron at North Weald on 27 March 1942. Ralph arrived just as the squadron was embarking on its most active flying period thus far in the war Photo courtesy of the University of Minnesota 1933 Gopher yearbook.

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during which it flew 740 operational missions in April alone. Unfortunately, Ralph Freiberg was shot down and killed over the English Channel on 4 May 1942, just five weeks after becoming an Eagle.

Galbraith, Charles Oliver RAF Number: 87009 Born: 26 February 1914, in Mount Vernon, Washington Served: 71 Squadron from 4 February to 17 February 1941 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Factory worker at Vultee Aircraft in Downey, California Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Charles Galbraith’s mother died when he was four years old and, because his father traveled a great deal, both he and his older brother were raised on a farm by their aunt and uncle. But Charles hated the farm and had little love for school either. So when he was still a teenager, he quit school and went to Southern California to get involved in some way with his first love, flying. Although he never went to high school, he was able to find jobs and often exchange work for flying instruction at a local airport. By the early 1930s, he had earned his pilot’s license and soon had an airplane of his own, which his niece remembers him occasionally flying to Mount Vernon for family visits. Galbraith apparently did a great deal of flying, probably instructing, giving rides, and hauling special freight while maintaining his job at Vultee Aircraft Company in Downey, California, because he had well over 500 hours of flying time by 1940. While it is not clear just how he got into the RAF, because of his flying experience he was probably recruited by a representative of the Sweeny group sometime during the summer of 1940. After agreeing to join the RAF, he was sent to Canada where he took his RAF physical in October 1940. On 17 October, Galbraith was granted a commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and shortly embarked for England. He arrived in early November and on 11 November, reported to 5 Service Flying Training School for fighter familiarization training. The 180 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

normal progression would have been to then attend an Operational Training Unit, but for unknown reasons, on 4 February 1941 he reported to 71 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey. He was obviously not ready to begin flying combat missions so Galbraith probably flew only a few training flights with the squadron. On 17 February, just two weeks after his arrival, he was reassigned to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn how to fly the Hurricane as well as the basics of combat flying. He was reassigned to 15 Operational Training Unit on 10 March where he remained until 1 June, when he was then posted to administrative flying duties at RAF Headquarters. Charles remained in supply flying duty for about six months but, with the entry of the United States into the war, he decided he wanted to fly for his home country. On 24 December 1941, he applied to resign his commission. His application was approved three days later and he returned to the United States. Galbraith then joined the US Army Air Forces and flew B-17s for the duration of the war. He remained in the Army Air Forces after the war and became part of the US Air Force from which he retired as a lieutenant colonel in the early 1960s. He then was employed as a manufacturer’s representative for the Norcrest China Company out of Portland, Oregon. He eventually retired in Seattle and died there in 1983. (The author thanks Ms. Ellen Wiegand, Charles Galbraith’s niece, for her help with this biographical sketch and Ms. Cindy Looff, secretary at Mount Vernon High School, Mount Vernon, Washington, for her persistence in locating a living relative of Charles Galbraith.)

Gallo, Tony Arthur RAF Number: 100988 Born: 3 June 1916, in Lakeville, Connecticut Served: 133 Squadron from 14 October 1941 to 23 January 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Aircraft engine tester Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

There is no record of Tony Gallo’s boyhood or how he initially became interested in flying, but by the time he visited the offices of the Clayton 181 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Knight Committee in New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel early in 1941, he had nearly 200 hours of dual flying and 250 of solo. It is safe to assume that Tony was concerned about the war in Europe, as were so many young American men, and wanted to be sure he could fly if the United States got involved. Gallo was initially sent to RAF refresher training at Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California. There he flew about 75 hours and completed the course in early June. Tony was granted a commission as pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England on 19 June 1941, along with future Eagles Lawrence Chatterton, Richard McHan, Denver Miner, and Robert Mueller. After being processed into the RAF, Tony reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Debden on 28 July 1941. But for unknown reasons he applied to resign his commission before completing the course. A short time later, on 6 September 1941, he withdrew his resignation, completed the OTU training and on 14 October 1941 joined 133 Squadron in the cold wilds of Northern Ireland at Eglinton. He apparently completed his checkout in the Spitfire there and flew primarily coastal patrol but sometime in the late fall he was given compassionate leave and returned to the United States. On 22 January 1942, Gallo reported to Ferry Command in Canada and requested transportation to the United Kingdom but it was not immediately available and he was put on excess leave status without pay. A day later his commission in the RAF was terminated because “he did not fulfill his obligation in failing to return to this country (England) by 22-1-42. The Council (that considered his case) also decided to terminate his commission in the RAFVR effective 23-1-42.” Tony Gallo then joined the US Army Air Forces and was killed in a line of duty accident in March 1943 in Texas.

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Gamble, Frederick Arvon RAF Number: 101459 Born: 3 March 1916, in Knox County, Tennessee Served: 121 Squadron from 18 October 1941 to 22 February 1942 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: News Reporter, Industrial News, Knoxville, Tennessee Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 3 May 1942

Very little is known about Fred Gamble. He apparently lived near where he was born until he joined the RAF. There is no record of when Gamble became interested in flying but he must have begun flying shortly after finishing high school to have sufficient time to qualify for the RAF. And certainly the progress of the war in Europe and the exploits of the RAF during the Battle of Britain helped him decide that he wanted to fly if the war continued to expand. Fred might well have learned of the opportunity to fly for the RAF in his job as a news reporter in Knoxville, so in early March 1941 he went to New York City and visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. His logbook noted that he had 70 hours of dual and about one hundred hours of solo experience, enough to qualify for the RAF. On 4 March 1941, he took his RAF physical in New York, as part of his application through the Clayton Knight Committee, and was accepted. Fred was sent to RAF refresher training at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in early April 1941 and completed his training in June. He was granted a commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 27 June 1941, the same day he sailed from Montreal on board the Norwegian freighter Olaf Fostenes for England. With him on that voyage were six other future Eagle Squadron members. Gamble arrived in Glasgow, Scotland, on 9 July and boarded a train for London. After processing at the Air Ministry and getting his RAF uniforms, he was sent to the personnel center at Bournemouth. On 14 July 1941, he reported to 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge to begin his training in the Hurricane. Fred’s training was interrupted by two stays in the hospital in August 183 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

and September. Nonetheless, he completed the OTU and on 18 October he joined 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey. He remained with 121 until 22 February 1942, when he volunteered to train in night fighters. Gamble completed that course on 4 March 1942 and was assigned to 116 Squadron. On 3 May 1942, he was killed in an aircraft accident at North Weald.

Geffene, Donald RAF Number: 64861 Born: 25 April 1919, in San Francisco, California Served: 121 Squadron from 2 June to 8 September 1941, and 71 Squadron from 9 September to 15 October 1941 Religious preference: Christian Science Civilian occupation: Airplane mechanic and student pilot, Alhambra Airport, Los Angeles, California Marital status: Divorced Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 5 April 1942

Don Geffene’s family moved from San Francisco to Los Angeles while he was still in school and it was there that the flying bug bit him. He had always been interested in flying but living in the nation’s flying center made his dream become reality. By the time he graduated from high school, Don knew that aviation was his future and he took a job at one of the most active airports in the area, Alhambra, as an apprentice mechanic. There were plenty of opportunities to fly and he soon had soloed and obtained his private license. But the war in Europe bothered him and he followed the course of the Battle of Britain daily. As with so many of his friends, he knew that he could not qualify for the US Army flying program but he also knew he wanted to fly if the United States became involved in the war. Fortunately for Geffene, Alhambra Airport was one of the major recruiting grounds of the Clayton Knight Committee in its effort to get pilots for the RAF. So in early December 1940, Geffene took his logbook, which reflected about 180 hours of flying time, and went to the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel to volunteer. A few days later, on 16 December, he received his acceptance. Don was assigned to the RAF Refresher School at Polaris Flight Academy and it was there he met “Red” Campbell, soon to 184 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

be a fellow Eagle pilot. Campbell described Geffene as being “an aboveaverage pilot, and an above-average ladies’ man…who loved the practical joke.” After completing the program at Polaris, during which he accumulated another 70 hours of flying experience, Don, Red, and several other classmates took the long train trip to eastern Canada and the voyage to England. On their departure from Los Angeles Campbell remembered that “Don said, ‘Good-bye—and do you know you are my only love?’ to at least four women.” On 25 March 1941, Don sailed for England along with seven other future Eagles. That same day they were all commissioned as pilot officers in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Just a month after sailing from Canada, Don reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge for initial training in the Hawker Hurricane. After completing the OTU, Don was assigned to 234 Squadron at Port Reith flying Spitfires. About two weeks later, in early June, he joined 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey as one of the initial cadre flying Hurricanes. By August, the unit was flying daily patrols over the English Channel and that month flew 980 operational missions. On 8 September 1941, Geffene was transferred to 71 Squadron, along with several other members of 121, in order to fill vacancies in that unit caused by casualties and transfers. (The official RAF record reports Geffene as being transferred to 61 Squadron, but in oral interviews, several Eagles say he was moved to 71 Squadron so the record must be in error.) On 15 October 1941, Geffene, who had volunteered for overseas duty, left 71 Squadron for duty with 258 Squadron, a unit made up primarily of New Zealanders, stationed in Gibraltar. The primary mission of the squadron, which was equipped with specially modified Hurricanes, was to fly long-range patrols along the Spanish coast hunting for German aircraft that were disrupting British shipping. On 1 November, Geffene’s engine failed on such a mission and he was forced to crash-land in Tangier. He was immediately interred, presumably for the duration of the war. Always noted as a smooth and charming gentleman, as evidenced during his time at Polaris, Don was soon able to win over the cooperation of the governor general’s daughter. She, in turn, put him in contact with the resident correspondent of the New York Herald, who helped him escape. He rejoined his squadron on 2 December 1941 in Colombo, Ceylon. He was transferred to 30 Squadron in Ceylon in February 1942 and was again flying missions, 185 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

only this time it was against the Japanese. Geffene was promoted to flying officer on 25 March 1942, but less than two weeks later, on 5 April 1942, Easter Sunday, he was shot down and killed by a Japanese fighter while defending the British battleship HMS Warspite against attack.

Geiger, William Dodd RAF Number: 64862 Born: 29 September 1919, in New York, New York Served: 71 Squadron from 2 June to 17 September 1941 Religious preference: None Civilian occupation: Airplane mechanic and student pilot, Alhambra airport, Los Angeles, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

William Geiger had wanted to fly from the time he was a little boy. Further, he wanted to make a career of being a military pilot. He had been impressed by his Uncle Spike who had graduated from West Point and then earned his pilots wings as one of the first Army aviators. Uncle Spike was killed in an aircraft accident in 1928 but this did not deter Bill. He was an independent young man who loved to ski, was captain of his fencing team and a company commander in the ROTC in high school. And although he was born and grew up in New York, he moved to Southern California, which was the national hotbed of flying, as soon as he was old enough to leave home. Because of his desire to be a career soldier, Geiger joined the ROTC when he entered Pasadena City College after high school. There he was also able to enroll in the Civilian Pilot Training Program and not only got nearly 60 hours of flying time, he was also able to take an advanced aerobatics course. Unfortunately, he did not put the same dedication into his academics as he did to flying and so he found himself not able to get into the US Army Aviation Cadet Program because of his grades. He hired a tutor and was in the middle of taking classes to make himself eligible for the Army program when he heard scuttlebutt at Alhambra Airport about the Clayton Knight Committee and the opportunity to join the RAF. With 186 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

his military future rather tenuous and the draft about to get on his tail, Geiger, and his good friend and future Eagle Tommy Wallace, went to the Clayton Knight Committee at the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel in October 1940 and signed up for the RAF. After an interview, the two were told they would be contacted shortly. Late in November, Geiger was told to go to Vail Field, which was south of Alhambra, and take a flight check. Fortunately, the instructor there was Hank Coffin from whom Geiger had taken aerobatics. When Bill arrived Coffin said, “I know you can fly, but the RAF is paying for a half hour in a Waco trainer, so why don’t you just go up and have a good time. I’ll sign you off when you finish.” Passing the check ride meant acceptance to the RAF program, and in early December of 1940, Geiger reported to Polaris Flight Academy at Grand Central Terminal in Glendale for his RAF refresher training in one of the first classes to train there. Unlike most of the students in his class, Geiger didn’t stay at Glendale but commuted from his home in Pasadena since he had a car. Also, unlike many of the Americans in training, Geiger was told from the start that he was going to the Eagle Squadron. For Bill, his dream of flying a military aircraft was rapidly coming true. After getting 66 hours more experience at Glendale, Geiger was off to Ottawa, Canada. There he took a final RAF physical, and on 25 March 1941 he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England along with seven other future Eagles. Immediately upon arrival in the United Kingdom, Geiger and his fellow American pilots were taken to London to get their uniforms and then to the personnel center at Uxbridge. Bill was shortly sent on to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly the Hurricane. The training was fast paced, and on 2 June 1941 Geiger found himself at Martlesham Heath as a member of 71 Squadron and a full-fledged military fighter pilot. Geiger learned very rapidly because his first operational flight in the Hurricane was a scramble with the new squadron commander, Paddy Woodhouse. Woodhouse had been told to get 71 into the war and he did that with a vengeance. During the summer of 1941 the unit flew almost daily missions escorting bombers, primarily Blenheims, on their raids over France. Because the Blenheim could not fly very high, the Hurricanes were subject to intense anti-aircraft fire as well as attacks from German fighters that were able to fly well above the escorts. As a result, there were a number 187 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

of losses in the unit. The situation for 71 got brighter in August 1941 when they got Spitfire II aircraft and better yet in September when they got Spitfire VBs with 20mm cannons instead of machine guns. But the new aircraft did not help Geiger, for just days after he got the Spitfire VB, he was shot down over France. The mission was escorting twenty-four Blenheim bombers, the largest daylight raid over France thus far undertaken by the British. At that point in time, Geiger had flown about thirty escort missions and fifty to sixty convoy patrol missions so he was certainly a veteran combat pilot. But on this mission he had three ME-109s on his tail and there was to be no escape. Geiger initially struggled with a stuck canopy, not unusual for a Spitfire, but was able to bail out and land in the English Channel. After floating for about five hours, he was picked out of the water by a German patrol boat and spent his first night of captivity in Saint-Omer and the second at Leon. Bill really thought that the Germans were going to shoot him when he was awakened early the third morning in Leon and marched out of town. But instead, he was put in a truck and began his journey to what is now Poland and Stalag Luft III. Geiger stayed there for over three years, one of the first Americans to be a prisoner of war even before the United States entered the conflict. Bill’s mother was very active in the Red Cross, so stories of his capture and his communications home were regular front-page fare in the Pasadena Star. In the winter of 1944–45, Geiger and his fellow prisoners endured the terrible march west for several hundred miles in the snow and bitter cold to Moosburg to remain ahead of the Russians. He was finally liberated in April 1945 and made his way back to England since he was still a member of the RAF. Bill’s main goal was to get transferred to the US Army Air Forces so he could continue with his military career. But that was not to be. There were too many pilots available and so there was no chance to get into the American forces. Geiger also saw no future in the RAF, so on 22 November 1945, he resigned his commission in the RAF and went back to California. Bill had been regularly promoted while a prisoner so he was a flight lieutenant when he left the RAF. Geiger eventually went into commercial real estate, sales, and marketing management. He also did some home construction and even went back to flying as he surveyed possible land acquisitions from the air. He retired in Pasadena where he died on 8 February 2006.

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Gentile, Dominic Salvatore RAF Number: 112302 Born: 6 December 1920, in Piqua, Ohio Served: 133 Squadron from 5 June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transferred to USAAF: 16 September 1942

Dominic Gentile wanted to fly from his earliest days. The handsome Italian kid built model airplanes, read books about the aviation heroes of World War I, continually pestered his father to let him ride in an airplane or go to the Waco factory twenty miles away in Troy; anything connected with flying. When he was sixteen, he started to work in his father’s bar on weekends to make enough money to go to Vandalia to take flying lessons. He was a natural pilot, and at age seventeen, with only nine flights, he soloed. But he immediately wanted to fly bigger and faster airplanes, which meant more money and travel farther from home to fly, and, of course, the desire of every young pilot, to own his own airplane. In 1938, his dream came true when he was able to buy an Aero Sports biplane. With war clouds looming on the horizon, Gentile began to worry that he could not fly if the United States got into the war because he did not have the qualifications for the Aviation Cadet Program. He continually talked with his parents about what to do. Fortunately, in his many inquiries about getting into military flying, Gentile heard of the Clayton Knight Committee and, on 28 May 1941, he wrote to them inquiring about enlisting in the Royal Air Force. The reply was not encouraging because Gentile did not have the required amount of flying time in the proper aircraft. There was only one solution, pad his log book, and Gentile did just that. It worked, and on 17 August 1941 he boarded a plane for Glendale, California, and the RAF refresher training course at Polaris Flight Academy. After about 60 hours of flying and finishing at the top of his class, Gentile made a brief trip home to say good-bye to his family and friends, and then he was off to Canada. On 13 December 1941, Gentile was commissioned at a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed from Halifax on the HMS Letitia. On the same ship were sixteen other future Eagles including 189 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Len Ryerson, Don Smith, George Middleton, Jim Clark, and Gene Neville. The rough voyage took two weeks but by the end of the year, Don and his shipmates had processed into the RAF and were at the Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth awaiting assignment to an Operational Training Unit. But there were too many pilots in the same situation and the OTUs were overloaded, so Don was sent to 5 Service Flying Training School for several weeks until an OTU slot opened. On 27 February 1942, Gentile reported to 57 OTU at Eshott Air Base near Morpeth, England, Howarden, to learn to fly the Spitfire. One can only imagine the elation he felt when he began flying one of the best and fastest aircraft in the world. It was a long way indeed from the sixty-five horsepower of his Aero Sports biplane. But the elation of flying the aircraft of his dreams was dashed when he completed the OTU and was told he would remain as an instructor. Gentile decided to take matters in his own hands. His solution was to buzz the airdrome, for which he was court-martialed. Because of his outstanding record, rather than be sent back to the United States he was immediately posted to 133 Squadron. He reported to his new unit at Biggin Hill on 5 June 1942 as part of a dozen new arrivals spread over the month. Gentile learned basics of combat flying very rapidly and on 22 June flew his first combat mission. A month later he was in his first major combat during a flight escorting B-17s. Three members of 133 did not return from that mission and the cold reality of combat and death descended on Gentile. The future ace destroyed his first German aircraft, an FW-190, on 19 August over Dieppe during Operation Jubilee and less than a month later, on 16 September 1942, he transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. But tragedy was narrowly averted by Don on 26 September when eleven of the twelve new Spitfire IX’s of 133 were destroyed on what was to be a routine escort mission to Morlaix. Just before takeoff, Gentile and Ervin Miller were placed on spare status and their places taken by Gene Neville and George Sperry. In the ensuing disaster, Neville was killed and Gentile’s replacement, Sperry, crash-landed in France, was captured, and spent the rest of the war in the German prison camp Stalag Luft III. At the formal transfer of the three Eagle Squadrons to the US Army Air Forces on 29 September, it was a heavy-hearted Gentile who stood in the ranks with several pilots he didn’t even know in place of those lost on the Morlaix mission. Gentile immediately began flying combat missions as part 190 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

of the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group, but as the winter came and the weather deteriorated, the unit saw less combat. At the beginning of 1943, they were taken off operational status for several weeks as they made the transition from the Spitfire to the P-47 Thunderbolt. Don began operational missions in the P-47 in March and spent most of the summer escorting B-17s well into Germany on bombing raids. He also emerged as one of the premier pilots in the Fourth, and by late in the year, had been promoted to captain. But the action that was to make Gentile famous began on 16 December 1943 and continued until 8 April 1944. During that relatively short period, he destroyed twenty-two German aircraft in the air and six on the ground to become one of the top aces in the US Army Air Forces. He also made the transition from the P-47 to the P-51 Mustang. It was this record that earned him the Distinguished Service Cross, which General Eisenhower personally presented to Gentile on 11 April 1944. During the ceremony, the Supreme Commander referred to Gentile as a “one-man Air Force,” and President Roosevelt called him “Captain Courageous.” But just two days later, a very tired and combat-weary Gentile made a low pass over Debden at the end of a seven-hour mission in his P-51 to accommodate a request from newsmen. He hit the ground and destroyed his aircraft but fortunately was only slightly injured himself. According to the regulations, the group commander, Colonel Don Blakeslee, had no choice but to end Gentile’s long combat career and send him back to the United States. He received a hero’s welcome both in Ohio and everywhere he went as he toured the country on a war bond sales tour. Don was then sent to the test pilot detachment at Wright Field near Dayton, Ohio, but in 1946 decided to leave the Army. Disenchanted with civilian life, Don reentered the new US Air Force in December 1947 and was eventually stationed in Washington, DC. On Sunday, 28 January 1951, Gentile was killed when the T-33 he was flying crashed on a routine training flight. Gentile could have ejected from the out-of-control aircraft but elected to remain and try to land because the sergeant riding in the back seat had become frozen from fear and could not bring himself to eject. Gentile’s aircraft impacted the ground near Forestville, Maryland, about four miles from Andrews Air Force Base, and both men were killed. Gentile was posthumously inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. 191 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

(Some of the information for this biographical sketch was obtained from Mark M. Spagnuolo, Don S. Gentile: Soldier of God and Country, College Press, East Lansing, Michigan, 1986.)

Gilliland, Jack Dewberry RAF Number: 106510 Born: 6 March 1918, in Nokomis, Illinois Served: 121 Squadron from 28 October 1941 to 8 January 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: College student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 8 January 1942

The first record we have of Jack Gilliland is when he visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Kansas City in early 1941. Although he had nearly finished college, he evidently decided that flying for the RAF was the best combination of his love of flying and concern about the coming war. He obviously was an experienced pilot since he had accumulated over 180 hours of flying time during his college career, some of it probably with the Civilian Pilot Training Program. What is not clear is why he did not try to get into the US Army Aviation Cadet Program since he had sufficient college to qualify. In any case, on 4 March 1941, he was accepted for the RAF training program and was sent to Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He completed his training in early summer. On 25 August, Gilliland was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked on the long and hazardous journey to England along with future Eagle Ben Mays and eight other American volunteers. The hazard was indeed real for these future RAF pilots since, according to newspaper reports, their ship was torpedoed by a German submarine and four of the American airmen perished. Mays and Gilliland were among the six who were rescued. This was apparently the only case of a ship carrying future members of the Eagle Squadrons being attacked and sunk. A few days later, Gilliland reported to the Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth and then entered 52 OTU at Aston Down in early September. 192 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

About six weeks later, on 28 October 1941, he was assigned to 121 Squadron stationed at Kirton-in-Lindsey. On 8 January 1942, he apparently became disoriented in the clouds and crashed into a street in Ipswich. He was killed in the accident. A court of inquiry determined that he “attempted to make visual contact with the ground instead of gaining height and following the Section Controller’s orders, with the result that the aircraft crashed.”

Goodson, James Alexander RCAF Number: R97032 Born: 21 March 1921 in New York, New York Served: 133 Squadron from 26 to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Anglican Civilian occupation: Student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 24 September 1942

James “Goody” Goodson was an extraordinary person even as a boy. Born in New York City, he grew up in Toronto, Canada. His parents believed in a good education for their son and so Jim went not only to Toronto University, but also the Sorbonne in France and was fluent in four languages. When he was eighteen he decided that he wanted to see Europe so he worked his way to England as a pantry boy on a Cunard liner. But shortly after his arrival, the war began in Europe and Jim decided that he should be back in Canada. He was able to book passage on the liner SS Athenia, but it was torpedoed by a German submarine on 3 September 1939, with heavy loss of life. Jim was fortunate enough to get on a lifeboat, be rescued by a Norwegian ship and returned to England. He was so disgusted with the Germans and the loss of life when the ship was sunk, that he joined the RAF in England on 1 October 1939 as a cadet recruit. His objective was to become a fighter pilot so he could really get his revenge and that became his focus. But there were lots of young men with that same ambition so it was slow in coming. Goodson returned to Canada, without incident, on the Duchess of Athol in early 1940 and on 4 February signed a sworn allegiance to the king, which, unbeknownst to him and apparently anyone else, cost him his US citizenship. Goodson went back to school in Toronto and did the training required of a cadet recruit until 18 January 1941, when he 193 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

formally transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force. He apparently began pilot training on 5 March 1941, and after completing both Elementary and Service Flying Training schools, was awarded his flying badge and appointed a technical sergeant (commonly referred to as a sergeant pilot) on 5 December 1941. Goodson spent a couple of weeks on leave and embarked for England on 8 January 1942. The voyage, Jim’s third or fourth across the Atlantic, was relatively uneventful. Since sergeant pilots did not have to go to the Air Ministry or get uniforms, they generally were sent directly to the personnel center at Bournemouth and Goody arrived there on 21 January 1942. He was then sent to two assignments, which are noted on his personnel records simply as “special flying duties,” and finally, on 31 March 1942, he reported to 59 Operational Training Unit at Crosby-on-Eden in Cumbria and began his training in the Spitfire. On 6 June 1942, Goody joined his first operational squadron, 416 Fighter Squadron, where he was immediately immersed in escort missions and sweeps over France. Three months later, on 24 September 1942, Goodson transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. Two days later, while in London, he encountered “Red” McColpin, the commander of 133 Squadron, which had just lost all of their aircraft and eleven of their pilots in the Morlaix tragedy. McColpin told Goody to report to 133 Squadron at Great Sampford so he could be part of the unit when the official transfer ceremonies making the Eagle Squadrons the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force, took place on 29 September. When Goodson arrived in 133, he saw the saddest sight he had ever seen. Years later, as he recalled the occasion, he told the author, “The first time the war really came home to me was when I walked into the terribly silent barracks in 133 Squadron after the tragedy of Morlaix. There were all these little things lying around. I’ll never forget seeing the half-written letter from someone to his mother and the rooms waiting for someone to return.” Jim transferred to the 336th Fighter Squadron on 29 September and began his legendary career as a fighter pilot. Since he was a rather late arrival in the theater, he remained in the 336th until mid-1944, so he had ample opportunity to gain his revenge on the Luftwaffe. Initially, the Fourth was flying Spitfires with American markings, but in December 1942 they began to receive the P-47 Thunderbolt. Jim transitioned into that aircraft and was part of the first combat mission flown by the 194 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Fourth in their new planes on 10 March 1943. Just three months later, on 22 June, Goodson shot down his first German aircraft, an FW-190, and from there on his score just continued to mount. By May of 1944, he had destroyed thirteen German aircraft in the air and another thirteen on the ground, making him one of the highest-scoring fighter pilots in the USAAF (some records credit Goodson with as many as thirty-three enemy aircraft destroyed). But Goody’s luck ran out on 20 June 1944 when his P-51 Mustang was hit by flak over Germany and he was forced to crashland. He was immediately captured. Goodson was initially incarcerated in Stalag Luft III, a German POW camp in what is now Poland, but in the winter of 1944–1945 all the prisoners and their German captors made a several hundred mile trek in one of the most bitter winters on record to the west to stay ahead of the Russians. Jim ended up in the prisoner of war camp in Moosburg, Austria, from which he was liberated in April 1945. After gaining his freedom, Goodson returned to the United States and on 15 December 1945 he was discharged from the US Army Air Forces as a lieutenant colonel and one of the premier aces of World War II. After the war, Jim went into the corporate world, first as an executive with Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and then the Hoover Company. His last position was vice president of International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation. After his retirement, Goodson turned to writing and wrote three very well received books about his experiences in World War II. He initially began retired life in England and then alternated with stays in the United States over the years. He presently lives in Massachusetts. (For firsthand accounts of Jim Goodson’s experiences in World War II see, James Goodson, Tumult in the Clouds, New York: St. Martins Press, 1983; The Last of the Knights, Canterbury, Kent, England, 1990.)

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Gover, LeRoy RAF Number: 113986 Born: 6 May 1914, in Loveland, Colorado Served: 133 Squadron from 20 August to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Construction and pilot Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

One of the most popular people at the San Marcos, California, airport in the late 1920s was LeRoy Gover. Every pilot knew the five-foot, nine-inch, 145-pound young man with the ready smile and the hazel eyes that would flash at the sight of every airplane that flew in or out of the field. And they always knew that Lee would put fuel in their planes, clean them up, even after someone got sick, or do about anything else with them in exchange for flying time and instruction. While Lee had been born in Colorado, his family moved to San Carlos, California, while he was still a young boy. Thus, he grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, which was one of the nation’s hotbeds of flying. By the time he graduated from Sequoia Union High School in Redwood City, he had already soloed an airplane, which he did on his sixteenth birthday, and was thinking of ways to become a full-time pilot. But things were tough in 1931 and so Lee joined his father in the construction business, mostly using a shovel, according to Gover. By the time he was twenty-one he knew how to build a house, so his dad gave him some plans and he put up a house in Redwood City. But he continued to haunt the airports on the weekends and buy as much flying time as he could afford. He also watched the great Pan American Clippers leave San Francisco for Hawaii and the Far East. “It was the golden age of flying,” Gover remarked years later. In 1934, he bought his first airplane, a Piper Cub, and was soon giving sightseeing rides around the Bay Area for three dollars. By 1937, he was serious about making a living flying and so spent two summers as a crop duster around Bakersfield, California. But that was a really tough and tenuous way to make a living so he continued in construction. The fall of France and the Low Countries, and the Battle of Britain, caused Gover to change his focus. He decided that he would try to get into military flying since he was convinced the United States would soon be 196 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

involved in the war. His construction business also suffered when a major deal with another builder fell through. In late April 1941, Lee decided to try to join the Royal Air Force. He drove to Oakland and went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in the Lemington Hotel. Given his nearly 800 hours of flying time, Gover was immediately accepted, and on 6 May 1941 took his physical and flight check, both of which he easily passed. On 10 August 1941, Gover flew from San Francisco to Bakersfield to begin his RAF refresher training. Because of his flying experience and his lifelong desire to always be the best pilot in the unit, Gover rapidly went to the head of his class. But on 25 August he had the only crash of his sixty-five years of flying when his instructor flew into a box canyon to look at some land, and they were unable to fly back out. Fortunately, neither was seriously hurt in the accident, but the aircraft burned and even started a small forest fire. Nothing official was ever said about it since the instructor was flying. Because of his experience and proficiency, Gover finished the course almost a month early and so was retained as an instructor. On 24 October 1941, Gover and thirteen others graduated and prepared for the long trip to England. (Of the thirteen, only seven survived World War II.) On 3 November 1941, Gover and Jay Reed, a fellow student at Bakersfield, left Oakland by train on the Challenger for Chicago. There they were joined by Don Young and Jack Mause, two other fellow Bakersfield students, and they continued to Ottawa, Canada, arriving on 8 November. On 13 November they took a train to Halifax, Nova Scotia where they spent a week. They were all commissioned as pilot officers in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 20 November and boarded the Emma Alexander bound for Liverpool. Also on board were future Eagles Gene Fetrow, Fletcher Hancock, Joe Helgason and George Teicheira. It was not until 7 December 1941 that the new pilots landed in Liverpool and took the train to London. The next day they signed in at the Air Ministry, got their uniforms, and at 7:30 that evening were in Bournemouth at the personnel reception center. A week later, Gover was on his way to 53 Operational Training Unit at Llandow, near the village of Llantwitt Major. Just ten weeks later, on 23 February 1942, Gover graduated from the OTU and went to London for a long weekend. But once again, because of his experience, he was returned to the small village in Wales to be an instructor. After a month of that duty, during which he instructed 197 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

his future squadron mate Len Ryerson, Gover left for his assignment to 66 Fighter Squadron at Portreath, near the town of Redruth, where he arrived on 25 March 1942. Three weeks later he flew his first operational mission and by June the unit was heavily committed to combat missions nearly every day. But for Lee, the action was interrupted on 19 June when he had to have his tonsils taken out and it was not until the middle of July that he was flying again. On 19 August he was part of the air cover and escort for the abortive Canadian invasion of France at Dieppe. That day he flew three sorties and shot down an FW-190 while damaging another. The next day, he reported to 133 Squadron at Biggin Hill. In early September the unit got new Spitfire IX fighters and Gover saw action almost daily for the next two weeks. On 23 September 1942, he transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant and was still in London finishing the process on 26 September, when his squadron lost eleven of its pilots in a tragic mission to Morlaix. His comment in his diary when he returned to his base and found out about how terrible the day was “So this is a sad place tonight around here. It is so quiet and empty. And it’s raining hard.” Three of those lost had been in Gover’s class at Bakersfield. On 29 September Gover was part of the formation at Debden as 133 Squadron became the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. For the next three months, the unit flew Spitfires with US insignia and the action was intense. But on 16 January, Gover made his last flight in a Spitfire because he was moved to the 334th Fighter Squadron as part of the initial contingent to transition into the P-47 Thunderbolt. During his year of flying combat in the Spitfire he had flown 158 hours and 20 minutes of which 57 hours and 45 minutes were on his 47 combat missions. Gover remained in the 334th for three months and on 31 March returned to the 336th to begin transitioning the pilots of his own squadron in the P-47. Beginning in April, the action for the squadron with their new Thunderbolts was intense. Between 15 April and the end of May, for example, Gover flew thirty-eight missions, sometimes as many as three a day. Most of the missions were bomber escort and the aerial combat that was part of that duty. On 14 May 1943, Lee was the first member of the squadron to earn the nations second highest award for bravery in combat, the Silver Star, for his actions on an escort mission. During this time of intense action, Gover shot down three German aircraft, got one more 198 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

probable and damaged another. This schedule continued until late in the fall when the English winter set in and flying became sporadic. On 22 December 1943, now Major Gover led the squadron on an escort mission to Munster, Germany. Little did he know this was to be his last combat mission of World War II. On 24 December he was told he had to take thirty days of leave since he had been in combat for so long. But because of changes in orders, lack of transportation and nearly being killed in a bombing raid on London, Lee didn’t actually sail for his leave in the United States until 28 February. On 12 March 1944, he arrived in Oakland, nearly three years after he left to join the RAF. After receiving a well-deserved hero’s welcome and relaxing for a month, Gover flew to Washington to learn his new assignment. Much to his dismay, he was not assigned to go back to Europe but rather as the commander of a training group in Florida. He was then sent to Luke Field in Phoenix. He eventually ended up in Bakersfield as commander of the airfield there. In December 1945, Gover, now a lieutenant colonel, decided to leave the Army. But in early 1947 he had a change of heart and applied to reenter the US Air Force. He was returned to active duty and given a regular commission. Lee continued to fly the P-47 in a number of assignments including all the solo work for the Warner Brothers movie Fighter Squadron. He also led the aircraft formation for President Harry Truman’s inauguration. He subsequently became an F-86 squadron commander. Grover was promoted to colonel in 1961 and retired from the Air Force in 1962. Among his many decorations were the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, the British Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters. For the next eighteen years, Gover ran a charter service out of Palo Alto, California, flying hunters and fishermen to Mexico in the winter and Canada in the summer. He continued to fly into his eighties and had over 18,000 hours of flying time. LeRoy Gover died on 5 November 1997, in Menlo Park, California. (For a complete account of LeRoy Gover’s wartime activities see Philip D. Caine, Spitfires, Thunderbolts, and Warm Beer, Brassey’s, Washington, DC, 1995.)

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Gray, James Amsler RAF Number: 108634 Born: 4 January 1919, in San Francisco, California Served: 71 Squadron from 24 December 1941 to 16 September 1942, and in 133 Squadron from 17 September to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Student, University of California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

While aviation was always an interest to Jim Gray, he never really got into flying until he went to college in 1937. The slim, five-foot nine, blue-eyed, brown-haired Gray was a bright young man, interested in photography, and was editor of the yearbook in high school. He decided that going to college would be essential in any career and so enrolled in the University of California as a mechanical engineering major. But shortly after entering, Jim decided he wanted to learn how to fly. It was a decision that would change his entire life. World War II had begun in Europe and Jim thought it would be wise to learn to fly so he joined the university flying club. In June of 1939, Jim soloed in a Piper J3 “Cub,” the aircraft in which most young Americans learned to fly. About that same time, the Civilian Pilot Training Program was inaugurated at Berkeley and Jim quickly signed up. Since he had already soloed, he enrolled in their aerobatics program and over the next year and a half was able to get about 125 hours of flying time. Gray followed the Battle of Britain almost daily in the newspapers during the summer and fall of 1940 and became very concerned with the situation in Europe. He joined the ROTC at Cal in the hopes of flying but found that his unit was assigned to the ordinance field so he had no chance to get into the Army Air Corps. Nonetheless, Jim took the flight physical in the summer, but when he did not pass it, the door to flying suddenly closed. In November of 1940, Jim heard about the Clayton Knight Committee from one of his friends at the Oakland Airport. He had gained great admiration for the RAF fighter pilots who were defending their homeland and also was enamored by the idea of possibly flying a Hurricane or a Spitfire. So, against the advice of his ROTC commander, Jim went to the local office of the Clayton Knight Committee at the Lemington Hotel in Oakland and 200 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

signed up. (Incidentally, Jim’s entire ROTC unit was subsequently called to active duty and sent to the Philippines where most of them perished during the defense of Corregidor and the Bataan Death March.) But when he took the required RAF physical the doctor discovered he had a deviated septum in his nose and it would require surgery. The relatively minor operation was performed in the doctor’s officer in April of 1941 and Jim was ready to begin his career in the RAF. He had requested a delay in reporting to the RAF flying refresher course until after classes ended in May and shortly after completing his fourth year of college, he received notice to report to the new training school location in Bakersfield, California. He arrived in July 1941 and completed the required program about 1 September. After a week at home he took the train to Canada and on 27 September he embarked from Halifax on the SS Bayano for the two-week voyage to England. Also on board were nine other future Eagles including William Baker, Carl Bodding, Bruce Downs, Roy Evans, William Inabinet, Barry Mahon, Richard McMinn, Gilbert Omens, and Frank Zavakos. Landing in Liverpool brought the group face-to-face with the war. After the train ride to London, signing the required papers, getting uniforms, and a day’s rest, Gray was sent to the personnel center at Bournemouth and then to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly the Hurricane. Jim completed his training in December and on Christmas Eve 1941 reported to 71 Squadron at Martlesham Heath. During his first few months in the unit the winter weather kept operational flying to a minimum but by spring, Gray and his squadron were back in the thick of the action. He was also alerted and prepared for an abortive mission to Russia to provide them with Spitfires. However, the aircraft carrier on which the Spitfires were loaded was sunk so the mission never took place. On 1 August 1942, Gray shot down his first enemy aircraft, an FW-190, off the coast of Holland. He later would be credited with one and a half more enemy aircraft destroyed. On 16 September 1942, Jim was transferred to 133 Squadron to help replace some of their losses and provide experienced leadership for that unit. At the time he arrived, most of the members of the squadron were in the process of transferring to the US Army Air Forces so the unit was in a degree of turmoil. Much to the disappointment of his commander and many of his friends, Jim had decided to stay in the RAF. He did not like the idea of leaving the Spitfire for the rumored P-47 Thunderbolt, and, as he told 201 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

the author, “The US Army had their chance with me in 1940 and didn’t take me so I decided not to give them a second chance.” Gray was soon sent to North Africa and in July 1943 was part of the RAF force covering the allied landing on Sicily. Subsequent assignments took him to Malta and to Italy. In January 1945 he was shot down and sent to Stalag Luft I as a prisoner of war. He was liberated in May 1945. By that time, Gray had decided not to remain in the RAF although he had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and promoted to fight lieutenant. So in the summer of 1945, he left the RAF with 302 combat sorties to his credit and 434 hours of combat flying time. Jim returned to California and first went to school to earn the needed credentials to do charter flying and instructing. After a couple of years he went back to school to get his flight engineer’s certificate and in 1950 began flying for United Airlines. For the next twenty-nine years Gray flew the DC-3, DC-4, Convair 240, 340, 440, Boeing 727 and finally the DC-8. He retired in 1979 with nearly 21,000 hours of flying time and he and his late wife, Shirley, became very active in the Eagle Squadron Association. In 1983, he founded the Eagle Publishing Company to republish James Childer’s World War II book, War Eagles. Shirley Gray died in 2003. Jim presently lives in Dublin, California.

Griffin, James Edward RCAF Number: J15114 (R65235) Born: 28 February 1918, in Syracuse, New York Served: 121 Squadron from 26 August to 26 September 1941, and 5 October 1941 to 6 April 1942; 71 Squadron 26 September to 5 October 1941 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Factory worker Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Jim Griffin had always wanted to fly and as a boy, he read everything he could find about flying. The Lafayette Escadrille, Eddie Rickenbacker, Bert Hall, Billy Bishop, and all the fliers of World War I were his heroes. He dreamed of racing through the clouds, sweeping and rolling as he defended freedom against the terrible Hun. Jim grew up in Syracuse, 202 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

New York, attending parochial school there and graduated from Saint Lucy’s Academy in 1937. Times were tough and so Jim immediately went to work as a clerk in Dey Brothers store in Syracuse. He worked the jobs that were available and so found himself with a couple of other firms and even spent a year in Florida during the three years after graduation. In his spare time he enjoyed hunting and fishing, but the urge to fly was always there. So in 1938, Jim finally took his first flying lesson in a Piper Cub and he was hooked. He had never experienced the sense of peace, quiet and contentment that he had when he was in the air. Flying was what he wanted to do and military flying if it was possible. Jim lacked the college requirement for entry into the US Army Aviation Cadet Program but he talked to a couple of men at the Syracuse airport who told him that he could possibly get into the Royal Canadian Air Force. That was enough for Jim, and on 17 October 1940 Griffin enlisted in the RCAF at Kingston, Ontario. His objective was to become an RCAF pilot. For the next seven months Jim worked hard toward that goal as he completed military training and then both Elementary and Service Flying Training schools. On 16 May 1941, he was awarded his pilot’s badge and became a sergeant pilot in the RCAF. During that time, the 21 hours in a Piper Cub that he had when he signed up became nearly 160 hours in aircraft as powerful as the AT-6 Harvard. Jim continued with a few more hours of advanced training and on 30 June 1941 he embarked for England. His ten-day trip was smooth and on 14 July he reported to 59 Operational Training Unit in Crosby-on-Eden to learn to fly the Hurricane. Griffin completed that training in August and on the 26th reported to 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey. But he was only there for a month when he was transferred to 71 Squadron at North Weald, which meant transitioning to the Spitfire. Jim only got a couple of flights in the new aircraft, because a week later, on 5 October 1941, it was back to 121 and the Hurricane. He remained in that unit for the duration of his time in England. But Jim was not happy as a sergeant pilot and in late 1941 applied for a commission in the RCAF. He was successful and on 18 December 1941 was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Throughout the winter, whenever the weather cooperated, the squadron flew primarily the very hazardous convoy patrol, as well as a few sweeps over France and escort missions. 203 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

But Griffin, along with a number of other Eagles, grew restless with the general lack of action against the Germans during the early months of 1942. So in April 1942, he volunteered for overseas duty and was sent to North Africa. There he flew Spitfires at El Alamein and later in other locations in Africa and the Middle East. One of the almost universal consequences of being posted to that area was dysentery and other miscellaneous diseases including the very painful “African Hives.” Unfortunately, Griffin contracted both and so was grounded for over a month. During that time he was detailed to duty as the commander of a truck convoy transporting ammunition and supplies to the front at El Alamein. If there was ever duty that made Jim glad he was a pilot, it was that brief assignment. So it was that when the Eagle Squadrons transferred to the US Army Air Forces on 29 September 1942, former Eagle Griffin was in Africa and still in the RCAF. Jim liked the RCAF and also was in line to become a test pilot for Republic Aviation as soon as he was eligible to return to civilian life. That was the catalyst that prompted him to resign his RCAF commission on 14 April 1944 and return to the United States. Unfortunately, Jim found himself without a job because the friend who had guaranteed him a position was killed in action and Republic had suspended production of the new airplane on which Griffin was supposed to work. To compound his situation, because of a record error, Jim was still classed as eligible for the selective service so on 31 March 1945 he enlisted in the Marine Corps with the idea of becoming a Marine pilot. He spent about six months in the Marines, including going to boot camp at Perris Island, advanced infantry training and then to Cherry Point to await assignment to operational training. While there, his records were straightened out and he was given credit for his service in the RCAF. This meant he had enough points to qualify for discharge. He decided to leave the Marines rather than go to another flying school and on 24 October 1945 he was discharged at Cherry Point, North Carolina. In May 1951, Jim was again bitten by the military flying bug and once again enlisted in the Marine Corps with the idea of going to operational training and becoming a Marine pilot. But this time, Griffin was too old to qualify and so went to electronics school. In July 1953 he left the Marines for the last time. But Jim Griffin was a man of many talents and for a time he made his living as a free-lance writer. He also was an authority on turquoise, made jewelry, explored the snake-infested 204 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

mountains of Arizona and studied the history of the West. After Jim retired from his various pursuits, he and his wife Mary lived in Kingman, Arizona. Jim died in Kingman on 25 September 2003.

Grimm, Chester Parlin RCAF Number: J15528 Born: 13 January 1914, in Glasford, Illinois Served: 121 Squadron from 27 August to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: 28 September 1942

There is little information available about Chester Grimm. All that is known from his official records is that when he was twenty-five years old, in early 1941, he went to Canada and enlisted in the RCAF with the objective of becoming a pilot. He was first sent to several weeks of military training and then, on 4 May 1941 to Elementary and Service Flying Training schools, each for about three months. Chester was awarded his flying badge on 7 November 1941 and appointed a sergeant pilot. He was then sent to advanced flying training, which he completed in early 1942. There is no account of what duties he performed in the RCAF between that date and 29 May 1942, but it is safe to assume that he was kept in Canada as an instructor, not an unusual occurrence. His journey to flying fighters in combat really began on that May day when he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RCAF Special Reserve and sailed for England. Grimm arrived in England 10 July and almost immediately entered 59 OTU at Charterhall. He completed that course and became a member of 121 Squadron on 27 August 1942, joining the unit at Southend-on-Sea. Grimm flew a number of operational missions with the unit during the next month. On 28 September 1942, he transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant, becoming a member of the 335th Fighter Squadron in the Fourth Fighter Group. Over the next months, Grimm became known as a pilot who wanted to fly every mission. He would try to talk his squadron mates into letting him take their place and complained to his commander 205 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

if he thought he was not getting his share of the action. In early January, a number of the pilots from the 335th and 336th squadrons were moved to the 334th to begin checking out in the new P-47s. Therefore, the two squadrons, along with some members of the 334th often flew together as one wing. On 22 January 1943, Grimm was attached to such a wing of twenty-four Spitfires led by the commander, Chesley Peterson. He was a spare aircraft ready to take the place of anyone who had to drop out. As fate would have it, two aircraft had to return to their base because of mechanical trouble so Grimm joined their flight to give it three rather than two aircraft. Subsequently, the Americans were attacked by over 50 FW-190s and in the ensuing melee, Grimm’s Spitfire was badly damaged and he was forced to bail out. He apparently died before or shortly after he landed. It was some time before his death was confirmed and his body was not found until after the war in a French cemetery. He is listed as killed in action and is now buried in Madingley Cemetery in England.

Gudmundsen, Dick D. RAF Number: 112295 Born: 9 August 1916, in Burley, Idaho Served: 133 Squadron from 9 June to 6 September 1942 Religious preference: Church of Latter-Day Saints Civilian occupation: Truck driver, Gudmundsen Texaco Wholesale Distributors, Burley, Idaho Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 6 September 1942

Just how much flying experience Dick Gudmundsen had when he sought out the Clayton Knight Committee in mid-1941 is not noted in his record. He had been a student at the University of Idaho, so may have gotten some flying time in the Civilian Flying Training Program, but he obviously had flown for several years to have sufficient experience to meet the RAF requirements. Dick probably did not graduate from college since at the time he volunteered for the RAF, he was working in the family Texaco Distributorship in Burley, Idaho. Just a month before he volunteered, he 206 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

had married Mary Bideganeta. Dick passed his physical for flying training on 25 June 1941 in Burley, and a short time later was sent to RAF pilot refresher training at Bakersfield, California. He compiled a good record at Bakersfield, and on 13 December 1941 he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England, along with several other future Eagles, on the HMS Letitia, arriving on 26 December. After in processing at Bournemouth, he was given a month of advanced flying training and on 24 February 1942 reported to 57 OTU at Hawarden. Dick remained in OTU for a little over three months, and on 9 June 1942 he became a member of 133 Squadron. Gudmundsen flew routine missions, mostly escorting B-17s, until mid-August when he was part of the abortive and disastrous reconnaissance in force at Dieppe, France; Operation Jubilee. That day, 19 August 1942, he flew three missions and, along with his flight lead Eric Doorly, was credited with damaging an ME-109. Three weeks later, on 6 September 1942, he was shot down and killed in an air battle while escorting B-17s near Rouen, France. In that same air battle, his friend and lead, Eric Doorly, made a spectacular escape from his aircraft and successfully evaded the Germans to return to England.

Hain, Harry Clem RAF Number: 100518 Born: 7 April 1915, in Kansas City, Kansas Served: 133 Squadron from 1 September 1941 to 24 January 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Garage operator Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 16 July 1942

Unfortunately, little is known about Harry Hain and the official record is very sparse. He had been out of high school for nearly eight years, was established in a business and married, so his primary motivation in wanting to join the RAF was probably the desire to fly in the rapidly expanding war. Certainly flying had been an important part of his life since he had 50 hours of dual and 240 hours of solo flying experience when he 207 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

reported to the Clayton Knight Committee in Kansas City, Missouri, on 11 January 1941 to sign up for the RAF. He was accepted for training and, sometime in February, sent to an RAF refresher course. Harry completed that training in mid-May and on 5 June 1941 was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England aboard the SS Bayano along with eighteen other future Eagles, the largest contingent to sail together. His wife apparently remained in Kansas City. After his arrival and processing, he reported to 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge on 14 July and completed his training in Hurricanes in late August. On 1 September 1941, he joined 133 Squadron at Duxford. Harry asked for a transfer from that unit in January 1942, probably because he had just endured three months in Northern Ireland and had seen little action other than convoy escort duty. He departed on 24 January and was subsequently posted to the Middle East. On 16 July 1942, he was reported missing and later confirmed killed in action.

Hall, William Isaac RAF Number: 61921 Born: 5 March 1916, in Springfield, Vermont Served: 71 Squadron from 19 April to 2 July 1941 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Bush pilot in Alaska and Canada Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

William Hall loved to fly, as did his entire family. He and his brothers spent their early flying days as bush pilots in Canada and Alaska, but when World War II began and England became hard pressed for pilots, all of them responded. William’s brothers opened a flying school in Canada to train future RCAF pilots while Bill reported to Edmonton, Canada, to sign up for the RAF. He joined that service on 20 August 1940, making him one of the first American volunteers. Although he was an experienced pilot, Bill was apparently sent through the entire flying school course in Canada. Hall completed his training in early 1941 and was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 6 February 1941, the same date he sailed for England. (Hall’s case is not unique since there were a number 208 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

of RAF flying schools operating in Canada by 1941.) After in processing at the Air Ministry in London and the personnel center at Uxbridge, Hall reported to 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge on 3 March 1941, where he flew the Hurricane. His stay there was short and he arrived in 71 Squadron at Martlesham Heath on 19 April. The first Eagle Squadron had seen little action when Hall arrived and continued in that mode for another two months. On 2 July 1941, however, the unit drew its first blood in an intense combat while escorting Blenheim bombers on a raid over the coast of France. On that mission they shot down their first German aircraft but they also lost William Hall. He was shot down by a German ME-109 and was the first Eagle to become a prisoner of war. Hall was incarcerated in Stalag Luft III in present-day Poland until the winter of 1944–45 when he was part of the nearly two-month trek to the west made by all the prisoners and German staff in a successful effort to stay ahead of the Russians. Hall was liberated in April 1945. He subsequently transferred to the RCAF and later retired from that service. He then ran a flying service in British Colombia for a number of years and also flew for one of the major oil companies. He died in 1993.

Halsey, Gilbert Owen RAF Number: 112619 Born: 5 November 1910, in Cement, Oklahoma Served: 121 Squadron from 11 February to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: Oil field worker Marital status: Divorced Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

Gilbert Halsey was a real Oklahoman. He lived there all his life and worked the oil fields for a number of years until he joined the RAF. Because there is no record of his early life, there is no indication of why or how he got interested in flying. He had to have been flying for several years to have sufficient time to qualify for the RAF. Gil was thirty years old when he went from his home in Chickasha to Oklahoma City to sign up for the RAF with the Clayton Knight Committee on 18 April 1941. He had also been married since 1934 although he got divorced shortly before signing up for the RAF. That could possibly have been a factor in his volunteering. 209 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Whatever his motivation, his 30 hours of dual and 130 hours of solo pilot experience were sufficient and he was accepted for training. Halsey was sent to one of the RAF refresher courses, which he completed in late September 1941. In October he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England. He probably arrived about 1 November and, after getting his uniforms and completing the usual in processing at Bournemouth, reported to 59 OTU at Crosby-on-Eden on 11 November 1941 to began his checkout in the Hurricane. After finishing OTU, Gil was assigned to 257 Squadron, which he joined on 13 January 1942. Less than a month later he was transferred to 121 Squadron reporting to the unit on 11 February at North Weald. As spring came and the weather became once again good for flying, Halsey became a reliable and effective member of the squadron in its almost daily action against the Germans. His most significant action, as was the case with most of the Eagles, took place on 19 August when all three squadrons supported the abortive commando raid on the French port of Dieppe. In that action, Halsey probably destroyed an FW-190. Gil transferred to the US Army Air Forces on 15 September 1942 and became a member of 335th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. On 6 October 1943, he was belatedly awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross. There is no record of how long he was in the 335th or his activities during the rest of the war. Halsey left the Army when the war was over and returned to Oklahoma where he died in 1954.

Hancock, Fletcher RAF Number: 113991 Born: 14 October 1919, in Fall River Hills, California Served: 133 Squadron from 30 March to 5 June 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Salesman, Reno Auto Parts, Sparks, Nevada Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 5 June 1942

Fletcher Hancock loved airplanes and flying. He was really an all-around guy in Lassen Union High School in Northern California, where he played 210 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

football, rode motorcycles, and even made his first parachute jump. After graduation in 1937, he apparently decided he would try his hand at selling and had several jobs as a salesman in Northern California and Nevada during the next three years. In the spring of 1941, however, he apparently decided that the United Sates was going to be drawn into the war in Europe and, since he had no college, he would have to find another way to fly if he was going to escape being a “ground pounder.” By that time, he had to have been flying rather extensively to have enough hours to hope to qualify for the RAF. In May or June he made the trip to Oakland, California, and visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in the Lemington Hotel, hoping that he would be qualified for RAF training. He was accepted so he must have had at least 150 hours. On 10 August 1941, he joined future Eagles LeRoy Gover, Len Ryerson, Mick Lambert, and George Middleton, among others, for RAF refresher training at Bakersfield, California. The entire group completed their training at Bakersfield on 24 October 1941. Hancock probably took a short leave at home, as did most of the graduates, and then began the long trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia, the embarkation point for the voyage to England. He sailed on 20 November 1941 on the SS Emma Alexander, along with his classmates from Bakersfield, and that same day received his commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. The voyage to England was long and arduous, but on 7 December 1941 Fletcher and his friends disembarked and boarded the train for London. The next day, he went to Moss Brothers Clothiers and received his uniforms. Like his buddies, he finally believed that his dream of flying the Spitfire in the RAF was about to come true. After spending a week at the Personnel Reception Center in Bournemouth, Hancock reported to 53 Operational Training Unit at Llandow near Llantwitt Major in Wales to begin his checkout in the Spitfire. He completed the course on schedule and on 30 March 1942 became a member of 133 Squadron, stationed at Kirton-in-Lindsey. Hancock immediately established himself as a popular member of the unit and a good pilot. Unfortunately, on 5 June 1942, his unit was flying a sweep over the coast of France near Abbeville, when they encountered a large number of German aircraft. In the melee that followed, Hancock was shot down and killed. He is buried in France. (The author thanks Mr. Bruce Bush for information on Hancock’s early years.) 211 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Happel, James Rowland RAF Number: 116161 Born: 17 October 1920, in Paulsboro, New Jersey Served: 121 Squadron from 21 July to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Fireman, High-Pressure Stills, Socony Vacuum Oil Company Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: 24 September 1942

James Happel must have loved to fly. While there is no record of when he started or how much experience he had, he must have been flying for quite some time by the summer of 1941. Jim grew up on the East Coast and, while it wasn’t the mecca for flying that California was, he certainly was exposed to the developments in aviation nearly every day. After graduating from high school he went to work for Socony Vacuum Oil Company as a fireman and no doubt used his spare time and money to fly. When American involvement in World War II appeared imminent in the summer of 1941, Happel decided he had better take advantage of his flying experience if he wanted to fly. We don’t know how he heard about the Clayton Knight Committee, but in June of 1941 he visited their offices in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York to volunteer for the RAF. He may have been marginal on his flying time because he had to wait nearly two months after his interview to be accepted. But on 18 September 1941, he was notified that he would attend RAF refresher training for about two months and then be assigned to various flying duties in Canada and probably the United Kingdom. There was no mention of flying fighters or the RAF. Happel completed his refresher course in December and embarked for England on 19 January 1942. On that same day he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Nearly three weeks later, on 7 February 1942, he arrived in England, accomplished the necessary paperwork at the Air Ministry, got his uniforms, and then proceeded to the personnel center at Bournemouth. Assignments at Bournemouth depended on the immediate needs of the RAF, which meant that some of the Americans were sent directly to an Operational Training Unit while others went to several weeks of military training. Jim 212 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Happel was in the latter group and spent March and most of April in further training. On 28 April he reported to 53 OTU at Llandow in Wales for training in the Spitfire. On 21 July 1942, after completing the OTU program, he was assigned to 121 Squadron then stationed at North Weald. Jim began flying operational missions almost immediately and had gained considerable combat experience by the time he transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant on 24 September. Happel continued to fly with the 335th Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group well into 1944 as the unit moved from Spitfires to P-47 Thunderbolts and finally P-51 Mustangs. On 16 August 1943, he shot down his first German aircraft, and on 8 April 1944, he destroyed his second. Over the course of time, he became one of the most experienced members of the unit and often led the squadron on combat missions. Happel left the US Army Air Forces in December 1945, credited with four enemy aircraft destroyed in the air and another four on the ground. He then became a pilot for Allegheny Airlines. He retired to Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, where he died on 1 June 1970.

Hardin, Charles Allin RAF Number: Unknown Born: 17 September 1916, in Harrodsburgh, Kentucky Served: 121 Squadron from 26 August to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 24 September 1942

There is as little information about Charles Hardin as about any Eagle. His official records have huge blank spots and there is no information available to fill in the blanks. He was about twenty-five years old when he approached the Clayton Knight Committee in the spring of 1941 to volunteer for duty with the RAF. He was accepted so he must have had at least 150 to 200 hours of flying time. Unfortunately, we do not know how and where he got his flying experience. There is also no record of what he did for a living during the seven or so years between graduation from high school and joining the RAF. 213 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Apparently after some delay, Hardin was sent to an RAF refresher course, which he completed in December. The first notation in his official records indicates that he was granted a commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 1 January 1942, the same date that he sailed for England. He arrived in the United Kingdom on 21 January, and after his in processing found himself at Bournemouth, along with a number of other American volunteers, awaiting an OTU assignment. Because the OTU system was overloaded, Hardin was sent to a flight refresher course. He completed that training in early April and on 7 April 1942 was posted to 57 Operational Training Unit at Hawarden flying the Spitfire. After completing his advanced operational training, Hardin, like a number of other American pilots who would become members of one of the Eagle Squadrons, was first posted to another unit. In his case, it was 504 Squadron, on 30 June 1942, flying Spitfires. He continued to fly with that Squadron until 26 August so he had a reasonable amount of experience when he joined 121 Squadron at Southend-on-Sea. After only a month as an Eagle, he transferred to the US Army Air Forces on 24 September and became part of the 335th Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group five days later. While there is no record of his subsequent assignments, Hardin survived World War II and, after the war, worked with the US Army Corps of Engineers. He then became an officer in the new United States Air Force from which he retired in 1962. There is no record of his life after that date. He died in Mississippi on 29 April 1984.

Harp, Carter Woodruff RCAF Number: J15389 Born: 24 November 1908, in River Falls, Alabama Served: 133 Squadron from 20 October 1941 to 31 July 1942 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: Stunt pilot, barnstormer, and wing-walker Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 31 July 1942

At the age of thirty-two, Carter (“George” or “Woodie”) Harp was one of older applicants for pilot duty when he went to Canada and joined the 214 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Royal Canadian Air Force on 19 September 1940. He had a great deal of flying time although the record doesn’t say how much. After finishing high school, Harp had decided that flying would be his life. Once he got sufficient experience, he spent several years barnstorming around the South in air shows, doing stunt flying, wing walking, and other daredevil feats. So it was only natural that when the war clouds gathered in late 1940 and the exploits of the RAF were on the front pages of every paper, Harp would look for a way to fly during the coming war. He did not have the required education to fly for the Army or Navy so he joined the RCAF. Despite his considerable flying experience, he spent the next few months in Canada going through flying training and around 1 August 1941 he received his wings and appointment as a sergeant pilot, and sailed for England. He was first assigned to 52 Operational Training Unit at Debden where he learned to fly the Hurricane. After completing OTU he was posted to 133 Squadron at Eglinton, Northern Ireland, on 20 October 1941. (The above chronology differs significantly from the official record, which, after considerable research, the author is confident is incorrect. The official record has Harp reporting to 133 in May 1942 despite the fact that he was recorded as being on Squadron missions as early as November 1941. This information makes all the dates of his training in Canada and his date of sailing to England incorrect as well so these have also been reconstructed by the author.) Harp’s first brush with death came on 16 March when he was on a shipping patrol with Pilot Officer Hugh Brown. The weather closed in and Harp radioed Brown that he was returning to base. There was no answer and no trace was ever found of Brown, who probably crashed into the sea. Because of his flying experience and skill, Harp was a superb combat pilot as well as a popular member of the squadron. On 19 May 1942, just two weeks after being commissioned, he shot down two FW-190s on a single mission, a feat that brought special mention in the unit history. Harp was also known for his daredevil exploits both in the air and on the ground. He once entertained the unit by spontaneously taking off his shoes and climbing the side of the brick administration building at Biggin Hill and then walking around on the building’s cornice. On 31 July 1942, 133 Squadron was assigned a mission escorting Boston Bombers to Abbeville, France. Carter Harp was flying as wingman to Edwin Taylor. According to Taylor, “There was a German on my tail. My wing man, Carter Harp, 215 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

called to warn me but I never did hear him and he (Harp) was shot down at the same time.” His body was never found. On that same mission Flight Lieutenant King and Flight Sergeant Eichar were also shot down. It was indeed a black day for 133 Squadron.

Harrington, James Cornelius RAF Number: 118576 Born: 26 July 1918, in New York, New York Served: 71 Squadron from 11 September to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Aircraft inspector, Bell Aircraft, Buffalo, New York Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 22 September 1942

James Harrington was typical of many of the Eagles in that he was completely absorbed with flying as a youngster. He thought airplanes were not only fascinating but also the wave of the future. While his father was a CPA and his mother a professional dancer, Jim stayed with flight and, after high school, went to work for the Bell Aircraft Corporation as an aircraft inspector. He also continued to fly as much as he could afford during his spare time. By October of 1941, Harrington was convinced that the United States would be involved in war very soon and wanted to fly rather than march. So on 27 October 1941, he visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York and signed up. Although there is no record of how much flying experience he had at that time, it must had been nearly 200 hours because he was accepted immediately and on 3 November 1941 he reported to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Bakersfield, California. His performance was average and his record noted that “he will be a good fighter pilot.” Jim graduated on 18 January 1942 and apparently had about a month leave before reporting to his port of embarkation in Canada. On 2 March 1942, Harrington received his commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England. He arrived sixteen days later and was assigned to the personnel center at Bournemouth. On 15 April, because of the backlog for assignment to an 216 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

OTU, he was sent to an Officer’s Training School. Harrington completed that course on 5 May and on 19 May was sent to advanced flying training, which was also used as a holding assignment while waiting for an OTU. Finally, on 16 June 1942, over three months after his arrival in England, Harrington reported to 58 OTU in Grangemouth. He spent almost three months there, and on 11 September 1942 he reported to his first operational unit, 71 Squadron stationed at Debden. He was in that unit for eleven days when, on 22 September 1942, he transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. He had yet to fly a combat mission. Harrington then became a member of the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. Less than two months later, he and Bob Sprague had a midair collision. Unfortunately, Sprague was killed but Harrington successfully bailed out of his stricken Spitfire. Harrington was subsequently assigned to the 356th Fighter Squadron. He remained in the Air Force after World War II. While there is no record of his assignments, he spent considerable time as an intelligence officer. Harrington retired as a lieutenant colonel in May 1965. He then became a flight training school instructor for American Airlines in Los Angeles, as well as maintenance engineer and pilot for movie actor Cliff Robertson’s Spitfire IX and three Tiger Moths. Harrington subsequently became a captain with Saudi Arabian Airlines. He and his passenger, Sheik Bin Ladin, were killed when the Twin Beechcraft Harrington was piloting crashed near Abha, Saudi Arabia, on 6 September 1967.

Helgason, Joseph Field RAF Number: 114001 Born: 14 September 1913 in Malden, Washington Served: 71 Squadron from 24 February to 6 August 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Manager and truck driver, Antioch Branch of Seaboard Transportation Company, California Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 6 August 1942

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Joe Helgason loved speed. While he made his living as a truck driver, he had begun to make a name for himself as a race car driver in the Stockton, California, area by the time war engulfed Europe. It was only natural that the combination of living in aviation-conscious California and his love of speed made him want to fly. While we don’t know when Helgason began flying, it was probably shortly after he moved from Seattle to Stockton in 1939. He apparently had his private pilot’s license and at least 100 hours of flying time when he reported to the Clayton Knight Committee in Oakland, California, in the summer of 1941 to join the RAF. Joe was accepted immediately and sent to RAF refresher training in Lancaster, California. He finished the school with average marks and on 20 November 1941 was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked on the long voyage to England with several other future Eagles on the SS Emma Alexander. Helgason arrived in England on 8 December and just eight days later was sent to 53 OTU at Llandow in Wales for his training in the Spitfire. A little more than two months later, on 24 February 1942, he was assigned to 71 Squadron, then posted at Martlesham Heath. During the ensuing months he became a very proficient and skilled fighter pilot and, with John Lynch, shot down an FW-190. He was also commended for his alert reporting of two downed fighter pilots in the English Channel, which led to the rescue of a bomber crew in the same area. According to his squadron mate, Harold Strickland, Joe wanted to open his own trucking firm after the war. Unfortunately, on 6 August 1942, Helgason was killed when his plane hit a tree at about three hundred miles per hour while practicing attacks on airdrome gun positions. As Strickland put it, “his Spitfire was smashed into hundreds of pieces.” He was buried in Saffron Walden Cemetery, Essex, England. His name is also on a war memorial on Fourth Avenue in downtown Seattle, Washington.

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Hively, Howard Davis RAF Number: 116162 Born: 11 January 1915, in Charleston, West Virginia Served: 71 Squadron from 22 July to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Student, University of Oklahoma Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: 17 September 1942

Howard “Deacon” Hively was one of the funniest people alive, an Eagle squadron mate once said. He was called the Deacon because of his tendency to preach after having a couple of drinks, although not on religious themes. When he would sit on a barstool and impersonate the Red Baron using a broomstick for a control stick, everyone would be rolling on the floor. This good-natured and very popular pilot began his RAF career by visiting the Clayton Knight Committee in Dallas, Texas, on 28 July 1941. While there is no record of what Hively did for a living after graduating from high school, or how he got interested in flying, he had been a student at both Ohio State University and the University of Oklahoma so may well have learned to fly in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. In any case, he had sufficient experience to be accepted. Deacon completed RAF refresher training in late December, was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England on 19 January 1942. Hivey had a long voyage, arriving in England on 7 February and just two days later reporting to the personnel center at Bournemouth. Probably because of a lack of spaces in an Operational Training Unit, Hively and those who reported at the same time were kept at Bournemouth for nearly a month and then assigned to the Officer Training School at Conford. He was then assigned to an advanced flying training program so did not arrive at 61 OTU at Rednal in Salop until 12 May 1942. Hively spent over two months at the OTU and finally reported to his first operational squadron, 71 Squadron, at Debden, on 28 July 1942, six months after his arrival in England. But the Deacon rapidly became a key member of the unit and flew, among other key missions, on the ill-fated reconnaissance in force of 19 August 1942 at Dieppe, France. He also earned his reputation as a comic. His most famous 219 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

stunt was one in which he and fellow Eagle, Bert Stewart, would pretend they were mad at each other and eventually draw their guns and shoot each other, with blanks—a prank that when it was first enacted had squadron mates diving out the windows to seek cover from the flying bullets. Hively transferred to the US Army Air Forces on 19 September 1942, and, in many ways, his flying career really started as a member of the 334th Fighter Squadron. During his nearly two years in that organization he flew the Spitfire, the P-47, and the P-51, and became a double ace for shooting down twelve German aircraft. He is listed in Top P-51 Aces of All Time. He was shot down, but rescued on 15 June 1943, an episode that is graphically recorded in several books about World War II. Hively was highly decorated during World War II and was the Commanding Officer of the 334th Fighter Squadron on D-day. He also served as the Deputy Commander of the Fourth Fighter Group. Hively left the Army after World War II and ran a very successful automobile dealership in Columbus, Ohio. When he retired, Hively moved to Florida, where he died on 23 October 1982.

Hobert, Robert D. RCAF Number: R97580 Born: 26 July 1921, in La Center, Washington Served: 133 Squadron from 29 September to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: September,1942

Robert Hobert was one of the last pilots to join 133 Squadron. He went to Canada on 10 March 1941 because he wanted to fly in the coming war and joining the RCAF seemed to be his only hope. Doug, as he was called, had grown up in southwestern Washington and graduated from high school in Woodland in 1939. He apparently had begun flying while still in high school because he left his job as an assistant flight instructor at Swan Island Flight School in Portland, Oregon, to go to Canada. He probably completed his initial training, was appointed a sergeant pilot, and received his wings in late 1941 or early 1942. He then had some advanced training and sailed for 220 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

England in the spring of 1942. While there is no record of his assignments prior to his going to 133 Squadron, he no doubt went to an Operational Training Unit in the late spring, completed that training in June or July, and was then assigned to an RAF Fighter Squadron. Doug transferred to the USAAF as a second lieutenant in late September and actually joined 133 on 29 September 1942 as a replacement for those lost on the Morlaix mission, the same day it became the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force. At that time he had flown about 30 operational missions in the Spitfire in his previous squadron. Doug rapidly became an experienced fighter pilot in the 336th, flying first the Spitfire, then the P-47, and finally the P-51 Mustang. Over the course of his time in the unit he destroyed five German aircraft to become an ace. His first kill was on 6 February 1944, when he shot down an FW-190 over France. He repeated that feat on 21 March. By that time he had become a flight commander, been promoted to captain, and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. On 5 April 1944, Hobert destroyed three JU-88s on the ground in Germany but his P-51 lost its engine coolant on the way back to his home base at Debden. He was forced to bail out over the North Sea. Doug was picked up by the air-sea rescue unit but died later that night in the hospital. He is listed as killed in action, 6 April 1944. He had flown more than one hundred combat missions when he was killed. (The author thanks Walter E. Hansen Sr. of Woodland, Washington, for some of the information in this biographical sketch.)

Holder, Kenneth LeRoy RAF Number: 118173 Born: 6 September 1914, in Buena Park, California Served: 121 Squadron from 30 September to 12 December 1941 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Laborer Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 12 December 1941

Kenneth Holder’s record is very sparse. Having grown up in California very near an airport, he was hooked on flying after his first airplane ride. 221 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

He apparently had been a laborer since graduation from high school and must have used his spare money to gain flying experience. By the middle of 1941, he had accumulated over 50 hours of dual instruction and 180 hours of solo flying. On 28 February 1941, he visited the Clayton Knight Committee offices in the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel to sign up for the RAF. Ken was accepted and sent to RAF refresher training at Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California. On 22 July 1941, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England along with seven other future Eagles. The group arrived in England two weeks later, and on 16 August 1941, after being processed into the RAF at Bournemouth, Ken was assigned to 55 OTU at Usworth in Tyne and Wear. Just six weeks later, on 30 September, he joined 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey. On 12 December 1941, just five days after the United States entered World War II, Ken Holder disappeared on a convoy patrol mission over the English Channel. Although his body was recovered, the cause of his crash was never determined.

Hollander, Walter John RAF Number: 107464 Born: 26 November 1918, in Hankow, China Served: 71 Squadron from 25 November 1941 to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Episcopal Civilian occupation: Student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

Although Walter “Lulu” Hollander was born in China, his parents moved to Hawaii when he was still a boy. His nickname came from his being a resident of Honolulu. After high school, he registered under the Selective Service Act in Hawaii and enrolled in the University of Hawaii. Although he was a very talented piano player, Lulu apparently left school during his sophomore year and came to the mainland to pursue his goal of getting into military flying. Because he had not finished two years of college, the Aviation Cadet Program was closed to him so he focused on getting into the RAF. Toward that end, he visited the Clayton Knight Commit222 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

tee in the Lemington Hotel in Oakland, California, on 11 February 1941. At that time he had about 80 hours of dual and 80 hours of solo flying time, most of it financed by his father. Certainly a motivating factor in his decision was all the publicity surrounding the Battle of Britain and the desire to fly the Hurricane and the Spitfire. Hollander attended RAF refresher training at Bakersfield, California, and completed the program in late July or early August 1941. He received his commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England on 26 August 1941, along with three other classmates from Bakersfield. Lulu arrived in England on 15 September and just four days later reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Aston Down for his checkout in fighters. Two months later, on 25 November, Hollander was assigned to 71 Squadron at North Weald. Lulu’s talent on the piano rapidly made him an institution in the unit. His squadron mates spent many evenings around the bar singing to his piano leads and he often did hilarious comedy sketches with his friend, Howard Hively. Although he destroyed no German aircraft during his time in the RAF, he was a mainstay of the unit and had the dubious distinction of destroying the only Benedictine factory remaining in France. On 15 September 1942, Hollander transferred to the US Army Air Forces and served for a short time in the 334th Fighter Squadron. He had several subsequent assignments during the war but they are not listed in his records. After the war Hollander stayed in the Air Force and achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was killed in a helicopter accident at Presque Isle, Maine, on 9 July 1955.

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Hopson, Alfred H. RAF Number: 112310 Born: 6 October 1911, in Mansfield, Texas Served: 71 Squadron from 10 June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Machinist, Mitchell Company, Dallas, Texas Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: 25 September 1942

Alfred “Hoppy” Hopson wanted to fly from the time he saw his first airplane. His first flight was in a Curtiss “Jenny” and he knew aviation was in his future. As a teenager he worked at the Dallas Morning News and, unbeknownst to his parents, every Saturday morning he would go to Love Field in Dallas to get an hour of flying time. Fortunately, when his parents did learn he was flying they supported him, and when he was sixteen he got his private pilot’s license. Things mechanical were also important to Hoppy and after graduation from high school, he became a machinist. He soon went to work for the Mitchell Company in Dallas making cotton gins, but he continued to fly as well. He certainly had enough flying experience to satisfy the Clayton Knight Committee when he visited them in June or early July 1941, for on 17 August he entered the RAF Refresher Training Program at Polaris Flight Academy in Glendale, California. Among his classmates were future Eagles Don Gentile, William D. Taylor, Glenn Smart, and Fonzo Smith. After about 60 hours of flying training, Hoppy was given a short leave and then took the long train ride to eastern Canada. On 13 December he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England aboard the HMS Letitia. Also on board were several other future Eagle Squadron pilots including his friends from Polaris and future Eagles Jim Clark, George Middleton, Gene Neville, and Len Ryerson. The group disembarked on 26 December and two days later was at the personnel center at Bournemouth. But the Operational Training Units were all full, so on 1 January Hoppy reported to advanced flying training at 9 Service Flying Training School with Jim Clark. About seven weeks later, on 24 February, he was transferred to 57 OTU at Hawarden in Clwyd, still with Clark. Hopson may well have remained at Hawarden as 224 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

an instructor for awhile after completing his training because it was over three months later, on 10 June 1942, that he finally reported to 71 Squadron at Debden. He was immediately thrown into the action as all three Eagle Squadrons were moving into the most active and productive period of their existence. Hopson’s flying talents and leadership ability rapidly became evident as he learned the many facets of flying in an operational squadron. He was regularly involved in combat missions by mid-July but his real baptism of fire came on 19 August when he was part of the first operation that included all three Eagle Squadrons flying in support of the same mission, the ill-fated Canadian invasion of Dieppe, France. On 25 September Hoppy went to London and transferred to the USAAF as a second lieutenant. Four days later he was part of the Eagle Squadrons formation when 71 Squadron of the RAF became the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force. Hopson continued flying his Spitfire with US markings on the numerous escort missions and unit sweeps over Europe. But as 1942 wound down so did the action for the Fourth, for on 17 January 1943 the unit began training on the P-47 Thunderbolt. This process took three months and it was not until 10 March that the 334th would mount another mission against the Luftwaffe. By the end of the month the group was flying escort missions into Germany and Hopson was always a regular member of these formations. In September 1943, Hoppy was promoted to captain and became the Commander of “C” flight of the 334th. However, on 14 December 1943 he was seriously injured in an accident and was hospitalized for some time. He then returned to the 334th and remained with them, flying the P-51, until the end of the war. By that time, Hoppy had flown ninetyone combat sorties over Germany and been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He also earned the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters. After the war he returned to the Mitchell Company as a machinist. In 1948, he became a sales representative and continued in that job until he retired. He also continued to fly. But his real passion became golf and, in his retirement years, Hoppy worked as a volunteer at his club’s pro shop. He died in Weatherford, Texas, on 31 October 2003. (The author thanks the late Mrs. Marie Hopson, his widow, and Mr. Alfred H. Hopson Jr., his son, for their help in preparing this biographical sketch.) 225 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Inabinet, William Burness RAF Number: 108637 Born: 7 September 1919, in Bishopville, South Carolina Served: 71 Squadron from 31 December 1941 to 9 January 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Salesman, Butler’s Shoe Store, Atlanta, Georgia Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 9 January 1942

While there is no record of William Inabinet’s early life, he certainly was drawn to some type of military service. He was also consumed by the desire to fly and had become a very experienced pilot by the time he was twentyone. Inabinet apparently thought of a military career while still in high school and when he entered college he enrolled in the ROTC. He evidently left college after the spring term in 1940 and entered the Army Air Corps in some capacity, possibly as an aviation cadet. Unfortunately, the record is not clear on whether he was in flying training or just enlisted in the Army. In any case, he apparently left the Air Corps in early 1941 and began work as a shoe salesman. This was not his forte and, since he had 320 hours of flying time and a pilot’s certificate, he went to New York City in late April 1941 to visit the Clayton Knight Committee in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. He signed up on 2 May and was soon sent to RAF refresher training at Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California. On 27 September 1941, Inabinet was granted his commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked on the SS Bayano for England along with nine other future Eagles. The two-week voyage plus getting his uniforms and completing the necessary in processing at Bournemouth took about a month, and he reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge on 28 October. On 27 November he was hospitalized for a week for unspecified reasons but reported back to the OTU on 9 December and completed his training just after Christmas. On 31 December 1941, Inabinet joined 71 Squadron at Martlesham Heath. Just nine days later, on 9 January 1942, he took off on his first operational mission, a convoy patrol over the North Sea, but for unknown reasons, he crashed into the ocean. His body was later recovered. William Inabinet had been an Eagle for only nine days. 226 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Jackson, Marion Elmo RAF Number: 100519 Born: 13 March 1911, in Santa Anna, Texas Served: 133 Squadron from 25 August 1941 to 26 September 1942 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: Cafe owner Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

Marion “Jack” Jackson didn’t fly in an airplane until he was a teenager. He had a friend whose brother was a pilot, who took Jack up one day and let him fly. Jackson did so well that the pilot thought Jack had some flying experience already. Jack decided that if he could fly that well without instruction, he could really do a great job with lessons, so he committed to learn how to fly. Since he was one of the older Eagles, he had logged nearly 150 hours of flying and was also a successful businessman by the time World War II began in Europe. But Jack was also worried. He was convinced that war would come to the United States in the very near future and he certainly wanted to fly rather than fight the war on the ground. As with many of the men who went into the RAF, Jackson first tried the Army Air Corps but was not qualified since he lacked the required two years of college and was beyond the age limit. As luck would have it, in the fall of 1940 Jackson saw a small article in the newspaper reporting that there was an effort afoot in Southern California to get pilots to volunteer for duty with the RAF. The contact was in the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel and Jackson was quick to visit. The room turned out to be the Southern California offices of the Clayton Knight Committee. Although he lacked the required 200 hours of flying time, Jackson passed the RAF physical in Pasadena on 28 December 1940, and a few weeks later was sent to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Polaris Flight Academy at Grand Central Air Terminal in Glendale, California. There Jack got the flying instruction that he lacked, especially instrument training, so when he completed the course in May 1941, he believed he was a well-qualified pilot. Jackson was asked to remain as an instructor, but he had signed up to go to war and so he declined that option. Jackson was in the company of 16 other future Eagles when the SS Bayano, a con227 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

verted freighter from United Fruit Line, sailed for England on 5 June 1941. That same day, the entire group was commissioned as pilot officers in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. The seven-thousand-ton ship had four Hurricanes lashed to the deck and the rest of the cargo was bacon and sanitary napkins. Unfortunately for the passengers, the convoy went north as far as the Arctic Circle to avoid German submarines. The Americans, nearly all in their California clothes, nearly froze as the ship turned into a floating iceberg even in the summer weather. The voyage took over three weeks, and no sooner had the group disembarked in Liverpool and begun to get used to being on land again, than they found themselves in an air raid shelter while the Germans bombed the city. That was Jackson’s first encounter with the British whom he immediately liked as they asked him why he had volunteered to come to England and then thanked him for doing so. Jackson and his buddies then proceeded to London where they spent their first night in a room at the Overseas League. After getting their uniforms they took the train to the reception center at Bournemouth and what Jackson thought would be an immediate assignment to a flying base. But as periodically happened, there were no spaces in any of the Operational Training Units so he and Bud Wolfe were sent to an estate in the Lake District of Northern England for nearly two weeks. The estate belonged to Sir Charles Hadley and the two fledgling pilots had private rooms, butler service, and the run of the entire grounds. But both were anxious to get into the cockpit again and Jack was glad to return to Bournemouth and, on 14 July 1941, board the train for 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. There he learned to fly the Hurricane and, more importantly, also learned to fly on instruments—a skill he would soon employ on nearly a daily basis. Jack completed OTU and, on 22 August, was assigned to 133 Squadron, then just forming at Duxford, as one of the original cadre. The third Eagle Squadron had a difficult first few months with several accidents and Fighter Command decided to send them to Northern Ireland to gain experience before putting them into active combat. On 1 January 1942, the unit returned to England and was stationed at Kirton-in-Lindsey. There they continued the convoy patrol duty they had seen so much of in Northern Ireland but also began to get into action again the Luftwaffe. On 5 February, Jackson was credited with half a Dornier 217 destroyed along with Flight Lieutenant 228 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Johnson. Action increased significantly through the early spring and in May the squadron was again moved, this time to Biggin Hill, which provided air defense for London as well as escort missions over the continent. A short time later, Jack severely damaged an ME-109. On 5 June, Jackson, who had become one of the senior members of the unit, was promoted to flight officer. He continued as a flight leader with 133, and on 16 September 1942 went to London and transferred to the US Army Air Forces. He returned to Biggin Hill to continue to fly with 133 until the formal transfer ceremony of the Eagles to the USAAF scheduled for 29 September. On 26 September, Jackson was the leader of Blue Section as the squadron set out on an escort mission for B-17s bombing targets in France. They were flying their first brand-new aircraft, Spitfire IX’s. Unfortunately, they were given an erroneous weather briefing. Winds were forecast to be from the south, but they were in fact over one hundred miles per hour from the north. The squadron was blown far to the south and ended up out of radar and radio contact and unsure of their location because of a continuous undercast. As their fuel reached the critical point, the pilots were forced to descend through the clouds to find where they were. Unfortunately, it was over Brest, France, and the Germans proceeded to decimate the unit. Of the twelve aircraft, eleven were lost and ten of the pilots were either killed or captured. Jackson’s aircraft was hit by ground fire and, because he was too low to bail out, he crash-landed near Brest. He was seriously injured and found himself in a French farmhouse being cared for by the family. They told him they could not hide him because of his injuries and their fear of German reprisals, so he was turned in and spent the next eight weeks in a German hospital where he received excellent care. He was then interrogated and sent on to the German prison camp, Stalag Luft III. Although he soon escaped from the camp, he was recaptured after ten days. He remained there until the winter of 1944–45 when the entire camp was moved hundreds of miles to the west, in the bitter cold, in order to keep from being captured by the Russians. After being repatriated in April 1945, Jackson returned to the United States. He left the US Army Air Forces in June of 1946 as a major and returned to California where he went back into the restaurant business, and also was involved in real estate. He continued to fly periodically as a private pilot. Jackson died on 20 June 2002. 229 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Jones, William Little Calder RCAF Number: J15052 (R56265) Born: 9 August 1912, in Baltimore, Maryland Served: 121 Squadron from 21 July 1941 to 8 March 1942 Religious preference: Church of England Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

It was at the height of the Battle of Britain that William “Casey” Jones decided that he wanted to fly for the RAF. Whether it was the glamour of the airplanes, the anticipation of the coming war, or a desire to fight for liberty that motivated him we do not know, but on 14 August 1940 he went to Canada and joined the RCAF. His objective was to learn to fly. On 22 October 1940, Jones entered flying training in Canada. There is no record of what he did during the eight or nine years since he graduated from high school or of any previous flying experience he might have had, but any lack of flying apparently did not hinder his progress. He was awarded his RCAF Pilot’s Flying Badge on 29 March 1941 and appointed a sergeant pilot, and he then embarked for England. He entered 55 OTU on 26 May and completed the training in time to report to 121 Squadron on 12 July 1941. (As with several other RCAF pilots, Jones’s official record is in error. While it lists him as arriving in 121 Squadron on 18 November 1941, the squadron records him arriving in July and he flew a number of combat missions that summer. Apparently the RCAF entered the date he was commissioned as the date he arrived in the squadron.) Casey Jones immediately became one of the most popular and most skilled pilots in the unit. On 18 November Bill was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RCAF. But on 8 March 1942, while on a strafing mission in France, he was hit and his cooling system was punctured. Faced with an overheating engine and no prospect of getting back to England, Jones bailed out near Saint-Omer and was taken prisoner. That evening, the entire 121 Squadron met in the officers’ mess and painted a giant locomotive on the wall in memory of Casey Jones. Jones spent most of the rest of World War II in Stalag Luft III, a POW camp for British and American fliers in what is now Poland. During the bitter winter of 1944–45, along with 230 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

the rest of the camp, he was moved hundreds of miles to the west, mostly on foot, to keep ahead of the Russian advance. After the war Jones left the RCAF and joined the US Air Force Reserve. He was recalled to active duty as a captain in December 1950 and remained in the Air Force until June 1953. He then returned to his job as a security officer for AAI Corporation in Cockeysville, Maryland. He died on 21 May 1982.

Kearney, Jack LaRue RAF Number: 113954 Born: 19 March 1920, in Hurst, Illinois Served: 121 Squadron from 30 March to 11 August 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Married Transfer USAFA: 27 April 1943

Jack Kearney is one of those Eagles about whom little is recorded outside of the official record. His family apparently moved from Illinois to New Mexico when he was a child. He graduated from high school in Las Vegas, New Mexico. While there is no record of what he did after that time it is safe to assume it involved flying. Given the course of his service, it is probable that he went into the RAF via the Clayton Knight Committee, in which case he would have had to have had about 150 hours of flying time. He probably visited the Clayton Knight offices in the early summer of 1941 and entered RAF refesher training in August. The first notation in his official record is his being granted a commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 20 November 1941, the same day he departed Canada for England on the SS Emma Alexander along with six other future Eagles. Just ten days prior, he had married Josephine Jackson in Las Vegas. Kearney arrived in England on 8 December, completed all the necessary processing at Bournemouth, and was posted to 53 Operational Training Unit at Llandow on 16 December 1941. Jack spent longer than the usual six to eight weeks in OTU, possibly serving as an instructor, and didn’t report to 121 Squadron at North Weald until 30 March 1942. On 17 July 1942, he apparently had a medical problem that led to his 231 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

being transferred from 121 Squadron to Debden in early August for duty as a mission pilot. In November he was promoted to flying officer and he remained at Debden for the rest of 1942. Jack spent most of December in the hospital at Uxbridge having his wisdom teeth removed. On 4 January 1943, Kearney was assigned to 222 Squadron where his duty was listed as supply flying. On 27 April 1943, he transferred to the US Army Air Forces. There is no record of his subsequent assignments or whether he survived World War II.

Kelly, Joseph Michael RAF Number: 107777 Born: 17 November 1922, in Oakland, California Served: 71 Squadron from 28 October 1941 to 13 April 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Western Electric, Oakland, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 25 December 1942

As a young boy, Joseph Michael “Mike” Kelly loved model airplanes and could be found flying them on most nice days in his hometown of Oakland, California. It was only natural that he would begin to fly real airplanes as soon as he was old enough. During high school he worked part time at the Oakland Airport cleaning and refueling airplanes in exchange for flying experience from many of the regular pilots in the area. When he graduated from Oakland Tech High School in 1940, he took a job with the telephone company, Western Electric, but his heart was at the Oakland Airport. There he spent every possible hour flying, talking about airplanes, or just enjoying the company of his fellow pilots. He yearned to fly the fast and powerful aircraft of the Army Air Corps, but he didn’t have the required two years of college so that door was closed. Fortunately, on one of his cross-country flights to Glendale, California, a training site for future RAF pilots, Mike learned about the Clayton Knight Committee. The door seemed at least ajar for entering the RAF. His father gave him permission to make the fateful step and on 10 April 1941, when he was nineteen years old, Kelly took his 232 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

RAF pilot’s physical and signed up with the Clayton Knight Committee in Oakland, California. He had 160 hours of flying time. Kelly entered the RAF Refresher Training Program at Polaris Fight Academy in Glendale on 12 May 1941 and completed the program on 5 August. Three weeks later, on 26 August, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and was on his way to England aboard the SS Manchester Division along with his Polaris classmates, Leo Nomis and Edwin Bicksler. Neither his voyage nor his processing into the RAF took long, because he reported to 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge on 17 September 1941. Less than six weeks later, on 28 October, the happy-go-lucky and immensely likeable, brown-haired and brown-eyed six-footer reported to 71 Squadron at North Weald as one of the youngest pilots in the unit. Kelly remained with 71 until April 1942, flying everything from convoy patrol missions to sweeps over German occupied France in his Spitfire that he named “Little Joe.” However he, like several of his squadron mates, wanted to see more action and possibly even get to the Far East to fly with the Flying Tigers, so he volunteered for overseas duty. (Kelly and others from the RAF who had illusions of the Flying Tigers didn’t realize that such service was impossible since they were in the RAF.) For Kelly that meant leaving the Eagles on 13 April 1942 and going to Africa. After being posted briefly in Durban, South Africa, Mike and several of his friends were put on the New Amsterdam for the trip to Egypt and the war. Kelly was posted to four different RAF squadrons in Egypt before he transferred to the US Army Air Forces on Christmas 1942 as a second lieutenant and was sent to Italy. In November 1943, he was promoted to first lieutenant and made an element leader. He remained in the US Army Air Forces until 25 December 1945. By the time of his discharge, Kelly had served in Italy, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Sicily. During World War II he had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, five Air Medals, and the British Silver Badge signifying service in the RAF. He was also credited with destroying two German aircraft in the air and five on the ground. He returned to Oakland where he married Rose, who had just gotten out of the Navy. During the next six years they had three children. Mike accepted a position with Lockheed Missile and Space Division in Sunnyvale, California, from which he retired in 1984. He continued his fishing hobby—he patented a new type of fishhook called “Kelly’s Hook 233 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

and a Half”—and continued to build model airplanes. Mike Kelly died on 29 June 1986, in the Veteran’s Hospital in Palo Alto, California. (The author thanks Mrs. Rose Kelly, Joe’s widow, for providing some of the material in this biographical sketch.)

Kelly, William Philip RCAF Number: J15657 Born: 23 August 1918, in Saratoga Springs, New York Served: 121 Squadron from 3 March to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 24 September 1942

William Kelly did not have far to go to sign up for duty in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He went to Canada from his upstate New York home in early May 1941 to enlist in the RCAF and begin training as a pilot. There is no record of what Bill did after graduating from high school or if he had any flying experience. While his reasons for wanting to become a military pilot are unknown, he clearly believed that if he were going to fly it had to be with the Canadians. Kelly’s trip to Canada was successful and he entered RCAF pilot training probably in early June 1941. He continued his flying training in Canada until 25 October 1941, when he was awarded his flying badge and appointed as a sergeant pilot in the RCAF. His training was not complete, however, and he remained in Canada for some time for advanced pilot training, a normal procedure for RCAF pilots. Kelly eventually sailed to England in early 1942. After the standard in processing at Bournemouth, he was assigned to an Operational Training Unit, and on 3 March 1942, Kelly arrived at 121 Squadron at North Weald. (Kelly’s official record lists his reporting date as 30 June but squadron records have the March date, which is probably correct.) He was soon flying operational missions and in early May joined squadron mates Barry Mahan and Gene Fetrow in destroying a two-thousand-ton German mine sweeper. The official RAF record notes that on 30 June 1942, Kelly was 234 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

commissioned as a pilot officer in the RCAF, which is probably the source of the erroneous date for his reporting to 121 Squadron. He continued to fly with 121 Squadron and on 24 September 1942 he transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. On 29 September he stood in the formation when the three Eagle Squadrons became the Fourth Fighter Group. Kelly then was in the 335th Fighter Squadron. During his time in the RCAF he was credited with destroying one German aircraft, on 31 July 1942. Following transfer to the American forces, Kelly continued to fly Spitfires. Unfortunately, on 25 February 1943, while on a strafing missing on a heavily armed German convoy off the coast of Holland, his aircraft was hit by enemy fire. He was attempting to bail out when he crashed into the sea. His body was never recovered.

Kennerly, Byron Fees RAF Number: 83704 Born: 30 September 1908, in Robinson, Kansas Served: 71 Squadron from 9 November 1940 to 3 February 1941 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Construction, excavation engineering, Guy F. Atkinson Construction Company, San Francisco, California, 1939–1940 Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Byron Kennerly was a member of the original contingent of Eagles and certainly one of the most controversial. He was obviously bitten early by the flying bug and had accumulated 168 hours of solo flying and 14 hours of dual time by 1940. He had moved around the country a great deal and held several different jobs: truck driver in Arkansas, lumber mill hand in Oregon, and oil field worker in California. No matter what job he held, flying certainly was a top priority when he earned extra money. In 1939, he married Helen Costello. There is no record of just how he became interested in military flying but he was recruited for the RAF by Colonel Charles Sweeny in the early months of 1940. Kennerly lived in Pasadena, California at the time, so he no doubt came in contact with Sweeny at one of the airports in 235 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

the Los Angeles area. Because of the illegality of Colonel Sweeny’s activities, Kennerly and the other early recruits found themselves meeting in secret with Sweeny, and after they agreed to join the RAF, traveling in various secret ways to Canada. Once there, they were signed up in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and put on a ship for England. In Byron’s case, he sailed from Halifax on the Duchess of Richmond during the first week of July 1940. While most Eagles were commissioned in the RAF when they sailed from Canada, Kennerly’s group did not receive their commissions until they entered the Operational Training Unit. For Byron that was 7 OTU on 13 August 1940. Two weeks later he was assigned to advanced flying training at 5 Service Flying Training School. Apparently Kennerly needed considerable further training because he did not report to 71 Squadron, his first operational assignment, until 9 November 1940, two days after the unit had received its first Hawker Hurricanes. Kennerly, like all the other members of the new unit, spent the last months of 1940 and early 1941 getting used to his aircraft, learning combat tactics and generally increasing their proficiency as an operational fighter squadron. Since the unit was still in the process of becoming operational, there was no real contact with the Germans. Unfortunately, Kennerly was a discipline problem from the time he reported to the squadron and had to be reprimanded for his conduct on several occasions. On 9 February 1941, Byron was removed from the squadron because of conduct problems and on 14 February, his commission in the RAF was rescinded and he was sent back to the United States. After his arrival in the United States, Kennerly proceeded to paint himself as a hero and began doing interviews about his supposed exploits in the RAF. In reality, he had never flown in combat or encountered a German aircraft. He appeared briefly in the movie International Squadron portraying himself— the movie starred future US president Ronald Reagan—and then proceeded to write a book with an Associated Press writer in Los Angeles. The volume, The Eagles Roar!, was a complete fabrication and Kennerly credited himself with numerous exploits and actions against the Germans, which neither he nor any member of 71 Squadron had accomplished at that time. The book did not sell well and it was not optioned by Hollywood for a movie, so both the book and Kennerly soon disappeared from sight. After a checkered career at various jobs, Kennerly died on 1 February 1962 of lung cancer. 236 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Keough, Vernon Charles RAF Number: 81620 Born: 8 June 1911, in Elizabeth, New Jersey Served: 71 Squadron from 20 September 1940 to 15 February 1941 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Pilot, parachutist, and flight instructor Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 15 February 1941

By his own account, Vernon “Shorty” Keough began flying in about 1930. He loved to do anything associated with aviation, including parachuting at air shows and general barnstorming. And the crowd always knew Shorty since he was only four feet ten inches tall. Vernon was one of the very few Eagles who apparently made their living during the Depression in aviation. But as war came on the horizon, Keough realized that he had better try to find a way to be a pilot in the conflict. He probably heard about Colonel Charles Sweeny and his efforts to recruit pilots through some of his flying friends. We don’t know who made the first overture, but the two met. Sweeny explained his mission and, in early 1940, Sweeny successfully recruited Keough to fly for the French. But because of the US neutrality laws, Shorty had to clandestinely cross the border into Canada to take a check ride and eventually board a ship for Europe. While in Montreal, Keough met two other American fliers, Eugene Tobin and Andy Mamedoff, also recruited by Colonel Sweeny, and the trio made the trip to France together on a freighter from Nova Scotia. As luck would have it, by the time they arrived in France in May 1940, the French were fighting for their lives against the Germans and had no time for or interest in the three Americans. In fact, the three spent their first month in Europe moving south from Paris, trying to stay ahead of the advancing Germans. They were able to get one of the last evacuation ships to England from Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Upon arrival in London, Keough and his two comrades applied to fly with the RAF but the Air Ministry was not receptive. After all, they had little to sell themselves with since they had no military flight training or experience. Probably with the aid of the Sweeny family, the trio eventually found an understand237 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

ing member of Parliament to intercede on their behalf and that, coupled with Britain’s desperate need for pilots, got them accepted into the RAF and commissioned as pilot officers in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 5 July 1940. That same day Vernon was posted to 7 Operational Training Unit at Hawarden for a short refresher training course and checkout in the Hurricane. On 5 August, Keough was posted to 152 Fighter Squadron. He never joined that unit, however, for the next day he was ordered to join 609 Fighter Squadron flying Spitfires. Shorty was into the action almost immediately and became one of only seven Americans to fly in the Battle of Britain. In one of his early engagements he was credited with helping shoot down a German bomber. On 20 September 1940, Keough was again transferred, this time to the newly formed 71 Squadron as part of the original cadre. When he joined the unit at Church Fenton, it had only two other pilots—his friends Tobin and Mamedoff—and no aircraft, and the RAF really had no idea what they were going to do with the new squadron. For an experienced Spitfire combat pilot, the assignment was indeed frustrating. But the unit filled out, got Hawker Hurricane I aircraft, and proceeded with the long process of becoming combat ready. On 5 January 1941, Keough was part of a formation flight with Ed Orbison and Phil Leckrone. The latter two collided and Leckrone was killed as he crashed with his aircraft despite Keough following him all the way down, yelling at him over the radio to bail out. Then, on 15 February 1941, while on a mission over the North Sea, the 71 Squadron operations book noted that Vernon Keough “crashed into the sea at great speed.” The accident investigation board concluded that he apparently did not turn on his oxygen properly and thus lost consciousness and crashed. His body was never found. He and Leckrone were among the very first Americans to give their lives in World War II.

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Kimbro, Karl Kenneth RCAF Number: J15082 Born: 13 February 1914, in Newton, Mississippi Served: 133 Squadron from 19 August 1941 to 10 July 1942 Religious preference: Christian Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 28 September 1942

Karl Kimbro loved to fish and, after his first flight in a Piper Cub, to fly as well. While we know nothing of his boyhood years, we do know that he moved from Mississippi to Texas at some point because his parents lived in Lubbock, and he was working in a potash refinery when K.K., as he was known, wrote to the RCAF for information about getting into pilot training. At that time he had about 60 hours of flying experience, most of it in a Piper Cub. Fortunately, previous flying experience was not a prerequisite for the RCAF so Kimbro was encouraged to apply, was accepted, and went to Windsor, Ontario, Canada, in October 1940 to join the Royal Canadian Air Force. It is probably safe to assume that Kimbro was concerned with the war in Europe and decided he wanted to fly if the United States got involved so Canada was really the only option. K.K. began basic training on 15 October and his actual flight training on 10 November 1940. On 28 April 1941, he was appointed to the rank of sergeant pilot and authorized to wear his pilot’s badge. He completed his training on 18 May 1941. (As with many of the RCAF pilots, there are significant errors in Kimbro’s official record in accounting for the time between completing pilot training in Canada and joining an operational squadron in England. So while the RCAF record shows Kimbro not joining 133 Squadron until 27 November 1941, squadron records indicate that he actually was there much sooner.) K.K. probably departed Canada for England shortly after completing his training. He arrived there in late June and was send immediately to a Hurricane OTU. Kimbro completed that training about 15 August 1941 and four days later joined the new 133 Squadron at Duxford as part of the original cadre. Training was intense for the new unit but the accidents were also significant and in early October, 133 was sent to Eglinton, Northern Ireland, for further training and operational experience before being put into daily contact with the Luftwaffe. Kimbro was part of that 239 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

move and in November 1941 he received the very significant promotion from sergeant pilot to pilot officer in the RCAF. (This is the source of the RCAF record problem because they recorded the date of his commissioning as the date of his assignment.) Although it was cold and rainy, and the assigned mission of convoy patrol was boring, yet very dangerous, it was a good assignment for Kimbro and the other members of that unit because it gave them time to become accustomed to operational flying and build some unit cohesion. On 1 January 1942, the squadron was moved to Kirton-in-Lindsey, still away from the real action. As was expected, they saw little action against the Germans as the winter weather kept the aircraft on the ground for days at a time. And while there was some contact with the Luftwaffe in February, it was not until April that the squadron was back to flying sweeps over France or escort duty almost every day. Kimbro was a key part of all this action and during June he was credited with damaging two German aircraft. On 10 July 1942, for unknown reasons, Kimbro was transferred to 116 Squadron flying Hurricanes. He remained with that unit until 28 September 1942, when he transferred to the US Army Air Forces. He subsequently returned to the United States and instructed in the P-39 for the remainder of the war. Kimbro then left the Army and spent a number of years crop dusting, primarily in Texas. He also flew as a commercial pilot. Kimbro died in Lubbock, Texas, on 28 November 1991.

King, Coburn Clark RAF Number: 100521 Born: 28 April 1909 in Oregon, Missouri Served: 133 Squadron from 25 August 1941 to 31 July 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Ferry pilot, Lockheed Aircraft Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 31 July 1942

Coburn King, nicknamed “Pop,” was one of the senior Eagles. He was thirty-two years old when he decided to join the RAF and his seniority was probably more pronounced since he was also bald. But he had a reputation as one of the best pilots in the unit. While King had held a number 240 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

of jobs during his early life, flying had always been a passion and he had learned to fly by the time he was eighteen years old. About that same time he moved to California, the heart of the aviation industry, and when he was twenty-one he married Pauline Stoebner in Los Angeles. King, like so many other Eagles, was apparently not able to make a living flying during the Depression so he worked all sorts of jobs and used whatever extra money he had to buy flying time. It was not until 1938, when he got a job with Lockheed Aircraft as a civilian ferry pilot, that his dream of flying for a living came true. About that same time, he also joined the National Guard. Ferrying Lockheed Hudson medium bombers from the factory to their delivery point, combined with his military activity, may well have been the catalyst that prompted King to decide that he wanted to fly for the RAF. Certainly, his nearly 700 hours of flying time made him an attractive candidate. While we don’t know how King heard about the Clayton Knight Committee, he probably visited them at the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel and, because of his flying experience, was eagerly accepted. His flying time was also a factor in his apparently not being required to attend one of the RAF refresher training courses. King may have had some kind of condensed military flying training in Canada but if he did, it was very brief. He left Canada on 5 June 1941 on the SS Bayano, along with eighteen other future Eagles, and on that same day he received his commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. The fact that he received his commission when he embarked adds further support to the probability that he was a Clayton Knight enlistee. After the required in processing, King reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge on 14 July 1941. He remained there for about five weeks, after which he was assigned as part of the initial cadre of 133 Squadron, reporting on 25 August 1941 to Duxford. The early cadre of 133 was a strong group and they needed to be because they endured a number of losses in training and many hours of boredom while performing escort duty out of Eglinton, Northern Ireland. During this time, King’s reputation as a mature leader and superb pilot was cemented and he was often singled out to help train new arrivals to the squadron. Finally, in May 1942, 133 Squadron was moved to Biggin Hill and into the heat of the action against the Luftwaffe. The entire unit was ecstatic, none more so than King. Thus it was that on 31 July 1942 the 241 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

unit took off on an escort mission taking RAF Boston bombers on a raid against the heavily defended German fighter base at Abbeville, France. Just before crossing the coast on the way back to England they were caught by a number of German FW-190s. In the ensuing combat three of the senior members of 133 Squadron were shot down and killed, including Coburn King, who had recently been promoted to flight officer.

Kolendorski, Stanley Michel RAF Number: 84875 Born: 24 February 1915, in Jersey City, New Jersey Served: 71 Squadron from 8 November 1940 until 17 May 1941 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Pilot Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 17 May 1941

Stanley Michel “Mike” Kolendorski was one of the original cadre of 71 Squadron, joining the unit when it got its first Hurricane I’s at Church Fenton. Although he was from New Jersey, Mike moved to Southern California in the late 1930s in order to pursue his passion for flying. While there is no record of his occupation, he probably worked in the aviation industry and flew as much as he could. Unlike some of his early Eagle counterparts, Kolendorski apparently was able to spend most of his time flying because he had over 700 hours of flying time when he joined the RAF. Because of his flying experience, he was one of the first recruits for the RAF and was probably signed up by Colonel Charles Sweeny. He apparently took no flying training before sailing to England, but was required to take an RAF physical exam, probably in Canada, on 28 August 1940. Kolendorski was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 6 September 1940, the same day he sailed for England. Upon arrival, he was sent to a six-week flying training course, probably in an OTU, and from there assigned directly to 71 Squadron arriving at Church Fenton on 8 November 1940. Although he was still in training, Mike was listed as part of 71’s original cadre when the formation of the unit was announced on 8 October 1940. 242 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

The squadron saw no combat during 1940 and well into 1941 because of their lack of experience and training level. Still, they were certainly well known around Britain and were often wined and dined in London. Kolendorski, for example, was a guest of honor at the Overseas League in London in December 1940 along with four other Eagles. Action finally came to the unit in the spring of 1941 and Mike was in the thick of it from the very beginning. He was a fiery Pole who absolutely hated the Germans for what they had done to his ancestral homeland. Once combat began, he would over-boost his engine time and again in an effort to catch a German aircraft. He was often so anxious to shoot at a German plane that he would leave his formation and chase an enemy without realizing he was flying into a trap. On 17 May 1941, Mike did just that over the English Channel. The weather was cloudy and, despite warnings from his flight leader, he broke formation to chase an ME-109. He flew into a German trap and was apparently shot down. His body washed ashore at Rockanje, south of the Hook of Holland. The Germans reported that he crashed with his airplane and never had a chance to bail out. He was survived by his wife, who lived in Bell, California. Mike Kolendorski was the first Eagle to be killed in action against the Germans.

Lambert, Donald Edward RAF Number: 112282 Born: 23 April 1916, in Berkeley, California Served: 133 Squadron from 28 April to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Christian Scientist Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

Donald “Mick” Lambert was a typical California kid. He liked cars, had fun, and wanted to fly. While he was born in the Bay Area, his parents moved to Visalia, in the Sacramento Valley while he was still a boy. He went to high school there and also learned to fly. Mick was very interested in the military and in 1935 joined the Marine Corps Reserve and served in an active capacity for part of the next five years. In addition, he was able 243 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

to fly and log quite a bit of flying time. And as did most Americans, he followed the exploits of the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain. So when the war clouds gathered, Lambert and three of his friends from the Visalia area, Dave Logan, George Middleton, and William Arends, decided that they wanted to fly if the United States got into the war. As with many Eagles, they heard about the Clayton Knight Committee at the local airport and so the four went to the Lamington Hotel in Oakland on 2 July 1941 and applied for the RAF. All apparently had sufficient flying time and were accepted. The “Four Horsemen of Visalia” were ready to begin their training. Of interest, the Clayton Knight Committee assured the four that they would be able to stay together in the RAF and that they would fly fighters. (This was very unusual, as most of those signed up by the Clayton Knight Committee were not given any assurance of any assignment or aircraft type.) Lambert was fond of saying that while he was in Hollywood he had a date with Veronica Lake, the famous movie star, but no one has backed up this story. On 10 August 1941, Lambert and his friends drove to Bakersfield to begin their RAF refresher training. Just two weeks later, Mick married his high school sweetheart in Nevada, probably Las Vegas, and she came to Bakersfield for the remainder of his time there. Lambert’s future at Bakersfield became questionable a short time later when he, George Middleton, and LeRoy Gover buzzed Clark Gable’s duck pond and ended up face-toface with the famous actor. All was forgiven, however, and on 24 October 1941 Lambert completed his training at Bakersfield, where he flew the Stearman PT-17 and the AT-6, and he and his wife went home for a few days of leave. Mick then departed on the long train trip across the United States and on to Canada. On 13 December, after a several-day delay in Ottawa and then Halifax, Lambert, the rest of the Four Horseman, and four other future Eagles were commissioned as pilot officers in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England on the 13,000 ton Letitia. After a longer-than-usual voyage, Lambert disembarked on 26 December. Because there was no OTU slot available at the moment, Mick was assigned to 9 Student Flight Training School on 12 January. His stay there was brief and on 24 February, he reported to 57 Operational Training Unit at Hawarden in Clwyd. That assignment was the first separation of the Four Horsemen because they were sent to different Operational Training 244 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Units. It was to be a permanent separation also since Dave Logan was killed in a midair collision while at the OTU. Lambert completed his training and on 28 April 1942 was assigned to 133 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey flying Spitfire VB aircraft. Lambert flew the normal combat missions with 133 throughout the spring and summer of 1942, and although he was not credited with any enemy aircraft destroyed or damaged, he was seen as a good and steady combat pilot. In the same spirit as his buzzing incident with Clark Gable, Lambert was one of the pranksters of the unit and also had the habit of running out of money in London. His friend Lee Gover would always have Mick give him a pound for safe keeping just so Mick could get back to base. A real blow to Lambert was the loss of William Arends, who was shot down on 20 June. Lambert lamented that there were only two of the group left alive. On 23 September 1942, Mick transferred to the USAAF and a day later he and Gover went to London to buy their new uniforms. But fate was not through with the Four Horsemen. On 26 September 1942, twelve aircraft from 133 Squadron were assigned to escort B-17s on a mission to Morlaix, France. Unfortunately, they were given an erroneous weather briefing. Winds were forecast to be from the south, but they were in fact over one hundred miles per hour from the north, and the entire group found themselves over Brest, France, very low on fuel. All but one of the aircraft either ran out of fuel and crashed or was shot down. Four members of 133 were killed and six more, including Middleton, were taken prisoner. This was too much for Lambert. His nerves could not take any more and, shortly after his transfer to the 336th Fighter Squadron, he requested that he be removed from combat flying and given instructor duty. He became an instructor in the first US Operational Training Unit instructing new American arrivals in England in various combat aircraft. Lambert continued in this duty until 1944, when he returned to the United States and was stationed as an instructor in Tallahassee, Florida. After the war, Lambert left the Army and worked as an electrician for Wismer and Becker in Oroville, California. He also continued to fly as a private pilot. After retirement, he moved to Redding, California, where he died on 18 August 1993.

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Laughlin, Loran Lee RAF Number: 61925 Born: 11 March 1912, in Morgan Hill, Texas Served: 121 Squadron from 14 May to 21 June 1941 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 21 June 1941

We know very little about Loran “Gunner” Laughlin. He certainly became .

interested in aviation relatively early in his adult life and had a considerable amount of flying experience by the time World War II emerged on the horizon. It is safe to assume that he was concerned with being able to fly if the war engulfed the United States. In late 1940, he visited the Clayton Knight Committee, probably in Dallas, to volunteer for the RAF. Since Loren had over 300 hours of flying experience, he was promptly accepted and assigned to an RAF refresher training class. In early February 1941 he completed that training and on 24 February he was granted a commission in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England along with eleven other future Eagles. The group probably arrived in London on 5 March and almost immediately after completing his in processing on 6 March 1941, Laughlin entered 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. Loren’s first assignment after finishing the OTU was to 607 Squadron flying Hurricanes. He was there only a few days when, on 14 May 1941, he was reassigned to the new Eagle Squadron, 121, as one of the original cadre. After coming to know Laughlin, his squadron mate in 121, the late Reade Tilley, described him as being “a solidly built, curly-haired, ruggedly handsome man…a very friendly, quiet-spoken, dependable fellow.” This real compliment was echoed by others in his squadron. Unfortunately, Laughlin became the first casualty of the new squadron when he was killed in a flying accident on 21 June 1941. The official record notes that his Hurricane crashed at Brattleby, Lincoln. The cause was “due to the pilot losing consciousness whilst carrying out aerobatics. This caused the aircraft to dive into the ground.”

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Leckrone, Philip Howard RAF Number: 84653 Born: 30 November 1912, in Salem, Illinois Served: 71 Squadron from 25 September 1940 to 5 January 1941 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Flying instructor, Salem, Illinois Airport Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 5 January 1941

Philip “Zeke” Leckrone was one of the very first Americans to volunteer for the RAF in World War II. Phil was raised on a farm near Salem, Illinois, but was never content with farming. He was apparently bitten by the flying bug and began taking flying lessons in the early 1930s. Once he learned to fly, that was to be his life. While he may have had another job in the Salem area, his primary vocation, as far as Phil was concerned, was as a flight instructor. The eruption of World War II in Europe had a profound effect on Leckrone and on 23 July 1940, armed with his logbook showing 395 hours of flying time, he made the short trip across the border to Windsor, Ontario, and took his physical for the RAF. He was accepted, and although there is no indication of who sponsored him into the RAF, it may have been Colonel Charles Sweeny. Just a few days later, on 2 August 1940, he sailed for England on the Duchess of Bedford along with future Eagle Luke Allen. Upon his arrival in London, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and reported to 7 Operational Training Unit at Hawarden for a short course in combat flying. On 2 September 1940, just six weeks after taking his physical in Canada, Phil reported to 616 Fighter Squadron, becoming one of seven Americans to fly in the Battle of Britain. Leckrone’s short training and amazingly rapid progress to being a member of an operational squadron demonstrates how desperate the British were for pilots in the fall of 1940. Even more illustrative of the British situation is Leckrone’s first engagement with an enemy aircraft, chasing a JU-88 reconnaissance plane, which occurred on 16 September 1940, less than two months after he went from his home in Illinois to Windsor. Because he was one of the very few American pilots in the RAF, Zeke was transferred to 71 Squadron on 25 September 1940, becoming one of the 247 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

first members of the unit. It must have been very frustrating for Leckrone to move from an operational unit flying Spitfires, where he had logged over 100 hours in that aircraft and was actively engaging the Luftwaffe, to a unit lacking in personnel, aircraft, and training. Shortly after his arrival in 71, however, Leckrone was injured and admitted to the hospital. He didn’t return to the unit until early December. During that time, the squadron got its first aircraft and, because of his experience, after his return Leckrone almost immediately became one of its leaders. He must have been disappointed, however, when 71 got old Hurricane I’s rather than the newer Spitfire that Leckrone had been flying in 616 Squadron. On 5 January 1941, while practicing formation flying with squadron mates Vernon Keough and Ed Orbison at over twenty thousand feet, Leckrone and Orbison collided. While Orbison was able to land his damaged aircraft, the tail was cut off of Leckrone’s Hurricane and he crashed. “Shorty” Keough followed him all the way down, shouting at him over the radio to bail out but there was no response. Leckrone may have been unconscious from a malfunction in his oxygen system even before the collision. Thus Philip Leckrone, one of the first American volunteers for the cause of freedom, became the first Eagle Squadron fatality.

Loomis, Lyman Stevens RAF Number: 100522 Born: 26 January 1912, in Zanesville, Ohio Served: 133 Squadron from 1 September 1941 to 5 January 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Salesman, Associated Linoleum Company, 1935–1941 Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: RAF commission terminated, 5 January 1942

Lyman Loomis was another of the more senior Eagles. While his record is very incomplete, he had apparently supported himself in the sales field while spending as much time and money as possible flying. It is reasonable to assume that Lyman was one of the many pilots in Southern California 248 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

who just couldn’t find enough flying work to exist. With the war on the horizon, Loomis visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee at the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel in early November 1940 and was accepted for training. At that time he had about 270 hours of total flying experience. Loomis then took the RAF physical exam in Glendale, California, and was off to the RAF refreshing training program at Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California. He was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England on 5 June 1941 aboard the SS Bayano, along with eighteen other future Eagles. After arrival in England in late June, Lyman was assigned to 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge, reporting on 14 July. Just six weeks later, on 1 September 1941, he joined 133 Squadron at Duxford as one of the original cadre of that unit. Loomis continued to fly with 133 posting a credible record and in November he was married to Margaret Rita Seltin Kocerns on 27 November 1941 at Duxford. He apparently got into significant financial difficulties late in l941. As a result of these unknown problems, his commission in the RAF was terminated on 5 January 1942, and he was repatriated to the United States. There is no record of his activities after that time or of when and where he died.

Lutz, John Frederick RAF Number: 116158 Born: 18 August 1918, in Fulton, Missouri Served: 71 Squadron from 30 June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: Factory worker at Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Glendale, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

John “Pappy” Lutz was a funny man. Whenever there was a gathering of pilots it seemed that he soon had them all in stitches of laughter. Although he was born in Missouri, he apparently moved to Southern California when he was in his early teens. He graduated from Brawley Union High School in Brawley, a small town in the Imperial Valley, and then entered Brawley Junior College. He may well have enrolled in the Civilian Pilot 249 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Training Program at Brawley as well. Like so many of the men who entered the RAF, Lutz was bitten by the flying bug and the desire to be involved in any way possible with aircraft. So he dropped out of school to go to work at Lockheed in Glendale. It was there that he heard of the Clayton Knight Committee and decided to investigate. Pappy probably visited the Clayton Knight offices in the Hollywood- Roosevelt Hotel in late August or early September 1941. While there is no record of how much flying experience he had at that time, it was at least 150 hours. Lutz took his RAF physical at Pasadena, California, on 16 September. A short time later, he was assigned to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Bakersfield, California, which he completed in early January 1942. He was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 19 January 1942, the same day he embarked from Canada for England. After arrival in England and obtaining his uniforms he reported to the personnel center at Bournemouth on 9 February 1942. From there he was assigned to the Officer Training School at Cosford, an assignment dictated by the availability of training slots in the Operational Training Units. He reported to Cosford on 4 March and then was sent to advanced flying training on 13 April. It was not until 28 April, nearly two and a half months after his arrival in England, that Lutz was sent to 53 OTU at Llandow where he finally was flying the aircraft of his dreams, the Spitfire. He was nearly finished with the training when his progress was again delayed. On 6 June Pappy was slightly injured and burned in an accident. While not considered serious, he was admitted to the hospital on 13 June for treatment of second- and third-degree burns on his shoulder and neck. He was discharged from the hospital on 26 June, and on 30 June 1942 he finally reported to 71 Squadron at Debden. His humor and friendship with “Deacon” Hively made him an immediate fixture in the unit. The two were a natural comedy show and they kept the entire squadron in fits of laughter with such sketches as “The Absent-Minded Duck Hunter” or “The Red Baron.” Lutz was also considered a solid pilot although he was not in the unit long enough to assume any leadership position. On 16 September he relinquished his commission in the RAF and became a second lieutenant in the US Army Air Forces. On 29 September he became part of the 334th Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. He continued to fly Spitfires and then transitioned into the P-47 Thunderbolt. On 4 May 250 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

1943, while escorting a group of B-17 bombers on a raid over Antwerp, he was shot down. He successfully bailed out of his P-47 and was seen landing in the English Channel. Unfortunately, the air-sea rescue boat was never able to find him and he was declared killed in action on that date. His body was never recovered.

Lynch, John Joseph RAF Number: 103470 Born: 3 February 1918, in Lorain, Ohio Served: 121 Squadron from 9 October to 17 November 1941, and in 71 Squadron from 18 November 1941 to 25 August 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Ground instructor on airplanes and engines Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: 17 August 1943

Little is known about John Lynch’s early life. The story of this remarkable fighter pilot has to begin on 25 March 1941, when he went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles to sign up to fly with the RAF. Certainly airplanes were his main interest since he had 175 hours of flying time and was a ground instructor at a flying school in the Los Angeles area. He attended the RAF refresher course at Polaris Flight Academy in Glendale during the spring and early summer of 1941. On 22 July 1941, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed from Canada for England along with eight of his friends from Polaris. His voyage took about two weeks and after being issued his uniforms in London and reporting to the personnel center at Bournemouth, he was assigned to 55 OTU at Usworth in Tyne and Wear on 17 August 1941. A little over a month later, on 30 September, he reported to 232 Squadron of RAF Fighter Command. Lynch only spent ten days in that unit before being transferred to 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey. He was just becoming established when he was again transferred, this time to 71 Squadron at North Weald. There, the quiet newcomer demonstrated his flying prowess time and again over the 251 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

ensuing months. On one of his more famous missions, he attacked a locomotive in France and flew so low over the machine that he hit a telephone pole as he pulled up. He continued to fly, however, and landed back in England with a two-foot section of the pole embedded in his wing. He was equally famous for landing a brand-new Spitfire with the wheels retracted, for which he was awarded an oversized Iron Cross. Nonetheless, his flying prowess continued to grow and he eventually destroyed one German aircraft during his time in the 71. In early 1942, Lynch joined a number of other Eagles who requested a transfer to Malta. While some of Lynch’s squadron mates left as early as February, Lynch did not leave 71 Squadron until 25 August 1942. Prior to his transfer he was promoted to flying officer. Lynch became somewhat of a legend in Malta where he destroyed twelve German aircraft. His most well-known victory was recorded in May of 1943, when he won a prize of one hundred pounds sterling for shooting down the one-thousandth Italian Reggiane bomber. For that feat he was also awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross. Just three weeks later, on 4 June 1943, he was awarded a bar for the DFC, making him one of only five Eagles or former Eagles to be awarded multiple British Distinguished Flying Crosses. On 13 July 1943, he was promoted to flight lieutenant. By that time nearly all of John’s American friends had transferred to the US Army Air Forces and so, on 17 August 1943, Lynch did the same. The record does not indicate where he was assigned following his transfer. He left the US Army Air Forces after World War II but remained in the Air Force Reserve and was recalled to active duty during the Korean War. He stayed in the Air Force after Korea and flew F-84s with the 49th Fighter Group. He was killed in the line of duty in an aircraft accident off Okinawa on 16 March 1956.

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Mahon, Jackson Barrett RAF Number: 108640 Born: 5 February 1921, in Santa Barbara, California Served: 121 Squadron from 24 December 1941 to 19 August 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Aircraft factory worker Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Jackson “Barry” Mahon wanted to fly from the time he first sat in an airplane, in his case it was the Spirit of St. Louis at an air show in Santa Barbara, California. Because he lived in Santa Barbara, airplanes were a fairly common sight to him as early as he could remember. By the time he graduated from high school, Barry had earned his private pilot’s license and thought he was on his way to a long career in flying. ROTC was required in Mahon’s high school, so he also decided that he wanted a military career. When the opportunity presented itself a few months later, he joined the Navy Reserve. His first real flying job was crop dusting in the Imperial Valley, and although he didn’t think that was the life he wanted, he did get a great deal of flying experience By the time he was twenty years old, Barry had over 250 hours of flying time. But crop dusting also taught Barry that it was really tough to make a living simply flying airplanes, so he moved to the Los Angeles area and went to work in an aircraft factory. Mahon also became very concerned with the course of events in Europe and desperately wanted to find a way to fly in combat. He didn’t have the two years of college required to join the Army or Navy Aviation Cadet Programs, so he had to be content with helping to build airplanes and flying on weekends. It was the weekend flying that proved to be Barry’s salvation, for it was at the airport that he heard about the Clayton Knight Committee and the opportunity to fly for the Royal Air Force. So in early 1941, Mahon visited the Clayton Knight offices in the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel to apply. The interviewer was very impressed with Mahon’s nearly 300 hours of flying experience and Barry was soon accepted for training. He reported to the Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California, for RAF refresher training on 9 June 1941. During the next three months, Mahon had about 60 hours of flight instruction, including instrument and night flying, both 253 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

of which were new to him. He completed the course with satisfactory ratings and on 27 September 1941 Barry was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and departed from Canada on the SS Bayano. Accompanying him on the voyage were nine other future Eagles including future squadron mates Roy Evans, Carl Bodding, and Bruce Downs. The group arrived in the United Kingdom in early October. After making the required visit to the Air Ministry and getting their uniforms at Moss Brothers, they were on their way to the personnel center at Bournemouth. But upon their arrival, the new officers were told that there was a backlog of pilots waiting assignment to an Operational Training Unit. For Barry that meant being told to “do what you want to do” for a week or so and then report back for assignment. On 28 October 1941, Mahon was assigned to 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge flying the Hurricane. It took about two and a half months to complete that training, and on 24 December 1941 he reported to 121 Squadron at North Weald flying Spitfires. This was a fortuitous assignment for Barry because the unit had just moved to North Weald about two weeks earlier and was now in the heat of the battle to protect the United Kingdom. They were making sweeps and flying escort missions over France to take the war to the Germans. It did not take Mahon long to transition into the Spitfire and become a key member of the squadron. On 12 April 1942, he damaged his first German aircraft, an FW-190, and during the next four months, Mahon shot down five German aircraft to become one of only eight Eagles to be an ace while in the RAF. But Barry’s dreams of flying throughout the war came to an end on 19 August 1942, when he was shot down by an FW- 190 while supporting the abortive invasion of France at Dieppe. Mahon drifted in his dingy for most of the day, confident that he would be picked up by the British Navy. Unfortunately, he drifted to the French shore, was captured, and spent the remainder of the war at Stalag Luft III, the Luftwaffe prison camp in present-day Poland. Being in prison did not stop Mahon’s war, however, and he was able to escape from the camp but was recaptured within a few days in sight of the Czech border. In the brutal winter of 1944–45, the Germans abandoned the camp and began a march to the west to stay ahead of their Russian pursuers. Mahon endured the hardships of that trek, ending up in the POW camp at Moosburg. There he was liberated by allied forces in April 1945. A month later he found himself at Buckingham Palace being 254 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by the king. It was the last time that His Royal Highness personally awarded those medals. Although Barry wanted to remain in the military, he had missed the opportunity to transfer to the US Army Air Forces because he was in a German prison camp. When the war was over, that opportunity no longer existed and, because Mahon did not want to remain in England, he resigned his commission in the RAF. Barry returned to California where he became the personal pilot and eventually the manager of movie star Errol Flynn. He then became a motion picture producer, screenwriter, and director. Over his career, Mahon directed thirteen movies and a number of video productions. He also established a high-tech film production company in Hollywood called the Production Machine. Barry died on 4 December 1999, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Mamedoff, Andrew B. RAF Number: 81621 Born: 27 August 1911, in Thompson, Connecticut Served: 71 Squadron from 20 September 1940 to 2 September 1941, and 133 Squadron from 2 September to 8 October 1941 Religious preference: Church of England Civilian occupation: Commercial pilot and instructor Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 8 October 1941

Andrew Mamedoff began flying very early in the 1930s. It wasn’t long before this son of a White Russian émigré decided that he would try to make a living with airplanes. He barnstormed and flew in air shows all up and down the East Coast and even went to Florida to try his luck in the charter flying business. But times were tough and so, in the late 1930s, Mamedoff moved to Southern California to join the ever-growing number of pilots there trying to make a living in flying. As with so many others in his position, the headquarters of his activity was Mines Field in Los Angeles (now Los Angeles International Airport) and it was there that he learned of Colonel Charles Sweeny and arranged to meet with him. At 255 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

that time, early 1940, Sweeny was recruiting American pilots to fly for the Finns in the Russo-Finnish War. The basically unemployed Mamedoff signed up for an agreed salary of one hundred dollars a month. But before Andy could go to Finland, that war was over and he agreed to go to France and fly for the French instead. En route to France he met Eugene Tobin, whom he knew from Mines Field in California, and Vernon Keough, both also recruited by Colonel Sweeny, and the trio made the trip on a freighter from Nova Scotia. As luck would have it, when they arrived in France the French had no time for them at all and they spent their first month in Europe moving south from Paris, trying to stay ahead of the advancing Germans. They were able to get on one of the last evacuation ships to England from Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Upon arrival in London, Mamedoff and his two comrades applied to fly with the RAF but the Air Ministry was not receptive. Probably with the help of Charles Sweeny, the trio eventually found an understanding member of Parliament to intercede on their behalf and that, coupled with Britain’s desperate need for pilots, got them accepted into the RAF and commissioned as pilot officers in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 5 July 1940. That same day Andy was assigned to 7 Operational Training Unit at Hawarden for a short refresher training course and checkout in the Spitfire. On 5 August, Mamedoff was posted to 152 Fighter Squadron. He never joined that unit, however, for the next day he was ordered to join 609 Squadron flying Spitfires. The dark, tough, black-haired Mamedoff was into the action almost immediately and became one of the seven Americans who flew in the Battle of Britain during which he shot down a German bomber. On his twenty-eighth birthday, he was badly shot up by a German fighter and his aircraft was damaged so extensively that it never flew a combat mission again. Andy was fortunate to have survived uninjured. On 29 September 1940, Mamedoff was again transferred, this time as one of the first three members of the newly formed 71 Squadron. When he joined the unit at Church Fenton, it had only two other pilots—Keough and Tobin—and no aircraft, and the RAF really had no idea what they were going to do with the new squadron. For an experienced pilot with about 50 operational hours in the Spitfire, the assignment was indeed frustrating. But the unit filled out, soon got Hawker Hurricane I aircraft, and by April 1941, they 256 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

were finally in action against the Germans. Andy continued to fly combat missions throughout the summer. Because of his experience, on 2 September 1941, he was transferred to the newest Eagle Squadron, 133, to become a flight commander. Just three days earlier, on 30 August, Mamedoff had married Alys (Penny) Laird Pearson Craven in Epping, an occasion that prompted a number of the pilots of 71 Squadron to buzz the town, creating general chaos since it was market day. In late September, the decision was made to transfer 133 Squadron to Eglinton, Northern Ireland, to gain additional experience before they went into full-fledged combat. On 8 October 1941, the unit departed from Fowlmere for the flight. The weather soon became very bad and, while trying to land at Andreas RAF station on the Isle of Man, four aircraft crashed into the hills and all four pilots were killed. One of those was the Eagle pioneer Andrew Mamedoff.

Mannix, Robert Louis RAF Number: 64864 Born: 22 May 1916, in Movia, New York Served: 71 Squadron from 2 June 1941 to 13 April 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Electrical sales engineer, Florida Power and Light Company Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Robert Mannix is another case of a young man about whom little is known prior to his entry into the RAF. He apparently had some college education, because in 1937 he took a job as an electrical sales engineer and field representative for Florida Power and Light Company; a position he kept for about three years. Sometime in 1940, he appears to have left that job and moved to California. In early December 1940 he visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee at the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel to apply for duty in the RAF. He had also learned to fly at some point because he had about 150 hours of flying time in a variety of aircraft, most of which he paid for himself. Bob was immediately accepted and on 30 December 257 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

1940 was given an RAF flight medical exam, which he easily passed. In early January 1941 he was sent to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California. About two months later he completed his training and, along with classmates Bill Geiger and Wally Tribken, made the long train trip from Los Angeles to Canada. On 25 March 1941, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England. On the same ship were eight other future Eagles including Geiger and Tribken. Shortly after his arrival in England, Bob reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge, to learn to fly the Hurricane. Mannix completed his training at Sutton Bridge and reported to 71 Squadron at Martlesham Heath on 2 June 1941. A month after his arrival he transitioned from the Hurricane to the Spitfire and about that same time he was credited with damaging the first of two German aircraft during his time with the Eagles. Mannix’s official record lists him as getting married on 29 October 1941, in Arizona. It is more likely that he was married on that date in England to an American girl, Betsy Campbell, or that they were married when Mannix did take a compassionate leave to the United States in February 1942. He returned in March, was promoted to flight officer and was once again back in 71 Squadron. But just a few days later, on 7 April 1942, Bob left 71 Squadron and on 13 April 1942 he embarked for the Middle East. His first assignment was in 127 Squadron, which he joined on 9 June 1942 at its station at Saint Jean—just north of Haifa in Palestine—flying Hurricanes. That was the first of eight different bases from which the unit would operate during the time Mannix was assigned to it. Five months later, on 31 October 1942, he was transferred to 33 Squadron as a squadron leader and commander of the unit still flying Hurricanes. Bob was leading his twelve aircraft squadron on a mission to strafe enemy motor vehicles south of Benghazi, Libya, on 18 November 1942, when he was shot down and killed. He crashed behind enemy lines and his body was never recovered.

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Maranz (Marans), Nathaniel RAF Number: 86617 Born: 12 January 1919, in New York, New York Served: 71 Squadron from 8 January to 10 May 1941, and 121 Squadron from 10 May to early June 1941 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Pharmacist Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Nathaniel Maranz grew up in New York City. He had a passion for speed, and riding motorcycles and wanting to learn to fly were manifestations of that passion. Nat was very much a loner but he had been introduced to pharmacy through his uncle who had a shop in Greenwich Village. He also had worked in another uncle’s automobile agency. But his real focus was on learning to fly. After he graduated from high school, his parents gave him an old motorcycle to persuade him to go to Columbia University and not spend his time flying. Nat graduated from the Columbia University School of Pharmacy on 6 June 1939, but he had not lost the desire to fly. So while he worked at his uncle’s pharmacy he also took flying lessons at Floyd Bennett Field. But Maranz was bored with pharmacy and so enlisted in the Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet. He was first sent to the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for a three-month primary course. He reached his first flying milestone when he soloed on 31 January 1940. In March, Nat completed his training at Tulsa, having logged over 65 hours of flying time, and was sent on to Randolph Field, Texas, for the next phase of his training. For unknown reasons, Nat resigned from the Army shortly after his arrival at Randolph and moved to Southern California where, in the summer of 1940, he met Colonel Charles Sweeny who convinced him to sign up with the Royal Air Force. Because he had completed the US Army primary flying course at Tulsa, Maranz was not given any additional training but sailed for England on the Duchess of Atholl on 17 September 1940. With him on the ship were future Eagles William Nichols and J. K. Alexander, both of whom were also directly recruited into the RAF. 259 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

After arriving in the United Kingdom in early October, Nat was sent to 5 Student Flying Training School for advanced flying training. He was then posted to 71 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey, arriving on 8 January 1941 as one of the early cadre of the first Eagle Squadron. The squadron was engaged in very little combat during the late winter so Nat flew mostly training missions, learning how an operational unit functioned. Just as the action was beginning to increase in the spring of 1941, Nat was transferred to 121 Squadron as part of the original cadre of the second Eagle Squadron. Before he could even make a flight with that new unit, he was transferred to 1 Squadron. Nat was shot down on 21 June 1941 over the English Channel while returning from a mission over France with that unit. He was taken prisoner and spent the remainder of the war as a POW in Stalag Luft III. He was one of the first Americans to become a prisoner of the Germans. As a prisoner, he helped dig escape tunnels, but he never successfully escaped. In the winter of 1944–45 Nat was part of the long trek to the west to remain ahead of the Russians. He ended up in the prison camp at Moosburg from which he was liberated in April 1945. Maranz then returned to England and served as a test pilot on such aircraft as the new Vampire jet. Shortly after the end of World War II, he left the RAF and returned to the United States. He was accepted at MIT to pursue an engineering degree but his love of flying had not abated, so he forsook another stint in college for a job in aviation ferrying airplanes throughout the United States and Canada for commercial firms. He also learned to fly a helicopter and spent a short time as a helicopter bush pilot in Alaska. In 1955, Nat married Violet Webster and moved to Tiburon, California, where he went into automobile sales. He opened his own agency in 1961. In 1971, he changed to real estate and ran his own company for sixteen years, finally retiring in 1988. He was very active in philanthropic organizations, particularly the Red Cross, and local politics. He was often referred to as the “conscience of the City Council.” Nat Marans died on 29 July 2002, in Tiburon. He was widely mourned and the city council even adjourned in his honor. (The author thanks Nat’s brother, Joe Maranz for some of the information contained in the biographical sketch.)

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Marcus, Clifford H. RCAF Number: R80799 Born: Date unknown, Kingston, Pennsylvania Served: 121 Squadron from 5 November 1941 to 6 March 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Transferred, date unknown

Very little is known about Clifford Marcus. We don’t know how he became interested in flying, how much experience he had, or what motivated him to go to Canada and join the Royal Canadian Air Force in late 1940. He probably completed his training, received his flying badge, and was appointed a sergeant pilot in late July 1941. He sailed for England in early August. Shortly after his arrival, Marcus was sent to a Hurricane Operational Training Unit, probably 56 at Sutton Bridge, and finished that program in late October. The first date recorded for his career was his reporting date of 5 November 1941 to 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey. There is no record of his activities in that unit, but because it was winter, the squadron did not fly a great number of combat missions. Cliff was reportedly injured in an accident on 27 December 1941, but soon returned to flying. For unknown reasons, Marcus was transferred to 116 Squadron, an anti-aircraft calibration squadron, flying Hurricanes, on 6 March 1942. He transfered to the USAAF on 29 September 1942 but was not in the Fourth Fighter Group. He is listed as being in the 359th Fighter Squadron from 2 October 1944 to 1 September 1945. Marcus remained in the USAAF until 18 January 1947. there is no record of his subsequent life. He died on 19 December 1951.

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Martin, Clarence L. RAF Number: 65975 Born: 4 June 1914, in Lititz, Pennsylvania Served: 121 Squadron from 30 June 1941 to 18 May 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Carpenter, American Potash and Chemical Corporation Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 29 September 1942

Clarence Martin acquired his nickname “Whitey,” which he was always called, because of his blond hair. A short and rather stocky youth, he grew up in the hills of southern Pennsylvania. In 1936, he and his brother Henry, tired of Pennsylvania, especially the winters, left home and worked their way across the United States to California. They were able to find jobs at the American Potash and Chemical Corporation plant in the Mojave Desert about two hundred miles east of Los Angeles. It was an isolated place and the two young men decided they had to find a way to see the state and visit Los Angeles when they had some time off. Their answer was an airplane. So in 1937, the pair bought a light plane and learned to fly. During the course of the next three years, Whitey acquired nearly 300 hours of flying time in his craft. Apparently he was more enamored by flying than was his brother, so it was Whitey who did the flying on their nearly weekly trips around the state. But Martin’s world changed in 1940 when he registered for the draft and was classified 1-A, which meant that he could be drafted into the Army at any time. And with the war already raging in Europe, Martin desperately sought a way to fly rather than walk to war. He had already tried to join the US Army Aviation Cadet Program, but since he did not have the required two years of college, he was turned down. Martin was at a loss as to what to do. But as luck would have it, he was talking to a friend at an airport one day and, in the conversation, learned about the Clayton Knight Committee and the opportunity it offered to fly for England. Whitey flew his plane to Los Angeles and visited the offices of the Clayton Knight committee in the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel on 3 January 1941. He signed up for the RAF immediately. Interestingly, Martin was under the impression that he 262 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

would be ferrying new aircraft to Canada rather than going to Europe to fly. He was sent to Polaris Flight Academy in Glendale for RAF refresher training, but shortly before graduation his class was told they could volunteer to go to England and fly fighters or bombers for the RAF. Martin jumped at the chance and, after completing his training at Glendale, he was off, he thought, to Canada for further training. He arrived in Ottawa on 14 April, but rather than enter any kind of training, he was put on the former Cunard White Star passenger liner Allionia, along with future Eagles Ross Scarborough, Jack Weir, and John Warner, for the trip to England. The group sailed on 20 April 1941, the same day that Martin was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. The Allionia was part of a sixty-ship convoy, which meant that the entire group sailed at the speed of the slowest ship. It took the convoy eighteen days to get to Iceland and, after a week there, the four fliers boarded the Royal Ulsterman to complete their trip to England. Events moved rapidly for Whitey after his arrival in the United Kingdom. He was sworn into the RAF and took an oath of allegiance to the King, an act that cost him his American citizenship and, unknown to Martin, was not required of most American volunteers. Then he was off to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly the Hurricane. That too was rapid since the Americans were given one flight in an AT-6 and then went right to the single-seat Hurricane. Martin thought it was an easy aircraft to fly, but because of his short stature, he had to lower the seat all the way so he could use the hydraulic pump to raise the landing gear. As he said, “By the time I got the landing gear up, I’d be five thousand feet in the air.” On 30 June 1941, just about six weeks after he reported to the OTU, Martin found himself in 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey as one of the first pilots in that unit. A month later, the squadron transitioned into Spitfires and began the boring but very dangerous task of escorting convoys of ships in the North Sea. They also had occasional bomber escort duty, but the real action didn’t begin until December 1941, when the unit was posted to North Weald outside of London. Then the primary mission, when the winter weather would allow, was bomber escort over France and contact with the Germans became the order of the day. During that time, Martin flew as wingman for the future commander of the unit, “Red” McColpin. On 18 May 1942, Martin left 121 Squadron and reported to 57 Operational Training Unit as an instructor. He had flown thirty-five com263 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

bat missions and, while not credited with any German aircraft destroyed, had apparently damaged several. He had also been promoted to flight officer. On 18 June 1942, Martin was admitted to the hospital for unspecified reasons and was not able to return to flying duties for a month. On 6 September 1942, he was transferred to 52 Operational Training Unit, still as an instructor, and on 29 September 1942 he relinquished his commission in the RAF to become a member of the US Army Air Forces. He was assigned to the Eighth Air Force as a gunnery instructor and then a gunnery officer. Martin returned to the United States in December 1945 but stayed in the Army Air Corps until 1946. He and his wife, a former Army nurse, then returned to Germany, where Martin was employed as a post-exchange officer until 1952. They then returned to the United States where Whitey went into the trucking business with his brother. (Martin, and the large number of other Americans who had mistakenly sworn allegiance to the king, were repatriated by Act of Congress after the war.) He retired in 1976 and moved to Port Orchard, Washington. Whitey Martin died on 31 January 2000.

Marting, Harold Fesler RCAF Number: J4919 Born: 1 March 1911, in Eckerty, Indiana Served: 121 Squadron from 25 August to 18 November 1941, and 71 Squadron from 18 November 1941 to 12 April 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Divorced Transfer to USAAF: February 1943

Harold Marting was one of the older Eagles. He was twenty-nine when he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. But the military was not new to him. In 1927, when he was only sixteen years old, he had joined the Marine Corps and served with them for four years. There is no record of what he did during the next nine years, but he managed to get about 80 hours of flying time, enough to convince him that he wanted to fly in World War II. Because he was not qualified for the Aviation Cadet Programs, he apparently 264 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

decided to try to fly with the British by joining the RCAF. He journeyed to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in October 1940 and was accepted for flying training. His first course was a preflight school, which he attended from 24 October to 27 November 1940. He then entered the actual flying program on 29 November and completed it on 29 March 1941, when he was awarded his flying badge. He was third in his class and noted as being an above-average pilot with no outstanding faults. He was also praised for showing initiative and being a hard worker. His final grade was 80.1 percent. On 30 March 1941, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RCAF Special Reserve. He returned to the United States for a short time to visit his family and to see his young daughter, Marilyn. He then returned to Canada as an instructor at the Central Flying School in Trenton, Ontario for about five weeks. Following another short leave, during which he remarried his former wife, Francis, Marting embarked for England on 30 May 1941. He had a very long voyage and did not disembark until 28 June. He was moved through the personnel system very rapidly, however, and just a little over a week after arriving in England, was assigned to 59 Operational Training Unit at Crosby-on-Eden in Cumbria. He completed his training in Hurricanes and was assigned to 121 Squadron on 26 August 1941 at Kirton-in-Lindsey, at the height of a very busy flying period for the unit. For example, in August 1941, 121 flew 980 operational missions. Marting saw a considerable amount of action during the remainder of the summer and into the fall. On 16 November 1941, he probably destroyed a Junkers 88. He was transferred to 71 Squadron stationed at North Weald on 18 November, but the winter weather kept the squadron grounded for days on end. While the unit’s transfer to Martlesham Heath on 14 December held promise for increased action when the spring came, Marting, like several of his squadron mates, decided that he wanted to get out of England and the terrible weather. In April 1942, he volunteered to go overseas. For most who took that action, it meant a transfer to Malta, but for Marting it initially meant Durban, South Africa. Harold was in Durban until late June, when he was transferred to Egypt and eventually to El Alamein, flying British P-40s in 450 Squadron. On 23 October 1942, Marting was shot down and taken prisoner by the Italians. He was then sent to Greece where he managed to escape. After six weeks spent evading in Greece, he was able to get 265 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

back to Africa, then to Cairo, where, on New Year’s Eve 1942 he walked into a party to greet several of his former Eagle Squadron mates. Marting was then sent to England, where he transferred to the USAAF in February 1943. He was almost immediately returned to an assignment in the United States. On 18 July 1943, he was awarded the Military Cross for his heroic action in North Africa. Harold Marting was killed in a P-40 crash in South Carolina on 20 September 1943. (For more detail on Marting’s adventures see Harold Marting, “I Escape,” American Magazine, Vol. 136, (August 1943); also see Vern Haugland, The Eagles’ War, Jason Aronson, New York, 1982, pp. 108 to 115.)

Mason, Earl Wallace RCAF Number: J15009 Born: 19 April 1917, in Pitt, Minnesota Served: 121 Squadron from 20 May to 15 September 1941 Religious preference: Church of England Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 15 September 1941

Earl “Tootie” Mason was a kind and gentle man until he got into a fighter and then he was a “very feisty and aggressive little guy.” He was born and raised in Northern Minnesota and in Elrose, Saskatchewan, Canada, where he learned about hard work and harsh winters. There is no record of what motivated Mason to go to Canada in June 1940 and enlist in the RCAF since he apparently had no flying experience at that time. But he made good progress in training and on 16 January 1941 he was appointed a technical sergeant (sergeant pilot) and awarded his flying badge. Tootie probably sailed for England in early February. Although there is no indication of the date in his record, Mason spent about two months during the spring at one of the Operational Training Units in England learning to fly the Hurricane. On 20 May 1941, he joined 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey. A red-letter day for Mason was 2 August when he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RCAF. Just six weeks later, on 15 266 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

September 1941, he did a slow roll too close to the ground at his home station of and crashed. Mason was killed in the accident.

Matthews, Joseph G. RCAF Number: J9471 Born: Date unknown in Rutherford, New Jersey Served: 133 Squadron from approximately 25 to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: College student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 25 September 1942

Joseph Matthews was one of the last pilots to join 133 Squadron. He grew up in a Polish Catholic family in Rutherford, New Jersey, and was an all-American young man. He participated in sports, was a fairly good student, and also was very interested in airplanes. After graduating from high school he apparently went to college but where and for how long is not known. But as the war in Europe threatened to engulf the United States, Joe, who had read so much about the RAF fighter pilots who were the heroes of the Battle of Britain, decided he wanted to fly when the war came. Because he was not qualified for aviation cadets he took the next available alternative and went to Canada, probably in the early fall of 1941, and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. His objective was to become a fighter pilot. Matthews’s military record is not available, but given his late September 1942 date for joining 133 Squadron at Biggin Hill or Great Sampford, Joe would have completed his pilot training in Canada, commissioned as a pilot officer, and sailed for England in May or June of 1942. He then attended an Operational Training Unit to learn to fly the Spitfire and subsequently joined 133. It is possible that his training and trip to England occurred several months earlier if he was assigned to another squadron before going to 133, a fairly common occurrence. In any case, on 25 September 1942, Matthews transferred to the USAAF and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Four days later, Joe became part of the 336th Fighter Squadron. During the next year he was a very productive member of that unit. On 22 January 1943, he shot down 267 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

his first German aircraft, an ME-109, over France while flying a USAAF Spitfire. He got his second Luftwaffe fighter on 16 August while flying a P-47. Unfortunately, Matthews was also shot down on that date. Joe spent a number of weeks evading the Germans in France before escaping over the Pyrenees Mountains with the help of the French underground and returning to England. An evader was generally prohibited from flying combat again for some period of time because of his knowledge of the underground, so Matthews was sent back to the United States. He then toured a number of US Army Air Forces bases talking to future pilots about evasion and how to use the skills he had learned through his experience. Matthews left the US Army Air Forces after the war and apparently settled in Los Angeles. He reportedly went into business there and became involved in politics as well. Joe Matthews died on 7 April 1963.

Mauriello, Sam Alfred RAF Number: 87010 Born: 1 November 1908, in New York, New York Served: 71 Squadron from 14 January 1941 to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Cab driver, airplane pilot Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

Sam Mauriello was the quintessential New Yorker. Born in the city in 1908, he seemed to have had about every job one could imagine, but he talked most about his adventures as a taxi driver. He often would hold forth in the officers’ mess at North Weald or Debden with stories of driving his taxi in New York that rivaled those of aerial combat with the Germans. At some time in the early 1930s Sam tired of driving a cab and became very interested in aviation. He learned to fly and then spent several years barnstorming around the Eastern part of the United States before settling down as the manager of the airport in Binghamton, New York. As with so many of his fellow Eagles, it was the Battle of Britain that convinced Mauriello that he should join the RAF—that, and the opportunity to fly fighters. Because he had nearly 1,500 hours of flying time, Sam simply 268 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

went to Canada, apparently without any sponsorship, and on 30 September 1940 passed his physical at the RCAF facility in Ottawa. A little over two weeks later, on 17 October 1940, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England. He arrived about the end of the month and on 11 November was sent to advanced flying training, possibly at an OTU. In any case, on 14 January 1941, he joined 71 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey and began flying Hurricanes. Because he was the oldest pilot in the unit, Sam emerged as a leader very early. In fact, he was one of the first Eagles to encounter an enemy aircraft, which he, along with James McGinnis, chased into the clouds. Over the course of his tenure with 71 Squadron he shot down two German aircraft and damaged one more. In October 1941, he was promoted to flight officer, while his exploits and demonstrated valor earned him the award of the British Distinguished Flying Cross earlier than almost any of his comrades. In February 1942, he was promoted to acting flight lieutenant and made one of the flight leaders in the squadron. And when the notorious Hollywood film Eagle Squadron was produced, Mauriello was one of the featured pilots. Sam was the life of any party as well, and always had a story to tell. Who else would buy himself a bottle of wine to toast himself on his birthday? Despite his flying as a leader in combat for over a year, Sam survived his tenure with the RAF and on 15 September 1942 transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a member of 334th Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. His time there was short, however, and in December he, along with seven other Eagles, was returned to the United States to help in a war bond drive. He subsequently was assigned to the China-Burma-India Theater where he finished out World War II. After the war he returned to New York, left the Army, and was a truck driver for a bakery in the city; he also continued to fly. Sam was killed on 23 August 1950 in an aircraft accident in New York.

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Maxwell, George St. Maur RCAF Number: J7434 Born: 20 August 1917, in Washington, DC Served: 71 Squadron from 24 February to 13 April 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 10 January 1943

George Maxwell grew up in the Washington, DC, area as a well-rounded, popular young man. He was a sprinter on the track team in high school and also loved flying. After graduation, in February 1935, he went to work for the Washington Gas Light Company, partly to help support his widowed stepmother and sister. At the same time he continued to acquire some flying experience in the Piper Cub and the Aeronca. George also enrolled in college with the idea of getting two years of credit so he could get into the US Army Aviation Cadet Program. By the spring of 1940, George was ready to apply to the Army. Imagine his heartbreak when he was told that he didn’t weigh enough for his five-feet, eleven-inch frame and that he should go home and gain some weight. That was all the motivation Maxwell needed to go to Canada in the summer of 1940 and inquire about getting in the Royal Canadian Air Force. His interview with the RCAF was very positive and the Canadians were ready to make him an instructor in pilot training almost immediately. George didn’t want to be an instructor but rather a fighter pilot and that issue, as well as concern about possibly losing his American citizenship prompted George to return to Washington. Evidently both the training and the citizenship issues were worked out and Maxwell returned to Canada, probably in the fall of 1940. He was sent to basic training and eventually to pilot training. After nearly a year of training, he was awarded his flying badge on 13 September 1941. That same day he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RCAF, an unusual action since most pilots who went through RCAF training were appointed as sergeant pilots. Maxwell recalls that the top graduates in every class from pilot training were commissioned rather than being appointed sergeant pilots. Just eleven days after becoming a full-fledged 270 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

pilot, he embarked for England, arriving on 13 October 1941. He immediately entered advanced flying training, which he completed in early December, and was then assigned to 53 OTU at Llandow, entering on 16 December. A little more than two months later, on 24 February 1942, he joined 71 Squadron then posted at Martlesham Heath. George was there for only about two months when he and Bob Mannix were told that there was a need for pilots overseas and they could apply if they wanted. The two applied and on 13 April 1942 embarked for the Middle East. Although there is a gap in the record, Maxwell probably was assigned to 127 Squadron flying Hurricanes. On 5 August 1942 George was transferred to 33 Squadron, posted near Alexandria also flying Hurricanes. On 13 September, he was promoted to flying officer. Maxwell remained with 33 Squadron but in late 1942 the squadron was moved from actual combat duty to convoy patrol over the Mediterranean Sea. This was not a good thing as far as Maxwell was concerned so on 10 January 1943 he relinquished his commission and transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a first lieutenant. He was first assigned to the 86th Fighter Squadron of the 79th Fighter Group flying Curtiss P-40s. He continued with the 86th through the Sicily and Italian campaigns and in late 1943 returned to the United States. His assignment was to a P-51 Operational Training Unit in Florida where he remained for the duration of the war. In 1946, George left the US Army Air Forces, but in 1947 he applied for a regular commission in the new US Air Force. He was accepted and returned to active duty. George then went into the statistical services field and during the next twenty-five years was responsible for overseeing the installation of computer systems worldwide. He served in positions in the Pentagon, Japan, the headquarters for Pacific Air Forces, Air Training Command, and eventually he came back to Washington, DC, where he retired as a colonel in 1970. Maxwell then worked for Burroughs computer company, the US Postal Service, and the Bureau of Housing and Urban Development; all in computer systems installation. He retired in 1987 and returned to Temple Hill, Maryland, where he lives today.

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Mays, Ben Freeman RAF Number: 106509 Born: 18 October 1913, in Wharton, Texas Served: 71 Squadron from 18 November 1941 to 12 April 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Oil worker, Barnsdall Oil Company, Victoria, Texas Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 12 April 1942

Ben Mays had never been outside the state of Texas when he visited the Houston offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in February 1941. He was an outstanding athlete both in high school and then at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. After obtaining his degree, he went to work in the oil fields of south Texas, but flying had been a part of his life for several years and was really his first love. By the end of 1940, Mays had accumulated about 160 hours of solo flying and over 80 hours of dual experience. The Battle of Britain galvanized his conviction that the United States would soon be in war and he wanted to fly. Although Ben could have applied for the US Army Aviation Cadet Program, he thought it would take too long to get accepted and the Army was notorious for washing out cadets for apparently insignificant reasons, so Mays decided that the RAF was the best option. He was accepted with little delay and sent to the RAF Refresher Training course at Tulsa, Oklahoma. On 25 August 1941, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England, along with future Eagle Jack Gilliland and eight other American volunteers. The war was soon brought home very graphically to the Americans when, according to newspaper accounts, their ship was torpedoed by a German submarine and four of the American airmen perished. Mays and Gilliland were both rescued although Mays injured his arm. (This was apparently the only case of a ship carrying future members of the Eagle Squadrons being attacked and sunk.) None the worse for his experience, Mays reported to 52 OTU at Aston Down on 19 September and was assigned to 71 Squadron at North Weald on 18 November 1941. Unfortunately for the battle-hungry young pilots, most of the activity of the squadron through the winter was train272 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

ing and convoy patrol. During the first part of 1942, there was little flying at all because of bad weather. But good weather came with spring and on 12 April 1942 Mays was assigned as number four man in a flight of four, led by Oscar Coen. Since it was Mays’s first combat mission, the number three man, Harold Strickland, was watching to make sure Ben had no problems. Strickland describes the action: I checked my rear-view mirror and noticed that Ben was more than 50 yards astern and I called for him to close up… When I rechecked Ben he was narrowing the gap probably about the time that the Hornchurch and Debden wings were attacked by ME 109’s and FW 190’s diving at terrific speed out of the sun, firing from long range, then either zooming upward back into the sun…or else escaping with the superior speed in the dives. Then, when I rechecked Ben again, he was gone…Mays was apparently shot down almost undetected since he was the last man in the line of four fighters. His death was confirmed on 16 April 1942.

McCall, Hugh Harrison RAF Number: 67583 Born: 24 April 1917, in Minneapolis, Minnesota Served: 133 Squadron from 28 July to 8 October 1941 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Salesman with P. S. Graham Beverage Distribution Company, Glendale, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 8 October 1941

Hugh McCall was bitten by the flying bug early in life. While we know little about his formative years, he made the decision, probably after graduation from high school, to move to Southern California, the real center of flying in the United States. Although he was not employed in the avia273 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

tion industry, as were so many of the future RAF pilots, he was nonetheless able to accumulate over 150 hours of flying time by the end of 1940. With war clouds on the horizon and knowing he was not qualified for the Aviation Cadet Program, Hugh saw the RAF as his only alternative if he wanted to fly. So in early January 1941 he visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel for an interview, and on 31 January 1941 passed his physical and was approved for further training. He was assigned to the RAF refresher training course at Lancaster, California, which he entered in late February. Hugh completed the course with no difficulty and on 23 May 1941 embarked for England along with future Eagles Bud Crowe and George Bruce. That same day, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. McCall arrived in England in early June and was almost immediately assigned to 52 Operational Training Unit at Debden. He completed the training in a very short time and on 28 July 1941 was assigned to 133 Squadron, then posted at Coltishall, as one of the original cadre. This unit was unique among the three Eagle Squadrons in that it had very few veteran pilots in its initial contingent. Because of the inexperience of the unit as a whole, Fighter Command made the decision in early October 1941 to transfer 133 Squadron to Eglinton, near Londonderry, in Northern Ireland. There they were to fly the unpopular and hazardous—but essential—convoy patrols over the North Atlantic in order to give the squadron more experience and thus, make them more ready for combat. On 8 October 1941, the unit took off from Fowlmere for Eglinton. While letting down in very bad weather for a refueling stop at Andreas RAF Station on the Isle of Man, “B” flight hit a hill and all four members were killed. Among those who lost their lives in this unfortunate incident was Hugh McCall.

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McColpin, Carroll Warren RAF Number: 61926 Born: 15 November 1914, in Buffalo, New York Served: 121 Squadron from 22 May to 9 September 1941, 71 Squadron from 9 September 1941 to 23 January 1942, and 133 Squadron from 23 January to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Manager of General Battery Corporation, Los Angeles, California, and also manufactured electrical test equipment Marital status: Single Transferred to USAAF: 26 September 1942

Carroll McColpin’s family always knew that flying would be his vocation. When he was only three years old, he had his first flight as a passenger in a Curtiss “Jenny” with his father, and it appears it was then that his love of flying was born. Mac had a normal childhood but since his father ran a nationwide electrical equipment testing business, he lived in a number of different locations, from New York to Seattle and finally in Los Angeles. He also spent several of his formative years at military schools. Although he was very active in sports and other outdoor activities, his devotion to flying was never far away. He read extensively about airplanes and designed hundreds of them in his mind and on paper as he was growing up. By the time he graduated from high school, Carroll was ready to take flying seriously. He began with flying lessons and soon was deeply involved in building an airplane. He really learned to fly well with that machine and over the next few years acquired nearly 500 hours of flying time in twenty-eight different types of aircraft. By the time he was in his mid-twenties, he was instructing in the Civilian Pilot Training Program at colleges in Southern California. He was also supporting his mother, brother, and four sisters through his job as manager of General Battery Corporation in Los Angeles and the electronics testing business that he had taken over from his father. But World War II had started in Europe and Mac was determined that he would fly in the war. It seemed almost a lifelong ambition because in 1918, the four-year-old McColpin was asked by a reporter while at a Firestone Rubber Company air show if he wanted to grow up to be like his father. “No,” said Mac, “I want to become a pilot and shoot down the 275 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Kaiser.” But as was the case with so many pilots in the United States, McColpin lacked the two years of college necessary to qualify for aviation cadets. Then he heard about the Clayton Knight Committee at an airport and contacted Major Mosley, a World War I flyer who ran their flight Refresher Training Program at the Glendale airport. He was directed to the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel, where he was accepted for training and, in the late fall of 1940, reported back to Major Mosley at Polaris Flight Academy, this time for his RAF refresher training. As luck would have it, he received his draft notification while at Glendale and, because Mac had over 450 hours of flying experience, Mosley decided it was best to get him out of the country. He was given the money for a train ticket from Los Angeles to Montreal. It was bitter cold when McColpin arrived in Canada in early February but at least he was out of the United States (McColpin was listed as a draft dodger until 1942). Despite the frigid temperatures and the fact that he was in his California clothes with only a light coat, Mac was sent to take a check ride. The instructor who was to administer the check was found sitting by a pot-bellied stove. He asked McColpin if he really wanted a check flight. Carroll told him no, but that he would take one if it was necessary. The instructor looked at his logbook and said Carroll didn’t need one, so signed him off. But he also gave the future Eagle a scare when he suggested that Mac might be kept in Canada as a flight instructor. That proved a hollow threat, however, and the next day Mac was on a train to Halifax to begin the long voyage across the stormy and frigid North Atlantic to England. Carroll and nine other future Eagles were commissioned as pilot officers in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for Liverpool on 24 February 1941. No sooner had they landed than the Germans bombed the port city and the Americans got their first taste of war. Then it was on to London and the Air Ministry, where Mac was required to swear allegiance to the King. This was not a requirement for the Americans, but an administrative error that, unknown to him, cost McColpin his American citizenship for the next thirty years. (He regained his citizenship shortly after he retired from the US Air Force in the late 1960s.) After getting his uniforms, and completing the necessary processing at Uxbridge, Mac was assigned to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge where he learned to fly the Hurricane. The RAF was desperate for pilots, so the training at the OTU was short and McColpin was assigned to 607 Squadron at Wick, Scotland, 276 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

patrolling the sea approaches to the United Kingdom. But on 22 May 1941, after a month in 607, he was posted to Kirton-in-Lindsey as part of the original cadre of 121 Squadron. Little did he know that this assignment would lead him to be the only person to fly combat in all three of the Eagle Squadrons. It was at 121 Squadron that McColpin earned the nickname of “Red,” which was to stick with him the rest of his life. By August the unit had achieved full combat status and they flew 980 operational missions that month in their Hurricane IIB aircraft. In September 1941, McColpin and several other members of 121 were transferred to 71 Squadron to offset the losses being suffered by the senior Eagle Squadron. Just two weeks after arriving at North Weald and transitioning into the Spitfire VB, Red began to compile his amazing record against the Luftwaffe. On 21 September, he shot down his first German aircraft, an ME-109, and in the next five weeks shot down four and a half more to become an ace in just five weeks. For this feat he was awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross. Because of his flying experience and his maturity as one of the older pilots in the unit, Red rapidly emerged as a leader. When 133 Squadron needed a new commander, Mac was the logical choice and on 23 January 1942 he was promoted to flight lieutenant and took over the unit just as it was returning to Kirton-in-Lindsey after nearly three months in Northern Ireland. Just two weeks later, the newest Eagle Squadron saw its first action and, true to form, on 26 April 1942 Red was the first member of the unit to destroy a German aircraft. On 17 May, he destroyed another and was also credited with a probably destroyed, which made him one of the leading Eagle pilots. Mac left 133 for about ten weeks in June when he was sent back to the United States to participate in a bond drive. He returned and resumed command of 133 shortly before it became the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. McColpin transferred to the US Army Air Forces on 26 September as a major. He had destroyed seven and a half German aircraft, probably destroyed one more and damaged one while flying his 480 combat sorties in the RAF. He continued as the squadron commander of the 336th until December 1942 when he returned to the United States. McColpin spent the remainder of the war as commander of the 407th Fighter Bomber Group and then the 404th Fighter Bomber Group, which he took to England, France and Belgium after D-day. At war’s end 277 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

he had destroyed a total of eleven enemy aircraft in the air and twelve on the ground. Red remained in the US Army Air Forces after the war and then became part of the US Air Force. He had numerous flying assignments including command of several fighter units, director of operations at Air Defense Command, command of the 64th Air Division, director of operations of North American Air Defense Command and commander of the San Francisco Air Defense Sector. In 1964, he became vice commander of the 28th Air Division and then commander of Fourth Air Force at Hamilton Air Force Base, California. He retired from that assignment as a major general on 1 September 1968. He and his wife, Joan, settled in Novato, California. McColpin died on 28 November 2003.

McGerty, Thomas Paul RAF Number: 61927 Born: 30 June 1920, in Los Angeles, California Served: 71 Squadron from 19 April to 17 September 1941 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Usher, Fox West Coast Parisian Theater, Los Angeles, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 17 September 1941

In many ways, Tommy McGerty was typical of what most of America imagined a young man who grew up in Los Angeles to be. He was happygo-lucky, very likeable, and interested in mechanical things, primarily airplanes. Tommy had learned to fly while he was still in high school and his jobs after graduation were primarily to earn enough money to continue his flying. His objective was to get enough flying experience to get a good job as a pilot and make it his career. But World War II intervened, and as McGerty read more and more about the RAF, the Battle of Britain, and the fantastic fighters the British were flying, he became convinced that if there were a way, he would try to join the RAF. Coincidentally, in late 1940, Tommy saw a notice on the bulletin board at the Los Angeles Airport, advising those interested that the Clayton Knight Committee was 278 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

interviewing experienced pilots for possible duty in the RAF. He jumped at the opportunity, visited the Clayton Knight Committee in Los Angeles on 1 November 1940, and, with his 215 hours of solo and 35 hours of dual flying time, was accepted. In order to make his parents feel comfortable about his joining the RAF, he told them he had volunteered to be a Link trainer instructor. He was sent to RAF refresher training at Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California. Little did McGerty know when he made a forced landing at the Los Angeles airport, in late December, that the eager young man he met, Art Roscoe, would be inspired by McGerty’s experience to also visit the Clayton Knight Committee and join the RAF. Tommy completed his training in early February, and on 24 February 1941 he became a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and departed for England along with eleven other future Eagles including Carroll McColpin and Oscar Coen. Interestingly, prior to his commissioning and departure for England, he was given a Barany Chair test in Ottawa, which he easily passed. (This test consists of rotating the subject on a chair to test such things as his equilibrium, toleration of unusual positions and the like. Very few Eagles were given such a test in Canada or anywhere else.) McGerty arrived in England about the second or third of March and was immediately assigned to 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge, reporting on 6 March 1941. Six weeks later, on 19 April, he joined 71 Squadron at Martlesham Heath, flying Hurricanes. The move of the unit to Martlesham Heath just ten days earlier was designed to elevate them from training status to operationally ready to do battle with the Germans. Their primary duty, however, was the unglamorous but very dangerous duty of escorting shipping on the North Sea to keep it from being attacked by the Germans. Tommy flew his share of that mission and, on occasion, got a chance to shoot at a German aircraft that was harassing the shipping. In June 1941, 71 Squadron was moved to North Weald and their primary mission became escorting bombers on their missions over France. They also transitioned into Spitfire II aircraft and then the Spitfire VB. On one such mission on 17 September 1941, two members of the squadron were lost while escorting Blenheim bombers near Dunkirk, France. Bill Geiger was shot down and taken prisoner while Tommy McGerty was shot down and killed. He was just twenty-one years old.

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McGinnis, James Leland RAF Number: 84658 Born: 21 June 1911, in Wichita, Kansas Served: 71 Squadron from 9 November 1940 to 26 April 1941 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Final assemblyman, Lockheed Aircraft Company, Burbank, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 26 April 1941

James McGinnis was part of the very first contingent of Eagles recruited by Colonel Charles Sweeny in Southern California. He was typical of that group since he had moved to Southern California to pursue his love of flying and, like many, was working in the aircraft industry while flying during his spare time. When he was recruited into the RAF he had about 280 total flying hours. McGinnis successfully crossed the border into Canada in early July of 1940 and there passed his RAF physical. There is no record of whether he had to take a flight test as well, but on 10 July 1940 he sailed for England on the Duchess of Richmond. On 13 August 1940, he reported to the Air Ministry in London and was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. A month later McGinnis found himself at advanced Hurricane training and on 9 November 1940 he reported to 71 Squadron at Church Fenton as one of the original cadre. He had been included in the list of squadron members announced to the press by Air Minister Sir Archibald Sinclair on 8 October 1940, but like most of the rest of the original members, McGinnis was still in training. The squadron spent several months acquiring aircraft and training for combat. The first pursuit of an enemy aircraft by a member of 71 Squadron did not come until 3 April 1941, and it was Jim McGinnis and Sam Mauriello who made that pursuit. Just a month prior to that historic event for the Eagles, McGinnis had married Joyce Edith Ann Sayer on 3 March 1941 in Scunthouse, Lincoln, England. On 26 April 1941, just three weeks after his first chase of a German, McGinnis, leading a flight of two Hurricanes was scrambled to intercept a German aircraft. His Hurricane apparently lost power on takeoff and he crashed and was killed. He had been married less than two months. 280 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

McHan, Richard Emmett RAF Number: 100991 Born: 18 November 1920, in Omaha, Nebraska Served: 121 Squadron from 9 October 1941 to 16 February 1942 Religious preference: Congregational Civilian occupation: Flying instructor and air courier pilot, Sherman Hills Airport, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Richard McHan’s boyhood is a mystery, so we have no idea when he moved from Omaha to California or how he developed his real love of flying. We do know that by the time he was twenty years old, Dick had acquired enough flying experience to get a job as an instructor in San Bernardino, California. He also flew for an air courier service delivering airplane parts around Southern California. But early in 1941, McHan, like so many future Eagles, decided that the war in Europe would soon involve the United States, and if he were going to fly, he had better find an opportunity. That idea took him to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel in early February 1941. His 200 hours of flying time fulfilled the requirement for volunteering and he was accepted. After further training at the RAF Refresher Training Program in Lancaster, California, McHan was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and departed Canada for England, along with four other future Eagles, on 19 June 1941. After a fairly long voyage across the North Atlantic, Richard arrived in England on 14 July and two weeks later reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Debden flying Spitfires. On 8 September 1941, he was assigned to 64 Squadron of Fighter Command and on 9 October transferred to 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey. McHan spent the first months of his time with 121 in the hospital with acute bronchitis but then joined the operational mission of the unit, which was primarily patrolling over shipping in the North Sea. Like several others in his squadron, McHan tired of that duty and in early 1942 volunteered for transfer to Malta. Dick departed 121 in mid-February and arrived in Malta late in the month. He immediately began flying combat missions and was promoted to flying officer in June. 281 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

He received what was thought to be only a slight injury in combat in early July, but it proved to be a serious concussion and late in the month McHan was reassigned to the United Kingdom. His subsequent duties are not clearly defined in his personnel record, but on 19 May 1943 he was married in Paddington to Teresa Rose Dale and in June was promoted to flight lieutenant. In January 1944 he was seriously injured once again, apparently in another aircraft accident. McHan was assigned to a flying refresher course but apparently his cumulative injuries were serious enough that he was no longer able to fly. In April 1944 he was determined to be physically unable to continue in the RAF and on 14 August 1944 he was separated but was allowed to retain the rank of flight lieutenant in the RAF Reserve. McHan returned to the United States where he became a distributor for Seagram’s Spirits in California. He died there on 26 December 1975.

McLeod, Donald William RAF Number: 103466 Born: 21 April 1914, in Blackstone, Massachusetts Served: 121 Squadron from 30 September 1941 to 26 February 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Assistant manager of Personal Finance Company, Westerly, Rhode Island Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

Flying was an early interest to big, likeable Don McLeod. While there is no record of his boyhood activity, just after his twenty-third birthday he became an aviation cadet in the US Navy. That status would indicate that he had at least two years of college but it is not indicated in his official record. McLeod left the program after eleven months, in May 1938, and went to work in a finance company office in Westerly, Rhode Island. He apparently did well in that occupation but after three years, as the war in Europe continued to get more serious, McLeod decided to leave his job and go back to flying. He evidently visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in New York City in early April 1941, was accepted for training, and was sent 282 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

almost immediately to a refresher course in Lancaster, California. It was a fast-paced experience because McLeod was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and departed Canada for England, along with seven other future Eagles on 22 July 1941. He had accumulated a total of about 240 flying hours. Don arrived in England the first week in August and on 14 August he reported to 55 Operational Training Unit at Usworth to begin his training. On 30 September, he joined 121 Squadron then posted at Kirton-in-Lindsey. This was a time of little action for that unit and Don was apparently quite disappointed at being unable to get into combat. Because he was both popular in the squadron and considered quite articulate by his fellow pilots, McLeod was one of the Eagles who formed the delegation that visited the Air Ministry in London, as well as meeting with the US ambassador, shortly after Pearl Harbor, to request transfer to the Army Air Corps. That request was denied and so in early 1942, McLeod, along with a number of other squadron pilots, requested transfer to Malta since that was where the action was. Before he departed, he achieved the dubious distinction of being the only pilot shot down in a Link trainer. He was practicing his instrument flying in the Link at Kirton-in-Lindsey when the building housing the trainer was strafed by a German fighter and the trainer was shot off its pedestal. It crashed to the floor with the uninjured McLeod inside. Don left 121 Squadron on 26 February and joined 126 Squadron on Malta on 21 March 1942. Just three days later he and Jim Peck became the first former Eagles to shoot down enemy aircraft over Malta. But a week later, McLeod himself was shot down in a dogfight with a far larger German force. He bailed out of his mortally wounded Spitfire at five hundred feet but the parachute strap caught his chin and broke a vertebra in his neck. He also had a large number of cannon shell fragments in his leg. Fortunately, he was quickly rescued and transferred to the hospital. Amazingly, he was back flying in less than two months. Conditions on Malta were terrible and most pilots suffered from a multitude of maladies. Because of this, pilots were normally transferred after three or four months. McLeod was no exception. After being shot down a second time, he left Malta in early July and reported to 53 OTU, probably as an instructor, on 31 July 1942. On 23 September he transferred to the USAAF. There is no available record of McLeod’s postings after he transferred. He left the 283 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Army after the end of World War II and became an accountant in Connecticut. He died on 22 September 1946.

McMinn, Richard RAF Number: 108641 Born: 24 July 1919, in Buffalo, Oklahoma Served: 71 Squadron from 31 December 1941 to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Christian Civilian occupation: Student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

While there is little information available about Richard McMinn’s early life, we know that he was a college student and had about two hundred hours of flying time and a private license in early 1941. He probably gained at least part of that experience while enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. He had also served for two months in the US Army Air Corps but there is no indication of when or in what capacity. It is possible that he had been in aviation cadets and simply washed out of the program. In any case, on 10 April 1941, McMinn talked with a representative of the Clayton Knight Committee. (There is no indication where he contacted the committee, since he was registered with the Selective Service in Denver, Colorado, but reported his home as Salt Lake City, Utah. His residence remains unclear as well.) The outcome of the visit was his acceptance into the program and an RAF physical exam, which he passed with no problem. After being accepted by the Clayton Knight Committee, McMinn was assigned to the RAF refresher training school at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, probably in late spring or early summer 1941. He was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 27 September 1941, the day he sailed from Canada for England with nine other future Eagles on board the SS Bayano. A month later he reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge for advanced training. He completed the course late in the year and on 31 December 1941 he joined 71 Squadron then posted at Martlesham Heath. For the next nine months, McMinn flew operational 284 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

missions with the unit and, while he did not destroy any German aircraft was certainly in the thick of the action. On 16 September 1942, he transferred to the USAAF and on 29 September he became a member of the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. On 2 October 1942, he flew his Spitfire with US markings as part of the first major operation of the new organization. In early 1943, McMinn, along with the rest of the Fourth, transitioned from their Spitfires into P-47 Thunderbolts. On 15 April 1943, on one of the first escort missions with the new aircraft, Richard McMinn was shot down in a dogfight over Saint-Omer, France, and was killed. He is buried in Madingley Cemetery in England.

McPharlin, Michael George Hurschell RAF Number: 89764 Born: 16 June 1913, in Blue Island, Illinois Served: 71 Squadron from 14 July to 19 October 1941, and from 2 March to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Medical student Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

The record is not clear on how Michael “Wee Mac” McPharlin earned his living during the nine years between graduating from high school and joining the RAF, but he certainly learned to fly. He apparently went to college and possibly medical school, although he apparently never tried to join the Aviation Cadet Program. When he registered for the Selective Service he listed his address as Richmond, New York, but he noted his address at the time of enlistment in the RCAF as Bogalusa, Louisiana. Whatever the circumstances, on 2 January 1940, McPharlin journeyed to Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. There is no indication as to whether or not he intended to fly. On 10 April, he passed the RCAF flying physical and, with about 70 hours of flying experience, he was certainly qualified to become a flying student. McPharlin may have been sent to pilot training after his physical, but he, for unknown reasons, was released from the RCAF on 17 July 1940. He may have been released to 285 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

become a flying cadet under the auspices of the RAF. He continued pilot training in Canada, apparently graduating and earning his flying badge. On 30 November 1940, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed from Canada for England. At this point there is a gap in his records but McPharlin apparently continued his training after arriving in the United Kingdom and it was not until 2 June 1941 that he completed his flight training course and was deemed qualified to be sent to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly fighters. On 14 July 1941, McPharlin’s quest was finally completed when he reported to 71 Squadron at North Weald. He apparently flew little if any with that unit because just four days after reporting, McPharlin was hospitalized for two weeks and then went on two weeks of recuperation leave. He reported back to the 71 in early August but no sooner got really checked out in the operation of a combat squadron than, on 19 October 1941, he was transferred to 403 Squadron and then to the Group Headquarters at North Weald. There is no indication of what his duties were. On 2 March 1942, McPharlin rejoined 71 Squadron, having been promoted to flight officer, and very rapidly became one of the key members of the unit. Not only did he destroy two German aircraft and damage another during the next six months, he was involved in every one of the unit’s important actions. One example of this is the Dieppe Raid of 19 August 1942, a reconnaissance-in-force of the French Coast. McPharlin flew in close support of that operation, was shot down, and bailed out over the English Channel. Fortunately, he was rescued and returned to 71 Squadron. Another close call came when another aircraft had brake failure while taxiing and ran into Mac’s aircraft setting it on fire. He escaped uninjured. On 15 September 1942, he transferred to the Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant and on 29 September became a member of the 334th Fighter Squadron. His tenure in that unit was short, however, and in December 1942, Mac, along with several other former Eagles, was returned to the United States to help publicize a war bond drive. McPharlin subsequently returned to Europe as a member of the 339th Fighter Squadron but as D-day approached, he wanted very badly to fly with his old unit, the 334th Fighter Squadron. He was successful in his quest and was attached to the 334th for support of the invasion of France. On that historic day, 6 June 1944, McPharlin took off in his P-51 with his old 286 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

squadron but shortly reported a problem that was causing his engine to lose power. He left the formation to return to his base at Debden, but disappeared and was never heard from again. The cause of his apparent accident and death was never determined.

Meierhoff, Cecil Edwin RAF Number: 100524 Born: 5 December 1919, in Marion, Kansas Served: 133 Squadron from 1 September to 10 November 1941 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Shoe salesman in Emporia, Kansas Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: 20 October 1943

When Cecil Meierhoff decided to go to Kansas City to visit the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee on 7 January 1941, he was fairly confident that he would be accepted. He was in good physical shape and he only lacked 4 hours of the required 200 hours of flying time to begin training. There is no indication in his records of when he started to fly but it must have been about the time he finished high school in order for him to have that much experience. Cecil had always lived in Kansas and the trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in February 1941 to begin training at the RAF refresher training course at Spartan School of Aeronautics, was probably one of his first out of the state. Still, he was anxious to complete his training and get to England so he could learn to fly the Hurricane and Spitfire. But he also had romantic interests and about half way through his training he married Phila Ruth Roberts in Claremore, Oklahoma. His time with his new wife was short, however, for on 5 June 1941 Cecil sailed for England with eighteen other future Eagles on the SS Bayano. That same day he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. The voyage took an agonizingly long twenty-five days, after which there was in processing in London and at the personnel center at Bournemouth. On 14 July, he was assigned to 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge. Meierhoff spent the usual six or so weeks in training and on 1 September 287 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

reported to 133 Squadron at Duxford as one of the original cadre of that unit. His first combat aircraft was the Hurricane II. Unfortunately, 133 sustained several casualties during the next month and in early October, Fighter Command decided to post them to Eglinton, Northern Ireland, in order for them to become more proficient. Shortly after their arrival in Eglinton, they exchanged their Hurricanes for Spitfires. Although Meierhoff was part of that deployment, he had just begun to transition into the Spitfire when on 10 November he left 133 Squadron for unspecified reasons and was reassigned to another flying school. He then transferred to flying instructor’s school, which he completed on 20 March 1942. He served as a flight instructor until early April 1942 when he was apparently reassigned to Halifax, Nova Scotia, probably as an instructor. On 5 June 1942, he was promoted to Flight Officer and in late October he was made acting flight lieutenant. Meierhoff remained in the RAF until 20 October 1943, when he transferred to the US Army Air Forces and was reassigned to a fighter squadron. On 22 July 1945, he was killed in the crash of his P-47.

Middleton, George Hancock RAF Number: 112311 Born: 12 November 1916, in Emmetsburg, Iowa Served: 121 Squadron from 28 April to 5 June 1942, and 133 Squadron from 5 June to 26 September 1942 Religious preference: Unitarian Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

Although he was born in Iowa, George Middleton’s family moved to Visalia, California, while he was still a child. As did so many of his friends, he became interested in flying when still in school and began to take flying lessons as soon as he was old enough. By the time he graduated from high school, George could be seen almost any day doing something at the Visalia airport. The tall, friendly Middleton had three good friends who also flew out of Visalia. With the coming of the war, the four—Middleton, Don Lambert, William Arends, and David Logan—all decided to join the RAF and 288 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

try to stay together during their service. So on 2 July 1941, George went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Oakland, California, and signed up. Unfortunately, there is no record of how much flying experience he had at the time. On 10 August 1941, he drove from Visalia to Bakersfield to begin his RAF refresher training class along with Lambert, Arends, and Logan. Flying began immediately, first in the Stearman PT-17 and then in the AT-6. Just prior to the end of his training, on 18 October, George married Betty Erma Graves in Visalia, California. On 24 October, Middleton and his friends, the “Four Horseman of Visalia,” completed their training at Bakersfield and, after a few days at home with his new wife, Middleton began the long train journey across the United States to Canada and the voyage to England. George, along with a number of other future RAF pilots, had to spend a number of days in Canada waiting for a ship, during which the “Four Horsemen” were split up. Finally, on 13 December 1941, Middleton and nine other future Eagles, including his friend David Logan, embarked for England on the HMS Letitia, and on that same day, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. It took nearly two weeks to cross the stormy North Atlantic and George didn’t disembark in the United Kingdom until 26 December 1941. Because there was no Operational Training Unit class immediately available, Middleton was assigned to 5 Service Flight Training School on 12 January 1942. He spent a month there learning more about flying in the challenging English weather as well as being taught some basic military skills and protocol. On 24 February 1942, Middleton made the trip to Wales and 53 Operational Training Unit at Llandow, near Llantwitt Major, where his instructor was a classmate at Bakersfield, LeRoy Gover. Middleton completed OTU in April and on the 28th joined 121 Squadron at North Weald. George spent only about six weeks with that unit before being transferred to 133 Squadron at Biggin Hill on 5 June 1942, part of a move of several Eagles to that unit to replace some of its losses. There he was reunited with his friends Mick Lambert and Bill Arends. Unfortunately, Dave Logan had already been killed in a flying accident at an OTU and fifteen days after George arrived in 133, Bill Arends was killed on a fighter sweep over France. Middleton flew regular operational missions during the summer and, while he did not destroy any German aircraft, he was flew in a number of very important operations, including the disastrous invasion of Dieppe on 19 August. 289 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

On 26 September, ten days after transferring to the US Army Air Forces, Middleton was part of a 133 Squadron twelve-ship contingent assigned to escort a formation of B-17s on a bombing raid on the French city of Morlaix. Because of an erroneous weather forecast and several other unfortunate errors, the entire unit, flying new Spitfire IXs, was lost when they ran dangerously low on fuel and mistakenly let down over the heavily fortified, German occupied city of Brest, France, rather than England. Eleven of the squadron’s twelve aircraft and ten of the twelve pilots were lost, including Middleton, who bailed out of his Spitfire when he ran out of fuel. George managed to evade for twenty-two days, but was finally captured at the border between occupied and unoccupied France. He was confined in a German prison camp, Stalag Luft III, until early 1945 when the entire camp endured the long trek west to Austria in a successful effort to stay ahead of the Russian advance. George was liberated in April 1945 and left the US Army Air Forces in June of 1946. He returned to Visalia, California, where he joined his father and brother in the Redi-Mix cement business. Later they added a batch plant and were very successful providing concrete for roads in California. He also had several orange groves and expanded into real estate and building in Moro Bay, California. Middleton continued flying as a private pilot. George died on 14 August 1986.

Miley, Carl Henry RCAF Number: J15653 Born: 16 July 1912, in Miller City, Ohio Served: 133 Squadron from 11 February to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Church of England Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 22 September 1942

Carl “Spike” Miley was one of the best-liked and most popular fliers in his RAF squadron. There is no record of the first twenty-nine years of his life or how much flying experience he had when he made the decision, in February 1941, to go to Canada and enlist in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He was considerably older than the average enlistee in the RCAF 290 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

but wanted to fly if the United States got into the war and this was the only path he knew. Because he lived in the middle of Ohio and probably flew out of small airports, Miley apparently never heard of the Clayton Knight Committee. In any case, Carl began pilot training in Canada on 3 May 1941 and completed this instruction, was awarded the Pilot’s Flying Badge, and appointed a sergeant pilot on 24 October 1941. He was rated as an average student and recommended for fighters. Spike probably sailed for England in early November. He was first sent to an advanced flying school and then off to an Operational Training Unit. He completed that training in late January and on 11 February 1942 joined 133 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey. The assignment brought a new challenge to Spike: changing to the Spitfire. He took his first flight in that aircraft in late February and found it to be a wonderful airplane. There was little action for the squadron during March and into early April because of the weather. This lack of action helped new pilots, such as Miley, gain valuable flying experience in the Spitfire and learn the combat tactics used by the unit. By the end of April, the squadron was flying regular scrambles, convoy patrols and escort missions. On 11 May, they moved to Biggin Hill, a base in 11 Group, and the area of England that had the most action against the Luftwaffe. There the unit was equipped with the Spitfire VB, which was armed with cannons rather than machine guns. On 22 June 1942, Miley’s status was changed from sergeant pilot to pilot officer in the RCAF Special Reserve; a very significant change in rank. The action against the Luftwaffe did not change and Spike flew nearly daily combat missions throughout the summer. On 22 September, Miley transferred from the RCAF to the US Army Air Forces although he continued to fly with 133 Squadron. A week later, the three Eagle Squadrons were disbanded and Miley became a member of the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. He initially flew Spitfires, then P-47 Thunderbolts, and finally, P-51 Mustangs. In the Fourth, Miley was one of the pilots on the first operational mission of P-47s into Germany on 9 March 1943 escorting B-17s. On 28 July 1943, Miley shot down an ME-109 in his P-47 east of Rotterdam, Holland. He was eventually credited with four enemy aircraft destroyed, four probably destroyed, and four damaged. After World War II, Miley remained in the Air Force for a short while, but left in 1947 as a lieutenant colonel. He then moved to the 291 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Bahamas, where he worked as an automotive engineer. He subsequently became involved in real estate development in Ohio. Carl Miley died on 26 November 1968, in Ohio.

Miller, Ervin Lloyd RAF Number: 112304 Born: 31 May 1914, in Tulsa, Oklahoma Served: 133 Squadron from 26 May to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Aircraft mechanic, North American Aviation Company Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

Charles Lindberg and the Spirit of St. Louis provided “Dusty” Miller with his first motivation for flight. He apparently moved from Oklahoma to Northern California in the mid-1920s, for it was in Oakland that he first saw Lindberg. He also liked to attend the many air races that were held in the Bay Area during those years, especially the finish of the Dole race from Hawaii to the continental United States. His first airplane ride was in an Eagle Rock at the Filmore Flying School, and he was then hooked. Miller attended Saint Mary’s College in California for a while, but he really wanted to enroll in the Boeing School of Aeronautics in Oakland. His parents wouldn’t agree so in 1934` Miller joined the US Navy with the idea of learning how to fly. Although he didn’t have enough education to get into their flying cadet program, he became an aircraft gunner and also attended the Spear Flying School while he was stationed in San Diego. So his dream of becoming a pilot while in the Navy was, in a roundabout way, fulfilled. Ervin left the Navy after his enlistment and initially worked as an aircraft mechanic. He then got a job with North American Aviation in Northern California. Dusty’s dream of being a military pilot got a big boost in October 1940 when he saw a small article in the Oakland newspaper about flying for the RAF. Miller went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Room 14 of the Lemington Hotel in Oakland in October 1940 and 292 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

volunteered. At the time, he had about 200 hours of flying time. Like so many other Clayton Knight candidates, Miller was told they would contact him but he had nearly given up hope when, in April 1941, he received a letter telling him to report to Berkeley, California, for his physical exam. He passed that test on 17 June 1941, and, in the late summer, was assigned to the RAF refresher training course at the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he flew PT-19s, Stearmans, and North American AT-6s. Miller completed his training in late November and on 13 December 1941 he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed from Halifax on the HMS Letitia, along with nine other future Eagles including squadron mates Don Gentile, Gene Neville, Len Ryerson, and Glenn Smart. After arrival in Liverpool, the group took a blacked-out train to London, where Miller was given accommodations in the Regent Palace Hotel. A trip to the Air Ministry and then to Moss Brothers for uniforms followed; then it was on to 3 Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth. From there he was sent to a Service Flying Training School for a month, primarily to learn how to be an officer as well as keep his flying skills sharp. While there, according to Miller, they lined up the new arrivals and the officer in charge simply said, “All of you to my right are going to bombers and all to my left will go to fighters.” Luckily for Miller, he was to the left and on 24 February 1942 he reported to 53 Operational Training Unit at Llantwitt Major in Wales to learn to fly the Spitfire. He would always remember the greeting his group received from their RAF commander, “Taffy” Jones, a Battle of Britain veteran. After keeping the new pilots waiting for what seemed like hours in an isolated hut where the walls were plastered with pictures of coffins covered with the Stars and Stripes, Jones finally arrived to welcome them. Jones simply reminded the group that they were in a very dangerous business and they needed to take every precaution to fly safely so they would not end up like the fellows on the wall. Miller never forgot that lesson. Dusty completed his training and reported to 130 Squadron, the “Commonwealth Squadron,” on 28 April 1942, just a year after he received the letter notifying him that he had been accepted by the Clayton Knight Committee. Miller was only in that unit for a month, but it was long enough to learn how an operational squadron worked and to get 293 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

a few missions under his belt in the Spitfire. He then was transferred to 133 Squadron, which was just moving from Kirton-in-Lindsey to Biggin Hill and the center of action against the Germans. During the following months Miller flew operational missions almost daily and became a very experienced fighter pilot. Dusty had also met a very attractive young British lady, Patricia Whitford, whom he married at Hendon on 20 August 1942. Immediately after the ceremony he had to return to his unit because of the high level of action surrounding the abortive Canadian invasion of France at Dieppe. Less than a month later, on 16 September 1942, Miller went to London and completed the necessary paperwork to transfer to the USAAF as a second lieutenant. On 29 September he became a member of the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Eighth Air Force stationed at Debden. But his luckiest day as a pilot was just three days earlier. As he walked out to his plane for an escort mission to Morlaix, he was told he was moved to spare status and would fly later in the day. On that mission, the entire squadron was lost and the pilot who took Miller’s place, Gene Neville, was killed. Miller continued flying with the 336th, transitioning from the Spitfire to the P-47 and then the P-51. He returned to the United States after the war and remained in the Air Force until 1952. He then returned to the United Kingdom where he attended the Capitol Radio Engineering Institute in London. In May 1962, Miller entered the RAF once again as a flight officer. He continued his career there as a communications officer and retired from the RAF in 1971 as a wing commander. Following his retirement, Miller and his family remained in England, where he was the personnel officer for the M. G. Car Company in Abington-on-Thames. He and his wife retired to Bircham, Norfolk. Dusty Miller died there on 21 February 2005.

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Mills, Henry Linde RAF Number: 118579 Born: 10 August 1915, in New York State Served: 71 Squadron from 29 August to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: 25 September 1942

Henry “Hank” Mills was a solid and longtime performer as a fighter pilot. Although he saw little action in the RAF, he became an ace with the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. The records of Mills growing up and his official RAF records are not available, so that portion of his life remains unknown. He must have gone to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee sometime in late 1941 or early 1942 to sign up for the RAF, but there is no record of his occupation at that time or how much flying experience he had. He must have had at least 150 hours of flying time to be qualified for the RAF. Hank was accepted for training at one of the RAF refresher training schools and probably completed that training in March or April of 1942. After his voyage to England, Mills was assigned to an Operational Training Unit, which he completed in late August 1942. He was then assigned to 71 Squadron at Debden flying the Mark V Spitfire, arriving on 29 August. Mills probably flew very few combat missions because by the time he was checked out as an operationally ready pilot, it was time for him to transfer to the US Army Air Forces, which he did on 25 September 1942. Just four days later, Hank became a member of the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. Mills was assigned to the 334th Fighter Squadron and very rapidly became one of the unit leaders. He continued to fly the Spitfire until March 1943, when he transitioned into the P-47 Thunderbolt. On 16 August, he made his first kills of two Focke-Wulf 190s over Germany. That was just the beginning, for over the next seven months Hank would destroy four more German aircraft to make him an ace with six kills. During this time he also moved to the P-51 Mustang. In March 1944, Hank was scheduled to go home on leave but he decided to remain with his unit for a historic mission to Berlin. Unfortunately, on that mission, during which he shot down another FW-190, 295 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Mills was also hit and had to abandon his aircraft. He was captured and spent the next fifteen months in a German POW camp. He was repatriated in April 1945. While there is no record of his activities after the war, Mills eventually retired to LaBelle, Florida, where he died on 26 April 2005.

Miluck, Edward Thomas (aka Michael Thomas) RAF Number: 61928 Born: 17 August 1918, at Wilton, North Dakota Served: 121 Squadron from 25 August until 21 September 1941, and in 71 Squadron from 21 September 1941 to 20 March 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: US Army aviation cadet; usedcar salesman Marital status: Single Transferred to USAAF: 1 January 1943

Edward Miluck grew up in North Dakota. He attended school in Mandan and graduated from high school there in 1937. He was an outstanding athlete and in September 1937 he entered the University of North Dakota on a basketball scholarship. Miluck decided he wanted to eventually become a lawyer and so became a pre-law major. He also joined Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. But in January 1940, the basketball star decided to leave the university because he feared that war would soon engulf the United States, and he wanted to become a military pilot. By that time he had about 30 hours of flying time and was convinced flying was for him. On 8 February 1940, Eddie joined the US Army Air Corps at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, as an aviation cadet and was sent to primary flying training at Santa Maria, California. There he received another 65 hours of flying training. After completing his training in California, he was sent to the real mecca of Army flying: Randolph Field, Texas. Unfortunately, he barely failed a check flight on 6 July 1940 and was discharged for “flying deficiency.” Not knowing what to do next, he took a job as a used car salesman in San Antonio and, when he could afford it, bought additional flying 296 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

time. Although Miluck was doing well and his employer held him in high regard, he still wanted to fly. He really wanted to get into the Flying Tigers, but that changed when he came across a small ad in the newspaper one day aimed at “pilots seeking adventure.” It noted the opportunity to visit the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Dallas to interview for possible service with the Royal Canadian Air Force. With no other opportunities on the horizon, Eddie got his logbook, “revised” it to reflect the required minimum of 90 hours, and went to Dallas. He took his physical examination on 25 November 1940, was accepted, and reported to Love Field in Dallas for his RAF refresher training. Among those in his class were future Eagles Joe Durham, Collier Mize, Wendell Pendleton, Bob Reed, and Fred Scudday. The group completed their training in February 1941 and traveled by train to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Canadian winter was quite a shock to those of the group who were from California or the southern United States, but to Miluck, it was like going back home in North Dakota. On 24 February 1941, Miluck and his future Eagles comrades, sailed from Halifax aboard the ocean liner Georgia for Liverpool. That same day all were commissioned as pilot officers in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. The reality of war came rapidly for no sooner had they disembarked in Liverpool in early March, than there was a German air raid and the Americans found themselves in the shelters with their new countrymen. After the required visit to the Air Ministry in London, uniform acquisition, and processing at Uxbridge, it was off to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly the Hurricane. Unfortunately, Miluck got sick during OTU and so was delayed a class. He completed his training and reported to 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey on 25 August 1941. At that time the unit was flying Hurricane IIB aircraft. But Eddie had been in 121 for only a month when he, along with a number of other members of his squadron, were transferred to 71 Squadron at North Weald to help offset losses suffered by that unit. One good aspect of the move was the upgrade to 71’s new Mark VB Spitfires armed with cannons. Eddie flew regularly through the fall and long winter of 1941–42. But the inactivity of that winter, with day after day of no flying because of the weather, affected Eddie in the same way it did a number of the other Eagles, including Reade Tilley, Art Roscoe, Fred Almos, John Campbell, and Miluck’s great friend Harold Marting. They longed for warmer weather and more 297 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

action so volunteered for overseas duty, which generally meant Malta or Singapore. Miluck sailed for Durban, South Africa, in early April aboard the Aorangi. He arrived on 18 May and spent the next month attending horse races, playing golf, and entertaining the young women of manless Durban. But this was not a stop on the way to Singapore and on 27 June, he and Marting embarked for Cairo on the New Amsterdam. Then began weeks of life in the desert and continual action in the area of El Alamein in conditions that were worse than any Miluck had ever endured. Eddie moved from base to base in Egypt and finally, at the end of July, arrived at 250 Squadron east of Cairo, where he remained until the middle of November 1942. Miluck went to Cairo for a five-day rest period at the end of November and on 23 December celebrated the completion of his 200 hours of combat flying. He was then recalled to Cairo for a noncombatant assignment. Miluck had wanted to transfer to the US Army Air Forces and on 1 January 1943 that transfer was complete and First Lieutenant Eddie Miluck returned to the United States. During the next year he served in several instructor positions in Florida and, on 19 November 1943, was promoted to captain. His assignments then took him to bases in Texas, Nebraska, the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and New Mexico. On 27 January 1946, Eddie returned to where his military flying had seemed to have come to an end five years earlier: San Antonio, Texas, where he separated from the US Army Air Forces. Miluck remained in the Air Force reserves, however, and in 1951 was recalled to active duty for the Korean War. On 28 September 1957, he was discharged and left the reserves. (On 22 October 1947, Edward Thomas Miluck legally changed his name to Michael Thomas Miluck.) After leaving the Air Force, Miluck remained in flying for several years; first in airline maintenance, then with Stinson flying schools, and finally as the Aircoupe dealer in San Antonio, Texas. He then went into real estate development in Texas and also worked in San Francisco for Diner’s Club. He and his wife retired to Genoa, Nevada, in 1969, where they were active in civil affairs and wrote extensively about the history of the Genoa area. Although his wife Nancy passed away in 2006, Michael still lives in Genoa.

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Miner, Denver E. RAF Number: 100992 Born: 19 November 1915, in Ridgeway, Illinois Served: 133 Squadron from 26 September 1941 to 1 February 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Clerk Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Probably did not transfer

Denver “Lucky” Miner was a little older than most of the Americans volunteering for the RAF. Although he was born in Ridgeway, Illinois, he grew up in Racine, Wisconsin. When he was about twenty-five years old, he found out about the Clayton Knight Committee from a friend. Because his official record is not available, there is no information about the amount of flying experience he had or when and where he learned to fly. He must have had a reasonable amount of flying time because he was accepted by the Clayton Knight Committee and reported to Spartan School of Aeronautics for RAF refresher training in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in March 1941. Lucky Miner completed that course in late May and on 19 June 1941 was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England. With him on the ship were future Eagles Lawrence Chatterton, Tony Gallo, Richard McHan, and Robert Mueller. Miner realized he was really going to war when he found that the cargo ship on which the group was sailing was loaded with dynamite and had eight bombers strapped to the deck. Because they were in a large convoy, the pace was slow and the voyage exceptionally long, so the group did not arrive in England until 14 July. Two weeks later, on 28 July 1941, Miner reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Debden. He completed his training and was assigned to 133 Squadron on 26 September. While the unit was stationed at Duxford at that time, it appears that Miner may have actually been sent to Eglinton in Northern Ireland on that date to await the 8 October arrival of the squadron. Miner spent the rest of 1941 training in the Spitfire, flying convoy patrol over the North Atlantic, and learning the tactics of an operational fighter squadron. The unit was posted to Kirton-in-Lindsey on 1 January 1942, but its activities changed little and there were a number of days when the English winter weather kept them from flying at all. 299 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

For unknown reasons, Miner left 133 on 1 February 1942. There is a gap in the record of his assignments until 3 January 1943, at which time he became an instructor at 1 British Flight Training School. He might have spent part of 1942 flying out of Malta, but that is only speculation. Once he arrived at the flight training school, however, Miner was done moving and he remained there until 17 April 1945, when he returned to the United States. It is not clear if he was still in the RAF, but that is a logical assumption since he was instructing at a British school. In any case, Lucky got out of the service and went into business in the Dallas area where he owned both a fishing equipment manufacturing company and a vending machine company. He also continued flying as a private pilot. After he retired from those businesses, he moved to Mesquite, Texas. Miner died on 19 December 1995.

Mirsch, George E. RCAF Number: R98263 Born: 23 September 1912, in Waukegan, Illinois Served: 133 Squadron from 25 September to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transferred to USAAF: 25 September 1942

There is very little information available on George “Bob” Mirsch. His record is incomplete and much of the vital information on his career has been lost. We do know that he went to Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, probably in August or September of 1940. He probably completed his training, was awarded his wings, and was appointed a sergeant pilot in late February 1941 He then sailed for England, probably arriving there in early March. He would have gone to an Operational Training Unit, which he completed in late April. The first date we know is 7 May 1941, when George reported to 124 Squadron flying the Hurricane. While a member of 124, he learned the skills that were to stand him in such good stead later in the war. While he damaged one German aircraft, he was almost shot down on 12 August 1942 when he was jumped by four FW-190s while patrolling 300 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

the Dieppe Harbor and beaches. He barely made it back to England. George continued to fly in that unit as a sergeant pilot until 25 September 1942, when he was transferred to 133 Squadron. On that same day he also gave up his appointment in the RCAF and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the US Army Air Forces. On 29 September, George became a member of the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. While there he was nearly killed twice: once returning from a low-level mission over France with former Eagle LeRoy Gover and the second time when he was flying Gover’s P-47, Sandra Lee, and crashed on landing. There is no record of how long Mirsch remained in the 336th or whether he destroyed any German aircraft. He got out of the Army after World War II and became an air traffic controller with the Federal Aviation Agency. While in England he had married a WAAF (member of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force) whom he met at Debden and they, with their four children, settled in Southern California. He continued to fly as a private pilot. The Eagle Squadron Association lists him as an unknown member and there is no record available of where and when he died.

Mitchellweis, John RAF Number: 605376 Born: 21 April 1917, in Chicago, Illinois Served: 133 Squadron from 28 September to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Episcopal Civilian occupation: College student; US Army aviation cadet Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 1 October 1942

John Mitchellweis was one of the last Americans to become part of the Eagle Squadrons. As with Richard Braley, Jim Goodson, Ken Peterson, and others, he was actually on orders to another unit when 133 Squadron suffered the disastrous escort mission to Morlaix on which ten pilots and eleven planes were lost. He is listed as being posted to 133 at Great Sampford on 28 September and was part of the squadron formation at Debden a day later when the three Eagle Squadrons officially became the 301 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. John Mitchellweis was a well-rounded young man. In high school he had participated in sports but was also an avid reader and an excellent student. When the slender, five-feet-eleven, blue-gray-eyed, dark-haired John enrolled in the University of Illinois and pledged Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity, his ambition was to go into business. At the time of Pearl Harbor, he was a senior. Being patriotic, he quit school, one semester short of graduation, and joined the US Army Air Forces as an aviation cadet. Ever since his first flight with his brother Richard, in a Ford Tri-motor, he had enjoyed flying, and he had learned to fly in the Civilian Pilot Training Program at the university. His parents were not happy with his decision but they were also patriotic and understood his motivation. After his preflight training, Mitchellweis was sent to Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for his primary pilot training. He was making good progress at Spartan when, on Easter 1942, he was detailed as the unit officer of the day, a function that every cadet had to take his turn performing. The cadets were not allowed to leave the base but John gave them permission to play a radio in the barracks. The base officer of the day, a young lieutenant, took exception to Mitchellweis’s decision and subsequently took him for an unscheduled check ride in the T-6. After a thirty-minute flight, the lieutenant told John that he was eliminated from pilot training for, what seemed to Mitchellweis, no good reason at all. John lost his temper, hit the lieutenant, packed his bags, and left for California. This put him on AWOL (absent without leave) status, which is a court-martial offense in the military. On his way to California, the reality of what he had done and the severity of being AWOL during wartime sunk in, and Mitchellweis knew he was in big trouble. Shortly after his arrival in Southern California, he learned of the Clayton Knight Committee and immediately joined the RAF. Because he had nearly completed primary pilot training at Tulsa, he was accepted with little hesitation. He was allowed to skip the RAF refresher training, also conducted at Tulsa, and was sent home to Rockford, Illinois, en route to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and then by ship to England. While he was at home two agents from the FBI came to his house to try to find John since he was AWOL. Fortunately for Mitchellweis, he showed them his papers that indicated he was in the RAF and on his way to England. Upon see302 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

ing this evidence, the two agents wished him good luck and left. John continued on to Halifax and in late May 1942 was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England. He arrived about 10 June, and, after a few days at the Personnel Processing Reception Center in Bournemouth, was sent to an Operational Training Unit. John completed that training late in September and on 28 September, arrived at the shaken and dispirited third Eagle Squadron, 133 at Great Sampford. A day later he was in the formation as the three Eagle Squadrons became the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. A day or so after the transfer, John began his operational checkout in the 336th Fighter Squadron and on 1 October 1942 he transferred from the RAF to the USAAF. Interestingly, this made him a US Army Air Forces officer flying in combat before his classmates at Tulsa had earned their wings. John was soon flying his American Spitfire on escort missions and sweeps over France as wingman to the very experienced LeRoy Gover. On Thanksgiving Day 1942, Mitchellweis crashed on landing in bad weather and, although his Spitfire was seriously damaged, he emerged uninjured. In January 1943, the Fourth began training in the P-47 Thunderbolt as the replacement for their Spitfires. On 1 February 1943, John took Gover’s P-47 for a high altitude training flight. In his diary, Gover noted, “All we know so far is that the plane buried itself and he [Mitchellweis] was two miles from the ship and his parachute was two miles further on. All he had on when found was a pair of socks and a necktie, so he must have had a terrible time. Seems he tried to get out and was going so fast when he popped his chute that he was torn out of it. So goes another good boy. He was my number two man… It makes you think.” Mitchellweis was the first member of the Fourth to be killed in the P-47. (The author thanks Richard Mitchell, John’s brother, for some of the information in this biographical sketch.)

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Mize, Collier Charles RAF Number: 61929 Born: 15 July 1915, in Smithville, Texas Served: 121 Squadron from 15 May to 13 June 1941 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Drugstore clerk Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Collier Mize was apparently a frustrated drugstore clerk whose heart was really in flying. By the end of 1940, he had accumulated about 300 hours of flying time, which made him a very experienced pilot in those days. There is no available record of where or when he got this experience or if he had tried to make a living flying full time and had been unsuccessful, thus the drugstore clerking job. He apparently visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee, probably in Dallas, and was accepted because of his flying experience. He was then sent to RAF refresher training at Love Field in Dallas. After completing that program, Mize went to Ottawa, Canada, where he took an RCAF flight physical on 10 February 1941. On 24 February 1941, he embarked from Canada for England, along with eleven other future Eagles, and was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Mize’s passage to England was rapid for on 6 March 1941 he reported to Sutton Bridge to begin his training in the Hurricane at 56 Operational Training Unit. On 22 April, he completed his training and was assigned to 43 Squadron of Fighter Command. Just three weeks later, on 15 May 1941, Mize, along with Lawson Reed and Fred Scudday, was transferred to Kirton-in-Lindsey and 121 Squadron as part of that unit’s original cadre flying Hawker Hurricanes. For unspecified reasons, Mize left 121 Squadron about a month later on 13 June 1941 and returned to 43 Squadron. Although he had been in three RAF units, because of his short tenure in each, it is unlikely that Mize had flown more than a handful of operational missions. His second stay in 43 Squadron was nearly as short as his first. On 27 August 1941, he was again transferred, this time to 242 Squadron. Less than two months later, on 12 October 1941, he moved again, this time to 74 Squadron. Finally on 5 November 1941, he was moved to the personnel center at Bournemouth and two weeks later his commission was withdrawn. There is no indication 304 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

of why Mize was transferred so many times or why his commission was terminated. His official record states: “The Air Council decided to terminate his commission [effective] 20-11-41. Arrangements are being made for his repatriation on or about that date.” Mize apparently returned to the United States in late 1941 and joined the Army Air Forces. He remained in the Air Force after World War II and left in 1955 as a lieutenant colonel. He subsequently joined the Federal Aviation Administration and was stationed in Alaska for a number of years. He died on 4 July 1983.

Mooney, John Joseph RCAF Number: J15024 Born: 12 August 1920 in Long Island City, New York Served: 71 Squadron from 2 June to 9 June 1941, and in 121 Squadron from 9 June 1941 to 16 June 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 16 June 1942

John Mooney was a soft-spoken, friendly young man whom his squadron mates characterized as being absolutely without fear. He grew up on Long Island but there is no available record of what he did as a boy, what kind of activities he participated in while in high school or where he got his interest in flying. During June of 1940, Mooney got concerned enough about the situation in Europe that he went to Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. His record shows that at that time he had 68 hours of flying time. Jack’s objective was to fly and he did not have to wait long. On 1 July 1940, he entered preflight training and on 19 August he began Elementary Flight Training School. Mooney completed that course on 6 October 1940 and was assigned to a Service Flying Training School that he completed on 28 January 1941. His average for all his training was sufficient that on that same day he was awarded his Pilot’s Flying Badge and appointed a sergeant pilot. There is no official record of when he sailed for England or just what training he completed there. The only notation is that on 20 October 1941 he joined 121 Squadron. The official record is in error, however, because 305 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Mooney is noted in the squadron history as arriving on 9 June, which made him one of the first members of the second Eagle Squadron. According to the 71 Squadron records, Mooney arrived there on 2 June 1941, when the unit was posted at Martlesham Heath, but was transferred to 121 Squadron a week later. This would indicate that Mooney probably sailed to England in February 1941, attended an Operational Training Unit for about six weeks, and was ready for assignment in late May. In July he was part of 121’s first encounter with the Germans when he was credited with probably shooting down a JU-88 in his Hurricane II. On 20 October 1941, Mooney was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RCAF Volunteer Reserve. That is when his record shows him becoming a member of 121 Squadron and is apparently the source of the confusion with his record. Mooney advanced very rapidly in the unit and also was admired for his prowess in combat, but the winter was slow and the unit was grounded because of weather much of the time. With the spring came action. On 23 March 1942, Jack was credited with shooting down an FW-190, and on 9 June he shot down two more over Saint-Omer. Just a month earlier he was promoted to acting flight lieutenant and on 18 May he was appointed the leader of “B” Flight in 121. Unfortunately, on 16 June 1942, the ever-popular Jack Mooney was strafing a train near Ostend, Belgium. He apparently got too low and hit the train, or perhaps it blew up while he was right over it, because Mooney crashed beside the train and was killed. He was to be married on 4 July, just two weeks later.

Moore, Richard Arthur RAF Number: 83705 Born: 18 August 1914, in Duncan, Oklahoma Served: 71 Squadron from 7 November 1940 to 10 May 1941 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Aircraft worker, Douglas Aircraft Company, Santa Monica, California Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

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Richard “Indian Jim” Moore was one of the original Eagles. The six-feet, two-inch, nearly All-American basketball player was one of the few who were recruited by Colonel Charles Sweeny originally to go to France and help with their fight against Germany. But flying was not always Moore’s focus. After graduating from high school in Duncan, Oklahoma, he went to the University of Oklahoma as a nationally recognized basketball player. He was also a boxer and had a crooked nose to show for it. But although Moore attended Oklahoma for nearly four years, he did not have a degree and saw little chance of getting one since academics were not his real interest. As a summer job, he had cleaned airplanes at the Duncan Airport and it was there that he heard about the Aviation Cadet Program. Although he was told his chances of being accepted were one in a million, Moore applied and, after having surgery to correct his nose from his boxing injuries, he was accepted. He was initially assigned to Class 40B at Lindbergh Field in San Diego, California, where he arrived in August of 1939. When the upperclass cadets found that he was from Oklahoma, they gave him the nickname of “Indian Jim,” which stuck throughout the rest of his life. But the fates were not kind to Jim and, although he thought he was doing well, he was among the five cadets who were told in December they would not be going on to advanced training at Randolph Field in Texas. Moore heard about several other “washouts” who were working for Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica and so decided to join them. Eventually, there were about thirty in the group that petitioned General “Hap” Arnold, chief of staff of the Army Air Corps, for reinstatement. The group was given the option of becoming bombardiers or navigators but turned it down; it was pilots or nothing. But what was not a fertile field for the US Army was one for Charles Sweeny and he soon had several signed up to go to Canada and on to join the war against Germany. The group was turned back at the Canadian border, however, and that was the end of that adventure. But for Moore, the lure of flying for the RAF continued and he, along with Chesley Peterson, Byron Kennerly, Luke Allen, and a couple of others went to Canada on their own, took a check flight with the RCAF, and were accepted to go to France. But just before their departure, France surrendered and the group’s destination was changed to England. In mid-July 1940, they sailed aboard the Duchess of Richmond. After arriving in England, Moore was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and then sent to 5 Advanced Flying School 307 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

to hone his flying skills since he actually had only 50 hours of flying time. About six weeks later, Moore reported to an OTU to learn to fly the Hurricane. On 8 October 1940, the formation of 71 Squadron was announced by the Air Ministry. Although Moore was listed as part of the initial contingent, he was still at the OTU and did not report to the unit until 7 November 1940 at Church Fenton. On that same day 71 got their first Hurricane I fighters. They also had several American-made Brewster Buffalo aircraft, but they proved to be inadequate and were moved elsewhere. During the next several months, the unit focused on becoming an organized and operationally ready fighter squadron so saw little action until the spring of 1941. By that time, Moore had been periodically grounded by problems with his sinuses, as well as by an injury suffered in a bombing raid in London, so he decided to resign his commission and return to the United States. Jim then went to Dallas, Texas, and became a ferry pilot with the Air Transport Command. Unfortunately, there is little information about Moore’s activities after this time. In 1943, after flying as a civilian for a period of time, Moore was commissioned in the Army Air Forces as a first lieutenant. He spent the rest of the war ferrying aircraft and, in the process, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He left the Army at the end of World War II and began a business importing from the Far East. In the 1960s he moved to Thailand but returned to the United States several times a year on business. Jim Moore died in Bangkok, Thailand, on 31 July 1999.

Morgan, W. Brewster RCAF Number: J15519 Born: Day unknown 1919, in Honolulu, Hawaii Served: 71 Squadron from 24 April to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Premed student at Columbia University, New York Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: September 1942

Brewster Morgan grew up in Honolulu and got the flying bug while still a teenager. He began his flying at John Rogers Airport in Honolulu and had 308 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

flown enough to earn his private pilot’s license. Although he loved to fly, he decided that he wanted to be a medical doctor and in 1939 went to Shanghai, China, to begin premed training at Saint John’s University there. But as luck would have it, Great Britain and Germany declared war the same day he arrived and that, plus the situation in China and their war with Japan, forced Brewster to put his plans on hold and return to Hawaii. Morgan continued his studies there for awhile and in the fall of 1940 came to the mainland and enrolled in premed at Columbia University in New York City. But the prospect of the United States getting into the war and his love of flying caused Brewster to look for ways to become a military pilot. There is no record as to why he did not apply to the Army as an aviation cadet since he had the required two years of college. But when he heard from a friend that he had sufficient flying experience to enter the Canadian flying training program, Brewster jumped at the chance, went to Canada in early 1941, and was accepted into the Royal Canadian Air Force. It took Brewster about ten months to complete the entire pilot training program and it was not until early January 1942 that he sailed from Canada to England as a sergeant pilot in the RCAF. But upon his arrival he was devastated to find himself assigned to bombers rather than fighters. He was apparently a persuasive speaker, for he was able to talk his way into fighters and was sent to a Hurricane Operational Training Unit. Morgan completed that course in early April 1942, and on 24 April he arrived at 71 Squadron, then posted at Martlesham Heath. This was just when the unit was beginning very active flying against the Germans following a winter of terrible flying weather. Brewster made a rapid transition into the Spitfire and soon was flying operational missions almost every day. Action continued through the summer of 1942 and in mid-September Morgan joined most of his fellow squadron mates in going into London and transferring to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. On 29 September, Morgan stood in the ranks as 71 Squadron folded its RAF colors and became the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group stationed at Debden, where 71 had been since early May. Action was swift following the transfer and on 2 October, Morgan flew his Spitfire, now with American markings, on the squadron’s first operational mission. He continued to fly the Spitfire until early in 1943 when the entire Fourth Fighter Group transitioned to the P-47 Thunderbolt. Again, 309 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Morgan was right in the action. On 19 May 1943, about two months after he began flying the P-47 operationally, Brewster destroyed an ME-109 but shortly thereafter, on his way back to Debden, was attacked by four German aircraft and shot down. He was able to ditch his aircraft even though he had a bullet wound in his leg and shrapnel in his face. He was picked up by the Germans after about nine hours in the water. They dressed his wounds and sent him to a hospital in Brussels for two weeks, after which he was sent to Stalag Luft III where he remained until the winter of 1944–45 when the entire camp made the trek west to Austria to escape the Russians. He was liberated in April 1945. Morgan then left the Army and returned to Hawaii, where he became very successful in the insurance business. He died there on 1 July 1994.

Morris, Moran Scott RAF Number: 102052 Born: 9 June 1917, in Caddo, Oklahoma Served: 133 Squadron from 14 October 1941 to 31 May 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Student physical education instructor at Murray College, Oklahoma Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 31 May 1942

Moran Morris liked the military and was a real fighter. This 140-pound dynamo was the Golden Gloves Champion of Oklahoma in his weight class. When it was time for high school, he decided to go to Oklahoma Military Academy, where he was in ROTC. He no sooner completed his work there than he enrolled in Southeastern State College in Durant, Oklahoma, along with his lifelong friend and future Eagle, Edwin Taylor. Morris had also obtained a job as a student physical education instructor at a nearby institution. It was at Southeastern State College that Morris learned how to fly in the Civilian Pilot Training Program,and from his first flight he was hooked. But as 1940 moved on, both he and Taylor became worried about the coming war, and both decided they wanted to fly if the United States were to become involved. But neither had 310 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

enough college to qualify for the US Army Aviation Cadet Program. As luck would have it, one weekend in early 1941 Morris went to visit relatives near Dallas and while there found out about the Clayton Knight Committee and the chance to fly for the RAF. He and Taylor spent long hours talking about this new found opportunity and, in the end, both went to Dallas and signed up with the Clayton Knight Committee. Morris took his RAF physical exam on 19 February 1941, was accepted, and reported for RAF refresher flight training in Bakersfield, California, in March. On 10 July 1941, Moran was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England on the Norwegian ship SS Mosdale, along with Taylor and two other classmates from Bakersfield, Tom Andrews and Roger Atkinson. The voyage was relatively short since on 28 July, Morris reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Debden and began his checkout in the Spitfire. On 14 October 1941, Morris, and his friend Taylor, were posted to 133 Squadron at Eglinton, Northern Ireland. There he became more familiar with squadron tactics, and spent countless hours in flying training and on convoy patrol missions. At the beginning of 1942 the unit was sent back to England and posted at Kirton-in-Lindsey but the weather was terrible and so the action was limited to the boring convoy patrol duty. Frustrated with the lack of combat, Morris and Taylor volunteered to go to Malta, but their squadron commander refused their transfer request because he had too few first-line pilots. It really wasn’t until April 1942 that the unit encountered the Luftwaffe in any force. On 17 May, Morris scored his first victory with the probable destruction of an ME-109. Just two days later, he destroyed another ME-109 over Le Treport. Action remained intense for the unit and Morris was able to claim yet another German aircraft damaged. But in a particularly intense combat on 31 May 1942, Moran Morris was shot down and killed. His lifelong friend Edwin Taylor witnessed the action and reported that he saw the bullets enter Morris’s cockpit and was confident that Moran was killed even before his aircraft crashed.

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Mueller, Robert Sanford RAF Number: 100993 Born: 7 April 1913, in Saginaw, Michigan Served: 133 Squadron from 26 September 1941 to 21 March 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Retail buying and selling for Jack Bell, Hollywood, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Probably did not transfer

There is no information available about Robert Mueller’s early years. At some point in the late 1930s, he apparently decided that he wanted to fly so he moved to California. While his record contains no information about how much flying experience he had, it had to have been about 150 hours by the time he visited the Clayton Knight Committee at the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles. After being accepted, Bob attended RAF refresher training at Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California, probably in February 1941. He was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England on 19 June 1941, along with future Eagles Lawrence Chatterton, Tony Gallo, Richard McHan, and Denver Miner. The group arrived in early July and Mueller spent about two weeks at the personnel center at Bournemouth waiting for an assignment to an Operational Training Unit. He was assigned to 52 OTU at Debden on 18 July 1941, and, after about two months training, was sent to 133 Squadron at Eglinton, Northern Ireland on 26 September 1941. ( (Mueller and Denver Miner apparently were sent to Eglington where they arrived a week before 133 Squadron.) There, 133 transistioned into the Spitfire and became a well-trained operational squadron. Bob returned to England with the squadron, but during the next few months, the winter weather curtailed flying. Although the record is very confusing, Mueller apparently applied for overseas duty shortly after 133 arrived at Kirton-in-Lindsey in January 1942. On 21 March 1942, Mueller was assigned to 79 Squadron in India. Whether Mueller left 133 to begin his trip on that date or had departed several weeks earlier and was actually in India on 21 March is not clear. In any case, Bob flew with that unit for about five months and then, on 24 August 1942, relinquished his commission in 312 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

the RAF. His record does not indicate if he transferred to the US forces or simply left the RAF. Just two months earlier, on 24 June 1942, he had been promoted to flight officer. There is no record of his service after August 1942 nor of his later life. He is listed as an address unknown member in the records of the Eagle Squadron Association.

Nash, Herbert Temple RAF Number: 121440 Born: 31 August 1915, in Kaufman, Texas Served: 121 Squadron from 9 June to 17 August 1942 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: Oil field roughneck, Southwestern Drilling Company, Dallas, Texas Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 25 November 1942

Herbert Tex” Nash was a Texan all his life. His father was a banker and his mother a schoolteacher. He was the youngest of their four children. After graduating from Kaufman High School, he attended Southern Methodist University, North Texas State, and the University of Texas. There is no record of his graduation, probably because times were tough in the 1930s and Herb had to work as a roughneck in the oil fields of Texas to finance his education. He may well have learned to fly in the Civilian Pilot Training Program in college, and continuing that passion cost money as well. Because his heart was really in flying, he was accepted into the Navy Aviation Cadet Program in 1940. He completed primary training at San Diego and was assigned to Moffett Field in Sunnyvale, California, for basic training. Unfortunately, he washed out of that program because of a disagreement with his instructor and returned to Texas. But while awaiting his move from Moffett, he heard about the possibility of flying with the RAF. When he returned to Dallas, Nash visited the Clayton Knight Committee in the Baker Hotel on 12 June 1941 and was accepted. His flying experience at that time included the Ryan PT-20, Piper Cub, and BT-13, most of which was gained in the Navy. He reported to the Spartan School of Aeronautics at Tulsa, Oklahoma, on 21 August 1941 for RAF refresher training and, upon 313 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

completion of the program on 11 December, he was off to Canada. Nash was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 1 January 1942, the same date he embarked for England. After a nearly three-week voyage, on what Nash would later call a “banana boat,” he disembarked in Scotland and took the train to London. After reporting to the Air Ministry, and visiting Moss Brothers Clothiers for his uniforms, he was assigned to 14 Advanced Flying School for about six weeks of additional training, primarily in instrument flying. He then reported to 57 Operational Training Unit at Hawarden on 7 April 1942. Two months later, on 9 June, he was assigned to 121 Squadron at Southendon-Sea. A month later, on 11 July 1942, Nash married Alice Winifred Ethel Nunn in Southend-on-Sea. He was just becoming an active combat pilot in 121 when he was transferred overseas to Malta, joining 229 Squadron on 17 August 1942. Many pilots flew their Spitfires to Malta from either an American or British aircraft carrier and Nash was no exception. Certainly his heart was pounding as he waited for takeoff and watched the Spitfire ahead of him crash into the sea. His successful departure from the carrier was not the end of his trials. Nash arrived at Malta during a German air raid and, when finally permitted to land, he could get only one wheel down so he ended up on one wheel, a wing tip, and his propeller. Conditions on Malta were terrible because of the German blockade and daily air raids. Most of the pilots became sick within a week or two and simply flew their missions in that condition. In addition, the loss of planes and pilots was huge and tours were limited to about three months. Just about the time that Nash was scheduled to return to England, he was shot down and crashed into the sea, smashing his jaw. He was hospitalized until mid-November when he returned to England. On 25 November 1942, Nash transferred to the US Army Air Forces. He was assigned to the 109th Fighter Squadron and remained in Europe until late 1944, when his final assignment was as an air liaison officer to General Patton’s Fourth Armored Division. He and his family were returned to the United States in November 1944 on the Queen Mary. Herb Nash left the Army after the war and worked in the oil business in both Texas and Louisiana until his retirement in Opelousas, Louisiana. He died on 14 August 1992. (The author wishes to thank the late Mrs. Alice Nash, widow of Herbert Nash, for her help in preparing this biographical sketch.) 314 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Nee, Don Dawson RAF Number: 116156 Born: 10 September 1918, in Tucson, Arizona Served: 133 Squadron from 13 August to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: Clerk, L. B. Marsh Electric Company, Santa Ana, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

If there was a word to characterize Don Nee’s early life it would be “mobile.” When he was only six months old he moved from Tucson to Merced, California, and from there to a number of other places in the Sacramento Valley. His stepfather worked for Consolidated Edison and was transferred nearly every year. Don went to four different high schools and after graduation enrolled in Sacramento Junior College. He also attended junior college in both Bakersfield and Fullerton, California. It was while he was in Fullerton that he learned how to fly. He was taking aeronautical engineering and the class was building an airplane. That piqued Don’s interest and he began spending all his wages from a part-time job at a filling station for flying lessons. His initial instruction was in a Warner Command-Aire, a biplane with a 145-horsepower radial engine. Once Don got into flying there was no turning back. His flying soon became legendary in his neighborhood, due to his frequent low passes over the houses in the area. With war on the horizon, Don was immediately interested when one of his neighbors told him about the Clayton Knight Committee and flying for the RAF. Nee made a quick trip to the offices of the group in the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel. He had over 100 hours of flying time and was accepted for training. The final obstacle was an RAF flight physical, which he passed in Long Beach on 31 July 1941. About a month later he left for the first stop on his way to becoming a military pilot; RAF refresher training at Bakersfield, California. Don completed that course in December 1941 and, after spending Christmas at home, began the long train ride to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the trip to England. Nee was delayed in his departure because of compass trouble with the ship, the Dutch freighter Maaskerk, so he and his friends spent a week sightseeing. The compass trouble may have been fortuitous, 315 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

because his ship was unable to depart with its scheduled convoy, which lost eighteen ships to German submarines on the trip across the Atlantic. Don finally departed on 19 January 1941, and on that same day he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. The voyage was uneventful, the compass worked perfectly, and thirteen days later Don disembarked in Scotland. After completing the required activities in London, he was sent to the Personal Reception Center at Bournemouth. Unfortunately, there was a backlog of pilots waiting to go to an Operational Training Unit, so Nee was placed in a group that was to spend nearly three months in various types of training including officers training, which very few Eagles had, and advanced flying training. Finally, on 24 April 1942, Nee reported to 53 Operational Training Unit at Llandow in Llantwitt Major, Wales. There Don finally got to fly the Spitfire, which had been the aircraft of his dreams ever since he signed up with the Clayton Knight Committee nearly nine months previously. Don completed the OTU in mid-June and on 30 June 1942, he was assigned to 152 Squadron stationed in Northern Ireland. There the mission was primarily the boring but dangerous convoy patrol. A month later he was transferred to 64 Squadron and finally, on 13 August 1942, he arrived at 133 Squadron stationed at Biggin Hill. The unit was just transitioning into new Spitfire IX aircraft and so it was several weeks before Nee saw any action against the Germans. But as soon as the transition was complete, the reality of combat came quickly. His first mission was escorting Boston bombers across the channel and one of them was hit by flak and just blew up. Don knew then that he was really at war. On 23 September 1942, Nee made the trip into London and transferred to the USAAF. Six days later 133 Squadron became the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. Don’s activity in the 336th was initially flying bomber escort duty in Spitfires with American insignia, but in early 1943, the unit transitioned into P-47s and Don was part of the first operational mission flown by those aircraft on 10 March. Later, he was also part of a small group of pilots sent temporarily to the 354th Fighter Squadron to transition into the P-51 Mustang. Don continued flying with the 336th until well into 1944 when he returned to the United States. He was assigned to Charleston, South Carolina, training future bomber gunners by flying P-47s using German tactics. After the war, Don left the Army and married the “girl 316 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

across the street” whom he had dated before the war, Anna Marie. He became involved in a number of business enterprises, including owning a restaurant, cattle ranching, a finance company, and helping found a bank in Bend, Oregon. He also continued his flying. He found that bomber pilots had been given an instrument rating during the war but fighter pilots had not. Don believed he needed that rating and had just finished the requirements when he accompanied his instructor, who wanted to fly for the airlines, to the Pan American office in Los Angeles. Although Nee was a year too old for Pan American, they offered him a job and he flew for Pan Am in the Pacific-American division for about five years. Don also continued with his various business enterprises and remained active in the Eagle Squadron Association. In the early 1990s, he and Anna Marie moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where they still live.

Nelson, James Christian RAF Number: 100525 Born: 18 July 1918, in Greeley, Colorado Served: 133 Squadron from 1 September 1941 to 7 September 1942 Religious preference: Congregational Civilian occupation: Loan manager, Colorado Industrial Bank, Greeley, Colorado Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

James “Jimmy” Nelson was one of the initial cadre of 133 Squadron. He had quit his job at the Colorado Industrial Bank in Greeley, Colorado, in July 1940, possibly to concentrate on gaining flying experience. In January 1941, he made the trip from Colorado to Oakland, California, where he signed up with the Clayton Knight Committee for duty with the RAF. At that time, he had about 180 hours of flying time, apparently close enough to the theoretically required 200 hours to be accepted. He was sent to Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for his RAF refresher training. Nelson completed the course at Spartan in May 1941, and on 5 June he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England on the SS Bayano. Late in the month he arrived in England and, 317 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

after a short stay at the personnel center at Bournemouth, he reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge on 14 July 1941. Shortly after his arrival at Sutton Bridge, Jimmy and his future squadron mate Charles Cook had a midair collision; both survived, but Nelson was sent to the hospital for a short time. The injury apparently had little effect on Jimmy, however, because just six weeks after he began at the OTU, on 1 September, he was posted to 133 Squadron at Duxford flying Hurricane IIs. This was the beginning of a year with that unit, one of the longest tenures of any of the Eagles. Shortly after his arrival in 133, Jimmy proved his flying prowess when his engine quit at a low altitude and he crashlanded his Hurricane in a field surrounded by stone walls—an amazing feat of airmanship. In October 1941, 133 transitioned into the Spitfire II aircraft but they were not to see real combat until the spring of 1942. And while Jimmy was part of all the action seen by 133, it was not until 19 August that he shot down his first German aircraft. He was credited with a probably destroyed Dornier 217 during the epic air battle in support of the ill-fated Canadian invasion of France at Dieppe. For unknown reasons, Jimmy Nelson decided not to transfer to the US Army Air Forces in September 1942 but elected to remain in the RAF, where he had been promoted to flight officer on 5 June. On 7 September 1942, he bade his comrades in 133 good-bye and transferred to RAF Northolt. There he stayed until 20 December when he went to 124 Squadron as an acting flight leader, an appointment that was made permanent on 30 March 1943 when he was promoted to flight lieutenant. Nelson continued to fly with 124 until 14 June 1943, when he was moved to an aircraft evaluation flight as a test pilot and an acting squadron leader. In January 1944 he was transferred to the Experimental Test Flight Facility at RAF Farnborough, again as an acting squadron leader. At that same time he was awarded the Air Force Cross for his work on high altitude interceptions. But his good fortune ran out on 23 August 1944 when Nelson was “dangerously injured” (he broke his jaw, both shoulders, all his ribs on one side, his pelvis, and had to have his left leg amputated below the knee) in an accident while test flying a Mosquito XVI. He was hospitalized for several months. To illustrate how dangerous the test flying assignment was, Nelson had already been injured and hospitalized in May 1944 as well. Despite his August 1944 injuries, Nelson returned to 318 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

flying duty in November as an acting squadron leader. He remained in the RAF until 27 April 1945, when he was medically discharged with the rank of squadron leader. Nelson then became the chief demonstration pilot for Miles Aircraft in Berkshire, England, and subsequently moved to A. V. Roe and Company, the makers of AVRO aircraft, as the chief experimental test pilot in charge of testing all their aircraft from trainers to transports. Nelson remained in that position until 1953 when he was forced to give up experimental testing. He returned to the United States and settled in Loveland, Colorado, just a few miles from his birthplace. There he became the treasurer and records officer of the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District. James Nelson died in Loveland on 11 June 1971.

Neville, Gene Parks RAF Number: 115120 Born: 28 September 1917, in Adair, Oklahoma Served: 133 Squadron from 9 August to 26 September 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Clerk and ticker operator, Oklahoma Publishing Company, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 25 September 1942

There is no available record of when Gene Neville learned to fly or how much flying time he had when he visited the office of the Clayton Knight Committee in Oklahoma City on 26 July 1941. The popular and outgoing Neville had grown up in Oklahoma and attended Oklahoma City University. After college, he took a position with the Oklahoma Publishing Company in 1937 and remained with them until he entered the RAF. Certainly he had to have had considerable flying experience by 1941, probably gained in the Civilian Pilot Training Program while in college and on his own. At any rate, the war in Europe convinced him that he needed to do his part and he signed up with the RAF through the Clayton Knight Committee. Although he had the needed college to qualify for aviation cadets, he apparently 319 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

did not apply for that program. In late August 1941, he was sent to one of the RAF refresher training bases for about two months and then made the long trip to Canada for the voyage to England. He sailed on 13 December 1941 aboard the HMS Letitia, along with his future Eagle Squadron mate George Middleton and a number of other future Eagles. They arrived in England on 26 December. Because of a temporary surplus of new pilots, on 12 January, Gene, along with a number of newly arrived Americans and Canadians, was sent to 5 Senior Flying Training School for advanced flying and basic military training. On 24 February 1942, he reported to 53 Operational Training Unit at Llandow Air Base near Llantwitt Major in Wales. There he came face to face with the aircraft of his dreams, the Spitfire. Neville was at Llandow for two months and on 28 April he reported to 616 Squadron of Fighter Command. Gene flew with that unit for over three months, becoming a very experienced and accomplished combat pilot in the Spitfire. On 9 August 1942, he transferred to 133 Squadron at Biggin Hill as one of several experienced American pilots sent to bolster the ranks of that unit. About six weeks later, Gene went to London and transferred to the Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. The next day, 26 September, Neville was one of the twelve pilots in 133 Squadron detailed for bomber escort duty in their brand-new Spitfire IX fighters. Because of erroneous weather data, the unit was blown badly off course. Low on fuel and not knowing where they were because of the clouds beneath them, they let down over what they thought was England. Unfortunately, they were over Brest, France, and all of the pilots either crash-landed, bailed out of their fuel-starved aircraft, or were shot down by the fierce German anti-aircraft fire. It was not until 7 November 1942 that word was received that Gene Neville had been killed in the tragedy. He was one of the first members of the American Fourth Fighter Group to be killed in action.

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Nichols, William Henry RAF Number: 86619 Born: 14 June 1914, in Half Moon Bay, California Served: 71 Squadron from 8 January to 7 September 1941 Religious preference: Church of England Civilian occupation: Construction machinery operator Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Although he was a construction worker, flying was really Bill Nichols’s life. Fortunately, he lived in the San Francisco Bay Area and never missed a chance to get flying time in any type of aircraft available. He was a good friend of future Eagle LeRoy Gover and the two of them would often get an airplane and just go flying for the fun of it. As a result, Nichols had well over 500 hours of flying time when he went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Oakland, California, to sign up for the RAF. Probably because of his experience, he apparently did not attend an RAF refresher school but was sent directly to Canada where he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 27 September 1940 and sailed on the Duchess of Atholl for England. Unlike nearly all the Eagles, Nichols was apparently not sent to an Operational Training Unit but rather to a flying training school. He began his training there on 20 October 1940 and was awarded his flying badge (the equivalent of pilot’s wings) when he completed it on 8 January 1941. Nichols immediately reported to 71 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey as part of the additional cadre required to bring the unit up to authorized strength. Most of the first six months of 1941 were devoted to unit training and, since Nichols had never been to an OTU, that was probably good for him. But with the coming of the autumn, he began to fret over the lack of action and contact with the Germans. He told his flight lead, Chesley Peterson, that he had to see action because he had only signed up for one year and it was almost over. Although he was incorrect in that interpretation of his contract with the Clayton Knight Committee, it really didn’t matter. On 7 September 1941, 71 Squadron saw the fiercest action they had encountered to date when nine of them faced over one hundred 321 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

German ME-109s. In the ensuing melee, Bill Nichols’s aircraft was severely damaged and he was forced to bail out at over 20,000 feet altitude. He was taken prisoner, the fourth Eagle to be captured, and he spent the remainder of World War II in Stalag Luft III except for the three days of freedom he had before he was recaptured after an escape. Bill Nichols was liberated in April of 1945 and returned to the United Kingdom. After a long leave, he applied for two-engine training and was sent to a service flight training school to learn this skill. He subsequently applied for four-engine training and in December 1945, Nichols was assigned as an operational transport pilot flying freight to India. However, by that time he had made up his mind that there was no future for him in the RAF and on 19 June 1946 he applied to resign his commission. His resignation was conditionally approved and he departed for the United States arriving in New York on 1 July 1946. He retained the rank of flight lieutenant when his resignation was formally approved on 2 November 1946. Nichols returned to California and ran a crop-dusting service in Woodland. He died on 11 September 1981.

Nomis, Leo Stratton RAF Number: 107775 Born: 9 March 1922, in Los Angeles, California Served: 71 Squadron from 3 November 1941 to 1 August 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Aircraft maintenance, Metropolitan Airport, Van Nuys, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 22 March 1943

Leo “Chief” Nomis was another unique Eagle. His father was part Sioux Indian and this gave Nomis the nickname he carried throughout his flying career. And flying was what Nomis had always assumed he would do. His father was a pilot in World War I and after the war became a nationally known stunt pilot and barnstormer. He was killed in a crash at an air show in 1932 but this apparently did not deter Leo from wanting to fly. He had been what he termed as “an average guy” growing up, although he spent 322 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

six years in military schools. He participated in athletics, but also raced motorcycles. After graduating from high school, he toured around California as a motorcycle racer. That was about the same time, 1939, that he really got interested in flying. When he was not racing, Leo hung around airports doing whatever there was to be done in order accumulate more flying time. By the time he was eighteen, he had about 75 hours to his credit and was eager to pursue a flying career, but with no college education, the normal door to the Army or Navy was closed to him. Leo had read the daily accounts of the Battle of Britain and the exploits of the RAF but how could one get into that service? His golden opportunity came when he heard about the RAF recruiting pilots and the activities of the Clayton Knight Committee. So in February 1941, Nomis went to the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel and signed up for the RAF. Although he was immediately sent to Pasadena for his physical, it was several weeks before he received word to report to the RAF refresher training school at Glendale, California. Leo finally began his training in April and finished in early August. During that time, he got about 80 hours of training, including much needed experience in instrument and night flying. After a short leave, Nomis began the long train trip to the east coast of Canada and the voyage to England. He departed Halifax on 26 August 1941 aboard the SS Manchester Division. That same day, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. With him on the ship were future Eagles Joe Kelly and Edwin Bicksler. Although the passage was smooth, there were a number of submarine alerts that certainly made the American pilots begin to realize they were going to war. Nomis arrived in England in early September and was sent immediately to London. When he emerged from Moss Brothers Clothiers wearing his new RAF officer uniform and wings, “I felt like a general. Of course, with no officer training, I sure didn’t act like one.” After spending just two days at the personnel center at Bournemouth, Nomis was assigned to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. He arrived on 17 September and spent the next six weeks learning to fly the Hurricane. To Nomis, the two biggest challenges were flying in the weather and finding the base in the crazy quilt green patchwork that was the English countryside. After about 60 hours of flying, Nomis, who had requested one of the Eagle Squadrons, was assigned to 71 Squadron at North Weald, where he arrived on 3 November 1941. Although he had trained in the Hurricane, he immediately began flying 323 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

the unit’s Spitfire VB aircraft. After about 4 hours of supervised solo flight, Nomis was on his own as a combat pilot for the RAF. But action against the Germans was not a frequent thing during the winter of 1941–42. The weather was terrible and the normal mission was the dangerous convoy patrol and occasional escort missions or sweeps over France. And while Nomis did have enough combat time to share in the destruction of one German aircraft and have a second one probably destroyed, he, along with a number of other Eagle pilots, yearned for more action and better weather. So Nomis and several other members of his unit requested transfer to the Middle East, which meant Malta, but they were turned down. As spring arrived so did increased action and preparations to take a number of Spitfires to Russia to beef up their defenses. The pilots of 71 even got their shots for the trip but then the carrier with the Spitfires onboard was sunk and so the plan was abandoned. That disappointment, coupled with no desire to make the impending transfer to the US Army Air Forces, led Leo and Art Roscoe, both in 71, to again request duty on Malta. As Nomis said, “They [the United States] had no fighter squadrons, no good fighter aircraft, and we had no idea how we would be used.” This time the change was approved and on 1 August 1942 Chief left England for Malta. The first adventure was making his first carrier take off from the Furious, while it was under attack by German submarines, and the seven hundred-mile flight to Malta in an unarmed, single engine aircraft. Upon arrival at Malta both the aircraft and pilots were pressed into the most intense combat flying they would ever endure. The German siege of that critical island in the Mediterranean was as intense and devastating as the Battle of Britain, and violence, destruction, and death were standard fare. The RAF pilots were on alert or flying combat every day and living in terrible conditions, with poor food and “always sick.” But it was also on Malta that they got the most combat experience and enemy aircraft destroyed. The accounts of their adventures are legion. Nomis, for example, was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for taking off at night on an unauthorized mission during which he flew to Sicily, destroyed a Heinkel 111 bomber, wrecked a train, shot up several houses and returned to Malta. In early November, having served the normal three-month tour on Malta, Nomis was transferred to 92 (East India) Squadron at El Alamein, where he remained until March 1943. 324 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

On 1 March he was promoted to flying officer but just three weeks later, on 22 March, Nomis transferred to the USAAF as a first lieutenant. He then returned to the United States and was sent to the Tactics School in Orlando, Florida, followed by an assignment at Fort Myers, Florida, both flying P-47s. He was medically discharged in July 1944 because of wounds he had received while in Tunisia. After the war, Nomis remained in aviation. He was involved in a number of different types of flying ranging from transports to flying an ME-109 in Israel during the 1948 war for independence. He then flew for the Chinese Air Force in 1950 and 1951, and finally for the Indonesian Air Force from 1952 to 1954. Nomis quit flying entirely in 1957 and worked for a blueprint agency. He retired in Sherman Oaks, California, and died there on 1 October 2001.

O’Brien, Lyman Dennis RAF Number: 112321 Born: 9 July 1921, in Gainesville, Texas Served: 121 Squadron from 11 February to 29 May 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Salesman and oil merchandiser, R. A. Nipper, Wichita Falls, Texas Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 3 April 1944

Lyman Dennis (his preferred name) O’Brien moved from Gainesville to Wichita Falls, Texas, while he was still a boy. He attended Wichita Falls High School from which he graduated in 1939. He was an active student and was a member of Latin Club, the band, and played football. He also had a huge interest in flying. There is no record of when O’Brien began to fly or how much flying time he had accumulated by the spring of 1941. On 12 May, he reported for an RAF physical at Sheppard Field in Wichita Falls, probably as a result of visiting the Clayton Knight Committee in Dallas. Dennis must have had considerable flying experience since he was accepted by the Knight organization and sent to one of the RAF refresher training bases in the United States, possibly the one at Love Photo courtesy of Wichita Falls, Texas, High School 1939 yearbook.

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Field in Dallas. On 5 October 1941, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed from Canada for England. O’Brien arrived there in late October and about two weeks later, on 11 November 1941, he reported to Number 59 OTU at Crosby-on-Eden for advanced training in fighters. Dennis completed that program in early 1942 and on 13 January was assigned to Number 603 Squadron flying either Hurricanes or Spitfires. O’Brien remained in that unit for less than a month before being transferred to Number 121 Eagle Squadron at North Weald, reporting on 11 February 1942. There he flew the Spitfire. Most of his early flying in the unit was training and some convoy patrol but the action got much heavier in the spring with nearly daily bomber escort missions over France. O’Brien remained in 121 until 29 May 1942 when, for unexplained reasons, he was transferred to the Headquarters of Number 251 Wing of Fighter Command. Because he remained there only three days and was then apparently transferred overseas from the United Kingdom, he probably volunteered for overseas duty, as did a number of members of 121 Squadron. He subsequently had several assignments, returning to the UK on 21 February 1944. During that time he was promoted to flight officer on 1 October 1942 and to flight lieutenant on 5 October 1943. On 3 April 1944, O’Brien relinquished his commission in the RAF and was appointed an officer in the US Army Air Forces. There is no record of his subsequent assignments, if he survived World War II, or his life after the war. He is listed as an unknown by the Eagle Squadron Association.

Olson, Virgil Willis RAF Number: 81619 Born: 6 October 1912, in Concord, Nebraska Served: 71 Squadron from 19 April to 19 August 1941 Religious preference: Lutheran Civilian occupation: Assembly production work, Douglas Aircraft, Los Angeles, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 19 August 1941

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Virgil Olson was part of the early group of Americans recruited by Colonel Charles Sweeny to fly in World War II. Unfortunately, there is no available information about his early life or when he learned to fly. As were many of his fellow flying enthusiasts, he was employed in the aircraft industry in Southern California in the late 1930s. It was at his job at the Douglas Aircraft Company that he heard of the efforts of Colonel Charles Sweeny to recruit a group of American volunteers to help the French in their struggle with Germany. He apparently had sufficient flying experience, about 80 hours solo and 20 hours dual, to qualify for the program Sweeny had in mind. Olson had to make his way to Canada clandestinely, as did most of the early Eagles. On 4 July 1940, he took an RAF pilot physical exam somewhere in Canada, passed, and the next day was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England. The surrender of the French on 22 June had changed the entire situation however and Olson was directed to the RAF. He was initially assigned to 5 Service Flying Training School on 3 August, but for unknown reasons left that unit just twenty-one days later. On 28 September 1940, he was sent to 6 Student Flying Training School for additional flying training. He successfully completed the course and was authorized to wear the RAF flying badge on 13 January 1941. Although his record is blank from 13 January until 1 March, he may have spent the next six weeks at some kind of advanced training. On 1 March 1941, he was assigned to 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge for specialized training in the Hurricane. Six weeks later, on 19 April 1941, nearly ten months after leaving Canada, Virgil Olson was finally assigned to an operational fighter squadron, 71 Squadron stationed at Martlesham Heath. Virgil rapidly became a respected and effective member of the first Eagle Squadron, but on 19 August 1941, exactly four months after joining the unit, he was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire while on a bomber escort mission over France. Rather than bail out over France and risk becoming a prisoner of war, Olson elected to nurse his stricken Spitfire out over the North Sea where he bailed out. Although his parachute was seen to open properly, he was never found by air-sea rescue. His body was eventually recovered and he is buried in Holland. He had trained for over a year to fly combat for four months.

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Omens, Gilbert Inland RAF Number: 108642 Born: 9 December 1917, in Chicago, Illinois Served: 133 Squadron from 31 December 1941 to 26 July 1942 Religious preference: United Church of Christ Civilian occupation: American Airlines at New York Municipal Airport; aviation cadet, US Army Air Corps Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 26 July 1942

While there is nothing in the available records about Gilbert Omens’s early life, there is no doubt that he became hooked on flying fairly early. After graduating from high school, he went on to college but there is also no information about where or for how long. In 1938 or 1939 he went to work for American Airlines, but again there is nothing to indicate in what capacity. However, he had somehow accumulated nearly 200 hours of flying time by the end of 1940. Omens must have wanted to become a military pilot, and since he had the required two years of college, sometime in 1940 he applied for the Army Aviation Cadet Program. On 2 February 1941, he began training at Lowry Field in Denver, Colorado. But less than three months later, on 23 April 1941, Omens apparently washed out of pilot training. Within a few days, he appeared at the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Kansas City to apply for duty in the RAF. He was accepted and sent to RAF refresher training at Bakersfield, California. On 27 September 1941, after completing his training, he was commissioned in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England with nine other future Eagles on board the SS Bayano. Just a month later, on 28 October, he reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. Despite a couple of minor injuries, he completed the required twenty-six lessons of training in late December. On 23 December 1941, Omens reported to 133 Squadron just days before the unit moved from Eglinton, Northern Ireland, to Kirton-in-Lindsey. Gil spent a good part of the winter becoming a proficient Spitfire pilot, learning to function as part of a combat unit, and flying convoy patrol over the North Sea. Unfortunately, on 10 March 1942, he suffered a concussion in a flying accident. On 328 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

30 March he returned to duty and resumed his position as an effective and productive member of the squadron. But on 26 July 1942, Gilbert Omens was flying a Miles Magister at Biggin Hill, possibly as an instructor, when he crashed as the result of what the Accident Investigation Board termed a “faulty cockpit drill, resulting in the pilot attempting a forced landing and subsequently crashing.” Omens was killed in the accident.

Orbison, Edwin Ezell RAF Number: 84659 Born: 8 December 1917, in Olustee, Oklahoma Served: 71 Squadron from 7 November 1940 to 9 February 1941 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: Manager of soda fountain in California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 9 February 1941

Edwin Orbison was one of the original members of the first Eagle Squadron, 71. While the records make no mention of his early life, he apparently grew up in Oklahoma. Ed loved to fly and probably wanted to have a career in aviation. That ostensibly prompted him to leave home and go to California after graduation from high school in order to pursue this passion. In California, he worked as the manager of a soda fountain, probably in the Los Angeles area, and used his income from that job to pay for more flying time. He was quite successful in this endeavor and by early 1940 he had logged 325 hours of solo and 16 hours of dual flying time. Orbison was contacted by Colonel Charles Sweeny sometime in the spring of 1940, probably at one of the airports in the Los Angeles area, and offered the opportunity to go to England and fly fighters in the RAF. Orbison agreed, and on 7 August 1940, after crossing into Canada, his record notes that he took an RCAF flying physical in Ottawa, Canada. That date is in error, however, since he sailed for England on the Duchess of Richmond, with several other future Eagles including Charles Bateman, Richard Moore, and Chesley Peterson, on 10 July 1940. 329 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

The group reported to the Air Ministry in London on 13 August and Orbison, along with the others, was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. (Orbison’s record notes the date as 27 August although 13 August seems more logical.) That same day (13 August or 27), he was assigned to an RAF flying refresher course. He completed that training on 26 September and went to 5 Service Flying Training School. On 7 November, he joined 71 Squadron at Church Fenton as one of the original cadre. Unfortunately for Orbison, his short tenure with 71 was not a smooth one. He adopted quickly to the routine and was regarded as an excellent pilot but on 5 January 1941, while flying formation with Philip Leckrone and Shorty Keough, Orbison and Leckrone collided in midair. While Orbison was able to land his damaged Hurricane, a testament to his flying ability, Leckrone was unable to bail out and was killed in the ensuing crash. Just a month later, on 9 February 1941, while on convoy patrol, the Squadron Operational Record Book notes that Orbison, “while flying through thick cloud…must have lost his bearings and spun from about four thousand feet.” Ed Orbison was killed in that crash.

O’Regan, William Timothy RAF Number: 100526 Born: 16 January 1916, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Served: 71 Squadron from 23 December 1941 to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Chemical plant operator, American Potash and Chemical Corporation, Trona, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

There is little in the available records about William “Abie” O’Regan’s early life. His family apparently moved to California when Bill was still a boy and he went to work for American Potash and Chemical Company right after graduating from high school. So it was in the dry air of the California desert that O’Regan learned to fly although there is nothing to 330 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

indicate when he began or what his motivation was. As he watched the war in Europe develop, Bill knew he wanted to fly if the United States got involved in the war and somehow heard about the opportunity to join the RAF. On 1 February 1941, he made the trip to Los Angeles and visited the Clayton Knight Committee office at the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel. At that time he had 110 hours of dual and 70 hours of solo flying time, which was enough to be accepted. (The flying time is probably not correct because the amount of dual time is much too high for the number of solo hours.) O’Regan was sent to RAF refresher training at Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California, probably in early March, and on 5 June 1941 he was granted his commission in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and joined eighteen other future Eagles sailing to England on the SS Bayano. He arrived in England late in the month and on 14 July he reported to 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge for training in the Hurricane. Unfortunately, events took a major turn for the worse for Abie on 2 August 1941 when he sustained a compression fracture of his back in an aircraft accident. He spent nearly four months in several hospitals before being finally released as again ready to fly and reporting back to Sutton Bridge on 12 November 1941. O’Regan completed his training and was assigned to 71 Squadron on 23 December 1941, just after that unit arrived at Martlesham Heath. The winter brought many days when weather precluded flying, but in the late spring 71 once again was part of the action against the Luftwaffe. Bill was part of all the major action of the unit through the summer including the 19 August invasion of France at Dieppe. On 16 September 1942, O’Regan transferred to the USAAF, although he continued to fly with the RAF until the Eagle Squadrons were deactivated on 29 September. He was then assigned to the 334th Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. O’Regan transitioned from the Spitfire to the P-47 Thunderbolt in early 1943 and was part of the first P-47 operational escort mission flown by the Fourth on 10 March 1943. On 12 August 1943, O’Regan shot down an ME-109 near Sittard, Netherlands. There is no record of how long he remained in the 334th or his subsequent assignments. He stayed in the Air Force after World War II and retired in 1963 as a lieutenant colonel. He then became a chemical plant foreman in California and continued flying as a commercial pilot. O’Regan died on 10 October 1980. 331 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Osborne, Julian Meade RAF Number: 112312 Born: 20 July 1918, in Norfolk, Virginia Served: 121 Squadron from 4 May to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Episcopal Civilian occupation: Used-car salesman, Perry Buick Company, Norfolk, Virginia Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

While there is little information about Julian Osborne’s early days, there are some elements that can be pieced together. He apparently lived in Norfolk and the surrounding area most of his life until he joined the RAF. He went to military school in Baltimore, Maryland, probably to complete high school, and then on to William and Mary College in Williamsburg. There is no record of how long he was at William and Mary but it could not have been long enough to graduate since he was selling cars before he was twenty-one years old. Unfortunately, there is also no record of how much flying experience he had prior to entering the RAF but he could well have recorded some of it as a student in the Civilian Pilot Training Program at William and Mary. In 1940, Osborne registered with the Selective Service in Washington, DC, where his father had a permanent residence, and that was also listed as his home of record when he joined the RAF. Beginning in late 1941, Osborne’s record becomes cloudy. It indicates that he went to Ottawa, Canada, in November 1941 and was accepted into some program that led to a commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 13 December 1941. Since this was a highly unusual way for an American to enter the RAF, it would seem more likely that there is a gap in his records. More probably Osborne entered the RAF through the Clayton Knight Committee, was sent to a refresher course, and then took either a physical or a flight check in Canada prior to sailing for England. In any case, Osborne arrived in the United Kingdom on 20 December 1941, and on 12 January he entered 5 Service Flying Training School for some advanced flying training. On 14 February 1942, he was assigned to 53 Operational Training Unit at Llantwitt Major in Wales.(This was a normal course of training for a Clayton Knight Committee recruit to follow after arriving in 332 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

England.) He was at Llantwitt Major for about two and a half months, and on 10 May 1942 he reported to 121 Squadron at North Weald. While he was not credited with destroying any enemy aircraft, Osborne certainly was a productive member of the unit. He had a close call when he bailed out of his burning Spitfire on 19 August 1942, after having flown three sorties in support of the abortive landing at the French port of Dieppe. He transferred to the USAAF on 16 September 1942, but continued to fly with the RAF until 29 September, when he became a member of the 335th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. There is no record of when Julian Osborne left 335th Squadron but he did stay in the Air Force after World War II and served with the Defense Intelligence Agency. He achieved the rank of colonel. Osborne was killed in an aircraft accident on 5 January 1968.

Padgett, Cadman Vinton RAF Number: 121230 Born: 12 September 1916, in Allentown, Maryland Served: 121 Squadron from 23 June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Mechanic and pilot Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

Cadman “Pat” Padgett was one of those Eagles who were consumed by things mechanical. He failed both the first grade and his first year in high school because he saw no point in what he was studying. His mother enrolled him in a vocational school in his junior year of high school but a few months later his instructor called Mrs. Padgett and told her that Pat was wasting his time since “he knows more about automobile mechanics than I do.” So Pat dropped out of school and went to work at Key Pontiac and within a few months was making more money than most mechanics in the Washington, DC/Maryland area. Being young and daring, he bought a motorcycle but soon wrecked it. His mother told him that maybe he should go into flying since it had to be safer than motorcycles. So Pat and a friend bought a Piper Cub, learned how to fly, and then proceeded to tour the East Coast from Maine to Florida. But as World War II loomed on 333 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

the horizon for the United States, Pat decided he had better figure out how to fly rather than march to war. Luckily, one Saturday he and his friend were at the airport when a man, probably representing the Clayton Knight Committee, approached them and told them about the opportunity to fly for the RAF. Maybe because his mother was English, and certainly because he wanted to fly in the war he thought would soon encompass the United States, Pat visited the Clayton Knight Committee offices. He was accepted and soon reported to the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to begin his RAF refresher training. He was a good pilot but noted as slightly below average in his course work. Nonetheless, Pat graduated from Spartan on 11 December 1941, and, after a short leave, went on to Canada. He was given his RAF flight physical in Ottawa on 30 December 1941, an unusual move since most applicants for the RAF took their physicals before beginning training. A week later, on 7 January 1942, Pat was commissioned in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England along with future Eagles, Robert Priser, John Slater, Robert Smith, Dennis Smith, Gordon Whitlow, and Ben DeHaven. The group arrived at a time when the OTUs were all filled so on 28 January, Padgett and several other new pilots were sent to a military training unit for officer training. On 16 March, Pat was assigned to an advanced flying unit where he remained until 21 April 1942, when he finally reported to the Spitfire Operational Training Unit at Aston Down in Gloucestershire. Two months later, on 23 June 1942, he joined 121 Squadron stationed at Southend-on-Sea. There he got his indoctrination to combat flying with almost daily escort or low-level missions over France. Less than three months later, on 15 September 1942, Padgett made the trip to London and transferred to the US Army Air Forces. He continued to fly with 121 and was part of the last operational mission flown by any of the RAF Eagle Squadrons on 27 September 1942. On 29 September, Pat, along with most of the Eagles, became part of the Fourth Fighter Group. As a member of the 335th Fighter Squadron, Pat continued combat flying in the Spitfire, then in March 1943, in the P-47 Thunderbolt, and finally the P-51 Mustang. On 12 August 1943, he shot down an ME-109 and on 26 November destroyed another. Pat returned to the United States in 1944 and became the operations officer at Andrews AFB. He continued in the Army after the war ended and subsequently became a member of the Air Force. Pat remained at Andrews 334 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

until 1947, where his flying ability made the Washington newspapers when he flew a ground controlled approach (GCA) blindfolded to demonstrate the reliability of this new all-weather approach system. He also met his wife Marjorie there and they were married in the base chapel. Pat’s subsequent assignments included commander of the Special Air Mission Squadron at Bolling Air Force Base flying key government officials, and commander of Umnak Air Force Base in Alaska, where his wife and two young daughters were part of only fifteen families at this base located at the very end of the Aleutian Islands. This was followed by transferring to C-124 heavy transports with assignments at Altus AFB, Oklahoma, and Donaldson AFB, South Carolina. Pat also flew in the Korean War, had a tour of duty in the Pentagon, and commanded the C-124 Squadron at Dover AFB. He retired in 1963 as a lieutenant colonel and bought a sixty-three-ship marina on the Chesapeake Bay. In 1976, he moved to Florida, where he spent the rest of his life enjoying his avocation of sailing. Padgett died very unexpectedly on 4 November 1991, in Florida. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. (The author thanks Mrs. Marjorie Padgett, Pat’s wife, for her help in compiling this biographical sketch.)

Parker, Vernon Andrew RAF Number: 100527 Born: 16 March 1913, in Paducah, Texas Served: 121 Squadron from 25 August 1941 to 27 May 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Flying instructor and airport manager, Del Rio, Texas Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: 25 November 1942

Vernon “Shine” Parker lived and breathed flying. He grew up in Texas, graduating from high school in Paducah in 1932. His objective was to become a pilot. Shortly after high school he moved to Uvalde, Texas, and his dream began to come true. He bought a Piper Cub, took some flying lessons and got his pilot’s license. In order to finance his flying avocation, he first worked for a wholesale candy and bakery firm. He was eventually able to save enough 335 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

money to purchase a dry-cleaning and laundry business. But flying was not forgotten and he gave flying lessons and pleasure rides whenever he had the time. Eventually, he went into the flying business full time and became the airport manager at Del Rio, Texas. But Vernon was a well-rounded young man and enjoyed several athletic pursuits as well as photography, which would be of great significance in his later life. With the war clouds on the horizon, Vernon decided that he needed to ensure he would fly if war came. Of course, he also thought it would be exciting to fly the best fighter aircraft in the world, the Hurricane and the Spitfire. In late 1940, probably because of his job as an airport manager and his approximately 375 hours of flying time, Parker was contacted by the Clayton Knight Committee about volunteering for the RAF. On 12 December 1940, he took his RAF physical in Del Rio, was accepted, and was assigned to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Love Field in Dallas, Texas. He reported there on 14 January 1941. Vernon completed his training in April, took the train to Ottawa, Canada, and from there to Halifax, where he sailed for England on 5 June 1941 on the SS Bayano with eighteen other future Eagles. The voyage was long and the group did not arrive in England until the end of the month. Two weeks later, on 14 July 1941, Pilot Officer Parker reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. After about six weeks of training in formation flying, aerobatics, and air-to-air and air-toground gunnery in the Hurricane, Shine was assigned to 121 Squadron posted at Kirton-in-Lindsey. At that time the relatively new squadron was still in training status. As 121 got more experience they were put increasingly into combat situations and in August they flew 980 operational missions. In November, they traded their Spitfire IIs for the more powerful and betterarmed Spitfire VB aircraft, but it was not until December, when the unit transferred to North Weald, that the action really began. One of Parker’s most memorable combat experiences during that time occurred when he was part of a formation that attacked a small convoy of German warships moving from Belgium to Norway, in very marginal weather. The Spitfires were safe in the clouds, but every time they emerged to make the attack they were subject to the full fury of the German guns. All four of the Spitfires in Parker’s flight were seriously damaged but they all returned safely to England. The reality of combat came home very rapidly on that day for Parker and his fellow American pilots. In contrast, Vernon and Casey Jones 336 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

spent a fourteen-day leave during the winter at Linsmore Castle in Eire as the guests of Lord and Lady Cavendish. Lady Cavendish was the American Adelle Astaire, the sister of actor Fred Astaire. Certainly one of the turning points in every American pilot’s experience was the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Vernon was one of the two representatives of 121 Squadron who were sent to London to meet with American Ambassador John Winant about the future of the Eagles and their possible transfer to the US Army Air Forces. Although the meeting produced little but vague assurances that the move would eventually take place, Parker and his squadron mates at least had made their desire to become part of the US forces known to the senior American representative in Britain. Contact with the Germans increased as winter weather gave way to spring and during the ensuing months Parker was credited with destroying two German aircraft along with a locomotive, several river barges, and other vehicles on his numerous low-level missions over France. On 27 May 1942, Parker left 121 to attend the RAF Law and Administration course at Oxford. While there he was promoted to flight officer. At the completion of that school, he was sent to instructor duty for a short period and then, on 25 November 1942, Parker transferred to the Army Air Forces as a first lieutenant. He was immediately assigned to the 92nd Bomb Group flying B-17s. He spent the remainder of the war flying bombers as one of the only Eagles to fly both fighters and bombers in an operational squadron during World War II. It was in the B-17 that he had his toughest mission of the war, the huge raid on the German ball-bearing factory at Schweinfurt. Parker subsequently returned to the United States as a B-17 instructor and then checked out as a pilot in the B-29. Vernon remained in the Air Force after World War II and had a number of different flying and administrative assignments such as commander of a rescue squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, and commanding an F-86D fighter squadron in the Philippines. He retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel in 1963. Following his retirement, Parker opened a photography studio in Floydada, Texas, and remained in that business for twenty years. Following his second retirement, Vernon and his wife traveled throughout the United States and Canada. Parker died in Floydada on 30 May 1995. (The author thanks Mrs. Eva Parker, Vernon’s wife, for her help in compiling this biographical sketch.) 337 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Patterson, Richard Fuller RCAF Number: J2928 Born: 21 September 1915, in Richmond, Virginia Served: 121 Squadron from 10 June to 7 December 1941 Religious preference: Church of England Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 7 December 1941

Richard “Pat” Patterson was a very talented young man. A pole-vaulting champion during his days at Princeton University and a member of the 1936 Olympic team, he approached every task with an analytical eye and then figured out how to excel at it. After college, for example, he went to Miami, Florida, where he made his living playing golf, not as a professional but by just hanging around and filling up a foursome, and then betting on the game. He also was an expert at darts, snooker, and about any other game he decided to play. It was this same approach to flying and combat that made him a superb pilot, acknowledged as one of the best in 121 Squadron. There is no indication in the available records of when Patterson learned to fly or what motivated him to go to Canada in April of 1940 and join the RCAF with the intent of becoming a fighter pilot, especially when he was qualified for the Aviation Cadet Program. After a month of basic training, Pat passed his flight physical on 22 May and began flight training the next day. He spent the next six months in pilot training and when he graduated and received his wings, on 2 November 1940, he was rated as “exceptional, hard worker, reliable, good leader and organizer.” Four days later he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RCAF. Patterson then stayed on in Canada attending advanced flying training and serving as an instructor before sailing for England in late March 1941. He arrived in England on 17 April, and on 22 April 1941 he was assigned to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly the Hurricane. There is some confusion in the available records as to when Richard joined 121 Squadron. The squadron record book indicates that he arrived in mid-June 1941, while the official record erroneously indi338 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

cates a 17 November 1941 arrival. It is very obvious that Pat was indeed a member of 121 Squadron by the summer of 1941 because he is listed as participating in numerous missions during the summer and fall. Certainly his flying skills earned him a place as one of the best flyers in the unit well before the official record indicates he was assigned there. The well-liked Patterson was a good friend of Red Campbell, who remembered several combat engagements in which Patterson played a key role during the summer and fall of 1941. Pat often told his squadron mates that he was the only German ace in the RAF, referring to his having destroyed five RAF aircraft during his time with the British. He had crashed a Fleet trainer in Canada as a student and an AT-6 as an instructor. He had a collision while practicing air-to-air combat but managed to bail out successfully. After being assigned to 121 he had a glycol leak in his Hurricane and had to bail out of that craft when the engine seized. And finally, the engine on another Hurricane failed on takeoff and he crash-landed, veering into another parked aircraft. Nonetheless, he was a very highly respected pilot and when Patterson failed to return from a low-level mission near Blankenberge, Belgium, on 7 December 1941, the loss was felt by every member of 121 Squadron. He was later confirmed as being killed on that date.

Patterson, Robert G. RCAF Number: R10134 Born: 4 July 1916, in Williston, North Dakota Served: 121 Squadron from 22 August to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: September, 1942

Because his official record is not available, there is little information about Robert Patterson’s early life. At some point his family moved from North Dakota to California and, probably right after completing high school, Bob joined the Navy. He was apparently interested in flying because he served his enlistment as an aviation machinist mate. Bob would regularly 339 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

talk the pilots of the planes he repaired into giving him a ride and an unofficial flying lesson. So by the time he left the Navy, Patterson knew how to fly. He then took some lessons in light planes to get his pilot’s license. He, like most of his friends, believed that the war would soon involve the United States and he wanted to be sure he could fly in the conflict. That concern, plus the excitement and adventure, led Patterson to go to Canada, probably in the summer of 1941, and join the Royal Canadian Air Force. Assuming normal progression through his training, Patterson was awarded his flying badge and appointed to the rank of sergeant pilot early in 1942, after which he sailed for England. His initial assignment, after learning to fly the Spitfire at an Operational Training Unit, was apparently to 116 Squadron. On 22 August 1942, Patterson was transferred to 121 Squadron at Southend-on-Sea. On his first transition flight, along with fellow squadron newcomer Frank Smolinsky, Patterson suggested they fly over France and see what they could find. The duo was able to shoot up several German gun emplacements before returning from their completely unauthorized flight. To top it off, Patterson was flying the squadron commander’s Spitfire. Fortunately for the two, the gun cameras showed the extent of the damaged they inflicted on the gun emplacements and they were exonerated. Patterson had only been in 121 for about three weeks when he went into London and transferred to the US Army Air Forces and was commissioned a second lieutenant. He flew as part of the last operational mission flown by the Eagles on 27 September 1942, and on 29 September became a member of the 335th Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. Patterson continued his combat flying with that unit, first in the Spitfire and, in early 1943, the P-47 Thunderbolt. On 8 October 1943, Bob was shot down over the Netherlands. He was able to evade capture for fifty-three days, but a German sympathizer in Amsterdam turned him in to the Gestapo and he spent the rest of the war in Stalag Luft I, near Barth, Germany. After he was liberated, Patterson returned to the United States and left the Army. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, and the Purple Heart for his service. He returned to California and settled in San Francisco. There is no record of what he did during the next fifty years except that from 1975 through 1980 he was a merchant seaman. He died in San Francisco on 1 April 2004. 340 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Peck, James Elvidge RAF Number: 103471 Born: 14 June 1921, in Calexico, California Served: 121 Squadron from 9 October 1941 to 27 February 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Mechanic’s helper, Mearoo Flying Service, Oakland, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

James ”Jimmy” Peck was just nineteen years old when he decided that he would join the RAF so he could fly the best aircraft in the world in the cause of freedom. Although the small, dark-haired young man with piercing black eyes and a great sense of humor had been born just a few miles from the Mexican border, his family had moved to the San Francisco Bay Area while Jimmy was still in school. It was there that he began to fly and decided that aviation was the career for him. Since he had only a high school education, there was no opportunity to get into any of the US military flying programs so Peck did the next best thing: he went to work at an airport. That was just fine for the aspiring pilot, since he could always pick up some flying time here or there. So when he visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Oakland, California, on 2 April 1941, Jimmy had 225 hours of time, plenty to meet the requirements of the RAF. He was accepted and sent almost immediately to Lancaster, California, for RAF refresher training. On 22 July 1941, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England along with seven of his future Eagle classmates. Peck arrived in early August and was assigned to 55 Operational Training Unit at Usworth on the 17th, but for unknown reasons, that assignment was canceled. He was apparently sent to another OTU that he completed in late September. He reported to 232 Fighter Squadron on 30 September 1941, but just nine days later he was transferred to 121 Squadron at Kirtonin-Lindsey just as the unit was transitioning from Hurricanes to Spitfires. Although he had few encounters with enemy aircraft during the rest of 1941, Peck gained the experience that would prove extremely valuable in the months to come. During the first two months of 1942, 121 saw little 341 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

action. The weather was bad and all the unit’s action consisted of convoy patrols and training missions, so along with several of his squadron mates, Jimmy volunteered for overseas duty, which generally meant Malta. On 27 February 1942, Peck left the Eagles and on 3 March 1942 began his trip to Malta. He arrived on that battle-torn island a few days later and is listed as joining 126 Squadron on 21 March. Three days later, he shot down a German JU-88 and on 25 March, an ME-109. Peck shot down three more German aircraft before his tour on Malta was completed on 7 July 1942, which made him an ace. Prior to that time he had been promoted to acting flight lieutenant and on 5 June 1942, he and former Eagle Reade Tilley were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for gallantry in action, the first two Americans known to have received that decoration during the defense of Malta. Peck returned to England at the end of July, the same time he was promoted to flying officer, and was posted an Llandow Air Base near Llantwitt Major in Wales as an instructor. He remained there until 23 September 1942, when he transferred to the US Army Air Forces. There is no indication on his record of his subsequent assignments, but he did destroy one more German aircraft for a total of six during his service. On 12 April 1944, he was returning to his home base in England from a visit with some of his former Eagle friends when the P-38 he was flying developed engine trouble and Jimmy Peck crashed near Christchurch. He was killed in the accident.

Pendleton, Wendell RAF Number: 61930 Born: 5 February 1919, in Fort Smith, Arkansas Served: 71 Squadron from 19 April to 30 June 1941 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Draftsman Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

There is little information available about Wendell Pendleton’s early life. He lived his first nineteen years in Fort Smith and in 1938, shortly after graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. There is no record of his job, but Wendell was discharged in 1939 and returned to Fort 342 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Smith, where he began to study drafting. During this time he also learned how to fly and was able to amass enough hours of flying time to be eligible for the Royal Air Force. He apparently went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee, probably in Dallas, Texas, in November 1940 and was accepted for RAF duty. He was sent to RAF refresher training at Love Field in Dallas and finished that training early in February 1941. Pendleton then took the train to Canada and on 24 February 1941, he sailed for England along with several future Eagle classmates from Dallas including Joe Durham, Eddie Miluck, Collier Mize, Lawson Reed, and Fred Scudday. The group of new pilot officers arrived in England in early March and was sent to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly the Hurricane. On 19 April 1941, Pendleton, along with several other students in his class at Sutton Bridge, arrived at 71 Squadron stationed at Martlesham Heath. There was little action for the unit that spring as they continued to gain enough experience to go head-to-head with the Luftwaffe. The members of the unit flew every day that weather would allow but most of it was either training or convoy patrol over the North Sea. It wasn’t until 23 June that the squadron was moved to North Weald and finally got into the thick of the action with bomber escort missions and fighter sweeps over France. Wendell was a part of all this activity, but for unknown reasons, on 30 June 1941, he was transferred to 607 Squadron at Wick, Scotland, for a brief time and then to 91 Squadron. Pendleton then apparently resigned his RAF commission and before the end of 1941 he had returned to the United States. He served briefly as a civilian pilot with the Air Transport Command and then joined the US Army Air Forces. He served through World War II as a B-24 bomber instructor and then as a C-54 transport instructor. When the war ended, Wendell remained in the Army Air Forces and then the Air Force until 1948, when he left active duty but continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve. Pendleton continued stayed in the Reserve, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel. While he continued flying, he was employed by G. A. F. Corporation, General Motors, and the Ford Motor Company. He then became self-employed as a commercial pilot and aerial photographer in Arlington, Texas. Wendell Pendleton died on 4 July 1994, in Arlington.

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Peterson, Chesley Gordon RAF Number: 83706 Born: 10 August 1920, in Salmon, Idaho Served: 71 Squadron from 9 November 1940 to 22 August 1942 Religious preference: Mormon Civilian occupation: Production control clerk, Douglas Aircraft Company, Los Angeles, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

When Chesley “Pete” Peterson was only twenty-one years old, he became the first American to command a Royal Air Force combat squadron, 71 Squadron of Fighter Command. This was truly a remarkable achievement for the young, tall, handsome fighter pilot from Santaquin, Utah, who less than two years earlier had been eliminated from the Army Aviation Cadet Program because he was too young. But to those who knew Pete well, it was no surprise at all for, among those Americans who volunteered for duty in the RAF, Chesley Peterson was the leader they all emulated. Chesley was actually born in Salmon, Idaho, and moved to Santaquin when he was four years old. He grew up on a farm and demonstrated his mental talents by winning the regional spelling bee in junior high and the Future Farmers of American oratory contest at Payson High School. His classmates generally referred to him as a brilliant young man. When he graduated, he traveled fifteen miles north to Provo to attend Brigham Young University, where he majored in mathematics. But Chesley only stayed there for two years before applying to be an aviation cadet. After all, flying had been his goal and dream ever since that day in 1926 when a barnstormer had landed in his father’s alfalfa field. The airplane was the talk of the town and it seemed like nearly everyone parted with their $2.50 for a ride. But the pilot’s first two passengers, who rode for free, were Chesley and his sister Emmogene. Chesley had joined the Utah National Guard in 1938 and, as he watched his friends go off to fly, he became impatient. He knew he would soon have the required two years of college to qualify for the Army flying program, but the need to be twenty-one when he completed training and was commissioned was 344 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

a problem. So he was able to change his birth date from 1920 to 1918 on his county records and, on 22 September 1939, entered the US Army. All went well until it was discovered that he was two years younger than his records indicated, and on 24 January 1940, he was eliminated. But Chesley was determined to stay in aviation, so he went to California and got a job at the Douglas Aircraft factory in Santa Monica. There, he and several other “washouts” were contacted by Colonel Charles Sweeny and agreed to go to Europe and aid the French in their conflict with Germany—all in violation of the United States Neutrality Laws. Peterson’s first effort to go to Canada ended in failure when he was intercepted by the FBI and sent back to California. But a second effort was successful and, because France had surrendered to Germany, the objective was now the Royal Air Force. After a physical and a check flight, Chesley and several other future Eagles, sailed for England on the Duchess of Richmond. While the sailing date is unsure, it was between 10 and 20 July 1940. After their arrival, the group went to the Air Ministry where, on 13 August, they were commissioned pilot officers in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. However, the group was not ready to jump in a Hurricane and fight the Germans. They first needed a considerable amount of training. On 29 August 1940, Peterson was sent to 5 Student Flying Training School for about two months to become qualified for duty in a combat squadron. On 9 November, Peterson and several of his shipmates reported to 71 Squadron at Church Fenton, as part of the original cadre of the unit. While Peterson and a number of other pilots had been named as members of 71 when the unit was announced to the press on 8 October, most of those noted as being part of the squadron were, like Peterson, still in training. Arrival in the newly formed 71 Squadron did not mean combat for the new pilots. The first aircraft they received were Brewster Buffalos, very inferior American fighters that were soon replaced by Hurricanes. On 4 January 1941, the unit was ordered to readiness, but they were still kept out of action. After much criticism that the squadron was simply a publicity stunt, Pete, who had become the unofficial spokesman for the Eagles, took it upon himself to go outside the chain of command and insist that 71 be moved to Martlesham Heath in 11 Group, which was the center of action against the Luftwaffe. During the next nine months the Eagles proved themselves by becoming the highest scoring RAF squad345 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

ron in Fighter Command in October and November of 1941. During that period Pete shot down the first two of his total of six German aircraft he destroyed while in the RAF. In November the complexion of the squadron changed when the British commander, Stanley Mears, was killed, and in a historic move, Peterson was named acting commander, the first American to lead a British fighter squadron. He was also promoted to acting squadron leader, which made him the highest-ranking Eagle. Just a month earlier, on 4 October 1941, he had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by the king in a ceremony that also included Eagles Carroll McColpin and Gus Daymond. In December, Pete again went outside of command channels to prevent the move of the unit out of the combat zone. During the next nine months, 71 continued as a mainstay of Fighter Command under Peterson’s leadership. On 26 July 1942, he married Audrey Boyes, a South African actress, in the most widely publicized of the many Eagle weddings. He was shot down during the intense action over Dieppe in August 1942, but was rescued shortly after entering the Channel. On 16 September Chesley transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a lieutenant colonel, the highest rank of any Eagle, and was immediately returned to the United States on an aircraft evaluation mission. Just a week earlier he had been awarded the Distinguished Service Order, again by the king. Chesley had destroyed six German aircraft, probably destroyed three more, and damaged at least six while in the RAF. Pete spent nearly three months in the United States evaluating the P-51 Mustang and making a number of personnel appearances. He then returned to the Fourth Fighter Group, comprised of the three former Eagle Squadrons, as the executive officer, which made him second in command. During the next few months he destroyed three more enemy aircraft, was forced to bail out of his P-47 when the engine failed, and led the unit on the first P-47 mission in Europe. On 4 August 1943, Peterson was named commander of the Fourth Fighter Group and promoted to colonel, becoming the youngest officer, at twenty-three, of that rank in the Army Air Forces. (Interestingly, had he continued in aviation cadets in 1940, he would have been a captain.) He continued in that capacity until 1 January 1944, when he was transferred to the staff of the Ninth Air Force to aid in planning the invasion of Europe. In December 1944, Chesley returned to the United States, first to attend the Command and General Staff School at Fort 346 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Leavenworth and then as commander of a P-51 wing preparing for operations in the Pacific. However, the war ended before they were posted. Pete was then assigned as the Air Attaché to South Africa and, while there, transferred to the new US Air Force. After an operational tour commanding a fighter group, he was sent to France as the commander of the 48th Fighter/Bomber Wing. Peterson then had a tour in the Pentagon and in 1959 was sent to Japan as commander of the Eighth Tactical Fighter Wing. Promoted to brigadier general, he served as chief of staff for Fifth Air Force and subsequently was assistant chief of staff for intelligence for the Commander in Chief, Pacific. Peterson retired from the Air Force in 1970 as a major general. He and Audrey then moved to Ogden, Utah, where they lived until 1989 when they moved to the Air Force Retirement Village in Riverside, California. Chesley Peterson died there on 28 January 1990.

Peterson, Kenneth Dwight RAF Number: 119030 Born: 21 April 1916, in Mesa, Arizona Served: 133 Squadron from 27 September to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Mormon Civilian occupation: Student at Arizona State Teacher’s College in Tempe Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 24 September 1942

While there is no indication in the available records of when Kenneth Dwight “K.D.” Peterson learned to fly or how much experience he had, it is clear that he had a real love of flight. He learned to fly in Mesa and may have received additional flying experience in the Civilian Pilot Training Program at Arizona State Teacher’s College. The slim, six-feet-tall Peterson was a star basketball player at Arizona State and was named to the Border Conference All-Star team. He graduated in 1939 but there is no record of what he did after that. Whatever his motivation, on 8 October 1941, Kenneth went to the Clayton Knight Office in Phoenix and volunteered for the RAF. He apparently did not try to enter the US Army Aviation Cadet Program, possibly because he was too old. On 28 November 1941, still 347 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

before the United States was in World War II, Peterson reported to Polaris Flight Academy at Lancaster, California, for his RAF refresher training. He excelled at Polaris and was appointed the cadet captain for his group. Ken completed that training on 16 February 1942, and, along with future Eagle Steve Pisanos, spent a couple of weeks in New York City and then took the train to Canada. On 12 March 1942, both he and Pisanos received their commissions and embarked for England. They arrived late in the month and, after initial processing in London were sent to 3 Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth. Because there was a backlog for entry into an OTU, Peterson was sent to officer training school on 14 April 1942. He completed this program three weeks later, and was sent to another personnel assignment and then to an advanced flying unit. Finally on 23 June 1942, nearly three months after his arrival in England, K.D. reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Aston Down. He completed the training in Spitfires and joined 65 Squadron of RAF Fighter Command on 15 September 1942. He probably saw no action with that unit for on 24 September he transferred to the USAAF. Three days later, on 27 September, he and Dick Braley met Red McColpin, commander of 133 Squadron, on the street in London. They were instructed to report immediately to Debden to help fill the ranks of that unit, which had lost eleven pilots the preceding day on the ill-fated Morlaix mission. The two arrived in time to find a place to stay, check out their equipment, and stand in the formation during the ceremony that marked the end of the three Eagle Squadrons. So Peterson probably got no combat experience prior to his transfer. He became a member of 336th Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group and soon was flying regular combat missions. His first close call was on 14 January 1943, when he had to crash-land after his right wheel and wing were badly damaged on a strafing mission with LeRoy Gover and Bob Mirsch. In early 1943, 336th Squadron transitioned from the Spitfire to the P-47 and, on 10 March 1943, Peterson was part of the first long-range escort mission flown in that aircraft. He continued in the thick of the action and in early March 1944, now flying a P-51, destroyed an FW-200 near Bordeaux, France. On 29 March, Ken engaged twelve FW-190s that were attacking a formation of B-17s. In the melee that followed, Peterson destroyed two of the Germans and was able to ensure that several crew348 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

members of one doomed bomber were able to bail out of their aircraft. Unfortunately, he was also shot down and joined several of the bomber crew members in a German POW camp. Peterson was liberated in April 1945 and remained in the Air Force after the war. He was killed in the line of duty at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, on 11 March 1950.

Pewitt, Robert Lewis RAF Number: 100528 Born: 19 February 1920, in Bridgeport, Texas Served: 133 Squadron from 1 September 1941 to 19 May 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 19 May 1942

Robert Pewitt had always liked the military. He had been a member of the Texas National Guard for about a year and a half, and when he went to college, he enrolled in the ROTC. While at John Tarleton College he also learned to fly with the Civilian Pilot Training Program and he had about 200 hours of flying time when he signed up with the Clayton Knight Committee in Dallas. Bob took his flight physical on 27 February 1941 in Stephenville, Texas. There is no record of why he did not apply for the Army Aviation Cadet Program since he was probably eligible. He was accepted and sent to the RAF refresher training course in Lancaster, California. Bob finished his training late in May and on 5 June 1941, along with eighteen other future Eagles, including Forrest Dowling, Marion Jackson, Lyman Loomis, William O’Regan, Robert Pewitt, and Art Roscoe from his class at Lancaster, was commissioned a pilot officer, and embarked for England on the SS Bayano. Upon arrival in England, he was sent to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge, and on 1 September he was posted to 133 Squadron at Duxford as part of the original cadre flying Hurricane IIs. The following months were trying for Pewitt and all the members of 133. They suffered a number of casualties, four alone on their transfer to Eglinton, Northern Ireland, and they flew endless hours of convoy patrol and numerous 349 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

training flights. They returned to England and were posted at Kirton-inLindsey on 1 January 1942, but it was not really until spring that combat flying began in earnest. On a bomber escort mission to Ostend on 27 April, Pewitt became one of the first members of the squadron to record a victory in combat when he got a probably destroyed German FW-190. Combat flying continued almost daily in May as 133 moved to Biggin Hill and the center of action against the Luftwaffe. On 19 May 1942, Pewitt was part of a bomber escort mission over France when his aircraft was hit and severely damaged. He nearly made it back to England but crashed into the water just short of land. He was rescued but died of head injuries before he could be transported to a hospital.

Pisanos, Spiros Nickolas RAF Number: 119031 Born: 10 November 1919, in Athens, Greece Served: 71 Squadron from 15 September to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Greek Orthodox Civilian occupation: Pantryman, Park Hotel, Plainfield, New Jersey Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 13 October 1942

Certainly, the most unusual story of becoming a member of the Eagle Squadrons was that of Spiros “Steve” Pisanos. Steve grew up in Athens, Greece, the son of a subway motorman. One day in 1931, on his way to school, Spiros’s life was changed forever. He saw a Greek Air Force biplane doing acrobatics. He was absolutely enthralled and sat by the side of the road for a long time, drinking in the sight of the olive drab machine as it soared and swooped above him. From that moment on, his only ambition in life was to become a military aviator. But this was much easier said than done. Not only did his father disapprove of Pisanos’s dream of flying, it really was not very practical. But Spiros continued to go to the airport and watch the airplanes and, unfortunately, let those of his studies that he thought had little to do with becoming a pilot suffer. As he approached his eighteenth birthday, his dream of becoming a pilot in Greece was shat350 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

tered when he found that he could not qualify academically for entry into the Greek Air Force Academy. But one day at the airport, a pilot friend told Steve that he should go to America. There he could learn to fly and fulfill his desires. But that road was complicated as well, since Pisanos had no relatives in the United States to sponsor him as an immigrant. So Steve earned his merchant marine certificate and got a job on an ocean-going ship as an assistant fireman. The working conditions were a living hell, but the ship eventually got a cargo destined for Baltimore. Early one morning a few weeks later, while the ship was anchored in Baltimore Harbor, Steve managed to get on a tender going to shore and soon found himself on American soil. Somehow he got directions to the railroad station and was able to buy a ticket to New York City. His adventures in New York were probably typical of an undocumented immigrant who couldn’t speak English and are a story unto themselves. Suffice it to say that Pisanos was determined, and in September 1938 he was able to get a student pilot’s permit and began taking flying lessons at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. He soloed in 1939, and for the first time the dreamer from Greece could tell the world he was a pilot. Spiros continued to work, learn English, and get as much flying experience as he could afford, but in 1940 the Alien Registration Act required that he register his presence in the United States. He was taken to Ellis Island, and because he had not legally entered the country, he would have been deported to Greece, except that Greece was in the process of being overrun by the Germans. So Pisanos was allowed to stay in the United States and keep his job as a pantryman at the Park Hotel in Plainfield, New Jersey. But he still had his goal of becoming a military pilot. That too, seemed destined to work out when, in the late summer of 1941, a pilot friend told Steve about the Clayton Knight Committee and the opportunity to fly for the Royal Air Force. Pisanos visited their offices in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and, although he was not an American citizen and had only 170 hours of flying time, he was allowed to apply. Three months later, he received notification that he was accepted. On 28 November 1941, Steve reported to Polaris Flight Academy at Lancaster, California, for his RAF refresher training. Two months later he completed the course, and becoming an operational military pilot was just an ocean voyage away. Steve and his classmate Kenneth Peterson spent a couple of 351 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

weeks in New York, and on 12 March 1942 they were commissioned pilot officers in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England. Because there was a backlog waiting for assignment to an Operational Training Unit, Steve’s first assignment, after he got his uniforms and completed processing into the RAF, was three weeks of officer training. This was followed by a month at the personnel center in Bournemouth, and then another three weeks of advanced flight training. Finally, on 23 June 1942, he reported to 41 Operational Training Unit to learn to fly the Spitfire. Once he was in the OTU he progressed rapidly, and on 5 August 1942 Steve reported to 268 Fighter Squadron at Snailwell Aerodrome near Newmarket, which, to his great surprise, was flying the very early version of the P-51 Mustang with RAF insignia. On 20 August, Pisanos flew his first combat mission to Holland. Operational missions continued throughout the next few weeks, but one day Steve received a mysterious phone call from a spokesman for the Royal Hellenic Air Force, which was based in England under the command of the king of Greece in exile. When Pisanos met with the spokesman at Claridge’s Hotel, he was dumbfounded to find out that they wanted him to leave the RAF and join the Greek Air Force, since he was still a Greek citizen. This was doubly troublesome to Pisanos, since he had recently talked to Squadron Leader Chesley Peterson, the commander of 71 Squadron, about transferring to that unit from his present assignment with 268 Squadron. Fortunately, Peterson was able to get the wheels turning rapidly and just a few days later, on 15 September 1942, Pisanos reported to 71 Squadron at Debden and the Royal Hellenic Air Force gave up trying to force his transfer. With his arrival in 71, Steve went back to flying the aircraft he had learned so well in the OTU, the Spitfire. His arrival also brought a new nickname, “Greek.” There was little time to fly combat, only a few sweeps and escort missions, because the pilots in the unit were busy transferring to the US Army Air Forces in preparation for the three Eagle Squadrons becoming the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. On 29 September 1942, Pisanos was a proud member of the 71 Squadron contingent that stood in formation as the transfer took place. And while all the other pilots in the new 334th Fighter Squadron were now US Army Air Forces officers, Steve was still in the RAF because he was not an American citizen. Nonetheless, Pisanos began flying missions in the unit’s Spitfires with American mark352 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

ings. Finally, on 13 October 1942, Pisanos became a second lieutenant in the US Army Air Forces. Steve continued to fly combat missions as a member of the 334th, and in March 1943 completed his transition to the P-47 Thunderbolt. On 21 May 1943, he shot down his first German aircraft, an FW-190, over Belgium. He would subsequently shoot down nine more German aircraft in the P-47 and then in the P-51 and become a double ace. But the most important event of Steve’s life occurred a little over two weeks earlier, on 3 May 1943, when he became an American citizen, the first person to be sworn in as a citizen while overseas. To Pisanos, that was the culmination of his long quest and his dreams for his future. Pisanos continued to fly as a leader in the 334th until 5 March 1944, when the engine on his P-51 failed over France and he was forced to crash-land. He was able to evade capture with the help of the French underground, and on 30 August he returned to England. He left the 334th on 9 September 1944 and transferred to the headquarters of the 67th Fighter Wing. Pisanos was subsequently assigned to the flight test divisions at Wright Field in Ohio, testing the new P-80 jet fighter. In the spring of 1946, he left the service and became a pilot for Trans World Airlines. He continued with them for about two years, but on 31 October 1948 he rejoined the US Air Force, was awarded a regular commission, and remained for a thirty-year career. He served at the Pentagon, in Germany, at NATO Headquarters in Italy, and in Vietnam. He also completed his college degree at the University of Maryland. In 1970, Pisanos was given a very meaningful assignment as the air attaché to Greece. Thus the young boy with a dream returned to the land of his birth, not only as a pilot but also as the senior representative of the US Air Force in Greece. Pisanos retired from the Air Force as a colonel after having flown some fifty different types of aircraft for over 8,000 hours. He lives in San Diego, California. (For the complete story of Pisanos’s remarkable life, see Steve N. Pisanos, The Flying Greek, Potomac Press, Washington, DC, 2008.)

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Potter, Eugene Melvin RAF Number: 100529 Born: 13 October 1920, in Saint Paul, Minnesota Served: 71 Squadron from 24 October 1941 to 2 August 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Newspaper reporter Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 28 October 1942

Eugene Potter was one of the earlier volunteers for the RAF. He apparently liked to write because upon graduation from high school he went to work as a newspaper reporter. There is no record of how much flying experience he had, but he was convinced enough in the cause of the British and wanted to fly badly enough that he quit his newspaper job late in 1940 and on 10 January 1941 visited the Clayton Knight Committee in Chicago, Illinois. He must have had around 150 hours since that was the theoretical minimum for acceptance by the Clayton Knight group. In early February 1941, Potter reported to the RAF refresher training school at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He completed his training at Spartan in May and on 5 June 1941 he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England aboard the SS Bayano along with classmates Cecil Meierhoff, James Nelson, Roy Stout, Walter Soares, Murray Vosburg, and William White. They arrived in late June, signed the necessary papers at the Air Ministry in London, and went to Bournemouth for in processing. On 14 July 1941, Eugene reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly Hurricanes. Six weeks later, on 1 September 1941, he was assigned to 79 Squadron. He flew Hurricanes with that unit for nearly two months and on 24 October 1941 he was transferred to 71 Squadron stationed at North Weald. Potter endured the long winter of 1941–42 and the accompanying inactivity with the rest of his squadron. But the relative inactivity did give him time to become a very proficient pilot as well as transition to the Spitfire. When the action began in earnest in the spring of 1942, the unit was ready. On 1 June 1942, Potter probably destroyed a German aircraft and six days later he was promoted to flight officer. During the rest of the summer he damaged three more enemy aircraft. Eugene 354 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

apparently got quite ill in early August 1942, because he was sent to the hospital and was there for over two weeks. The problem was evidently serious enough that it prevented his immediate return to flying and his transfer to the Army Air Forces on 29 September 1942 with the rest of 71 Squadron. There is some confusion in the record as to what Potter actually did. He is listed as reporting back to 71 Squadron on 28 October 1942, but this is in error because that unit ceased to exist on 29 September. The confusion may have come from the fact that on 28 October 1942 Potter transferred to the US Army Air Forces. He did not join the Fourth Fighter Group, however, but was assigned to the 397th Fighter Squadron. On 7 July 1944, Eugene Potter was killed in action in France.

Priser (Prizer), Robert Lee RAF Number: 116466 Born: 28 May 1921, in Miamisburg, Ohio Served: 71 Squadron from 25 June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Student, University of Arizona Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

Robert Priser moved several times during his early life and that helped build his sense of adventure and travel. He initially lived close to the Waco Aircraft Company and a neighbor gave him his first ride in an OX-5 Waco when Bob was only eight years old. As he looked back, he believed he was really determined to have a career in aviation after that flight. He then moved to a farm near Stanton, Ohio, to help his grandfather. When he was a junior in high school he moved to Tucson, Arizona, to live with his father. After graduation from high school, he enrolled at the University of Arizona, where among his other courses was ROTC. He would always remember standing in the 110-degree Arizona sun in his wool uniform. But the university also offered him the chance to enroll in the Civilian Pilot Training Program, where he was able to earn his private pilot’s license. With flying as his focus, Bob left the university, returned to Ohio, and got a job at the Waco factory. This gave him more opportunities to fly and also to enroll 355 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

in the University of Dayton. There he took advanced CPTP and became a fairly proficient pilot. As Bob read of the war in Europe, the Battle of Britain, and the heroics of the pilots of the RAF, he decided that he wanted to fly if the United States got into the war, but the problem was how to do that. He heard about the Clayton Knight Committee from a mechanic at Waco and that appeared to be the solution, so Bob wrote to them. The answer was encouraging but also stipulated that he come to California to interview with them (this was a very unusual requirement since the Clayton Knight Committee had offices in most major cities in the United States, among them Chicago). But the adventurous Priser was determined so off he went to San Diego where he got a job flying at a local airport. He soon saved enough money for the trip to Los Angeles and the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel. When he walked into the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee, he knew he was in the right place because he was greeted by a very attractive secretary. After the interview, he was sent to Glendale to take a flight test that he passed with ease. Priser was told to return to Ohio and wait for the committee to contact him. Only a few short weeks later, he was told he had been accepted and was sent a ticket to fly back to Glendale to begin RAF refresher training at Polaris Flight Academy. He finished in December 1941 and on 7 January 1942 he sailed for England along with future Eagles and new pilot officers Cadman Padgett, John Slater, Bob Smith, Dennis Smith, Gordon Whitlow, and Ben DeHaven. The group arrived in London on 24 January 1942, but because of an overloaded training program, they were sent to officer training school and then an advanced flight training unit. It was not until 21 April 1942 that Bob finally reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Aston Down to learn to fly the Spitfire. Finally, on 23 July 1942, after 58 hours of very diverse training, Priser arrived at Debden to join 71 Squadron. Bob got his first taste of combat and became a fairly experienced fighter pilot with that unit and on 15 September 1942 he transferred to the US Army Air Forces. On 29 September 1942, he became a member of the 334th Fighter Squadron. Four days later, on 2 October, he was part of the first major operational mission flown by the Fourth over France in their Spitfires with US markings. Bob transitioned into the P-47 in early 1943 and continued to fly that aircraft in combat until late in the year when he, along with Don Blakeslee and Don Nee, was temporarily moved to the 354th Fighter 356 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Group of the Ninth Air Force to fly the first operational P-51 Mustangs. He was then assigned to the 353rd Fighter Squadron. On Christmas Day 1943, Bob went AWOL to marry his English fiancée Jill. Without a honeymoon, he was back flying in his squadron the next day. A few days later, he was named the new squadron commander of the 353rd. But on 24 January 1944, his days as the squadron commander ended when his P-51 was shot down over Belgium. In his effort to escape his stricken aircraft, Bob got hung up on the horizontal stabilizer and was lucky not to have crashed into the ground with the aircraft. During the next nine months, Priser was able to evade the Germans in a series of breathtaking adventures with the underground, moving from house to house and town to town. Because of the chaos of the war after D-day and the successful German infiltration of the underground, Bob was unable to be evacuated so remained in Belgium as an evader until the liberation of Brussels in September 1944. Priser then returned to England and a delayed honeymoon with his wife. Bob left the Army in the summer of 1945. He had earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, five Air Medals, and the Purple Heart. He then worked as an engineer at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, before joining Hughes Aviation as a test engineer. He remained in that position until his retirement in Tucson. In the summer of 1993, Bob and Jill were able to return to Belgium and visit many of the places where he had lived as an evader as well as meet some of the people who helped him evade. Bob Priser died on 28 August 1998, in Tucson, Arizona. (For a complete account of Robert Priser’s evasion adventure see Philip D. Caine, Aircraft Down!, Brassey’s, Washington, DC, 1997.)

Provenzano, Peter Benjamin RAF Number: 85221 Born: 9 October 1913, in Chicago, Illinois Served: 71 Squadron from 6 January to 26 July 1941 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Mechanic, Grippo and Company, Chicago, Illinois Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: 16 June 1942 357 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Peter Provenzano was twenty-seven years old when he was contacted about joining the RAF, probably by Colonel Charles Sweeny. Although we know little about Provenzano’s earlier life, we do know that he had married Fay Lenore Nelson on 3 April 1937, in Chicago, Illinois. He obviously had spent a number of years flying because he had over 500 hours of flying time. Despite the provisions of the neutrality acts, Provenzano was able to make his way to Ottawa, Canada, in late August 1940. After a physical exam and a flight check he received his ticket and embarked for England and the RAF in late September. Upon his arrival at the Air Ministry in London, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and entered advanced flying training on 12 October 1940. He subsequently was sent to an Operational Training Unit and finally reported to 71 Squadron on 6 January 1941. Although Peter was listed by the RAF as one of the original cadre of 71 Squadron, which was announced to the press on 8 October, he did not report until much later, because he was still in training. Most of the first six months of activity for 71 Squadron in 1941 was training, flying convoy patrol, and working to become an operational RAF fighter squadron. It was not until July 1941 that the unit really began to see active combat and then it was sporadic. Provenzano was part of the first formation from 71 to be involved in intense combat, on 2 July. That was to be among his last encounters with the Germans as well, for on 26 July, he left 71 for instructor training duty and on 6 September 1941 reported to a Service Flying Training School as an instructor. That same day he was promoted to flight officer. Provenzano remained in that assignment until 9 December 1941, when he was sent to Canada, also as a Service Flying Training School instructor. On 16 June 1942, he resigned his commission in the RAF and transferred to the US Army Air Forces. He was killed in a P-47 crash later that year. One record lists him as being killed in Alaska while another says he was killed as a member of the 534th Fighter Squadron in North Carolina.

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Putnam, Hiram Aldine RCAF Number: J15079 Born: 4 November 1913, in Bobville, Texas Served: 133 Squadron from 10 August 1941 to 9 February 1942 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Divorced Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 21 April 1942

Hiram Putnam’s story is very frustrating because the available records about him are so incomplete. There is no indication of what he did for the first nearly twenty-eight years of his life. He apparently grew up in Texas and lived there most of his life. He was married, but by the time he went to Canada to join the RCAF, he had divorced. There is also no record of what flying experience he had prior to going to Canada. It is unclear just when he joined the RCAF because his record indicates his appointment as a sergeant pilot on 14 September 1940, a rank usually awarded only after the completion of the first phase of flying training. Hiram may well have had a great deal of flying experience and may not have attended any flying training in Canada at all but was simply assigned to instructor duty for a number of months. He probably sailed to England in the spring of 1941 since he attended an OTU and then reported to 133 Squadron at Coitishall on 10 August 1941 as part of the original cadre. Here again, the RCAF records give the date of commissioning as the date of assignment, thereby reflecting that Putnam was assigned to 133 on 27 November. However, squadron records indicate his arrival on 10 August, and his history in the squadron indicates that is the correct date. To add to the confusion, one of the records indicates that Putnam transferred to 133 from 121 Squadron but there is no indication on his RAF record that he was ever assigned to 121. In any case, Putnam was part of the move by 133 to Eglinton, Northern Ireland, during the last three months of 1941, so he flew hours of convoy patrol and training flights. Shortly after their return to England on 1 January 1942, Putnam and several of his Eagle comrades became very frustrated with the lack of any action so volunteered to go overseas. On 17 February 1942, Putnam became part of 126 Squadron stationed in Malta. He was almost instantly 359 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

in combat, not just daily but several times each day as the Germans tried desperately to bomb that key Mediterranean Island into submission. The pilots stationed there endured the worst possible conditions but continued to take to the air each day. Unfortunately, on 21 April 1942, Hiram Putnam was killed in action over Malta when, mortally wounded by cannon fire, his plane hit a wireless mast and crashed.

Reed, Lawson Farrell RAF Number: 61931 Born: 29 December 1912, in Osceola, Iowa Served: 121 Squadron from 14 May to 12 July 1941 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Worked in a bakery; part-time flight instructor Marital status: Divorced Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Lawson “Bob” Reed grew up in Iowa and took his first flight in a Curtiss “Jenny” when he was nine or ten years old. From that point on, he was hooked on flying. After high school he thought that he might be able to make a career out of flying but soon found he was unable to completely support himself in that vocation, so he also worked in a bakery in Carroll, Iowa, apparently his home during most of his life. Lawson also attended Iowa State University for two years; there he participated in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. With the coming of World War II in Europe, Bob, by then a very experienced pilot, decided that flying was the way for him to participate in the war he believed was on the horizon. So late in the fall he made the trip to Dallas, Texas, and on 18 November 1940, armed with a log book indicating that he had over 500 hours of flying time, visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee. He was eagerly accepted and sent immediately to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Love Field in Dallas. There is no indication of why he did not try to join the Army Aviation Cadet Program, since he more than met the prerequisites for entry. In January, while still in training, he married Leslie Ericerson in Rockwall, Texas. His life with her was very brief, however, and soon ended 360 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

in divorce. On 24 February 1941, he was commissioned a pilot officer and sailed for England along with ten other future Eagles. He almost decided to stay in Canada, however, when the group with whom he was traveling was asked to swear allegiance to the king of England. Reed and the others refused, fearing it could cost them their US citizenship. The issue was left hanging until they arrived in England. During their in processing in London, most simply agreed to obey the orders of those appointed over them rather than swearing allegiance to the king and so kept their citizenship. Reed was in that group. At least two of the pilots in the group did swear allegiance to the king, and their citizenship was still in doubt a number of years after the end of the war. On 5 March, Reed made a one-day visit to the personnel center at Uxbridge and the next day was sent to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. He completed that training on 23 April and was sent to 43 Squadron. Three weeks later, on 14 May 1941, he was moved to 121 Squadron as part of the original cadre of that unit flying Hurricanes out of Kirton-in-Lindsey. Just six days later, he was diagnosed with flying fatigue, which kept him out of action for ten days. Then for unknown reasons, on 12 July Bob was transferred back to 43 Squadron. On 27 August 1941, he was again transferred, this time to 242 Squadron. Two months later he once more moved, this time to 74 Squadron, reporting on 12 October. Reed was again hospitalized for ten days and on 5 November was taken off flying status. On 20 November 1941, his commission in the RAF was terminated and he was repatriated to the United States. He initially went to Vernon, Texas, and it was there that he met and married Inell Powell. He then worked throughout the rest of the war as a flight instructor training Navy pilots in Connecticut. He also was a test pilot for Chance-Vaught Corporation. In 1947, Reed became associated with Western Tank and Steel Corporation in Lubbock, Texas. He then owned a construction firm in Plainview, Texas, until his retirement in 1978. He continued to fly as a private pilot throughout his life. He died on 9 April 1984.

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Robertson, Chesley H. RCAF Number: R98048 Born: 7 February 1923, in New Albany, Mississippi Served: 133 Squadron from 12 June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

The official records for Chesley Robertson are not available so much of the information about his career is based on fragments of evidence. The tall, slim, good-looking Robertson came from Fort Worth, Texas. While there is no information about his early life or when and how he became interested in flying, he apparently decided to go to Canada and join the RCAF in the summer or early fall of 1941. Quite probably he wanted to fly if the United States was drawn into the war, and since he did not have the required two years of college, the Army was closed to him. He probably completed his training in Canada, was awarded his flying badge, and was appointed a sergeant pilot in early 1942. After making the voyage across the Atlantic in February or March, Chesley was sent to an Operational Training Unit to learn to fly the Spitfire. He must have completed that program in early June since he reported to 133 Squadron at Biggin Hill on 12 June 1942. At that time he was already experienced with aircraft emergencies because on his first flight at OTU his Spitfire sprung a glycol leak and Robertson passed out from the fumes just as he was about to touch down. He was commended for saving the aircraft. On his first operational flight after arriving at Biggin Hill, he was attacked by two ME-109s and was lucky to escape unscathed. Like most of his squadron mates, Robertson went to London in the middle of September 1942 and transferred to the USAAF with the rank of second lieutenant. On 29 September he transferred to the 336th Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group flying Spitfires with American markings. Robertson continued with the 336th for most of the war and separated from the Army Air Forces on 24 December 1946. After the war he remained in aviation and became a captain for TWA. He died in Florida on 17 December 1975.

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Roscoe, Arthur Ford RAF Number: 100530 Born: 12 April 1921, in Chicago, Illinois Served: 71 Squadron from 29 August 1941 to 1 August 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Arthur Roscoe had always dreamed of a military career. He had listened to tales of World War I and been interested in that conflict for as long as he could remember, and along with the military went flying. When he was still a boy, Art joined a group in Southern California that was sponsored by the Richfield Oil Company called the “Jimmie Allen Flying Club.” He built model airplanes and devoured stories of pilots and flying. When he was twelve, Roscoe had his first airplane ride, and at fifteen, he joined the American Air Cadet Corps at Los Angeles Metropolitan Airport. Through this group Art got his ground school and was able to solo when he was sixteen. After high school, Art took the entrance exams for West Point but failed the eye portion of the physical so he went to work for Lockheed Aircraft. Along with two friends, Art bought an airplane and continued to increase his experience, even though he knew he was not qualified for the US Army Aviation Cadet Program due to his eye problem and lack of college education. Roscoe’s big break came one day when Tommy McGerty, who had volunteered for the RAF through the Clayton Knight Committee and was in refresher training, made a forced landing at Los Angeles and told Art all about how to get into the RAF. In January 1941, Art and future Eagle Jack Weir went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee at the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel and signed up. He easily passed his physical, eye exam and all, and soon found himself in RAF refresher training at Polaris Flight Academy. Art completed his training in May and on 5 June 1941 was commissioned as a pilot officer and sailed for England aboard the SS Bayano along with eighteen other future Eagles. The group completed the twenty-five-day voyage and set foot on British soil on the last day of June 1941. They boarded a train for London, went to visit the Air Ministry where they signed in, got their uniforms at Moss Brothers, and went on to 3 Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth. 363 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Less than two weeks after landing in England, Art reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. A couple of flights in the Miles Master and he was off solo in the Hurricane. The schedule at the OTU was fast-paced and in just six weeks, on 28 August 1941, Roscoe reported to 71 Squadron at North Weald. It did not take him long to get accustomed to combat tactics and he was soon in the thick of the action. On 2 October he destroyed an ME-109 for his first victory of the war. On a mission over France on 1 November, he was wounded by a hit-and-run ME-109, and while he landed safely, he lost a lot of blood. However, he was soon flying again. On 27 April 1942, in the fiercest action yet for 71, he was credited with a “probably destroyed” ME-109 in combat over Saint-Omer. But as the summer came on, Roscoe was becoming concerned about the rumored impending transfer of the three Eagle Squadrons to the US Army Air Forces. He had decided not to transfer, fearing he would be grounded since he could not pass the eye test on the American physical exam. Art, and several other Eagles who didn’t want to make the change, decided that the easiest way to avoid the pressure to transfer was to be out of the country when it took place. So they volunteered for overseas duty and ended up being assigned to the besieged island of Malta. Art left 71 Squadron on 1 August 1942, after nearly a year with the unit and embarked for Malta on the aircraft carrier Furious, as part of 244 Squadron. His trip began with taking an unarmed Spitfire off the deck of the Furious while she was under German submarine attack and then flying seven hundred miles to the besieged island. Roscoe said that just as he lifted off the deck, he saw a torpedo coming straight for the ship. Shortly after his arrival on the battle-torn island, Roscoe became a member of 229 Squadron. For the next three months Art endured some of the fiercest aerial combat and most primitive living conditions of the war. The weather was so hot that the Spitfires were flown without their canopies and it was extremely difficult to eat or sleep. Almost all of the pilots assigned there were constantly sick, lacked adequate food and medical care, and were under nearly constant attack. Still they flew combat missions every day. The normal tour of duty for pilots on Malta was three months and Art almost made it that long. However, he was injured in combat on 13 October and on 26 October had a cannon round go completely through his body at the shoulder. With his Spitfire ablaze, he was still able to shoot down the German who 364 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

had shot him. He was too weak from shock and loss of blood to bail out so miraculously made it back to his base at Takali and crash-landed. An alert ground crewman braved the resulting fire to rescue Roscoe, whose tour came to an end as he was hospitalized on Malta and then evacuated to the United Kingdom. Roscoe spent two and a half months in the hospital at Halton recovering from his injuries and learning how to use his right arm again. He eventually met a Central Flying Board and was put back on flight status but the only assignment he could get was with 165 Squadron made up primarily of pilots from Ceylon. He joined that unit on 2 April 1943 at Peterhead, Scotland. The primary activity of the unit was convoy patrol and working with the Army training in the Scottish Highlands. Roscoe did get a possible shoot down of a Dornier 217 bomber, and a short time later he and his wingman intercepted a JU-88. As they were about to attack, the German dropped his undercarriage and fired a red flare indicating he surrendered. He landed at Aberdeen. Roscoe was enough of a celebrity for capturing this aircraft, which had been modified extensively for night fighting, to have his request to go overseas again honored. By this time Art had been promoted to flight lieutenant and on 8 August 1943 he joined 242 as a flight commander stationed at Lentini, Sicily. He remained with this unit until 1 May 1944, moving from Sicily to Italy supporting the invasion. The squadron was then moved to Palestine, near Haifa, and was equipped with Spitfire IXs. On 1 May 1944, Roscoe was made commander of 232 Squadron, which supported the invasion of southern France. Five days later he was promoted to the rank of squadron leader. In December 1944, the wing of which 232 Squadron was a part, was disbanded and all the aircraft given to the Free French. Roscoe then returned to England. In January 1945, he joined the 1335th Conversion Unit at Colerne flying the Gloster Meteor, the first RAF jet aircraft. Roscoe was able to take his first leave of the war to the United States at the end of 1945. In the summer of 1946 he was offered a regular commission in the RAF, but that would have required him to give up his US citizenship. Art decided that he would resign his RAF commission and return to the United States. He and John Campbell left England on the same ship on 6 July 1946 although Roscoe officially left the RAF on 10 November 1946 with the rank of squadron leader. Art flew for the airlines as a captain until 1957 when he returned to Hollywood, California, and went 365 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

into the theatrical industry, eventually founding his own company. He died on 11 March 2006.

Ross, Donald Henry RAF Number: 605410 Born: 14 October 1923, in Modesto, California Served: 121 Squadron from 28 September to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 28 September 1942

Don Ross was one of the youngest Eagles. His infatuation with airplanes started when the seven-year-old Don moved to Southern California and lived very near a small airstrip on Whittier Boulevard. He would spend hours watching the airplanes, climbing over the skeletons of old airplanes— anything connected with flight. When he turned sixteen, Ross took his first flight and flying lesson from George Ruddell, who later became a double ace in World War II. With that flight, Don was hooked and flying was the focus of his life. In September 1940, he soloed a Piper Cub and worked odd jobs around the Telegraph and Atlantic Airport in East Los Angeles to continue to get flying time. By the summer of 1941, five-feet, nine-inch, brown-haired Ross had over 100 hours of flying time, and enough credits to graduate from high school although he had only attended for three and a half years. But with the war in full swing in Europe, Ross was reading daily accounts of the exploits of the RAF and of those Americans who were members of that elite fighting force. He wanted to join. Don had heard of an organization called the Canadian Aviation Bureau, which was actually part of the Clayton Knight Committee, and went to the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel to talk with them. He was told that he could sign up when he was eighteen, if he obtained his parents’ permission and had surgery to repair a hernia that he’d probably had since birth. His understanding high school principal agreed to release him to join the RAF and still graduate with his class in February 1942. His parents reluctantly gave their permission and in late September, he had surgery for the hernia. 366 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Don turned eighteen on 14 October 1941 and went back to see Captain Benway, the man he had talked with when he first visited the Clayton Knight Committee. He took a physical, had a check ride in an old Waco biplane, and was told to wait for notification of where and when he would begin training. The anxiously awaited letter came in early December and Don reported to Aero Center at Bakersfield, California, on 15 December 1941. Before the end of December, however, the group was forced to move to El Centro, California, because of the crowding at Bakersfield with the arrival of more and more student pilots from the Army Air Forces. Don’s class finished their RAF refresher training in late February, after flying about 60 hours in the PT-17, BT-13, and AT-6. They were sent to Canada and Ross officially signed into the RAF as an AC2 at Moncton, New Brunswick, on 21 March 1942. The next day, he was promoted to sergeant pilot. This procedure was very unusual since most pilots who went through the Clayton Knight Committee were commissioned when they sailed for England. Ross sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia, on board the Banfora in late April and arrived in Scotland in early May. He went to a replacement depot in London near Regents Park and while there had sufficient time to visit some of his friends in 121 Squadron, then stationed at North Weald. In early June, Don was sent to the personnel center at Bournemouth and from there to 17 Advanced Flying Unit, where he flew the Miles Master. On 14 July 1942, he was finally assigned to 52 Operational Training Unit at Aston Downs. Ross completed his training and immediately went into London and on 28 September made the transfer to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. He also reported to 121 Squadron stationed at Debden awaiting the transfer to the Eighth Air Force. He was still just eighteen years old. On 29 September, Don made the symbolic transfer with 121 Squadron from the RAF and became a member of 335th Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. He had been an Eagle for only a few hours. Ross remained in the 335th until November 1943. During that time, he flew seventy combat missions over the continent along with a number of convoy patrols and alert scrambles. In October 1943, he shot down an ME-210 while flying a P-47. In November he transferred to the 357th Fighter Group and became a flight commander and assistant group operations officer flying the P-51. On 20 February 1944, he shot down an ME-109 near Leipzig but pieces of the aircraft hit his P-51 and Don was forced to bail out. Almost 367 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

immediately upon landing he was captured and imprisoned in Stalag Luft I, where he celebrated his twenty-first birthday. Ross was liberated on 30 April 1945 and returned to the United States. He left the Army in September and went to Alaska to fly for Woodley Airways. During that time, he also married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Kitching. Alaska was not to his liking, however, and in July 1946 he was granted a regular commission and returned to the Army Air Forces with an initial assignment flying F-80 fighters in the First Fighter Group, the famed “hat in ring” unit of World War I. He then became part of the new US Air Force. During the next twenty-eight years, Don served in a number of key assignments as he rose in rank in the Air Force. He flew a number of different aircraft and commanded several units both in the United States and overseas. Among them was the 336th Fighter Squadron during the Korean War where he was the last member of the RAF Eagle Squadrons to command a unit of the Fourth. He graduated from the National War College and became the director of operations of the Second Air Force in Vietnam and commander of the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing, the 347th Tactical Fighter Wing, and the 327th Air Division among his other assignments. In 1974, Ross retired from the Air Force as a major general and moved to Carson City, Nevada. Five years later, he entered law school. He subsequently opened a private practice in Nevada that is still active. He also continued to fly private aircraft. Don Ross lives in Carson City, Nevada.

Ross, Gilbert Gary RCAF Number: J15345 Born: 31 August 1917, in Chicago, Illinois Served: 71 Squadron from 11 June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Church of England Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

Gilbert Ross is another of those Eagles whose RAF record is very sparse and about whom little is known. He apparently lived in Chicago during all of his early life. After graduating from high school he attended North Park 368 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Junior College in the Chicago area and then transferred to the University of New Mexico where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in petroleum geology in 1940. While there, he may have been enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. There is no record of how much flying time Gil had when he graduated or why he did not join the US Army Aviation Cadet Program. It is possible that he tried but could not pass the physical examination. He also apparently did not attempt to find a job based on his newly obtained status as a college graduate. For whatever reason, on 16 November 1940, he journeyed to Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. His military and pilot training took the first eight months of 1941 and on 20 August he received his appointment as a technical sergeant and his flying badge, which made him a sergeant pilot. There is a significant gap in his record at this point. Ross may have continued his training for a short while and in December 1941 sailed for England. If that was the case, he probably arrived about the middle of the month for his record notes his taking an RAF physical on 30 December 1941 in England. Ross would have then been posted to one of the Operational Training Units for the first two or three months of 1942. On 1 March he was promoted but still remained a sergeant. On 20 April he was posted to 131 Squadron and granted a commission as a pilot officer in the RCAF. (Because of the propensity of the official record to make the commissioning date of RCAF pilots the date of their assignment, although they were often assigned to the operational squadron much earlier, there is a definite possiblility that Gil actually sailed from Canada as early as September 1941, attended an OTU that fall, and was assigned to 131 Squadron as a sergeant pilot as early as December 1941.) On 11 June 1942, Gil was transferred to 71 Squadron stationed at Debden. Ross became an operational fighter pilot with that unit and on 15 September 1942 relinquished his commission in the RCAF and transferred to the USAAF as a second lieutenant. On 29 September he became a member of the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force. Ross apparently flew with the 334th for some time but the record does not say when he left that unit or what other assignments he had. There is also no record of what he did after the war. Gilbert Ross died on 1 February 1967.

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Ryerson, Leonard Thomas RAF Number: 112285 Born: 18 February 1911, in Danbury, New Hampshire Served: 133 Squadron from 19 May to 26 September 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Instructor, California Flyers, Inc. in Los Angeles, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

From a very young age, Len Ryerson loved tinkering with mechanical things, especially those involving motion. Whether it was teaming with his brother to build a makeshift motor boat or working with his friends on their motorcycles, Len was at his best. With a father who frequently challenged his sons by discussing complicated engineering situations, Len grew up in an environment that fostered analytical thinking and was very bright. While the tall, good-looking Ryerson thrived on challenge, school was a bore and he dropped out before finishing high school. His father’s job afforded many opportunities for the family to travel and the more Len saw of other parts of the country the more he longed for adventure. When the family settled in Holliston, Massachusetts, Len’s father, who was tiring of the pressured life his job demanded, bought two homes with large acreage and created poultry farms, which he hoped would set his sons up for life. Len did his part on the farms, but he didn’t have the heart of a farmer. He wanted two things; to fly airplanes and to have a military career. When he was caught altering his birth certificate to meet the age requirement his military plans were thwarted and he turned his attention to learning to fly. When Len heard about a small airfield opening in nearby Westwood, Massachusetts, he found a way to go there nearly every day. Getting instruction and flying time proved to be a challenge since the teenager had little money. He raked the airfield by hand, mowed it with a push mower, and did maintenance on the airplanes in exchange for flying time. Len was a natural and took to flying easily and quickly and he soon got his private pilot’s license. But all his talk of being a pilot and joining the 370 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

military worried his family so his father coaxed him into an agreement to run one of the family poultry farms for one year. If he still wanted to pursue flying he would have his father’s blessing. Len did his time on the farm but it only strengthened his desire to fly so his worried mother and father honored their word and gave him their blessing. Then it was off to California in search of a life in the aircraft industry. Len lived for several years in San Diego working at Ryan Aeronautical Company but eventually found his way to Los Angeles where he was an instructor for California Flyers, Incorporated. The situation in Europe was never far from anyone’s mind, but Len had a special interest since his mother was British. His lack of a college degree kept him out of aviation cadets, so when Ryerson heard of the Clayton Knight Committee, he jumped at the chance to fly for the RAF. He visited their offices in the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel in early June 1941. After taking his physical in Long Beach on the 23rd, Len was accepted for training. On 8 September 1941, Len, now age thirty and significantly older than most of his classmates, entered the RAF refresher training course at Bakersfield, California. He completed his training on 21 November and then made the long trip back to Massachusetts to bid his family farewell before leaving for Canada. In Halifax on 13 December he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked on the HMS Letitia for his mother’s homeland. Among his travel mates were future Eagles Jim Clark, George Middleton, Ervin Miller, Gene Neville, Bill Taylor, and Gil Wright. It was a long, rough trip but they finally disembarked in the United Kingdom on 26 December 1941. As with most new RAF pilots, Ryerson’s first stop was the Air Ministry in London, getting his uniforms at Moss Brothers Clothiers, and then reporting to 3 Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth in Dorset. Since there were no openings in the OTU system, Len and the other future Eagles in his group, were initially sent to 5 Senior Flying Training School for some advanced flying and military training. On 24 February 1942, Ryerson reported to 53 Operational Training Unit at Landow near Llantwitt Major in Wales still in the company of Middleton and Neville, his friends from the voyage to England. Certainly, Len was overawed when he first flew the Spitfire a few days later, as well as finding out that LeRoy Gover, a classmate from Bakersfield, would be his instructor. Ryerson did well at the OTU and, because he was one of the 371 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

older members of his class, was looked up to by his fellow students. He completed his training in late spring and on 19 May 1942 reported to 133 Squadron at Biggin Hill flying the Spitfire VB. Ryerson flew regular operational missions during the summer and, while he did not destroy any German aircraft, he rapidly emerged as a respected member of the unit. He was part of the intense day of combat that accompanied the disastrous reconnaissance in force at the French port of Dieppe on 19 August. Less than a month later, on 16 September 1942, Ryerson went to London and transferred to the Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. Just ten days later, on 26 September, Len was part of a 133 Squadron twelve-ship contingent assigned to escort a formation of B-17s on a bombing raid on the French city of Morlaix. Because of an erroneous weather forecast and several other unfortunate errors, the entire unit, flying new Spitfire IXs, became lost and subsequently ran dangerously low on fuel. This forced them to mistakenly let down over the heavily defended German occupied city of Brest, France, rather than England. Eleven of the squadron’s twelve aircraft were lost, either by being shot down or running out of fuel and the pilot having to bail out or crash-land. Six members of the unit were taken prisoner by the Germans but Len Ryerson, and his longtime friend Gene Neville, were both killed in action when their planes crashed. Ryerson was buried in a French cemetery but his body was subsequently moved to an American military cemetery in France. The four Americans from 133 Squadron who died on that mission were actually among the first Americans killed as members of the famed Fourth Fighter Group. Their names are enshrined on that unit’s memorial at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. (The author wishes to thank Len Ryerson’s grandniece, Susan Anne Heavner, for her help in preparing this biographical sketch.)

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Sanders, James Milton RCAF Number: J15658 Born: 29 June 1910, in Nashville, Tennessee Served: 121 Squadron from 13 January to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Christian Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 25 September 1942

James Sanders was one of the early American volunteers for service in World War II, signing up over a year before US entry into the war. While there is no record of his background, how much flying experience he had, or what his motivation might have been, he went to Windsor, Ontario, Canada, in October of 1940 to volunteer for the Royal Canadian Air Force. On 30 October, he passed his initial physical and was inducted into the RCAF on 11 November 1940. He apparently was in basic training for about four months for, on 23 March 1941, he was sent to preflight training. A month later, on 21 April 1941, he was posted to 9 Elementary Flight Training School for about six weeks and then to 1 Service Flying Training School from 9 June to 21 August 1941. While in training he flew the Fleet and the T-6 “Harvard.” He was awarded his Pilot’s Flying Badge on 21 August 1941, upon the completion of his training. He had been appointed a sergeant pilot the day before. While there is no indication of his activity after finishing initial pilot training, he probably was sent to a short advanced training school since that was the normal course of RCAF training. Sanders apparently completed his training and was sent to England in early October 1941. He then went to an Operational Training Unit for his record notes flying experience in both the Hurricane and Spitfire. On 13 January 1942, he was assigned to 121 Squadron at North Weald. (This is yet another case of RCAF records being wrong. As with so many others, Sanders is recorded as arriving at 121 in 30 June 1942, the date he was actually promoted to pilot officer. At that time, he had been flying for five months with the unit.) There was little action during the winter of 1941 and most flying was convoy patrol, various kinds of unit training and an occasional sweep over France. But as summer came so did the intense action of 121 and Sanders was in the thick of it. On 25 September 1942, he transferred to the Army Air Forces as a 373 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

second lieutenant and four days later became a member of the 335th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. Unfortunately, there is no record of how long he remained in the 335th or of his subsequent assignments. He apparently survived World War II but his activities after the war and date of death are unknown.

Satterlee, Dean H. RAF Number: 84660 Born: 9 July 1916, in Sacramento, California Served: 71 Squadron from 7 November 1940 to 9 February 1941 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Drug store employee Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: 29 June 1942

Dean Satterlee was part of the original cadre of 71 Squadron, the first Eagle Squadron. Unfortunately, his record is not available so the specifics of his early life, how he got interested in flying or how much flying experience he had is not known. He must have had a considerable amount of flying time, however, because he was contacted by Colonel Charles Sweeny in Los Angeles in the early summer of 1940 and recruited to go to England and fly for the Royal Air Force. Satterlee agreed and in early July crossed the border into Canada, passed an RCAF flight physical and on about 10 July embarked for England on the Duchess of Richmond along with a number of other “Sweeny Candidates” including Richard Moore, Chesley Peterson, Jim McGinnis, and Ed Orbison. The group arrived in Liverpool near the end of the month and on 13 August they reported to the Air Ministry and were commissioned pilot officers in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Apparently some of the group spent about two weeks at the personnel center in Uxbridge before being assigned to an RAF refresher training course. Satterlee completed that training on 26 September 1940 and was assigned to 5 Student Flying Training School for more refresher training. He reported to 71 Squadron on 7 November 1940, the same day the unit received their first Hurricane fighters. As with most members of the original cadre of the first Eagle Squadron, Satterlee was still 374 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

in training when the Air Ministry announced the formation of the unit on 8 October 1940. Dean went through the buildup process of making the unit operational, but before it flew any combat missions, he left the squadron on 9 February 1941 and went to Air Training Command. He then flew in several RAF capacities including instructing at an RAF station in Canada. He transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a first lieutenant on 29 June 1942 and then served as a B-17 flight instructor during the rest of the war. After World War II he stayed in the Air Force and was medically retired as a lieutenant colonel on 16 June 1965. He died on 12 February 1996, in Oregon.

Scarborough, Ross Orden RAF Number: 65976 Born: 12 May 1922, in Hidalgo, Lordsburg County, New Mexico Served: 133 Squadron from 29 July to 29 September 1941; and 71 Squadron from 29 September to 15 November 1941 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Mechanic, Pomona Airport, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 15 November 1941

Tall, lanky, redheaded Ross Scarborough, called Orden by his family, probably had all the attributes of a fighter pilot even before he got interested in airplanes. Raised in Arizona and California, he learned to hunt, fish, camp and survive in the wilds when he was just a boy. He loved to play cards and was a tough poker player, and he liked girls. He was also a very good football player. But most of all, he loved to fly. As soon as he was old enough to take lessons, he contrived ways to fly or make money to buy flying time. Before he was sixteen he would sleep on an Army cot and act as the night watchman at the local airport in exchange for flying time. On weekends, the seemingly fearless curly haired Orden would make parachute jumping exhibitions, unbeknownst to his parents, for thirty-five dollars a day. The money, as expected, went for flying, although his sister Alida remembers being given money by her brother for a trip to the beauty parlor or a movie. 375 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Of course, he would also try to disconnect the phone when she was making a teenage girl phone call. But flying was his obsession and his sister remembers him lamenting for weeks an accident in which he cut off the tip of one finger that, he was sure, would disqualify him from Army Pilot Training. His great love of flying was not really shared by his parents but they let him continue because they knew it was what he wanted to do. But when, in late 1940, he heard about the Clayton Knight Committee and the opportunity to go to England and fly the Hurricane and the Spitfire, they balked. He was in his second year at Pomona Junior College and the United States seemed far from being in the war. Nonetheless, Orden visited the Clayton Knight offices in the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel and found that, although his 148 hours of flying time was considered sufficient, he was not old enough to join the RAF without his parents consent. Eventually, his parents gave in, signed the necessary papers, and on 14 December 1940 Scarborough took his RAF physical at Pomona, California. Fortunately for his family, he was assigned to the RAF refresher school at Polaris Flight Academy in Glendale, where he began training shortly after the New Year. Scarborough was at Polaris about three months and, after receiving approximately 73 hours of instruction, he graduated and went home for a short leave prior to going to England. His entire family was very reluctant to see him leave and obviously concerned as well. The night before he was to depart, his uncle had a big party for Orden with the sole objective of getting him drunk so he would miss the train to Canada. The effort failed and on 20 April 1941 Scarborough sailed from Halifax on the Allionia, along with future Eagles Clarence Martin, John Warner and Jack Weir. That same day, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. It was a very long voyage, eighteen days to Iceland and then a week layover there before boarding the Royal Ulsterman for the remainder of the trip to England. After arrival Orden was sent immediately to London to sign into the RAF and get his uniforms. On 19 May 1941, he arrived at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly the Hurricane in 56 Operational Training Unit. Scarborough completed his training on 30 June 1941 and was sent to 607 Fighter Squadron. But a month later he was transferred to 133 Squadron as part of the original cadre of that unit. Orden was in the third Eagle Squadron only two months when he was again transferred, this time to the senior Eagle Squadron, 71, at North Weald flying Spitfires. Scarborough always 376 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

had the reputation of being a very aggressive and skilled pilot and during the next few weeks proved it by destroying four enemy aircraft. But the best pilots sometimes make mistakes and on 15 November 1941, before the United States had entered World War II, Ross Scarborough was killed in a midair collision that also took the life of the commander of 71 Squadron, Stanley Mears. His family was devastated, as could be expected, especially because, as his sister Alida related, they knew he was such a careful pilot that he would never be killed in an accident. Scarborough may have married an English girl a few days before he was killed but there is no record of this event. Nonetheless, when relatives visited his grave in the RAF cemetery at North Weald years later there were fresh flowers on it. (The author wishes to thank Alida Adams, Ross Scarborough’s sister, for her help in preparing this biographical sketch.)

Schatzberg, Seymour Morton RAF Number: 118585 Born: 12 January 1919, in New York, New York Served: 133 Squadron from 8 September to 19 September 1942 Religious preference: Jewish Civilian occupation: Accountant, Lovejoy, Niden and Company, New York, New York Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 19 September 1942

Seymour Schatzberg lived in New York City all his life. After high school he attended New York University, majoring in accounting, and upon his graduation went to work as an accountant in New York City. While there is no record of how he got interested in flying or where he gained his flying experience, it is possible that he learned to fly with the Civilian Pilot Training Program while he was a student at New York University. By the fall of 1941, Schatzberg knew that if he didn’t find a way to fly in the coming war, he would soon be drafted. Fortunately, he had sufficient flying time to leave his accounting-firm position and volunteer for service in the Photo courtesy of the NYU 1939 School of Commerce, Accounts, and Finance yearbook.

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RAF. There is no record of his having tried to join the US Army Aviation Cadet Program although he apparently would have been eligible. On 30 September he went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and was accepted. On 23 October, he reported for RAF refresher training at the Spartan School of Aeronautics at Tulsa, Oklahoma, which he completed on 2 February 1942. A month later, on 2 March 1942, Seymour was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England. Schatzberg arrived at a time when there was a backlog of pilots awaiting entry into one of the Operational Training Units so he spent nearly a month at the personnel reception center at Bournemouth. Seymour was then sent to officer training school on 15 April, for three weeks and to an advanced flying unit for a month. Finally, on 16 June 1942, three months after arriving in England, he got to fly the aircraft he had dreamed of flying, the Hurricane, when he reported to Number 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge. Nearly three months later, on 8 September 1942, he was assigned to Number 71 Eagle Squadron but that same day his orders were changed and he went to Number 133 Eagle Squadron at Biggin Hill. Tragically, it was only eleven days later, on 19 September 1942, that Seymour Schatzberg’s Spitfire broke up in mid-air on a training mission and he was killed. The official report noted that the accident “was due to the aircraft breaking up in mid-air, probably resulting from the undue strain imposed on it through mishandling by an inexperienced pilot.” Schatzberg had trained for a year to fly defending freedom for eleven days.

Scudday, Fred RAF Number: 61932 Born: 2 August 1917, in Brownfield, Texas Served: 121 Squadron from 14 May to 21 July 1941, and 133 Squadron from 5 August 1941 to 20 March 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Oil still operator, Gulf Oil Refining Company, Sweetwater, Texas Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 2 March 1943 378 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Fred Scudday was a rather chubby, dark-haired, good-humored Texan. He tipped the scales at two hundred pounds and his work in the oil fields had made him a very strong man. And although he liked to sit in the sun and do nothing when it was possible, he was a first-class fighter pilot by any criteria. While there is no record of what Fred did after graduation from high school, when he was twenty he went to work for Gulf Oil Company in the oil fields of Texas. But he also liked to fly and he took every opportunity he had to get flying time. As a result, when he decided that his place was flying with the RAF, he had about 275 hours. On 19 November 1940, he visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Dallas and was found fully qualified for flying duties with the RAF. Scudday was sent to RAF refresher training at Love Field in Dallas almost immediately. On 24 February 1941, was commissioned and sailed for England along with a dozen other future Eagles. The voyage was short and on 6 March 1941 Fred reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. Six weeks later, on 26 April 1941, he joined 43 Fighter Squadron flying Hurricanes. Fred was there less than three weeks when, on 14 May 1941, he was transferred to Kirton-inLindsey as part of the original contingent of 121 Squadron. Less than two months later, Scudday was transferred to 129 Squadron and on 5 August 1941 he went to 133 Squadron at Coltishall, again as part of the original contingent. Scudday remained with 133 through their training in Ireland and then back to Kirton-in-Lindsey on 1 January 1942. But the weather was poor and the action sparse in early 1942 and Fred, like several other Eagles, became frustrated. On 20 March 1942, he volunteered for overseas duty, which generally meant the besieged island of Malta. So it was that Fred arrived in Malta in early April and remained there, flying almost daily missions in miserable conditions, until July 1942 when he returned to the United Kingdom. He subsequently was assigned to 4 Squadron and then 92 Squadron as an operational pilot. On 22 February 1943, he was sent to 73 Operational Training Unit as an instructor, but a few weeks later, on 2 May 1943, he transferred to the US Army Air Forces. There is no record of his initial assignment after transfer, but he was subsequently sent to the China-Burma-India Theater. On 14 June 1944, Fred Scudday was killed in the line of duty in India.

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Seaman, Anthony Joseph RAF Number: 605377 Born: 3 November 1918, in Spartansburg, South Carolina Served: 71 Squadron from 18 August to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 22 September 1942

There are a number of gaps in the official record of Anthony “Tony” Seaman. The five-foot, six-inch Seaman grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and attended college for at least two years. There is no indication of how Tony got interested in flying, but it might well have been with the Civilian Pilot Training Program in college. After leaving college, he became an Army Aviation Cadet but the length of his service and the reason for his discharge are not indicated. It is fairly safe to assume that he was eliminated from aviation cadets and then heard about the Clayton Knight Committee and the RAF. His record does not indicate where he visited the Clayton Knight offices but it does note that he had 144 hours of flying experience, enough to get accepted into the RAF. Tony was sent to Polaris Flight Academy at Lancaster, California, in the late summer or early fall of 1941. He completed the program there in early 1942 and, after a short leave, traveled to Canada. On 7 March 1942, he was appointed a sergeant pilot in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed from Moncton, New Brunswick, for England. (Seaman was one of only a handful of Clayton Knight recruits who were not commissioned as pilot officers when they departed for England.) Tony arrived in England on 24 March and was immediately assigned to an advanced flying unit. He remained there until 26 May when he reported to 58 Operational Training Unit at Grangemouth. On 18 August 1942, he joined 71 Squadron at Debden. He rapidly learned the realities of combat flying and on 5 September was credited with damaging a German aircraft. Seaman’s time flying with the RAF was short, however, and on 22 September 1942 he transferred to the Army Air Forces and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Seven days later he became a member of 334th Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. Unfortunately, Tony’s time 380 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

in this assignment was short, also. On 20 October 1942, while on a patrol mission over the English Channel, his aircraft was seen to explode in midair. He apparently died in the explosion or when the wreckage crashed into the sea. Tony Seaman was the first member of the 334th Squadron to lose his life after the transfer to the American forces. He is buried in Madingley Cemetery in England.

Shenk, Warren Vincent RCAF Number: J15072 Born: 18 January 1916, in Royersford, Pennsylvania Served: 121 Squadron from 1 July to 18 December 1941 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer.

Warren Vincent Shenk’s record is a frustrating one because it is both incomplete and inaccurate. Therefore it is very difficult to correctly portray his service in the RCAF. There is no information available about his early life, when he learned to fly or even if he did prior to going to Canada. And while we don’t know his motivation, he enlisted in the RCAF on 14 August 1940, presumably to enter the pilot training program and fly fighters in the war in Europe. On 22 October 1940, he completed his basic training and began his flying training. During the following six months he flew the Finch Fleet trainer, the T-6 Harvard and the Miles Magister. On 3 April 1941, he completed his training and was awarded his Pilot’s Flying Badge. He left Canada on 22 April for England with the rank of sergeant pilot. Shenk arrived in England on 3 May 1941 and probably went to an Operational Training Unit, which he would have completed about the end of June. While his official record notes him going to 121 Squadron on 25 November 1941 and being promoted pilot officer, it makes no mention of the time between his arrival in England and that assignment. According to squadron records, Warren actually arrived in 121 Squadron on 1 July 1941 at the completion of his OTU training. The confusion probably results from the erroneous entry of his commissioning date as 381 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

his date of assignment to 121. His July assignment to 121 is further supported by the Squadron Operations Record Book, which notes that on 26 July 1941 he and Sergeant Pilot Bradley Smith were having a mock dog fight in their Hurricanes over the town of Lincoln. They collided, and while both pilots safely bailed out, the wreckage fell into the town and killed three civilians. Although deeply affected by the tragedy, Shenk remained in the squadron until 12 December 1941, when he was transferred to a multiengine training unit, probably as an instructor. He left that assignment on 11 May 1942, when he departed England for Canada. On 14 July 1942, Shenk was repatriated to the RCAF and his attachment to the RAF was terminated. He apparently had a few weeks at home in June 1942 for he married Eileen Marie Lyons on 9 June. Shenk remained in the RCAF and was promoted to flight lieutenant on 1 January 1943. He apparently returned to England and flying with the RAF on 13 February 1944 in 443 Squadron. Warren evidently never transferred to the US Forces and there is no record of his activity after the end of World War II. Warren Shenk died on 2 November 1959.

Sintetos, Nicholas Dimitrios RCAF Number: R82804 Born: 10 November 1920, in Ashtabula, Ohio Served: 121 Squadron from 11 June to 5 August 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Merchant Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: 13 December 1942

Nick Sintetos grew up in Ashtabula, Ohio, the youngest of four children (two brothers and a sister.) He graduated from high school in 1940, just before the beginning of the Battle of Britain, and the war in Europe was still daily news to him. By that time, he was already deeply involved in flying. While in high school, he ran a bike renting and food concession stand, as well as doing about anything else that would make some money 382 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

for flying lessons. By the summer of 1940, he had 35 hours of flying time and had decided that the military was the best place to really get good flying experience as well as to serve if the war in Europe involved the United States. Of course, the Aviation Cadet Program was closed to him, but he read an article in the newspaper that the Royal Canadian Air Force was looking for pilots so he decided to try that avenue. Early in October 1940, Sintetos hitchhiked to Ottawa and on 11 October signed up with the RCAF. He found that the Canadians were very accustomed to Americans coming to Canada to fly since several thousand had already taken that route. Nick apparently did not begin pilot training until February 1941 and he was awarded his flying badge and appointed a sergeant pilot in the RCAF in early December of that year. He and his classmates embarked on the Strathsden for England on Christmas Day, 1941. Sintetos did not enjoy the very rough crossing and was glad to arrive in Glasgow, Scotland, and get on the train for London even though the journey was halted several times by German air raids. As Sintetos said, “I was too naive to be frightened during those raids.” When he arrived at the Air Ministry, Sintetos and a friend decided they wanted to fly fighters rather than bombers, even though they had trained in the latter. They petitioned an air marshal and, amazingly, were successful. After attending a Service Flying Training School for a few weeks, Nick reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Ashton Down in Glocestershire in early March to learn to fly the Spitfire. He completed that training in early June and on 11 June 1942, nearly twenty months after he initially went to Canada, Sintetos reported to 121 Squadron at Southend-on-Sea. It was not long before Nick was actively engaged in combat over England and France flying as wingman to Sel Edner. It was then that the war really hit home to him since he was almost shot down on his first combat mission and was lucky to get back to his base. After several missions on which his aircraft was damaged by flak, Nick volunteered for overseas duty and on 5 August 1942 departed 121 for the island of Malta. He received the shock of his life when he found out that he was going to have to ferry a Spitfire to Malta and fly off the deck of a British aircraft carrier. He was aboard the Furious when the convoy of which it was a part, came under German submarine attack not far from Gibraltar. Despite his apprehension about taking his unarmed Spitfire off 383 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

during the height of that attack, the flight from the pitching deck of the carrier to Malta was uneventful and Sintetos served his three months in the terrible conditions on that island. Not only did the pilots fly combat missions nearly every day, but they were continually sick and food was always a problem. “There was so little food,” Nick recalled, “that I felt guilty eating in front of any of the civilians that worked at the air base.” At the end of his tour on Malta, Nick was posted to North Africa where, on 13 December 1942, he transferred to the US Army Air Forces. While Sintetos said he was happy to become a part of the American forces, he was not at all pleased with having to give up the beautiful, smooth, and very fast Spitfire for the slow, and relatively antiquated, Curtiss P-40 that the Army Air Forces were flying in North Africa at the time. There is no record of his subsequent assignments, but Nick left the Army at the end of World War II. He settled in California but there is no information of what he did for a living. On a questionnaire in the early 1970s, he listed his occupation as inventor. Nick Sintetos died in San Bernardino, California, on 9 November 1999.

Skinner, LeRoy Arnold RAF Number: 101460 Born: 7 November 1918, in Webb City, Jasper County, Missouri Served: 121 Squadron from 31 August 1941 to 28 April 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Chemist, Eagle Pitchers Mining and Smelting Company, Glena, Kansas Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

For LeRoy Skinner, probably the most important words of World War II were uttered on 28 April 1942 when the German soldier holding a rifle on him said, “For you, the war is over.” And for Skinner, it was. He was sent to Stalag Luft III Luftwaffe prison camp where he remained until early 1945, when he was part of the movement of that camp to the west to remain ahead of the Russian advance in the middle of a bitter winter. 384 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

He was repatriated on 11 May 1945. Skinner had always loved to fly and was also enthusiastic about being in the military. He had attended Kemper Military School in Boonville, Missouri, and, although he went to work as a chemist after graduation from high school, he also spent much of his free time and money flying. Since LeRoy lacked the two years of college necessary to apply for the Aviation Cadet Program, he decided the only way to combine flying and the military was to heed the comments of a pilot he had met at the airport and try to get into the RAF. So on 20 February 1941, Skinner visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Kansas City. At that time he had 75 hours of dual and 120 hours of solo flying; enough to meet the RAF requirement. Skinner was sent to the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for his RAF refresher training. On 27 June 1941, LeRoy was commissioned in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked from Montreal on the Norwegian freighter Olaf Fostenes, along with six of his classmates from Tulsa. Upon arrival in Glasgow on 9 July, he took a train to London, was then sent to 3 Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth and finally to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge reporting on 16 July. Six weeks later, on 31 August 1941, he joined 121 Squadron stationed at Kirton-in-Lindsey. Action came slowly for the unit, however, and Skinner used every free minute he had to enhance his flying skills. He soon came to be regarded as one of the best pilots in the squadron. He was vividly remembered for teaming up with Jim Daley and “Red” Campbell to replicate the acrobatic maneuvers done by an RAF aerobatic team, much to the delight of his squadron mates. In combat he was equally adept and during his time in 121 he was credited with shooting down one German aircraft and, along with Jim Daley, damaging another. Unfortunately, his luck ran out in April 1942 when he was shot down by an FW-190 over Saint-Omer and captured. Although he was in Stalag Luft III, he was promoted to flight officer on 27 June 1942 and flight lieutenant on 27 June 1943. After being repatriated, Skinner remained in the RAF for a few months, but on 19 November 1945, he resigned his commission and returned to the United States. There is no record of his occupation after the war. He died on 8 April 1973.

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Slade, William Corbett RAF Number: 115520 Born: 6 September 1915, in Paris, Texas Served: 133 Squadron from 4 April to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Church of Christ Civilian occupation: Deliveryman Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 25 September 1942

Texas and Oklahoma had always been home to Bill Slade. His father was a cotton farmer in North Texas and Arkansas. He eventually tired of farming and became an oil worker. In 1933, the family moved to Braman, Oklahoma, where Bill graduated from high school. He then enrolled in a Junior College and eventually in the University of Oklahoma. But Bill also wanted to fly and he tried to join the Army Aviation Cadet Program after college, but at five feet, six inches and 115 pounds, he was too light to pass the physical. So he decided he would just get his flying experience on his own and see where it led him. He signed up for the Civilian Pilot Training Program at the Ponca City, Oklahoma, airport and worked in a produce house in order to finance further flying lessons. But as the war in Europe continued, Bill got increasingly concerned that he might end up in the infantry if he didn’t act. Fortunately, Slade met a man at the airport who told him that if he really wanted to fly the best airplanes in the world he should go to the Baker Hotel in Dallas and talk to the Clayton Knight Committee. Although he didn’t have the required amount of flying time, Bill didn’t have to be told twice and he was soon in Dallas where, despite the flying time problem, he was signed up for the RAF. On 8 July 1941, he took his physical and six weeks later, Bill reported to the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to begin his RAF refresher training. At that time he had 68 hours of flying time to his credit, among the lowest amount of any Eagle that joined the RAF through the Clayton Knight organization. Slade spent the next nearly four months at Spartan where he got about 110 hours of flying in aircraft ranging from the Fairchild PT-19 to the North American AT-6 and the Spartan Executive. He completed his training on 11 December 1941, and, after a short leave at home, departed for Canada. Slade initially went to Ottawa but 386 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

then received orders to proceed to Halifax to board the ship for England. When he arrived in Halifax there were thousands of RCAF personnel waiting for a ship, along with ten or fifteen Americans. Slade and the rest of the Americans hung around Halifax for two weeks waiting for their orders to sail but nothing happened. Finally, on 31 December 1941, Bill and two other American pilots were sent to Moncton, New Brunswick, and then to the port of Saint John where they immediately boarded a 3,000 ton Norwegian freighter hauling a load of frozen meat. On that same day Bill was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Amazingly, the ship was not part of a convoy, but sailed alone. The ten-day crossing was uneventful and the seas were even calm so Bill, the other Americans, two British flight lieutenants and a Norwegian family had a pleasant trip. After docking in Liverpool and taking the train to London, where there were the usual stops at the Air Ministry and a clothier for his uniforms, Slade was sent to a short military training school at Uxbridge. After completing that course, he reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Aston Down on 10 February 1942 to learn to fly the Spitfire. Slade got about 35 hours in the Spitfire at OTU and on 4 April 1942 joined 133 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey. On his first day the reality of war hit home when his new roommate was shot down and killed. In the lonely night that followed, Slade really realized he was at war. As was customary, Bill got about 10 to 20 hours of flying on the wing of someone in the squadron before really going on any difficult operational missions. His first mission was a convoy patrol and that was followed by a sweep over France. He encountered no Germans on either mission but that soon changed and Bill rapidly became an experienced combat pilot. As with most of the Eagles, the high point of his flying memories with the RAF was the 19 August invasion of France at Dieppe. Although the invasion was a disaster, the air coverage was excellent and Slade flew several times that day in support of the raid. For two of the Eagle Squadrons, the action of that day marked the end of large scale combat operations as the members of the units began to go into London to transfer to the Army Air Forces. It was the same for 133 Squadron but they were to have the tragic Morlaix mission of 26 September when ten pilots and eleven new Spitfire IXs were lost on an escort mission. On 25 September, Bill had gone to London to complete his transfer so he missed that tragic mission. Slade 387 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

stood in the depleted ranks of 133 Squadron on 29 September 1942 as they made the formal move to become the 336th Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. He continued with the 336th, first flying Spitfires and then P-47 Thunderbolts. Slade left the 336th in 1943 and became an instructor. At the end of the war, Bill returned to the United States and left the Army Air Forces. During the next thirty-six years he worked for several public utilities firms in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. He retired in 1981 and now lives in Roswell, New Mexico.

Slater, John Tassie RAF Number: 116465 Born: 25 January 1918, in Newark, New Jersey Served: 121 Squadron from 23 June to 21 September 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Medical Student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

In 1936, when John Slater graduated from high school in Waverly, New York, flying in a war was probably very far from his mind. A bright young man, he went on to Hobart College in Geneva, New York, and then enrolled in medical school. Whether he tried to get into the Army or Navy flying programs when World War II became a reality is not indicated in his record. The first entry indicates he took a physical for RAF duty on 31 December 1941, in Ottawa, Canada. Although also not noted in the record, it is safe to assume that Slater entered the RAF through the Clayton Knight Committee, probably in the late summer of 1941, and completed an RAF Refresher Training Program before going to Canada. This raises the whole question of when he began to fly and how he had sufficient flying time to qualify for the RAF, none of which is addressed in his available records. On 7 January 1942, he was commissioned a pilot officer and departed for England along with future Eagles Cadman Padgett, Bob Priser, Bob Smith, Dennis Smith, Gordon Whitlow and Ben DeHaven, further evidence that he was a Clayton Knight recruit. 388 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

As with so many of the pilot volunteers in early 1942, Slater arrived at a time when there was a backlog of pilots that had overwhelmed the operational training program. The solution was to send them to school since they had not received any military training prior to sailing for England. Thus, John was delayed for nearly two months to attend officer training school and another month for an advanced flying course. Finally, on 21 April 1942, Slater was assigned to 52 Operational Training Unit. Two months later, on 23 June, he reported to 121 Squadron at Southend-onSea. This was a busy time for all the Eagle Squadrons and Slater regularly flew escort missions, made low-level raids on targets in France, and flew escort and reconnaissance duty over the North Sea. On 16 September 1942, Slater went to London and transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. He returned to 121, with which he was to fly until the official transfer ceremony scheduled for 29 September. However, on 21 September 1942, he crashed and was killed on a reconnaissance mission over the North Sea. He was the last casualty of 121 Squadron before they became the 335th Fighter Squadron of the Eighth Air Force. He was also one of the first casualties of the Fourth Fighter Group.

Smart, Glenn Joseph RAF Number: 112293 Born: 7 July 1913, in Sedan, Kansas Served: 133 Squadron from 13 August to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Store manager, Seagraves Supply Store, probably in Midland, Texas Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

Unfortunately, there is nothing in the available records about Glenn Smart’s early life. The first entry indicates that he went to work as the manager of Seagraves Supply Store, probably in Midland, Texas, when he was twenty-three years old, so he probably had some retail sales experience prior to that time. There is also no record of when Glenn began to fly, how much flying time he had, or what his motivation was when he 389 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

went to Dallas, Texas, on 10 July 1941 to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee to sign up for service in the RAF. He must have had about 150 hours to have been accepted. He passed the physical, and on 17 August 1941, reported to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Lancaster, California. Glenn completed that training in November and on 13 December 1941 embarked for England on the HMS Letitia, along with a number of other future Eagles, including his future squadron mates Len Ryerson and Don Gentile. Pilot Officer Smart spent his Christmas on the high seas and arrived in the United Kingdom on 26 December. Two days later he was at 3 Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth and on 1 January 1942 he reported to 5 Service Flying Training School for more intense training to prepare him for England’s weather conditions. Smart was there for nearly two months, and on 24 February 1942 he was sent to 53 Operational Training Unit at Llandow RAF station near Llantwitt Major in Wales. Glenn Smart spent an inordinately long time at Llandow because he was probably kept there as an instructor, as his friends LeRoy Gover and Len Ryerson had been. On 30 July he was finally posted to 64 Fighter Squadron. But he was there only thirteen days when he was again moved, this time to Biggin Hill and 133 Squadron, reporting on 13 August 1942. Smart was just beginning to feel at home in the unit when he went to London and transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. Just three days later, on 26 September, he was devastated when eleven members of his squadron were lost on a bomber escort mission. Among those killed was his friend Len Ryerson. On 29 September, 133 Squadron of the RAF ceased to exist and Smart, along with his squadron mates, became the 336th Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. Glenn continued to fly with the unit well into 1943. On 2 January 1943, he provided the unit with a cause for celebration when he married Marjorie Barratt at Holy Trinity Church in London with former Eagle Don Nee serving as best man. The unofficial annals of the 336th note that the party in Smart’s honor the night before the wedding was one to be remembered. Glenn survived World War II, but there is no record of what he did after the war. He apparently left the Army and moved to Wyoming, where he worked in the area around Lander. He died in Wyoming on 15 January 1969. 390 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Smith, Bradley RCAF Number: J15010 Born: New York (specific location and date unknown) Served: 121 Squadron from 16 May 1941 to 6 April 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Unknown

Bradley Smith was one of the original cadre of the second Eagle Squadron. He joined 121 Squadron on 16 May 1941, at Kirton-in-Lindsey, nearly a month before the unit was officially announced by the Air Ministry. Unfortunately, that is about all that is known about him. His records are not available so his home, education, when and how he learned to fly, and his reason for going to Canada and joining the RCAF in the summer of 1940 are all unknown. Smith probably completed his initial flight training in late 1940 and was appointed a sergeant pilot. Advanced training followed and he probably sailed for England in February 1941. He was then posted to an Operation Training Unit where he learned to fly the Hurricane. His first operational assignment was with 121 on 16 May as part of the original cadre. While the squadron was still in training, Smith and Warren Shenk had a midair collision over the English town of Lincoln while they were staging a mock dogfight on 26 July. Both pilots parachuted to safety but their aircraft crashed in the town and several people were either injured or killed. Smith brooded over the event and the needless loss of life for which he felt responsible. While he remained a member of the squadron and flew operational missions for a number of months, this feeling of guilt eventually made him ineffective and he left 121 on 6 April 1942. Smith was then sent back to Canada. There is no information about him after that date and he is listed as unknown by the Eagle Squadron Association.

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Smith, Dennis David RAF Number: 116464 Born: 26 November 1919, in Oilton, Oklahoma Served: 133 Squadron from 28 June to 26 September 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Bookkeeper, Columbia Construction Company, Redding, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

Little is known about Dennis Smith’s early years, but his family apparently moved from Oklahoma to California when Dennis was quite young. Following his graduation from high school, he took a job as a bookkeeper but also learned to fly during his spare time. He was no doubt disturbed by the war in Europe and believed that the United States would certainly become involved. Because he did not have the two years of college needed to become a US Army Aviation Cadet, Smith decided that the only way he could fly was to join the RAF. He had heard about the Clayton Knight Committee from his flying friends and so, on 16 June 1941, Dennis visited their offices in Oakland, California, passed his physical exam and was accepted. While there is no record of how much flying time Dennis had, it must have been over 100 hours for him to have met the theoretical minimum Clayton Knight prerequisites. A few weeks later, on 30 July, he reported to the RAF Refresher Training Program in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He completed the course on 26 November, and, after spending Christmas at home, on 7 January 1942 Smith was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. He then sailed for England, along with Cadman Padgett and Ben DeHaven, two classmates from Tulsa. Dennis apparently had a significant medical problem shortly after his arrival in England because he was admitted to the hospital on 21 February and remained there until 16 March. Upon his discharge, he was sent to 5 Service Flying Training School for refresher training and on 21 April 1942 he reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Aston Down. Smith completed his training on schedule and joined 133 Squadron at Biggin Hill on 28 June 1942. He began flying combat missions almost immediately, and although he was new to the unit, rapidly became a respected pilot. Just over two and a 392 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

half months later, on 16 September 1942, Dennis went to London and transferred to the USAAF as a second lieutenant. He continued to fly with the RAF pending the transfer of all three Eagle Squadrons to the Eighth Air Force, scheduled for 29 September. On 26 September, Smith was one of the twelve pilots in 133 Squadron detailed for bomber escort duty in their new Spitfire IX fighters. Because of erroneous weather data, the unit was blown badly off course and never found the B-17s they were to escort. Not knowing where they were because of the clouds beneath them and running low on fuel, the squadron let down over what they thought was England. Unfortunately, they were over Brest, France, and all but one of the pilots either crash-landed or bailed out of their fuel starved aircraft, or were shot down by the fierce German anti-aircraft fire. It was not until 7 November 1942 that word was received that Dennis Smith had been killed in the tragedy. He was one of the first members of the American Fourth Fighter Group to be killed in action.

Smith, Fonzo Donald RAF Number: 112305 Born: 22 October 1918, in Malakoff, Texas Served: 121 Squadron from 4 May to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: US Army aviation cadet Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

Donald “Don” or “Snuffy” Smith had always loved to fly. His first flight was when he was eight or nine years old. Two barnstormers came to his hometown of Malakoff, southeast of Dallas, Texas, where they offered rides from a pasture for a dollar. Since money was tight, Don and his brother watched the planes while the pilots went to eat and their pay was a ride. Both Smith and his brother stood up in the same cockpit and flew around the pasture. From that point on, he was hooked. After high school, Don went to college for two years at Paris Junior College in Texas. He already had his private pilot’s license, and with two years of college he was accepted into the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program. He was stationed in San Diego, California, and was making good progress in the program when his 393 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

widowed mother became seriously ill. He was given leave to return to Texas but was gone for three weeks and when he returned to San Diego he was hopelessly behind his class. He was asked to sign up to be a navigator or bombardier but he wanted to be a pilot or not fly at all. The heartbroken Smith applied for a discharge from the Army, but shortly before it was granted he heard about the Clayton Knight Committee and the RAF. He went to the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel on the day he got his discharge and signed up. He returned to Texas and in late July reported to the Clayton Knight office in Dallas for his physical. Don was then sent to RAF refresher training at Polaris Flight Academy in Glendale, California. He completed his training there in late November and on 13 December 1941 Smith was commissioned in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia, aboard the HMS Letitia, which was carrying sixteen other future Eagles, in a forty-ship convoy bound for England. The fourteen-day voyage to England was long and rough so Smith was very happy to see Liverpool and set foot on land again. He spent a very short time in London and then boarded the train for the Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth. Interestingly, he was housed with about fifteen other new RAF officers in one large room of an old hotel in the town. Smith was first assigned to an advanced flying training school and a month later, on 24 February 1942, to 53 Operational Training Unit in Llandow at Llantwitt Major in Wales. He had a short stay in the hospital in late March and early April but was able to complete the OTU on schedule and on 4 May 1942 Don joined 121 Squadron at North Weald. He flew his first, and almost his last, combat mission with the unit on 15 May. At twenty-five thousand feet over Calais, France, he was hit by flak but was able to nurse his Spitfire back across the Channel where he crash-landed in a wheat field. In the process he hit his head on the gun sight, a very common and often fatal occurrence, and was out of flying for a few days. Smith’s RAF record notes that he was transferred to 57 OTU on 26 May 1942 and remained there until his transfer to the Army Air Forces on 15 September. This is apparently in error, however, because Don saw action as part of 121 Squadron in the air support of the Dieppe raid in August 1942 and is also noted as being consistently involved in combat with that unit during the summer of 1942. He is also credited with damaging a German aircraft. Snuffy went to London on 15 September and transferred to the US Army Air Forces as 394 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

a second lieutenant. He continued to fly with the RAF until 29 September, when the entire squadron became the 335th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. Smith immediately became a leader in that unit. Don returned to the United States, along with seven other ex-Eagles, in December 1942 as part of a bond drive but he was the only one of the group to return to his old unit. When he returned, the squadron had transitioned from Spitfires to P-47s and it was in that aircraft that on 22 June 1943 he made his presence known by shooting down a German FW-190, the first of five and a half he would destroy within the next nine months, which made him a World War II ace. He destroyed two more FW-190s, an ME-109 and an ME-110 and got credit for half of an FW-220. Just a little over a year after his first air victory, Smith was the victim of enemy flak in a situation similar to that which had caused him to have to crash-land his Spitfire on his first combat mission. On 3 August 1944, his P-51 took flak into the radiator and Don was forced to bail out of the stricken aircraft near Paris. He was captured by the Germans and spent the rest of the war in a German prisoner of war camp. Smith was repatriated in April or May and left the Army after the war. He returned to Texas, where he joined the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company. He remained with Dr. Pepper eventually owning distributorships in McAllen, Sinton, and Kingsville, Texas. Don retired in 1983 in Kingsville and he and his wife, Wilma, spent several years indulging in their mutual interest of travel. Don, affectionately called “Snuffy,” died on 6 February 1996, in Kingsville, Texas. (The author wishes to thank Don’s wife, the late Mrs. Wilma Smith, for her help in preparing this biographical sketch.)

Smith, Fred Cullen RAF Number: 109903 Born: 30 April 1921, in Brookhaven, Mississippi Served: 121 Squadron from 14 February to 30 May 1942, and 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: Student, Mississippi State College Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 29 September 1942 395 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Fred Smith, who went by the name of Cullen, was just a “regular guy” according to his friends. He fell in love with flying when he was in high school and was a fairly experienced private pilot when he entered Mississippi State College. Smith only stayed in school about a year and a half before he decided to leave college and join the RAF. He probably believed that the United States would soon be involved in the conflict and wanted to ensure that he could fly if that was the case. He went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Dallas probably sometime in the spring of 1941, and although there is no record of how much flying time he had, he was accepted. In early July he was sent to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Tulsa, Oklahoma, from which he graduated in late September. The first actual notation on his official record is his being commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve on 5 October 1941, the same day he sailed for England. On 11 November 1941, Smith reported to 59 Operational Training Unit at Crosby-on-Eden. His official RAF record has no further entry until 30 May 1942, when he was assigned to 57 OTU at Hawarden. Apparently there is a missing notation because the 121 Squadron operational record lists him arriving at that unit on 14 February 1942 and remaining there until the assignment to 57 OTU. Cullen apparently remained in that assignment, probably as an instructor, until 29 September when he returned to 121 Squadron at Debden just in time for the transfer ceremony of the three Eagle Squadrons from the RAF to the US Army Air Forces. According to his record, he also relinquished his commission in the RAF on that date and became a second lieutenant in the Army Air Forces. If that was the case, he would have been assigned to the 335th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group, but there is no indication in the record that Smith was ever a member of the Fourth. He does, however, appear in pictures of that unit taken in the fall of 1942. He apparently returned to the United States shortly after the 335th became operational because he was in New York City in late 1942 with several other former Eagles on a bond drive tour. He may have then returned to the Fourth Fighter Group since a Clyde Smith in the 334th Fighter Squadron is noted as shooting down two FW-190s on 16 August 1943. Several sources say this was Fred Cullen Smith. There is no record of his further assignment or activity during the war. Smith apparently left the Army after the war and 396 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

returned to school where he earned a degree in geology and subsequently became a geologist. Cullen Smith died on 21 March 1954. (The author thanks the late Ed Stewart and the late Don Young for information used in this biographical sketch.)

Smith, Kenneth Guy RAF Number: 116164 Born: 8 July 1914, in Boise, Idaho Served: 121 Squadron from 18 August to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Christian Science Civilian occupation: Laborer, Macco Construction Company, San Pedro, California Marital status: Divorced Transfer to USAAF: 25 September 1942

Kenneth Smith was characterized as a fairly typical young man as he grew up in Boise. In high school he was a star basketball player and track runner. After graduation he attended the College of Idaho and also worked for the Idaho Power Company. One of his jobs was to ski to remote areas as the company contact with workers in the field. He got interested in flying during the 1930s but there is no record of how much flying experience he had. Ken moved from Idaho to Southern California around 1940 to have more opportunities to hone his flying skills. His address when he registered for the Selective Service was Hollywood, California. Ken was working as a laborer for a construction company in San Pedro in July 1941 when he joined the US Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet. He apparently washed out of that program or decided to leave it after less than six weeks and on 22 August 1941, just three days after he left the Army, Smith visited the Clayton Knight Committee in Los Angeles. He was accepted and probably reported to one of the RAF Refresher Training Program bases around the first of October. He finished his refresher training about the end of 1941 and on 19 January 1942 received his commission and embarked for England. Probably because of a backlog in the Operational Training Units when Smith arrived in England, he was placed with one of the groups 397 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

that went first to the officer training school at Cosford and then to an advanced flying unit for further flight training. As a result, he did not report to 58 OTU at Grangemouth in Strathclyde until 26 May 1942, over four months after his arrival in England. Ken spent nearly three more months at the OTU and finally reported to 121 Squadron at Southend-onSea on 18 August 1942. Smith flew very few missions with his new unit because on 25 September, he transferred to the USAAF and on 29 September became a member of the 335th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. It was in that assignment that Smith matured into a very effective fighter pilot. He initially flew Spitfires with American markings, then the P-47 Thunderbolt and finally the P-51 Mustang. He shot down his first German aircraft, an FW-190, on 30 July 1943, and over the next year was to shoot down four more and become an ace. Unfortunately, on 12 March 1944, Smith was shot down and spent the remainder of World War II as a prisoner of war. Smith stayed in the Army Air Forces and the US Air Force after the war. He was stationed first in Phoenix, Arizona, and would often take his wife, Irene, whom he met and married in Scotland, flying in their Stearman biplane much to the delight of their neighbors in Phoenix. He was also an avid photographer. His last assignment was as the commander of the 37th Fighter Group at Dow Field in Bangor, Maine. While in that capacity, he was killed in a P-47 crash on 20 October 1947 when he chose to stay with his aircraft and fly it away from a group of houses in Searsport, Maine, rather than bail out. He was credited with saving the lives of scores of residents of the small village. (The author wishes to thank Ken Smith’s wife, Mrs. Irene (Smith) Schwartz, for providing information for this biographical sketch.)

Smith, Robert E. RAF Number: 116463 Born: 9 December 1918, in Baltimore, Maryland Served: 133 Squadron from 23 June to 26 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942 398 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Bob Smith had two conflicting interests as he was growing up in Washington, DC. The first was his love of sports, which was manifest in his being a star football player and wrestler in high school. The other was his love of flight and photography. As soon as he had learned to read, Bob devoured all the books he could find on flying. He even skipped school to go down to the Mall in Washington, DC, to see the airplanes on display at the Smithsonian. In fact, Bob was a pioneer in aviation photography when he flew as a passenger over Washington, DC, in 1935 to take pictures of the disastrous Potomac River flood. Bob applied to the Naval Academy in 1938 and received an appointment. But while taking his final entrance physical, the doctor discovered a slight myopia in his right eye and he was rejected. Smith was heartbroken. Nonetheless, he accepted an offer to go to the Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, to play football, a move that looked like it would put flying pretty much on hold. But Bob discovered the Civilian Pilot Training Program at the Citadel, enrolled, and earned his private pilot’s license. That was the final hook for him and Smith left college to pursue a career in flying. He returned to Washington, DC, bought an Alliance Argo airplane, and began to fly seriously. But as the war clouds gathered in 1940 and early 1941, Smith decided that he wanted to fly in the coming war, not march in the infantry. He lacked the required two years of college for entry into the Army Aviation Cadet Program so it looked like he was at a dead end. Fortunately, he heard about the Clayton Knight Committee, visited their offices at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City during the summer of 1941, and signed up. Even though he had a lot of flying time, he had to wait a few weeks to be accepted for training. Fortunately for Smith, he received his acceptance in the late summer of 1941 and was given a firstclass ticket on a DC-3 airliner from Washington to Los Angeles. There he reported to Polaris Flight Academy at Grand Central Air Terminal in Glendale. After ten weeks of flight instruction in such aircraft as the Stearman and the AT-6, he completed the program and again crossed the continent to Ottawa, Canada. On 7 January 1942, Smith received his commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England. Among the other passengers on the ship were future Eagles Cadman Padgett, Bob Priser, John Slater, Dennis Smith, Gordon Whitlow and Ben DeHaven. Probably no Eagle enjoyed the voyage across the North Atlantic as 399 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

much as the frustrated ship lover, Bob Smith. His description tells the story. “The bow of the ship disappearing beneath the waves and then coming up with green water cascading off and foam and ice, and the ship just clad in ice pushing through the mountainous waves was an experience I will never forget.” After nearly a two-week voyage, Smith and his fellow American pilots arrived in England and on 24 January reported to the Air Ministry in London. Upon their arrival at the Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth a day or two later, they found that all the Operational Training Units were full so on 28 January, the group was sent to a military training course and on 16 March to an advanced flying unit. Finally, on 21 April 1942, Smith reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Aston Down in Gloucestershire. Consistent with his graphic description of his voyage, Bob simply said that his first flight in the Spitfire was “the top of the mountain.” He completed that course and on 23 June reported to 133 Squadron at Biggin Hill. This was a busy time for the unit and Smith flew operational missions, mostly bomber escort or sweeps over France, several times a week. On 19 August all the Eagle Squadrons were part of the air support for the disastrous Canadian reconnaissance in force at the French port of Dieppe. Smith would have been able to shoot down two German aircraft that day had he not stalled his Spitfire just as he opened fire. About a month after the action at Dieppe, Smith went into London and transferred to the Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. Just a few days later, his life changed dramatically. On 26 September, Bob was part of the squadron’s disastrous escort mission to Morlaix. An erroneous wind forecast and inadequate briefing led the twelve new Spitfire IX aircraft of 133 to fly too far to the south of their intended rendezvous point, and by the time the mistake was discovered they were too low on fuel to make it back to England. They let down over Brest, France, thinking it was England, and all but the one member of the squadron, who had returned because of engine trouble, either crashed or had to bail out of their stricken aircraft. Four members of the unit were killed and six were taken prisoner, but Smith managed to evade capture. With the help of the French underground, he was able to make his way to Southern France, where he unexpectedly met his squadron mate Eric Doorly who had been shot down two weeks earlier and who everyone thought had been killed. The two then joined a group crossing the Pyrenees into Spain. The members of the group 400 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

nearly died from starvation and exposure before they were arrested by the Spanish authorities and put in a filthy prison in Barcelona for illegally entering the country. While Doorly, for reasons he never understood, was sent to a concentration camp for three months, Smith fared much better. He was transported across Spain in a car to the luxurious apartment of a British businessman in Madrid. From there he took the bus to Gibraltar and then flew back to England on an American B-17. He arrived in London on 26 January 1943. After spending three days on the town, Bob reported to the American headquarters and was returned to the United States. He was sent on a war-bond-selling tour talking about his escape and evasion experiences, and then flew P-39 Airacobras at Hamilton Field near San Francisco. Smith left the Army in 1945. At the time he was discharged, he had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, five Air Medals and the Purple Heart. Bob took a job with the telephone company but left that position to fly for an airline in Ecuador. He had remained in the Air Force reserve flying F-84 fighters and was recalled to active duty during the Korean War where he flew P-51 Mustangs. He was wounded during that conflict and earned another Purple Heart. He then became a bomber pilot and flew the B-47 intercontinental bomber. Bob retired from the Air Force as a colonel in 1970 and returned to the Washington, DC, area. In 1994, he and his wife moved to Norfolk, Virginia. Bob Smith died there on 29 October 2004. (For a complete account of Robert Smith’s evasion adventure see, Philip D. Caine, Aircraft Down!, Brassey’s, Washington, DC, 1997.)

Smolinsky, Frank Joseph RAF Number: 605378 Born: 1 March 1919, in Buffalo, New York Served: 121 Squadron from 25 August to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Salesman Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 22 September 1942

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Frank Smolinsky was, in many ways, rather typical of the young American men who joined the RAF. The black haired, six-foot-one, twenty-two-yearold had been an aviation cadet in the US Army Air Corps but had either voluntarily left the training or been eliminated. Just qualifying for aviation cadets meant that Frank had two years of college but there is no indication of this on his RAF record. His civilian occupation is simply listed as salesman. Smolinsky apparently went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in New York City in the late summer of 1941, shortly after leaving aviation cadets, in an effort to join the RAF. At that time he had 165 hours of flying time. He was accepted and sent to RAF refresher training, probably at Polaris Flight Academy, in late September 1941. Frank completed his training in late January or early February and on 6 March 1942 he received his appointment as a sergeant pilot in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. A day later, 7 March 1942, he sailed from Moncton, New Brunswick, for England. (Frank was one of very a few Clayton Knight volunteers who was not commissioned but rather appointed a sergeant pilot at the completion of their training.) Smolinsky arrived in the United Kingdom on 24 March 1942, and as soon as his processing was complete he was sent to 5 Service Flying Training School. On 2 May 1942, he reported to 61 Operational Training Unit at Rednal in Salop. He graduated and was posted to 121 Squadron at Southend-on-Sea on 25 August 1942. Shortly after his arrival, Smolinsky and another newcomer to the unit, Robert Patterson, were sent up on a familiarization flight. They decided to make it productive, so they flew across the Channel and shot up a German unit near the coast of France. Of course this was against regulations for new pilots, but when the results of their covert mission were seen on the gun-camera film, all was forgiven. On 22 September 1942, Frank went to London and transferred to the USAAF as a second lieutenant. A week later the three Eagle Squadrons were disbanded and Smolinsky became a member of the 335th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. There he saw more action and on 19 November 1942 shot down an FW-190 in his American Spitfire near Flushing, Netherlands. In early 1943 Frank was part of the group to transition from the Spitfire to the P-47. On 3 April 1943, Smolinsky’s aircraft caught fire in flight. Unable to extinguish the blaze, he tried to land the burning P-47 at Sawbridgeworth but crashed and was killed. 402 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Soares, Walter Gordon RAF Number: 100532 Born: 19 December 1918, in Brawley, California Served: 133 Squadron from 25 August to 27 September 1941 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Worked odd jobs Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 27 September 1941

There is very little information available about Walter Soares’s early life. While he was still a boy, Walter’s family left Brawley and he ended up in the Oakland area where he met and became fast friends with future Eagle Squadron pilot George Sperry. Both took up flying in 1938 and before the end of that year, Soares had his own airplane—a forty-horsepower Taylorcraft. Unfortunately, he landed his newly acquired Taylorcraft at Oakland Airport in 1940 and a Navy aircraft landed right on top of him. While he miraculously escaped injury, the Taylorcraft was totally demolished. The Navy assumed full responsibility and Soares got enough money to buy a new airplane. But by the end of the year, both Sperry and Soares believed that war would come to the United States and they began looking for alternatives that would enable them to fly if that happened. Fortunately, they heard about the opportunity to fly for the RAF from a pilot at the Alameda airport. So on 24 January 1941, the two went to the Clayton Knight Committee office in Oakland, California, and listened to world-renowned pilot Clyde Pangborn tell them why they should be in the RAF. In the end, the two signed up and Soares was off to Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for his RAF refresher training. At the time, Walter had about 400 hours of flying time. Soares completed his training at Tulsa in late May of 1941 and on 5 June was commissioned in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and set sail on the SS Bayano for England. He was joined on that ship by his buddy, George Sperry who had been in training in Dallas, and seventeen other future Eagles. Walter arrived about the end of June and was slated to go to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge in early July, but he was hospitalized on 4 July 1941 and remained there until 25 July. The next day, he 403 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

reported to Sutton Bridge and remained there for about a month learning to fly the Hurricane. On 25 August, he was assigned to 133 Squadron at Duxford as part of the original cadre. Just a month later, on 27 September 1941, Walter Soares and Charles Barrell collided while turning onto final approach at Duxford and both were killed—the first two casualties for the squadron. Walter Soares was killed more than two months before his country entered World War II.

Sobanski, Waclaw Wladyslaw Michael RCAF Number: R54384 Born: 29 July 1919, in New York, New York Served: 133 Squadron from 28 September to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Soldier in the Polish Army Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

Mike Sobanski, as he was called for as long as he could remember, was a young man caught up in a world that was not of his making. While there is little information about his early life, his family apparently moved from New York back to Poland when he was very young and Mike had grown up in Warsaw. On 1 September 1939, Mike, a student at the University of Warsaw, found himself a part of what would become World War II, which would take the lives of his entire family. Mike immediately tried to join the Polish Air Force but since he had little flying experience and there was no time for training, he was turned down. He then enlisted in the Polish Army and was assigned to the infantry. On his way to the front, his troop train was attacked by German Stuka dive-bombers and Mike was wounded. He was put on another train and traveled for several days before he reached a hospital where he could be treated. Near BrestLitovsk, Sobanski, and a number of other wounded Polish soldiers, were captured by the Germans and taken to a hospital for treatment. One night Mike simply limped out of the hospital unnoticed, and amazingly made his way to Warsaw and his father’s bombed-out house. There he was able 404 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

to find enough civilian clothes to shed his uniform. Because he was an American citizen, Mike was able to obtain an exit visa and in the early summer of 1940 arrived back in New York City. As with so many Poles, Mike was eager to find a way to avenge what the Germans had done to Poland and, in particular, his family, all of whom had been killed in the 1939 invasion. Mike had always been fascinated by airplanes and harbored a quiet desire to someday learn how to fly so this seemed to be the perfect opportunity. He made his way to Canada and on 23 August 1940 joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in Toronto. He began his flying training in early September but because of his difficulty understanding English, was removed from training in early 1941 for three months of language training. He resumed his flying training in April but in July he was washed out. Not to be deterred, Sobanski contacted his foster father, Harry Bruno, in New York for help. As fate would have it, Bruno had flown in World War I and was a good friend of Canadian flying legend Billy Bishop. A phone call to Bishop explaining Mike’s circumstances was enough to get him a second chance, and 7 October 1941, Sobanski received his wings and was appointed a sergeant pilot. The next day he began his trip to England. He arrived in England on 3 November 1941 and was sent to the personnel reception center at Bournemouth. He was there for nearly a month and then sent to a Service Flying Training School for another month. On 6 January 1942, he was assigned to 57 Operational Training Unit at Howarden in Wales where he remained until early April. When he completed that training he had a total of 245 hours of flying time. Mike’s first operational assignment was to 132 Squadron flying Spitfires and during the next five months he saw combat as a member three other fighter squadrons. On 23 September, he was sent to London to transfer to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. He was still in London when he was notified to proceed immediately to Great Sampford and join 133 Squadron, which had been decimated two days before on the disastrous Morlaix raid. Mike was part of the formation of that unit on 29 September when it became the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. During the next six months, Mike flew his Spitfire with US markings as part of the 336th. The missions were primarily convoy patrol, sweeps over France and the Low Countries, and, when the weather permitted, local practice flying. 405 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

In early 1943, the Fourth Fighter Group began transitioning from the Spitfire to the P-47 Thunderbolt. Mike flew his last mission in the Spitfire on 2 April 1943 and the next day began his check-out in the P-47. On 29 April flew his first combat mission in that aircraft; a sweep over Belgium. In May he transferred from the 336th to the 334th Fighter Squadron, still in the Fourth Fighter Group. Combat flying in the P-47 continued for Sobanski throughout the rest of 1943 and on 31 January 1944 Mike destroyed his first German aircraft, an ME-109 over Belgium. Less than a month later Sobanski made his last flight in the P-47 and on 19 March flew his first operational mission in the P-51 Mustang. Just ten days later he destroyed his second German aircraft. But on 6 June 1944, Mike Sobanski was shot down and killed in aerial combat with a Focke-Wulf 190. He crashed north of Evreux, France. Nine days earlier he had destroyed his sixth German aircraft, which made him an ace. At the time of his death he had been promoted to major in the Army Air Forces and, since April 1944, had been the commander of the 334th Fighter Squadron. (Some of the information in this biographical sketch was obtained from Tom Walsh, “The Hard-Luck Ace,” Air Classics, Volume 43, 10 November 2007, pp. 7–17. The author also thanks Mr. Tim Kirkup for providing a copy of Mike Sobanski’s log book.)

Sperry, George Brooks RAF Number: 100533 Born: 12 February 1914, in San Francisco, California Served: 133 Squadron from 24 July 1941 to 26 September 1942 Religious preference: Church of England Civilian occupation: Aeronca Aircraft assembly and test pilot, Oakland, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

George Sperry was one of the most well-known young men in his hometown area of Oakland. The handsome Sperry, who was said to resemble movie actor Dick Powell, was the grandson of George Sperry, the founder of the Sperry Flour Company, then a division of General Mills. His great 406 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

aunt was also part of the West Coast financial giant Crocker family. From the time he was old enough to even understand flight and airplanes, George read everything he could find about airplanes and saved every scrap of paper that had anything about aircraft written on it. After graduating from high school, George, who shunned going to college, took a job as a clerk in the Crocker First National Bank in San Francisco. But flying was his first love and it was not long until it also became his way of life. George began to fly in 1935 and by 1940 had his commercial pilot’s license. By that time he had left the banking business and was working for the fixed-base operator at Oakland Airport assembling Aeronca training planes. George would then test fly them, make any needed adjustments, and then deliver them to the various airports in California that were training pilots. Sperry thought that it was the best job in the world. But George also read the paper and was very bothered by the events in Europe. As he read the accounts of the Battle of Britain and the courageous RAF pilots, he became more and more convinced that he wanted to join the RAF and help in the cause of freedom. One day, while they were flying at the Alameda Airport, Sperry and his close friend and future Eagle, Walter Soares, heard about the Clayton Knight Committee and the possibility of flying in the RAF. The two wasted little time in going to the Lemington Hotel in Oakland and on 24 January 1941 signed up for the RAF. Because he had a commercial pilot’s license, Sperry was immediately accepted and sent to the RAF refresher training course at Dallas, Texas. His instructor at Dallas was a World War I French pilot who gave Sperry all sorts of ideas, many somewhat dated, about how to effectively fly combat. Sperry completed his training at Dallas in May and, after a short leave, embarked on the long train trip from California to Ottawa, Canada. When he arrived, George was surprised by being told he had to take another flight check—a very unusual occurrence for the Clayton Knight graduates. He easily passed, and on 5 June 1941, Sperry was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England. He, and several future Eagles on board, including his friend Walter Soares, had a very long passage of twenty-five days on the SS Bayano, a ship he referred to as a converted banana boat, which was part of an eighty-ship convoy. The first city that Sperry saw after his arrival in England was Bristol and he was quite taken aback by the destruction from German bombing. 407 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

But he was also impressed by the rolling green countryside on the train trip to London. He signed in at the Air Ministry, got his uniforms and was sent to 3 Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth. Just a few days later, on 14 July 1941, George and several of his shipmates reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge where they learned to fly the Hurricane. Despite his six years of flying experience, after his first flight in a Hurricane he was convinced that “my knowledge of flying added up to next to nothing.” Nonetheless, his experience at the OTU probably set a record since it was only two weeks long. On 27 July he reported to 133 Squadron at Coltishall as part of the initial cadre of that unit. He would never forget his first day when the squadron commander, George Brown, told the new pilots to look around the room since a year later most of them would be dead. And indeed the unit suffered an inordinate number of casualties during its early existence. Sperry was part of the squadron when it was deployed to Eglinton, Northern Ireland, in October, in order to get more flying experience; a trip on which four pilots were killed. He was also a part of the huge party that celebrated the move of the unit back to Kirton-in-Lindsey on 1 January 1942. Action came slowly to the squadron as the winter weather kept them grounded for days on end, but as spring came the squadron was increasingly involved in engagements with the Luftwaffe. On 19 May 1942, George shot down his first German aircraft. Action continued through the summer for all the RAF fighter squadrons and on 16 September, Sperry, who was one of the senior members of 133 and really liked the RAF, reluctantly transferred to the US Army Air Forces. He continued to fly with the RAF, however, and on 26 September 1942 he was part of the greatest disaster to hit the Eagles. George was flying one of twelve brand-new Spitfire IX aircraft that had just been assigned to 133, on what was supposed to be a routine escort mission for American B-17 bombers. He was not initially scheduled on the mission because of trouble with his Spitfire, but the problem was fixed so he was included at the last minute and Don Gentile put on spare. An erroneous weather forecast and possibly some less than sterling judgment caused the unit to run dangerously short of fuel. While they thought they were over England as they let down through the clouds, they were actually over Brest, France, and eleven of the twelve aircraft were either shot down or ran out of fuel and crashed. Four members of 133 were killed, while six, including 408 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

George Sperry, were taken prisoner, and one was able to evade and return to England. The twelfth pilot had returned because of aircraft problems and was critically injured in a crash landing in Dover. The Oakland Post Enquirer and the Oakland Tribune announced George’s fate in banner headlines. Sperry was taken to Stalag Luft III, a German prison camp in what is now Poland, and he was to spend nearly the rest of the war there. In January 1945, the Germans abandoned that camp and moved the prisoners west in the dead of winter to stay ahead of the Russians. Sperry survived this terrible ordeal and was liberated in April 1945. George left the Army after the war and initially went to work for a private aircraft company but also joined the US Army Air Force Reserve. He went on active duty with the Army in 1946 and then became part of the new US Air Force. Sperry remained in the service until he retired in 1966. He then went into retail sales for a number of years before retiring to Pleasanton, California, in the early 1980s. He died there on 18 December 1991.

Sprague, Robert Summerville RAF Number: 103412 Born: 22 January 1919, in Aberdeen, Washington Served: 121 Squadron from 30 September to 12 November 1941, and 71 Squadron from 12 November 1941 to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Christian Science Civilian occupation: Aircraft worker, Consolidated Aircraft, San Diego, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

By the time Bob Sprague graduated from high school, he knew he wanted to fly; and during the following three years he got over 200 hours of flying experience. With the war clouds gathering, he wanted to ensure that he would be flying in the war. In the late 1930s, he had moved from Washington to San Diego to be at the heart of the aviation industry and had also obtained a job with Consolidated Aircraft, which only reinforced his commitment to flying. So it was that on 31 March 1941, twenty-two-yearold Bob Sprague went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in 409 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Los Angeles and applied for duty with the RAF. He was accepted and sent almost immediately to Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for his RAF refresher training. Bob completed the course at Tulsa in early July, and on 22 July 1941 he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England with seven other future Eagles including John Lynch and James Peck. Because of the critical shortage of pilots, Sprague went immediately into operational training reporting to 55 Operational Training Unit at Usworth in Tyne and Wear on 17 August. He completed that program and joined 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey on 30 September. Bob had been in that unit for less than two months when he was transferred to 71 Squadron, then posted at North Weald, to help offset the losses they had suffered. Although the winter was a slow time for the senior Eagle Squadron, Sprague got enough flying to become one of the leaders in the unit. His service with the RAF almost ended on 17 March 1942, when a Spitfire had brake failure while taxiing and hit Sprague’s plane. While his aircraft was demolished, Bob was only slightly injured. He made up for this close call a month later when he probably destroyed his first German aircraft. On 1 June he damaged another German plane but on 24 July he was hit by German flak and barely made it back to England. He got even again on 1 August with another probably destroyed and on 31 August he was promoted to flight leader. In that capacity, he led the last combat mission of 71 Squadron on 27 September 1942. Four days earlier he had transferred to the USAAF. As did most of his squadron mates, Sprague became part of the Fourth Fighter Group on 29 September 1942, being assigned to the 334th Fighter Squadron as a flight leader with the rank of captain. He flew on the first combined mission of all three squadrons of the Fourth on 2 October 1942. Unfortunately, on 26 November, Bob had a midair collision with James Harrington. While Harrington was able to land his badly damaged Spitfire, Sprague was unable to control his aircraft and it spun into the ground. Bob Sprague was killed in the accident. He is buried in Madingley Cemetery in England.

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Stanhope, Aubrey Charles RAF Number: 1385981 Born: 8 June 1920, in Nantes, France Served: 121 Squadron from 9 June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Pilot in the French Air Force Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

Certainly Aubrey Stanhope was one of the most unusual Eagles. He was born in France while his father, an American cavalry officer, was stationed there after World War I. Aubrey’s mother was French but she unfortunately died of pneumonia when he was only three years old. Although his father visited his children every year or two, Aubrey and his sister were raised in France by their maternal grandparents. Thus Stanhope attended French schools and was, except for his dual citizenship and the fact that he was taught English so he was fluent in the language, a Frenchman. His grandparents were fairly well to do and so Aubrey spent a great deal of time in the family villa on the Brittany coast. He also was surrounded by aviation. Not only were there a great number of airplanes from World War I, but the proliferation of French, German, and British pilots resulted in flying being prominent every day to a young boy growing up in France. Stanhope had the additional motivation of an uncle, whom he greatly admired, who was a French fighter pilot in World War I. It is not surprising that he started to fly as soon as he was old enough to take lessons. But as the war clouds gathered in Europe in the late 1930s, Aubrey, like every other young Frenchman, was called to do his military service. Fortunately for Stanhope, he successfully opted for the Air Force and, after completing his training, was appointed a sergeant pilot. When France fell, he was able to escape from Saint Nazarre and sail to Liverpool and to London as one of the Free French that accompanied Charles de Gaulle. He was then part of the armed force that de Gaulle took to West Africa in a failed mission against the Vichy French; and in the autumn of 1940, he returned to England. De Gaulle then gave the airmen in his Army the choice of joining the RAF or going into the new Free French Army. Because he had an American father and an English grandfather, 411 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Aubrey opted for the RAF, which he joined on 5 March 1941. Although he was already a French sergeant pilot, Stanhope had to go through a British pilot training program and it wasn’t until 14 March 1942 that he was appointed an RAF sergeant pilot and awarded his flying badge. It was while he was in training, in September 1941, that he married Muriel Lanther at Hendon. Three weeks after earning his wings, Stanhope was assigned to 55 Operational Training Unit at Usworth in Tyne and Wear to learn to fly the Spitfire. On 9 June 1942, Aubrey reported to 121 Squadron at Southend-onSea and it was from there that he flew many memorable missions including the historic flights in support of the abortive Canadian invasion of France at Dieppe on 19 August 1942. Not long after that, on 23 September 1942, Stanhope transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. On 29 September 1942, he became a member of the 335th Fighter Squadron still flying Spitfires but with US markings. Stanhope made the transition into the P-47 in early 1943 and on 14 May shot down his first German aircraft, an FW-190. He added another FW-190 on 30 July just east of Rotterdam and on 16 August got his third, a ME-109 near Paris. Unfortunately, on 20 September 1943, he was shot down and taken prisoner. He was sent to Stalag Luft III where he remained until January 1945 when he was part of the long, midwinter trek to the west to remain ahead of the Russian advances. He spent the rest of the war in the terribly overcrowded camp at Moosburg. After his release in April 1945, Stanhope was “returned” to the United States. For him the word “returned” was not accurate because, although he was an officer in the US Army Air Corps, he had never been in the United States. He was sent to Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan, as a liaison for French Air Force pilots who were training there. Soon afterward, his uncle persuaded him to leave the Army and join the steel business in New York. Stanhope was not happy in that job so, when the Korean War began, he returned to the US Air Force. After being returned to flying duties, he was sent to Orly Field in Paris where he remained for over three years. It was also in that assignment, while spending time at the family villa of his youth on the Brittany Coast, that he became interested in hunting and fishing. Stanhope had subsequent assignments in the United Kingdom, another tour at Selfridge Air Force Base, Los Angeles Space Systems Command and Hanscom Field, Massachusetts, before retiring in 1967 as a lieutenant colonel. He then devoted himself to hunting and fishing except for 412 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

a brief time with Hughes Aircraft. In 1968, he and his wife bought a two-hundred-year-old house in Maine and began the time-consuming refurbishing process. But as more and more people discovered Maine, the Stanhopes decided to build their own home in the wilderness of the state. There Aubrey continued to hunt, fish, and enjoy his retirement until his death in September 1994. His wife Muriel lives in Walpole, Maine. (The author wishes to thank Mrs. Muriel Stanhope, Aubrey’s widow, for providing material used in this biography.)

Stephenson, Andrew Jackson RAF Number: 116958 Born: 7 July 1913, in Springfield, Missouri Served: 133 Squadron from 28 September to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Church of England Civilian occupation: Glazier, L. P. Fuller Glass and Paint Company, Los Angeles, California Marital status: Married Transfer to USAAF: 28 September 1942

Andrew Stephenson was one of the Americans in the RAF who were transferred to 133 Squadron to fill the spaces left by the casualties of the Morlaix disaster on 26 September 1942. Therefore, he only spent two days as an Eagle and so never flew a mission with the squadron. Flying had always been one of Stephenson’s passions and he had moved to California in the 1930s because that was where the flying was. He did not have a college education and had found a steady job installing windows in Los Angeles. But as Andrew became more concerned about the world situation he, like so many other young men, was convinced that the United States would soon be involved. If that were the case, Andrew wanted to fly. His first hope was to join the Flying Tigers and fly in China. But he had none of the qualifications for that organization, first among which was that you had to be a commissioned pilot in the Army Air Corps. So he investigated further and eventually learned of the Clayton Knight Committee and the chance to fly for the RAF. In late September or early October 1941, Stephenson went to the Clayton Knight offices in Los Angeles and signed up. On 11 October 413 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

he successfully passed his physical in Long Beach and just a month later, on 12 November 1941, he reported to Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California, for RAF refresher training. At Lancaster he flew the PT-13, BT-13 and AT-6. He graduated on 21 January 1942 and was noted as having above average judgment. Andrew had very little time to spend at home before he was on the train for the long trip to Eastern Canada on to England. On 9 February 1942, Stephenson was commissioned and sailed for England. Andrew arrived in England and reported to his first assignment, officers training school in Cosford, on 4 March. On 5 May, he was transferred to an advanced flying unit for a short refresher course and on 26 May, he finally was sent to 58 Operational Training Unit at Grangemouth in Strathclyde. He remained there longer than normal, probably having been kept as an instructor. Finally, on 7 September 1942, eleven months after visiting the Clayton Knight Committee in Los Angeles, he was sent to 501 Fighter Squadron. Andrew was only in that unit for two weeks and he barely got checked out in the Spitfire, before he transferred to the USAAF and was posted to 133 Squadron at Great Sampford on 28 September 1942. The next day, Stephenson was part of the formation when the three Eagle Squadrons became the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. He became a member of the 336th Fighter Squadron. He stayed in the 336th until December 1943 but there is no record his subsequent assignments. Stephenson remained in the Air Force after World War II. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1966 and lived the rest of his life in Lompoc, California. Andrew Stephenson died on 23 December 1983.

Stepp, Malta Leon RAF Number: 67579 Born: 30 October 1919, in San Jose, California Served: 121 Squadron from 19 July 1941 to 22 May 1942, and in 133 Squadron from 23 September to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942 414 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

When Malta Stepp went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Oakland, California, on 14 December 1940, he had a desire to fly, a concern that the war in Europe would soon engulf the United States, and 240 hours of flying time. While there is no record of where and how he learned to fly, Malta had 120 hours of dual and 120 hours of solo experience (the dual figure is somewhat suspect since that would be an inordinate amount of dual time for any pilot). He was a college student at San Jose State College and both a member of the school flying club and enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. Among his friends were future Eagles Selden Edner and Fred Almos. Shortly after his visit with the Clayton Knight Committee, Stepp was accepted and sent to RAF refresher training. He completed that program in early April of 1941 and on 30 April he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England on the same ship as his friend Fred Almos. That same day, both he and Almos were assigned to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. This was an unusual procedure since they had not yet arrived in England, and the two actually did not report to the OTU for nearly a month. Steep completed OTU and was assigned to 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey on 19 July 1941. He remained with 121 until 9 April 1942, and although he did not destroy any German aircraft, he became one of the most respected members of the unit. On 9 April he was sent temporarily to an aerial navigation course returning to 121 on 16 May. During that time, he was also promoted to fight officer. But just a week later, on 22 May 1942, Stepp was transferred to 41 Squadron. On 23 September, Malta found himself once again an Eagle when he was assigned to 133 Squadron at Biggin Hill. That same day he went into London and transferred to the Army Air Forces. Just a week later, on 29 September, he became a member of the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. Because of his longtime service in the RAF, Stepp transferred as a captain and was a flight leader and occasionally served as acting squadron commander of the 336th. He played a key role in the unit’s transition from the Spitfire to the P-47. Unfortunately, on 30 September 1943, Malta Stepp was killed in a P-47 accident in England.

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Stewart, Hubert Layton RCAF Number: J15014 Born: 15 January 1913, in Harnett County, North Carolina Served: 121 Squadron from 16 May to 21 September 1941, and 71 Squadron from 22 September 1941 to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Furniture salesman, Southern Furniture Company, Raleigh, South Carolina Marital status: Divorced Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

Hubert “Bert” Stewart’s path into the Eagle Squadrons was one of the most unusual in the history of the three units. After graduating from high school, Bert worked at several jobs before getting involved in one of the big industries of his area, making furniture. He had started in the furniture business by setting up furniture but soon realized that he needed a college education to really get ahead. So he enrolled in a local college, where he joined the Civilian Pilot Training Program. As soon as he took his first flight, he was hooked. His interest in flying lasted but his commitment to college did not. His instructor had told Bert that he was a natural pilot and he had continued to build up his flying time and experience. When the war started in Europe in 1939, the twenty-six-year-old Stewart knew that he would be involved. So, although he was settled in Raleigh, North Carolina, married, and doing very well as a furniture salesman, he left his wife and drove to Ottawa, Canada, to enlist in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He was accepted but told that he would have to swear allegiance to the King of England and that would cost him his US citizenship. Bert was not ready to do that so he drove back to Raleigh and returned to work at Southern Furniture. But in May of 1940, Bert received a letter from the RCAF telling him that the rules had changed and he did not have to swear allegiance to the king, just agree to obey the orders of his commander for the duration of the war. Bert was in the process of getting a divorce so he again left his job, drove to Canada, and enlisted in the RCAF. Interestingly, after looking at his log book to verify his flying experience and giving him a check flight, Stewart was allowed to skip elementary and basic flight training and was sent directly to advanced training flying the BT-13. Bert 416 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

continued with his training, and was appointed a sergeant pilot, awarded his wings and was ready to go to England when the blow came. He was assigned to be an instructor at 8 Service Flying Training School in Moncton, New Brunswick. Bert appealed, threatened, and pleaded to go to England and to combat but the RCAF was not to be deterred. But as fate would have it, in Montreal he met several Americans who were on their way to England to fly. Among the group were future Eagles Oscar Coen and “Red” McColpin. Stewart decided that he would simply stow away and go to England with them. Bert changed trains, got to Halifax and successfully boarded the ship unchallenged, departing Canada on 24 February 1941. Among his shipmates, in addition to Coen and McColpin, were Joe Durham, Hillard Fenlaw, Loran Laughlin, Tom McGerty, Eddie Miluck, Collier Mize, Wendell Pendleton, Lawson Reed, Fred Scudday, and Tommy Wallace. But when he arrived at the Air Ministry in London things got more difficult. He was considered a deserter by the RCAF and formal punishment was recommended. A very lengthy exchange of messages followed and, fortunately for Bert, the entire situation was worked out in January 1942. In the meantime, Stewart had been sent to an Operational Training Unit and on 16 May 1941 reported to 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey as part of the initial cadre of that unit. The squadron was equipped with old Hurricane I fighters and the pilots spent most of their flying time working on formations, tactics and becoming an operational unit. In July they changed to the newer Hurricane IIB and began flying operational missions. They flew a total of 980 missions in August, most of them the very unpopular convoy patrol. (Also in August, Stewart was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve, a significant move for the stow away. Interestingly, Bert continued to be carried as a sergeant by the RCAF and it was not until January that his retroactive transfer to the RAF and commission really became official.) But 71 Squadron was experiencing a number of losses, so several members of 121 were transferred to the senior Eagle Squadron, including Bert who reported to North Weald and 71 on 21 September. This also meant that he had to check out in a new airplane, the Spitfire Mark VB, the premier fighter of the RAF at that time. Not long after his transfer Bert found himself in a dogfight during which his canopy was shot off, a square-foot hole was blown in his wing and his plane had 130 bullet holes. Bert nursed it back across the Channel and safely landed his crippled ship. 417 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Although he was not credited with destroying any enemy aircraft, Bert was a mainstay in the squadron during the next year. On 23 September 1942, Stewart transferred to the Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. Shortly thereafter, he was sent to the 109th Observation Squadron at Atcham as an instructor. He later left England and served in the Pacific Theater flying P-47s. After the war, Bert returned to the United States to rejoin his war bride, Elaine, who had been an Australian newspaper reporter in London. He left the Air Force in 1950 and spent his working years in sports and product promotion. After retirement, he became a full time RVer, finally settling in Florida. He was a regular attendee at the annual reunions of the Eagle Squadron Association. Bert died on 10 May 2003, and rests at the Barrancas National Cemetery. His four sons all had careers in aviation. (The author thanks Rod Stewart, Bert’s son, for providing material for this biographical sketch.)

Stout, Roy Neal, Jr. RAF Number: 100531 Born: 3 October 1916, in Ash Grove, Missouri Served: 133 Squadron from 1 September to 8 October 1941 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: General business, Klines, Inc. department store Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 8 October 1941

There is nothing in the available records about Roy Stout’s early life. He apparently lived in the area of Missouri where he was born until he entered Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, Missouri, probably as a freshman in high school. He remained at Wentworth until June 1934, when he graduated. He apparently then went to college and probably graduated because a Roy Neal Stout Jr. is listed among those members of Alpha Phi Omega, a national coed service fraternity, who were killed in World War II. Roy may have even enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. At Photo courtesy of Wentworth Military Academy

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some point he apparently joined the US Navy Aviation Cadet Program but did not complete the training. He must have progressed a significant way through the cadet program, however, for when he reported to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Kansas City on 6 January 1941, he had 100 hours of dual and 107 hours of solo flying time. He was quickly accepted and probably in February was sent to the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for RAF refresher training. He completed the course in late May 1941. On 5 June 1941, Roy was commissioned in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and boarded the SS Bayano for the voyage to England along with eighteen other future Eagles. The voyage took twenty-five days, so Roy did not complete his processing into the RAF and the needed personnel actions at Bournemouth until 14 July, when he was assigned to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. Stout completed his fighter training the end of August and on 1 September 1941 he joined 133 Squadron at Duxford as part of the original cadre of that unit. At that time they were flying the Hurricane IIB. Just five weeks later, on 8 October 1941, 133 was transferred to Eglinton, Northern Ireland, for further training. On that trip, four of the unit’s aircraft and pilots were lost when they hit a hill as they let down through the clouds to refuel on the Isle on Man. Roy Stout was one of the pilots killed in that incident.

Strickland, Harold Herman RAF Number: 101461 Born: 1 August 1903, in Independence, Louisiana Served: 133 Squadron from 1 September to 28 September 1941, and 71 Squadron from 29 September 1941 to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: District flight supervisor in the Civilian Pilot Training Program of the Civil Aeronautics Authority Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

Thirty-eight-year-old Harold Strickland was one of the oldest American volunteers to fly for the RAF. As such, the five-foot, six-inch, blue-eyed, redhaired Strickland had also been involved in flying longer than any of the 419 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Eagles. He saw one of the very early flyers, Lincoln Beachy, at the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco and he was hooked. He then watched his three older brothers go off to fight in World War I, and when they returned he heard their tales of flyers and what a wonderful world that must be. In 1921, Strickland, who had been orphaned at sixteen, joined the US Army with the idea of preparing to go to West Point. Although that did not materialize, he was chosen to enter the Army Aviation Cadet Program in 1924. Unfortunately, he was washed out of the program and returned to his previous Army specialty, meteorology. But his urge to fly only became greater and in 1928 he left the Army to work as the chief ground instructor of the Jack Stinson Flying Schools. Harold also continued to fly whenever he could and finally, in early 1932, got the necessary 200 hours to obtain a US Department of Commerce Commercial Transport License. His career in aviation was now assured and for the next eight years he flew as a commercial pilot, flight instructor, and test pilot for General Aeronautics Corporation in Detroit as well as being a CAA flight examiner and CAA district flight supervisor. In mid-1940, he was appointed a district flight supervisor in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. Strickland thought about trying to join the RAF during the Battle of Britain as he read of the exploits of the pilots of Fighter Command and saw a number of the CPTP instructors leave to volunteer for the RAF and RCAF. He was also deeply moved by the cause of freedom and the words of Winston Churchill. One late spring day in 1941, while flying his open-cockpit Waco UPF7 between South Bend and Indianapolis, Harold made the decision to resign his job and volunteer for the RAF. Strickland’s process of entering the RAF was very unusual, however. He first drove to Washington and visited the British Embassy in May 1941. They put him in touch with the Clayton Knight Committee in New York. He was immediately accepted, and because of his flying experience and over 2,000 hours of flying time, Harold was sent directly to Canada without attending any RAF refresher training. On 24 June he arrived in Ottawa, was given a flight physical and a check flight and boarded the train for Montreal. On 27 June 1941, Strickland, along with future Eagles Eric Doorly, Fred Gamble, LeRoy Skinner, John Brown, James Daley, and Sam Whedon, boarded the Norwegian freighter Olaf Fostenes, and set sail down the Saint Lawrence River. At that time they 420 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

all were commissioned as pilot officers in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Two days later they were at sea and on 9 July anchored at Glasgow, Scotland. After an overnight train trip to London, reporting to the Air Ministry, and being fitted for uniforms, Strickland arrived at 3 Personnel Reception Center in Bournemouth. Three days of living in the Metropole Hotel and two air raids later, on 14 July, Harold was posted to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly the Hurricane. There he came face to face with his first advanced fighter aircraft and also the reality of seeing his friends and classmates injured or killed because of a combination of bad luck, mechanical failure, weather and pilot error. In the end, it was the English weather with its rain, low ceilings and visibility and fog, combined with little or no actual weather experience, that the new American pilots feared the most. Even Strickland, with his over 2,000 hours, did not have an instrument rating. Harold completed the OTU program on 25 August and, after seven days leave in London, reported to 133 Squadron at the Duxford satellite field in Fowlmere flying the Hurricane II. On 29 September 1941, he was transferred to 71 Squadron at North Weald where he immediately transitioned into the Spitfire VB fighter. On 11 October, he flew his first combat mission. During the following year, Strickland flew fifty-six combat missions and over 170 hours with that unit. Although he did not shoot down any German aircraft, he emerged as one of the senior leaders in the senior Eagle Squadron. In July, Strickland, along with a number of other pilots from 71, volunteered to take a squadron of Spitfires to Russia. After a farewell dinner and many good wishes, the group packed and was ready to go when they found that the ship carrying the Spitfires they were supposed to teach the Russians to fly was sunk going into Murmansk. The mission was cancelled. On 19 August, Harold flew three of the four unit missions flown in support of the Canadian landing at Dieppe, the only action in which all three Eagle Squadrons participated. On 15 September 1942, Strickland’s RAF career came to an end when he transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a captain. He then spent several days in London at the home of Roland Robinson, a member of Parliament and 71’s intelligence officer. While Strickland was in the ranks at the ceremony on 29 September, which formally marked the transfer of the Eagles to the US Fourth Fighter Group, he departed immediately afterward for Eighth Air Force Headquarters. There 421 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

he remained on special assignment until 15 October when he returned to the 334th Squadron at Debden. Harold flew regular missions for the next month but was then picked as part of a group of eight former Eagles to return to the United States on a bond drive. He left England on the Queen Elizabeth on 4 December 1942 and was in Washington on 15 December. Following the bond tour, Strickland was assigned to the fighter test section at Eglin Field, Florida. In July 1943, Strickland was transferred to the USAAF air intelligence school in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He returned to England in May 1944, shortly before D-day, as part of the Ninth Tactical Air Command Headquarters and moved to France ten days after the invasion. The Headquarters continued to move with the invasion and Strickland ended the war in Germany. He had flown fifty-six combat missions and more than 80 hours of convoy patrol. He had damaged one enemy fighter. After World War II, Harold left the Army Air Forces as a major but continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve until 1963 when he retired as a lieutenant colonel. However his primary job was as an intelligence research specialist in the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington, DC. After his retirement from government service, he became a writer. Strickland died unexpectedly on 25 May 1981, in Washington, DC. (The author thanks Harold’s wife, the late Mrs. Pat Strickland, for her help in writing this biographic sketch.)

Taylor, Benjamin Albert RAF Number: 112307 Born: 31 May 1918, in Spokane, Washington Served: 121 Squadron from 10 May to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Piecer, Salem Linen Mills, Salem, Oregon Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

Benjamin Taylor grew up in the Pacific Northwest and apparently went to work at the Salem Linen Mills soon after graduating from high school. While there is no information available about his early flying career, it is fairly safe 422 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

to assume that Ben, like so many of the young men who signed up to fly in the RAF, was concerned that he would end up fighting on the ground in the coming war and wanted to ensure he could fly. Since Taylor did not have the two years of college required for entry into the US Army Aviation Cadet Program, the RAF seemed the best way. He must have had a reasonable amount of flying experience by the time he visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Portland, Oregon, on 22 May 1941, because he was accepted for further training in the RAF refresher program. Taylor apparently waited about three months before actually attending one of the schools, enrolling in late August. He completed his training in late November and in early December 1941 departed Canada on the voyage to England. That same day he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Taylor arrived in England near the end of December, and after his processing at Bournemouth he was sent to 5 Student Flying Training Squadron for about six weeks of additional training. On 24 February, Ben reported to 53 Operational Training Unit at Llandow in Llantwitt Major, Wales. Two months later, on 10 May 1942, he completed his fighter training and reported to 121 Squadron at North Weald flying Spitfire VB aircraft. Ben rapidly became a valued member of the unit. He was wounded on 21 July 1942 and was in the hospital off and on through most of August. On 15 September he went to London and transferred to the USAAF with the rank of second lieutenant. Two weeks later he became a member of the 335th Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. There is no record of how long Taylor remained in that unit but probably was still assigned there when he was killed in an aircraft accident on 22 December 1944, at Ramsbury, England.

Taylor, Edwin Dale RAF Number: 102053 Born: 20 January 1919, in Durant, Oklahoma Served: 133 Squadron from 20 October 1941 to 31 July 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: October, 1942

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Brown-haired, blue-eyed Edwin Dale Taylor, sometimes called Dale as well, was a natural athlete. While he was not large, five feet, seven inches, and 155 pounds, he was tough and aggressive, which made him a real competitor. His father was a sheriff in southeastern Oklahoma for twentyfive years so Edwin was at home with a rifle from boyhood. He developed keen eyesight and was a superior marksman, traits he would use later as a fighter pilot. He learned to fly when he was still a teenager, and by the time he was twenty, had a commercial pilot’s license. By that time, he was enrolled at Southeastern State College in Durant, Oklahoma, and also finding a few jobs teaching flying for about four dollars an hour. But when Edwin saw the newsreels and read about the Battle of Britain and exploits of the Royal Air Force he and his best friend, Moran Morris, began to talk seriously about trying to join the Royal Air Force. Taylor was particularly motivated because of his commercial pilot’s license and over 400 hours of flying time. So Edwin borrowed his mother’s car and he and Morris drove to Dallas, Texas, to visit the Clayton Knight Committee. He filled out the needed paperwork and, amazingly, was not asked for any proof that he had the required flying experience. Probably because of his flying background, Taylor was notified of his acceptance almost immediately. In February 1941, he passed his RAF physical and in March entered the RAF Refresher Training Program at Bakersfield, California, along with Morris and future Eagles Tommy Andrews and Roger Atkinson. Taylor completed the program at Bakersfield in late June and was sent by train through Detroit to Ottawa and then to Montreal. On 10 July 1941, he was commissioned in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England aboard SS Mosdale. With him on the ship were fellow pilot officers Tommy Andrews, Roger Atkinson, and, of course, his friend Moran Morris. The group landed in England in late July and was sent to the personnel center at Bournemouth and then to 52 Operational Training Unit at Debden to fly the Spitfire. Taylor completed the OTU and on 20 October 1941 reported to 133 Squadron at Eglinton, Northern Ireland. The unit had been sent there for operational training because it had lost several pilots due to accidents during the first few months of its existence. The assignment was fortunate, because it gave Taylor the opportunity to get used to flying the Spitfire and also the hazard and boredom of convoy patrol over the North Atlantic. It was also at Eglinton that he picked up his nickname 424 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

of “Jessie.” One night Edwin and some other pilots broke into the officers’ mess after it was closed and drank a little too much. When the station commander found out about the episode, he called Taylor and the others into his office. “Where do you come from?” he asked Taylor. “Oklahoma,” Edwin replied. “And who do you think you are, Jessie James?” asked the commander. From that day forward, Taylor’s squadron mates called him Jessie. The name stuck throughout the rest of his military career. On New Year’s Day 1942, 133 returned to England and Kirton-in-Lindsey. But the winter weather restricted their operation, and although they spent some time on alert and standby status, as well as flying more convoy patrol and an occasional escort mission, the unit had many “stand down” days during which they had little to do. But the arrival of spring brought better flying weather as well as a rapid and welcome increase in the action against the Germans. On 7 May, 133 was moved to Biggin Hill in the heart of the action against the Luftwaffe and just three weeks later Taylor was credited with damaging an ME-109 near Dieppe. On 31 July, Taylor’s life changed rapidly. The squadron engaged a large German force and Jessie very rapidly shot down an FW-190 and damaged an ME-109. At about that same time, his wingman Carter Harp was shot down and killed and Taylor was seriously wounded. He was blinded for a short time by the impact of a German bullet, but when his eyesight returned he was able to shoot down two more FW-190s before running out of ammunition. He barely made it back to England and collapsed on landing, but his three destroyed and one damaged was a squadron record. There were 107 bullet holes in his Spitfire. He was taken to an RAF hospital, had surgery, and never returned to 133 Squadron. Because of a change in squadron commanders, his accomplishments that day were also never submitted for the Distinguished Flying Cross. Thus, Taylor was officially credited with two German aircraft destroyed and one damaged while in the RAF. He was still recuperating when 133 became the 336th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group. Taylor returned to the United States for recuperation and in October 1942 transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a first lieutenant. He returned to flying as soon as he was able and went to the 371st Fighter Squadron of the Ninth Air Force, flying P-47s. He was part of the air armada that supported the invasion of France in June 1944 and was the first American 425 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

fighter pilot to land in France. He then assumed command of the 406th Fighter Squadron for the remainder of the war. After World War II, Taylor stayed in the Air Force and retired as a lieutenant colonel. He subsequently went into business in San Clemente, California. He and his wife, Edith, a retired military nurse, became the unofficial historians of the Eagle Squadrons and compiled a great deal of vital information about the units. Edwin also served as president of the Eagle Squadron Association and was responsible for obtaining the Spitfire that resides today in the San Diego Aerospace Museum. Edwin Taylor died on 22 September 2003, in San Clemente.

Taylor, James LaRue RAF Number: 110338 Born: 16 December 1913, in Shelbyville, Indiana Served: 121 Squadron from 27 March to 19 August 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Salesman Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 19 August 1942

James Taylor’s record is very incomplete. There is no information about where he grew up or what he did after he graduated from high school. He apparently attended college for at least two years but there is no notation of where or when. He was also in the ROTC and apparently joined the US Army Aviation Cadet Program but did not complete the training for unknown reasons. He listed his occupation prior to joining the RAF as a salesman but there is no indication if he left the Aviation Cadet Program and then went to work in that capacity or if he was a salesman prior to becoming an aviation cadet. Given the experience of most Eagles who were in aviation cadets, the latter seems more likely. In any case, Taylor visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Nashville, Tennessee, on 9 May 1941, and with his 95 hours of flying time, was accepted for duty with the RAF. In June 1941, Taylor reported to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Bakersfield, California, and spent about three months upgrading his flying skills. On 15 October 1941, Jim Taylor was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England, along 426 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

with future Eagle and squadron mate Ralph Freiberg. Upon his arrival, he completed the usual in processing and was then posted to 55 Operational Training Unit at Usworth in Tyne and Wear. He completed that training at the end of December and on 6 January 1942 Jim was posted to 54 Squadron, probably flying Spitfires. Less than two months later he was transferred to a special navigation school and on 27 March 1942 he was posted to 121 Squadron at North Weald flying Spitfire VB aircraft. During the next several months, Taylor saw action regularly with his unit. On 19 August 1942, all three Eagle Squadrons were, for the first time, in action together in support of the ill-fated invasion of France at Dieppe. In the melee that occurred over that chaotic landing site, James Taylor’s Spitfire apparently collided with another aircraft and he was killed.

Taylor, Kenneth Samson RAF Number: 83701 Born: 25 March 1917, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Served: 71 Squadron from 9 December 1940 to 8 August 1941 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Accountant with Department of Motor Power, Los Angeles, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service or killed in action, 8 August 1941

Although Ken Taylor was born in Canada, at least one of his parents must have been an American since Taylor is listed as being a US citizen. At some point he evidently moved from Canada to California and also went to college for at least two years. In 1939, he was working as an accountant in Los Angeles when he decided that he wanted to fly if the United States became involved in the developing war in Europe and he joined the US Navy Aviation Cadet Program. He was eliminated from the Navy program in the spring of 1940 for unspecified reasons, and apparently returned to Canada. On 15 July 1940, Ken took an RAF flying physical in Ottawa. Because of his 150 hours of flying experience, much of which was no doubt gained while he was in the Navy, he was apparently also 427 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

given a flying evaluation in Canada and on 20 July he was granted a commission as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England. Taylor was one of the few Eagles who came into the RAF in this direct way. The track that Taylor took after he arrived in the United Kingdom was also unique. He was immediately assigned to 5 Student Flying Training Squadron and remained there for an inordinately long time, from 12 August 1940 to 26 October 1940, no doubt sharpening his flying skills and meeting the RAF pilot qualifications. Taylor apparently did well, for on 20 September he was awarded his flying badge for the second time since he was already listed as a pilot when he was commissioned on 20 July. There is then a month gap in Taylor’s record and on 18 November 1940 he was posted to 6 Operational Training Unit where he spent about three weeks learning to fly the Hurricane. On 9 December 1940, Ken reported to 71 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey flying Hurricanes. This was a dull and difficult period for that unit. Because most of the pilots were inexperienced, like Taylor, they were posted to an area that saw little action and so most of the unit’s flying, when the winter weather in England allowed, was training. But in April, the unit moved to Martlesham Heath where they began to see more action against the Germans. Another move in June put them at North Weald and into nearly daily combat situations. During the next months Taylor flew a number of combat missions and was credited with one German aircraft damaged. In August, 71 began to exchange their Hurricanes for Spitfires and Taylor was one of the first pilots to fly the new aircraft. On 8 August 1941, just six days after he had been promoted to flight officer, the official record reports that he crashed and was killed during a training flight. The Board of Inquiry concluded that he crashed because of dog fighting at too low an altitude and a lack of familiarity with the aircraft (Spitfire). The Eagle Squadron records, however, note that Taylor’s Hurricane was shot down and he was killed in action on 9 August.

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Taylor, William Douglas RAF Number: 115122 Born: 20 April 1918, in Springfield, Massachusetts Served: 71 Squadron from 19 May to 31 August 1942 Religious preference: Episcopal Civilian occupation: Machine operator, Smith and Wesson Company, Springfield, Massachusetts Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 31 August 1942

William Taylor grew up in Springfield and lived there his entire life until he went to war. After graduating from high school, he went to Springfield College but there is no record of how long he was enrolled. In 1941, he went to work at the local Smith and Wesson factory and used a portion of his pay to purchase flying time. There is no record of what motivated him to go to New York City in June 1941 and visit the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, but it was probably the desire to fly in the war he was sure would soon involve the United States. He apparently had a reasonable amount of flying time because he was accepted and on 17 August 1941 reported to Lancaster, California, for RAF refresher training. He completed his training in late November, and on 13 December 1941 he departed Canada for England on the same ship as his Polaris classmates Don Gentile, Alfred Hopson, Glenn Smart, and Fonzo Smith, the HMS Letitia. That same day all of them were commissioned as pilot officers in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Bill arrived in England on 26 December and, after his processing at Bournemouth, was sent to 5 Student Flying Training Squadron for about six weeks of additional training. On 24 February, he reported to 53 Operational Training Unit at Llandow in Llantwitt Major, Wales. He completed his fighter training and on 19 May 1942 reported to 71 Squadron at Martlesham Heath flying Spitfire VB aircraft. Taylor was immediately thrown into the action as all three Eagle Squadrons were moving into the most active and productive period of their existence. In late August, Bill was notified that he would soon transfer to the Army Air Forces but he never made that transfer. On 31 August 1942, his Spitfire was hit by enemy fire as he strafed a German flak ship off the Belgian coast near Flushing. He successfully bailed out 429 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

of his stricken aircraft, got into his dingy and waved a flag to his squadron mates overhead. Unfortunately, bad weather closed in and William Taylor was never found. He is listed as presumed killed in action on that date.

Taylor, William Erwin Gibson RAF Number: 86597 Born: 4 July 1905, in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas Served: 71 Squadron from 3 October to early November 1940 and from early January to 5 June 1941 Religious preference: Episcopal Civilian occupation: Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

William E. G. Taylor lived in the military almost all his life. His father was a career Army officer who was stationed at Fort Leavenworth when Bill was born. Taylor traveled with the family to the Philippines as well as to locations throughout the United States, and by the time he was a junior in high school he had decided that he wanted a military career like his father’s. Bill obtained an appointment to Annapolis but was injured on a freighter bound for South America and was unable to attend the Naval Academy. Instead, he enrolled in New York University but left after two semesters to join the US Navy and learn how to fly. Taylor was successful in his efforts, was commissioned as an ensign in the naval reserve, and began flying the latest Curtiss Hawk F6C-3 fighter at Hampton Roads, Virginia. He subsequently sailed to San Diego on the aircraft carrier Lexington. A short while later, he was released from active duty. But Taylor was a gregarious individual, and one of his talents was meeting and impressing people in important places. One such acquaintance was the chief of Marine Corps Aviation, who offered Bill a commission in the Volunteer Marine Corps Reserve as an aviator. On 23 October 1928, he became a Marine. For the next five years, Taylor served as an instructor at Pensacola, Florida, and then as commander of the reserve aviation unit in Squantum, Massachusetts. But in 1933 he was again released from active duty. He then joined United Airlines as a copilot and stayed with them 430 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

until 1936 when he left to become a travel agent. He continued in the Marine Corps Reserve, rising to the rank of captain. Taylor apparently traveled to London in the summer of 1939 and while there decided to try to reenter the active military. Through the efforts of the American ambassador, he was able to resign from the Marine Corps and obtain a commission in the Royal Navy. After a refresher flying training program and becoming carrier qualified, he was sent to Norway aboard the carrier Glorious. It was there that Bill saw his first aerial combat. A few months later he returned to the United Kingdom and, in the spring of 1940, was sent to the United States as part of the British Purchasing Mission attempting to obtain new aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy. While in Washington, Taylor’s career took another amazing turn when he met Colonel Charles Sweeny and his nephew Robert, who were attempting to enlist American pilots for service in a proposed all-American squadron of the RAF. Certainly Taylor was impressive to the Sweenys, both because of his long and diverse military and civilian flying experience and his dashing image as a tall, handsome officer. The pair convinced Taylor to accompany them back to England late that summer, and after assuring him that he would command the new squadron, Taylor again resigned his commission in the Royal Navy. On 3 October 1940, he was appointed a flight lieutenant in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. When the formation of the first Eagle Squadron, 71, was officially announced by the Air Ministry on 8 October 1940, Taylor was listed as the commander. When he arrived at the squadron in Church Fenton, however, he found that a British officer, Walter Churchill, was actually the squadron commander. That was an untenable situation, so Taylor soon left the unit and joined 242 Squadron, where he checked out in the Hurricane. In January 1941, Churchill became seriously ill and Bill returned to 71 as the squadron commander, a position he held until 5 June 1941. During that time, he was responsible for bringing the unit to full strength and ensuring it was operationally ready for combat. It reached operational status on 1 February 1941. At the same time, those who were anxious to get into action against the Germans criticized Bill for holding the squadron out of combat and seeking too much publicity for the American pilots. The problem eventually became so great that Taylor was relieved from command on 5 June 1941, ostensibly because of his age: thirty-six. 431 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

On 18 July 1941, Taylor resigned his commission in the RAF and returned to the United States where he once again was commissioned in the US Navy Reserve as a lieutenant commander. His first posting was to Pearl Harbor, and he was there when the Japanese attacked on 7 December 1941. He returned to the United States in February 1942 where he remained as commander of a night fighter unit until November 1944 when he was sent to the Pacific as a technical advisor on the staff of the commander, Carrier Division Seven. In April 1945, he was transferred to North Africa. He returned to the United States as a captain and was medically retired in 1951. Taylor then managed the Braniff International Terminal in Panama, and subsequently served as vice president for political affairs of Scandinavian Airlines, from which he retired in 1970. He then lived in Washington DC, Florida, and finally, Hawaii. His amazing and colorful career came to an end when he died on 9 June 1991. (Some of the material for this biographical sketch was taken from “An Eagle with Wings of Gold: The Remarkable Career of Bill Taylor,” by Thomas Wildenberg, Air Power History, Volume 48, Fall 2001.)

Teicheira, George RAF Number: 114074 Born: 17 January 1920, in Alamo, California Served: 71 Squadron from 24 March to 1 June 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Apprentice, A. Hansen Realty Company, Oakland, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 1 June 1942

George Teicheira obviously fell in love with flying early in his life. Growing up in Northern California he was able to see all the flying activity around the San Francisco Bay Area and must have been particularly impressed by the huge “China Clippers” that landed there and docked at Treasure Island. As the war heated up in Europe and the United States came ever closer to being involved, George knew that he wanted to fly. So in May or early June of 1941, he visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Oakland and was accepted for the RAF. His acceptance 432 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

indicates that he had a considerable amount of flying time. In August he reported to the RAF refresher training course in Bakersfield, California, along with a number of future Eagles including Len Ryerson, Don Young, and LeRoy Gover. There he flew the PT-17 and the AT-6. He graduated on 24 October 1941, and, after a week or so at home, boarded the train for Halifax. On 20 November 1941, George was commissioned a pilot officer, and he left Halifax on the Emma Alexander for the long voyage to England. On 7 December 1941, after seventeen days at sea, George and his friends disembarked at Liverpool and boarded the train for London. His processing was rapid, and on 16 December 1941 he reported to 53 Operational Training Unit at Llandow in Llantwitt Major, Wales, along with his Bakersfield friends, Don Young and LeRoy Gover. Just before Christmas George took his first flight in the Spitfire, and then spent the next three months perfecting his skills in that aircraft and preparing for his assignment to an operational squadron. On 24 March 1942, Teicheira left Llandow for Martlesham Heath and duty with 71 Squadron, flying Spitfire VB aircraft. It was a good time for George to arrive at 71 because the real action was just beginning after a winter of very bad weather and little flying. Sweeps over the Channel and western France soon became the norm for George, as did periodic engagements with the Germans. Just as Teicheira was really getting into the routine of squadron operations and starting to become an experienced fighter pilot, he was shot down and killed on a bomber escort mission over Bruges, Belgium, on 1 June 1942.

Thorpe, Clifford Ralph RCAF Number: J15127 Born: 11 November 1915, in Portland, Oregon Served: 121 Squadron from 26 August 1941 to 13 April 1942 Religious preference: United Church of Canada Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

While there is nothing in the available records about Clifford Thorpe’s early life or how he got interested in flying, he apparently moved to Canada, 433 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

possibly for work after high school, since he listed his permanent address as Calgary, Alberta. The coming of war in Europe probably effected him deeply as did the desire to fly in the conflict in which Canada was already embroiled. The first notation in his record is his enlistment in the RCAF on 23 August 1940, no doubt with the objective of becoming a pilot. Cliff was successful in that effort and began his flight training on 14 October 1940. Seven months later, on 17 April 1941, he was awarded his pilot’s badge with a recommendation that he be assigned to fly fighter aircraft. He was promoted to technical sergeant on 26 April 1941, thus becoming a sergeant pilot. He probably sailed for England almost immediately. Upon arrival he was sent to an OTU and, on 26 August 1941, reported to 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey. (As is the case with many RCAF pilots, the official record, which lists him as reporting on 7 January 1942, is in error. That was the date he was commissioned as a pilot officer.) Thorp and his squadron mates flew primarily convoy patrol missions for the rest of the year. In October they received Spitfire IIA’s and just a month later changed over to the Spitfire VB, armed with cannons, so it was also a good time to get accustomed to the new aircraft before entering significant combat. With spring came more intense action and frequent contact with the Luftwaffe as the unit flew escort missions and fighter sweeps over France and the low countries. Cliff was a very active flyer in 121 but the lack of action during the winter of 1942 had apparently prompted him, along with several other Eagles, to volunteer for duty overseas. So Thorpe left 121 Squadron on 6 April 1942, and on 13 April he was assigned to the Middle East but the location is not noted. He apparently flew in several locations during the next few months, but on 15 September 1942 he was reported missing. His record notes that he was initially a prisoner of war in Italy but was then transferred to Germany. Although he was a prisoner, Cliff was promoted to flying officer in the RCAF on 1 October 1942. Thorpe remained a prisoner throughout World War II, the last entry on his record noted, “Previously POW now safe in UK.” Thorpe’s record stops at that point. There is nothing known about his activities or whereabouts after the war. He was never active in the Eagle Squadron Association and his current status is listed on their records as unknown.

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Tilley, Reade Franklin RCAF Number: J15011 Born: 15 March 1918, in Clearwater, Florida Served: 121 Squadron from 16 May 1941 to 10 April 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: College student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 13 October 1942

Adventure and speed were always a key part of Reade Tilley’s makeup. He was born into a well to do family so he was able to chart his own course without worrying about money. Since his father was a doctor, it was always assumed that Reade would follow in his footsteps. But the handsome sixfoot-four young man did not share that interest. After graduating from high school, he entered college in Florida to try the premed curriculum but it just didn’t appeal to him and he dropped out after two years. Race cars and airplanes were more his style. He tried to get into racing and even went to Indianapolis but was unable to get anyone to sponsor him. But flying was another matter. Tilley had some flying experience while still in high school, but when he entered the Civilian Pilot Training Program in college, flying became a much more serious matter. This was compounded by the situation in Europe, and Reade decided to become a military pilot. After all, he had a significant tie to England since several of his ancestors had come to the New World on the Mayflower. Since he had the necessary two years of college, Tilley applied to the US Army Aviation Cadet Program but he was turned down because he was too tall. He had heard that the Royal Canadian Air Force was looking for pilots and decided to give that a try. Reade went to Canada determined to become a fighter pilot, and on 10 June 1940 he joined the RCAF. But he did poorly on the pilot aptitude test because of low scores in mathematics. Tilley convinced his commander to give him a week off to study so he could retake the exam. Reade hired a tutor, concentrated on math, and passed the test. The complete pilot training program followed, and in early 1941 Tilley was awarded his pilot’s wings, appointed a sergeant pilot and set sail for England. Reade was devastated when, upon his arrival, he was assigned to a bomber Operational Training Unit. So Tilley contacted everyone he knew 435 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

or could think of in England, including Charles Sweeny, the founder of the first Eagle Squadron, in an effort to change his assignment to fighters. His perseverance paid off and he was transferred to Fighter OTU at Uxbridge. After completing that training, he was posted to 121 Squadron at Kirtonin-Lindsey on 16 May 1941 as part of the original cadre of that unit flying Hurricanes. But the action he so dearly sought evaded him as the unit concentrated on training, convoy patrol, and an occasional scramble against German aircraft or sweeps into France. He was also frustrated by what he thought were poor fighter tactics employed by the British. In fact, he was later to write a major white paper for the RAF on this subject. In August 1941 he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RCAF and two months later ran out of fuel when he was caught in unforecast weather and had to bail out of his aircraft. That caused a two-month stay in the hospital while his leg and back healed from the accident. The tall, handsome, distinguished Tilley, who women thought looked like Clark Gable, also had time to go to London and enjoy the big city. His squadron mates said that Reade was so good looking that women would walk into light poles because they couldn’t take their eyes off of him. But action against the Germans was what Tilley craved as he whiled away the winter of 1941–42 grounded a large part of the time because of weather. And while he was credited with probably destroying a German aircraft over Calais on 23 March 1942, the frustration continued to build and in March he volunteered for duty overseas, which usually meant Malta. On 10 April, Tilley left 121, along with several of his squadron mates including Art Roscoe, Leo Nomis, “Tiger” Booth, Hiram Putnam, Fred Scudday, and Fred Almos for Malta. And it was the assignment to Malta that really gave Reade the experience for which he had joined the RCAF. The trip to that beleaguered island began on 20 April 1942, with the group flying unarmed Spitfires off the aircraft carriers Wasp and Furious far out in the Mediterranean, on the nearly eight-hundred-mile trip to the island. Tilley was to do this same feat again a few weeks later. But during the next three months, in the midst of almost constant attacks by the Germans and Italians, food shortages, sickness, and terrible living conditions, Tilley shot down seven German aircraft and probably destroyed one more. For that accomplishment, he was not only an ace but he was awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross for “great gallantry.” He returned to England in 436 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

August 1942, and two months later, on 13 October, transferred to the US Army Air Forces. There is no record available of what he did during the rest of World War II, except that he authored several papers on fighter tactics while attached to Eighth Air Force Headquarters. Reade remained in the Army Air Forces after the war and in 1947 transferred to the US Air Force. He was primarily assigned to Strategic Air Command in the public affairs field and was the public affairs officer for General Curtis LeMay, the commander of SAC, for a number of years. Tilley retired from the Air Force as a colonel and settled in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He remained active in a number of military organizations and his advice was often sought on matters of Air Force policy. He also served as president of the Eagle Squadron Association. Reade died in Colorado Springs on 28 March 2001.

Tobin, Eugene Quimby RAF Number: 81622 Born: 4 January 1917, in Salt Lake City, Utah Served: 71 Squadron from 20 September 1940 to 7 September 1941 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action 7 September 1941

Eugene “Gene” Tobin was a very handsome young man and very active as well. In high school he participated in sports and other activities, but his real love was flying, and had been since his first airplane ride. After graduating from high school his love of flying took him to Southern California, which was the mecca for fliers during the 1930s. There he flew charter flights out of Los Angeles Municipal Airport, and by early 1940 he had amassed over 500 hours of flying time. But for Gene, the real challenge was to fly fighters, and that meant going to Europe and getting involved in the war. In March 1940, Tobin and his good friend and future Eagle, Andy Mamedoff, were contacted by a man representing a World War I veteran and soldier of fortune, Colonel Charles Sweeny, who offered them an opportunity to fly for Finland. The two quit their jobs and got ready to go but then Finland surrendered to Russia. Immediately the opportunity was changed to 437 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

flying for France, and the two were shortly sent to Canada. There they met a third flier and future Eagle, Vernon Keough. The three were sent on to Halifax and then put on a ship for France. They arrived in Paris in early May, along with several other pilots recruited by Sweeny, but were unable to get any interest from the French. Fortunately, they were able to escape from France to England on one of the last boats prior to the French surrender. There they met a member of Parliament who had pity on the three and arranged for them to join the RAF. On 5 July 1940, Tobin reported to 7 Operational Training Unit at Hawarden. There he got about 35 hours in the Hurricane, and on 5 August 1940 Gene reported to 152 Squadron. But he never even got his bag unpacked, since the next day he was reassigned to 609 Squadron. There he got his initial introduction to combat flying and was even able to shoot down a Dornier bomber. He was one of the seven Americans who flew in the Battle of Britain. In the meantime, the British had authorized the creation of a squadron to be manned by American volunteers, 71 Squadron. The unit came into being on 19 September 1940 at Church Fenton with three pilots reporting that day, Eugene Tobin and his two buddies, Andy Mamedoff and Vernon Keough. By 8 October there were sufficient personnel assigned for the Air Ministry to announce the existence of the unit but that did not mean any flying or action against the Germans. It was not until 24 October that three obsolete US Brewster Buffalo fighters arrived at the unit, which was still not fully manned. These aircraft were completely unsatisfactory. On 7 November, 71 received old Hurricane I’s and two weeks later moved to Kirton-in-Lindsey, but it was not until January 1941 that they began any operational missions. The prime mission was convoy patrol over shipping in the North Sea and, while very dangerous, it meant little contact with the Germans. By this time several members of the unit had requested transfers because of the lack of action, and those who didn’t, like Tobin, suffered through hours and days of boredom. In April 1941, 71 moved to Martlesham Heath and four days later had their first encounter with the Luftwaffe. A month later they received Hurricane II aircraft. Action remained sporadic, however, and it was not until late summer that contact with the Germans became commonplace. On 7 September 1941, 71, along with two other squadrons, was ordered out on a fighter sweep over France. This was one of the first missions in the 438 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

newly arrived Spitfire VB’s. On this supposed routine mission, the formation was attacked by nearly one hundred German fighters. Three members of 71 were shot down. One of them was Eugene Tobin who was listed as missing. This was later changed to killed in action. Unfortunately, all three of the 71 pioneers, Tobin, Mamedoff, and Keough were killed before the United States entered World War II. Although Eugene Tobin did not see as much action against the Germans as many other American pilots, he was one of the experienced fliers who held the fledgling unit together and an American who gave his life for freedom before his country even entered the war. (The author thanks Mrs. Helen Maher, Eugene’s sister, for help in preparing this biographical sketch.)

Tribken, Charles Wallace RAF Number: 64866 Born: 29 July 1918, in Rochester, New York Served: 71 Squadron from 2 June 1941 to 20 March 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Episcopal Civilian occupation: Guide and page, National Broadcasting Company, New York City and Hollywood, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 30 December 1942

Charles “Wally” Tribken grew up in New York and he was fascinated with airplanes. He apparently began flying right after he completed high school and it was his involvement in flying that caused him to move from New York to Los Angeles in 1940. It took only a few months at the area airports for him to become convinced that the United States would be involved in the coming war and that if he wanted to fly in that conflict, he had better take any opportunity he could get. Fortunately, it was the airports of Southern California that Colonel Charles Sweeny and then the Clayton Knight Committee picked to begin their campaigns to obtain pilots for the RAF. Wally had over 200 hours of flying time when he visited the Clayton Knight Committee in Los Angeles on 16 October 1940 to take a physical and sign up for the RAF. He was soon sent to the Polaris Flight Academy at 439 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Grand Central Air Terminal in Glendale for RAF refresher training. Among the future Eagles in his class were Bill Geiger, John Campbell, Jack Weir, Robert Mannix, Ross Scarborough, Don Geffene, and Tommy McGerty. The group completed their training in early March and Wally joined Bob Mannix and Bill Geiger for the train trip across the United States to Canada. On 25 March 1941, Tribken embarked on the voyage for England, along with his classmates from Polaris, and was also commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. The voyage took about two weeks, and after the necessary in processing in London and at the personnel center at Uxbridge, Wally was assigned to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge where he learned to fly the Hurricane. He completed this training in about six weeks, and on 2 June 1941 he joined 71 Squadron flying Hurricanes at Martlesham Heath. Just two weeks later the unit moved to North Weald and in July flew 568 operational missions, so Wally became an experienced fighter pilot very rapidly. In August, 71 made the transition to Spitfire IIs, and Tribken was part of the first unit mission flown in those new fighters. A month later they got the more powerful Spitfire VB aircraft. Action continued at a high level for the unit, and in October they led all RAF Fighter Squadrons in the number of German aircraft destroyed, a fete they repeated the following month. During this period, Tribken was credited with one enemy aircraft probably destroyed. In December, Tribken was detached from 71, sent to a special navigation course for two weeks, and then returned to the unit. During the late winter and early spring of 1942, several Eagles, including Tribken, decided that they wanted to leave the terrible weather of England and volunteered for duty overseas. For most that meant Malta, but for Tribken it was Africa. On 20 March 1942, shortly after he was promoted to flight officer, he departed 71 and went first to Durban, South Africa, and then to Cairo, Egypt. On 16 July he was posted to an airfield midway between Cairo and Alexandria flying British P-40s. In mid-August, he moved to El Alamein and remained there until November 1942. During that time, he was credited with shooting down an Italian Macchi 202 aircraft. On 10 November he was injured in an accident and spent a week in the hospital. While he returned to his unit, he evidently decided that it was time to transfer to the US Army Air Forces. On 30 December 1942, that transfer was complete, and shortly thereafter, Tribken returned to the 440 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

United States. He returned to Europe as part of the June 1944 Allied invasion force, but was killed in a Jeep accident in Belgium in November 1944.

Tucker, Thaddeus H. RAF Number: 64867 Born: 2 October 1912, in Sacramento, California Served: 121 Squadron from 9 June to 15 August 1941 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Unknown Transferred to USAAF: Unknown

Because his official records are not available, little is known about Thaddeus “Thad” Tucker. He grew up in California, but there is nothing available about his early life, his initial interest in aviation or the reasons why he joined the RAF. He probably became interested in flying for the RAF as a way of ensuring he could fly in the coming war. He went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee at the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel in November of 1940 and applied for the RAF. Tucker must have had a reasonable amount of flying time because he was accepted for RAF refresher training at Spartan School of Aviation Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In his class were future Eagles Selden Edner and Vivian Watkins. Tucker completed his training course in early March 1941, and on 25 March 1941 he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England along with seven other future Eagles. He arrived in England in early April 1941, went to the Air Ministry, got his uniforms, and reported to the personnel center at Uxbridge, before being assigned to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly the Hurricane. He completed that training and reported to 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey on 9 June 1941 as one of the original cadre. At that time the unit was flying the Hurricane IIB. For unknown reasons, Thad did not remain in 121 Squadron very long. On 15 August 1941, even before the second Eagle Squadron was combat ready, Tucker was posted to another RAF unit. There is no record of what Tucker did during the remainder of the war or after the war. His status is listed as unknown by the Eagle Squadron Association. 441 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Vance, Fred R. RCAF Number: R80721 Born: Date and place unknown Served: 121 Squadron from 3 March to 25 August 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Fred Vance is another of those Eagles about whom very little is known. Because his records are not available, most of his background, such as his early life, how he got interested in flying, and why he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force are all unknown. He probably went to Canada in the early spring of 1941 and signed up with the RCAF. His training was about seven months long so he would have gotten his Pilot’s Flying Badge and appointment as a sergeant pilot in November 1941. Shortly thereafter he no doubt sailed for England, arriving about the end of December. That would mean that he entered an Operational Training Unit in late December 1941 or early January 1942. As soon as he completed that training he was sent to 121 Squadron at North Weald arriving on 3 March 1942, the first date known for sure. He rapidly established himself as an excellent operational pilot, and on 27 May 1942 he damaged two German fighters in an intense aerial combat with aircraft defending a German shipping convoy. Apparently, Fred volunteered for overseas duty shortly after his arrival in 121. On 25 August 1942, he departed for Africa. He eventually ended up in 112 Squadron Flying P-40s in the Mediterranean area. Fred Vance was killed in action on 13 July 1943, in Sicily.

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Vosburg, Murray Slauson RAF Number: 100534 Born: 7 January 1918, in Los Angeles, California Served: 71 Squadron from 24 October 1941 to 3 June 1942 Religious preference: Episcopal Civilian occupation: Rancher Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

In many ways, Murray Vosburg led the life that was so often pictured for a Californian in the 1930s. He lived on a beautiful, treed ranch in Azusa, California, learned how to fly, rode horses, and never worried about snow and cold. But as World War II darkened the horizon, Vosburg realized that if he was going to fly in that war, he was going to have to find a source other than the US Army since he did not have the two years of college required for aviation cadets. So on 30 October 1940, Murray went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles to sign up for the RAF. He must have had considerable flying time, since he was accepted immediately but was not assigned to an RAF refresher training school for several months. In early 1941, he reported to the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for training that he completed in May. On 5 June 1941, he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England on the SS Bayano along with eighteen other future Eagles including Spartan classmates Cecil Meierhoff, Jim Nelson, Gene Potter, Roy Stout, Walter Soares, and William White. The voyage was an unusually long twenty-five days. After arrival and the required in processing at Bournemouth, Murray was sent to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to familiarize him with such things as instrument flying and combat tactics. While there he had a minor aircraft accident and was slightly injured. He still completed his training on schedule and was assigned to 43 Squadron on 27 August 1941. There he learned how to fly as part of a combat unit. Two months later on 24 October, Murray was transferred to 71 Squadron at North Weald. At that time the unit was leading all RAF Squadrons in the number of German aircraft destroyed for the month; a feat it repeated in November 1941. But then the winter settled in and most of the flying was once again patrols and 443 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

training. Contact with the Luftwaffe decreased so Vosburg saw very little action. It was in January that Vosburg had the first of several medical problems. He was hospitalized in January and March for several days. In May he was promoted to flight officer but again hospitalized for nearly a month, and on 3 June 1942 he was moved from 71 Squadron to an administrative unit where he served as a duty pilot ferrying aircraft and transporting personnel. Vosburg transferred to the Army Air Forces on 16 September 1942, but he did not become a member of the Fourth Fighter Group. There is no record of where he served for the remainder of World War II. Following the war, Murray left the Army and returned to California. He eventually settled in Bakersfield where he worked in sales and promotion. He continued to fly periodically for his own enjoyment. Murray Vosburg died in California on 6 December 1976.

Wallace, Thomas Cherry RAF Number: 61933 Born: 15 October 1917, in Oakdale, Pennsylvania Served: 71 Squadron from 19 April 1941 to 11 March 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Pilot Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

Tommy Wallace was convinced that flying was the way he would make his living. At some point in time, possibly when his father died, he and his mother moved from Pennsylvania to California, and that simply made his desire to fly greater. He was able to get enough flying time by 1939 so he could make his living as a pilot. No doubt Tommy was very impressed by the daily accounts of the Battle of Britain as it raged in the skies over England in 1940, and particularly with the heroes of the conflict—the fighter pilots of the RAF. Thus it was that on 24 October 1940 Wallace went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel and signed up for the RAF. He passed the physical and, because he had over 150 hours of flying time, was accepted and sent to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California. Tommy finished 444 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

his training, and on 24 February 1941 he was commissioned in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and, along with eleven other future Eagle pilot officers, embarked on his voyage to England. After processing into the RAF, Wallace was sent to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge arriving on 6 March 1941. There he learned to fly the Hurricane, and on 19 April 1941 he joined 71 Squadron at Martlesham Heath. Wallace arrived in the unit just at the beginning of it’s first extensive action against the Luftwaffe. During the next year the unit squadron moved to North Weald in June 1941 and then back to Martlesham Heath in December, and also changed aircraft from the Hurricane to the Spitfire in August. Wallace was a key part of all these actions, and he was credited with destroying two German aircraft. In March 1942, Tommy left 71 and became an instructor at 57 Operational Training Unit at Howarden in Clwyd. No reason is noted for this transfer. He apparently remained in this capacity until 23 September 1942, when he transferred to the USAAF. There is no record of where Wallace was posted after he transferred but on 5 January 1943 he married movie star Carole Landis. During World War II he was credited with destroying four enemy aircraft, probably destroying another four and damaging three. He remained in the Army Air Forces until November 1946. After he left the Army he went to work for General Tire Company as a salesman but probably stayed in the Air Force Reserve. He returned to the Air Force in March 1953 for six months but then went back Akron, Ohio. It appears that Tommy then went to South America, probably in a flying job. He may have then returned again to Akron. Tommy Wallace passed away on 16 November 1968.

Wallace, William Raymond RAF Number: 103479 Born: 5 January 1919, in Los Angeles, California Served: 133 Squadron from 16 October 1941 to 9 February 1942 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Passenger Agent, Union Pacific Railroad, Los Angeles, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 28 September 1943

445 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

It was probably only natural that William Wallace would end up flying in World War II since he grew up in Los Angeles, which was the center of flying for the entire United States during the 1920s and 1930s. Following graduation from high school, Wallace took the first good job he could find and became a station agent for Union Pacific Railroad in Los Angeles. He probably used all the money he could spare to buy flying time at one of the many local airports. But as war seemed to be more and more imminent in 1941, Bill became concerned about being able to fly if the United States entered the conflict. He knew that he was not qualified for the Army Air Corps flying program, but fortunately he heard of the opportunity to fly for the RAF being offered through the Clayton Knight Committee. On 18 March 1941, he visited their offices in Los Angeles and signed up. At the time he had about 180 hours of flying time, all in light aircraft. Wallace was sent to RAF refresher training at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and completed the program there in July. On 4 August 1941, along with two of his Spartan classmates and future Eagles, Wilson Edwards and Charles Cook, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England. On arrival, he and his two friends took the train to London where they remained for a few days and then were sent directly to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly the Hurricane. (The three apparently did all their in processing at the Air Ministry and never went to the Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth. In this regard, they were unique since most in processing after 1 June 1941 was done at Bournemouth.) About two months after his arrival at the OTU, Wallace was assigned to 133 Squadron effective 16 October 1941 and joined the unit at Eglinton, Northern Ireland. After taking the train to Liverpool, the ferry to Belfast, and then a bus to Eglinton, Wallace, still in the company of Cook and Edwards, was finally in an operational squadron. When they reported in they found that the unit had transitioned from Hurricanes to Spitfires and was busily involved in becoming familiar with their new aircraft, learning unit tactics, and flying convoy patrol. On 1 January 1942, 133 Squadron returned to England and was posted to Kirton-in-Lindsey in 12 Group, still away from the action against the Germans. Bill was also one of the Eagles who fell in love, and on 20 January he married Bronwen Joan Pearson at the Registrars Office in Chelsea. 446 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

For unspecified reasons, but probably because he had separated his shoulder in 1935 and possibly reinjured it so that he was no longer qualified to fly combat, the newly wed Wallace was transferred from his Eagle Squadron on 9 February and posted to 59 OTU at Crosby-on-Eden in Cumbria, as an instructor. His record notes that he was subsequently assigned as a student at Coltishall on 5 April 1942, possibly to become a bomber pilot. There is no note of a further transfer so he may well have stayed there as an instructor. On 4 August 1942, he was promoted to flight officer and there is a notation that he was approved for retention in the RAF subject to periodic review, possibly because of his shoulder. A year later, on 4 August, he was again approved for retention and promoted to flight lieutenant. On 28 September 1943, Wallace relinquished his commission in the RAF and transferred to the US Army Air Forces. There is no available record of his duties or what he did after the war, although he apparently left the Army and returned to Los Angeles. He died on 16 February 1976, in California.

Ward, Rufus Clyde RAF Number: 61920 Born: 17 July 1911, in Brownwood, Texas Served: 71 Squadron from 19 April to 4 August 1941 Religious preference: Baptist Civilian occupation: Machinist Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

Rufus Ward was the son of a meat cutter and a teacher. When he was about ten years old his family moved from Brownwood to Fort Worth, Texas, where the rugged five-foot, eight-inch Rufus graduated from high school. He had always been interested in mechanical things and so took a job as a machinist. This lead to an interest in airplanes and flying so he began to use what money he could spare to take flying lessons. Rufus was fortunate to have Claude Gosset, an early aviation pioneer, as an instructor. On 15 July 1935, he soloed in an Aeronca C-3 at the Dallas airport. For the next five years, Ward continued to work as a machinist but on 18 September 1940 he went to Ottawa, Canada, and enlisted in the Royal 447 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Canadian Air Force Special Reserve. While there is nothing in his record to indicate why he decided to join the RCAF, it may well have been to teach flying because he was almost immediately posted to Camp Borden, Toronto, where he apparently served as a pilot instructor in the grade of technical sergeant. In a strange turn of events, he was discharged from the RCAF on 9 December 1940, apparently for the purpose of enlisting in the RAF. There is no information about his status at that time, but on 4 February 1941 he received orders to proceed from Ottawa to Halifax to sail for England. He embarked on 6 February on the Dutch cruise ship Jon Vonorlendvonbelt. With Ward on that vessel were future Eagles Bill Hall, Oscar Coen, and stowaway Bert Stewart. On that same day he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. On 3 March 1941, Ward reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge where he learned to fly the Hurricane, and on 19 April 1941 he joined the first Eagle Squadron, 71, at Martlesham Heath. He flew with the unit into the summer of 1941, logging 302 hours of fighter time, but on 4 August 1941, for unknown reasons, Ward resigned his commission in the RAF and returned to the United States. He immediately took a job as a flight instructor at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and was assigned to their training facility at Muskogee, Oklahoma, on 9 September 1941. After 2,500 hours of flying training future Army Air Forces pilots, Ward left Spartan on 28 June 1943 to join the Enlisted Reserve Corps of the US Army Air Forces. Just two months later, on 30 August 1943, Rufus was discharged to accept a commission as a first lieutenant in the regular US Army. Ward then served as a flying instructor at Coleman, Brady, and Brownwood, Texas. On 22 July 1945, he left active service and joined Delta Air Lines in Dallas, Texas. After a short stint there, he became a pilot for Premier Oil Company. In 1947, Ward stopped flying to become a production supervisor for International Motor Rebuilders in Houston, Texas. He stayed in automotive engine rebuilding the rest of his working career. In 1975, he retired from Airborne Connectors in Addison, Texas, where he had been a senior quality control inspector. He died on 15 March 1983. (The author thanks Rufus’s son, Andrew Ward, for providing some of the material for this biographical sketch.)

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Warner, John William RAF Number: 65977 Born: 28 October 1921, in Hoquiam, Washington Served: 121 Squadron from 30 June to 19 July 1941, and 133 Squadron from 1 August to 15 September 1941 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Did not transfer

There is no information available to shed light on what John Warner did during his early life, how he learned to fly and when he moved from Washington to Long Beach, California. When he visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Seattle, Washington, on 27 December 1940, he listed his permanent address and that of his guardian as Long Beach. While he indicated he was a student when he joined the RAF, he had to have been involved nearly full time in flying to have amassed about 250 hours by the time he was nineteen years old. Warner was sent almost immediately to Grand Central Air Terminal in Glendale, California, for the RAF Refresher Training Course. Less than four months after visiting the Clayton Knight offices, he had completed his training, and on 20 April 1941 he was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England, along with future Eagles Clarence Martin, Ross Scarborough, and Jack Weir. After his arrival in England and the necessary in processing, he was sent to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge. Warner completed the OTU program rapidly, and on 30 June 1941 he reported to 121 Squadron stationed at Kirton-in-Lindsey, flying Hurricanes. A week later, on 6 July, probably before he even had a chance to get checked out, he was admitted to the hospital at RAF Halton for two weeks. He did not return to his previous unit but was posted to 129 Squadron. Warner was in that unit for twelve days and on 1 August 1941 was again reassigned, this time to 133 Squadron at Coltishall as part of the initial cadre of the third Eagle Squadron. There he was also flying Hurricanes. For reasons not indicated in his record, Warner was reassigned to the personnel depot at Bournemouth just a month and a half later on 15 September. On 29 September 1941, his commission was 449 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

terminated. He probably returned to the United States, but there is no record of his activities during the rest of the war or what he did after World War II. His status is listed by the Eagle Squadron Association as unknown.

Watkins, Vivian Eugene RAF Number: 64868 Born: 30 August 1908, in Fort Pierce, Florida Served: 121 Squadron from 2 June 1941 to 7 March 1942, and 133 Squadron from 7 March to 24 April 1942 Religious preference: Christian Church of California Civilian occupation: Manager of Union Oil service station in Martinez, California Marital status: Divorced Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 24 April 1942

Vivian Watkins was one of the older members of the Eagle Squadrons. By the time he visited the Clayton Knight Committee office in Oakland, California, on 1 November 1940, he was thirty-two years old, had been married, divorced, and had a son. He also had spent a great deal of time flying since his record showed about 450 hours of flying time. Watkins had been working as the manager of a Union Oil Company service station in Martinez for about three years. Given his considerable flying experience, Vivian was immediately accepted for the RAF and sent to Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in late November or early December for RAF refresher training. He completed the course in early March 1941 and on 25 March was commissioned and sailed for England along with his Tulsa classmates, new pilot officers Sel Edner and Thad Tucker. He reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to upgrade into the Hurricane immediately upon completing his in processing. Watkins completed that training and was assigned to 121 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey as part of the original cadre on 2 June 1941. At that time, the unit was equipped with Hurricane IIB aircraft. In October 1941, 121 transitioned to the Spitfire IIA. A month later they upgraded to the Spitfire VB, which had three hundred more horsepower than than the IIA, and soon thereafter, moved to North Weald. Aside from a stay of nearly a month in the hospital at RAF Halton in late November and early December of 1941, 450 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Watkins was a regular part of the action of 121 Squadron for about nine months. On 7 March 1942, he was transferred to 133 Squadron at Kirtonin-Lindsey as part of an effort to increase the experience level of the pilots in that unit. Less than seven weeks later, on 24 April 1942, Vivian Watkins was killed in action when his aircraft was shot down near the coast of Holland. The Germans reported that his body was washed ashore on 10 July 1942, near Callantsoog, Holland. He is buried there.

Weir, Jack Wesley RAF Number: 65978 Born: 26 June 1920, in Los Angeles, California Served: 71 Squadron from 3 July to 28 August 1941 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Mechanic, Howard Buick Agency, Los Angeles, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 28 August 1941

Jack Weir was a young man who stood out in a crowd. He was good looking, the ladies loved him, and so he was very popular during his days at Hollywood High School. He also enjoyed mechanics and became interested in flying when he was still in school. By the time he graduated he had his pilot’s license. One of his best friends was future Eagle Art Roscoe who shared his love of flying. After graduation, Jack went to work for the Buick dealer in Hollywood and continued to fly every chance he got. It wasn’t long before Weir, Roscoe, and another friend bought a used Aeronca Champion, which the trio spent hours rebuilding and fixing up. Jack even took the seats down to the Buick dealer and got his friends to reupholster them. But the Aeronca was not nearly powerful enough, and Weir, like his friend Roscoe, longed to fly faster and more exciting aircraft. They also talked often about the coming war and the heroes of the Battle of Britain. Simply by chance, the pair were at the airport in Glendale working on their airplane when Tommy McGerty, who was then enrolled in the RAF refresher training course at Polaris Flight Academy, made a forced landing because of some engine trouble. They began talking, and McGerty told them about the 451 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

RAF and the Clayton Knight Committee. Because they had the required flying time, for Weir over 200 hours, on 21 January 1941 the pair were at the Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel looking at the very attractive receptionist and signing up for the RAF. Because Roscoe had less than perfect vision, Weir was accepted first. The pair sold their shares in the Aeronca and Weir was off to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Polaris Flight Academy in Lancaster, California. Jack completed that course in early April, and on 20 April 1941 he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England, along with Polaris classmates Clarence Martin, Ross Scarborough, and John Warner, six weeks ahead of his pal Roscoe. Weir arrived in early May, and on the 19th he reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly the Hurricane. After completing that course, Weir was posted to 607 Squadron on 30 June 1941. Just four days later, on 3 July, he was reassigned to 71 Squadron at North Weald, flying Hurricanes. This was a time of fairly intense action for the unit, so the newly arrived Weir learned rapidly. About the end of July, Weir’s friend Art Roscoe arrived in 71 so the buddies were back together. On 28 August 1941, Jack got permission to use one of the unit’s Miles Magister training aircraft for a few hours to simply fly around and see the countryside. He called up Roscoe and asked him to go along. Roscoe agreed, but then was unable to find transportation to the flight line so Weir took one of the mechanics with him. During the flight, Weir tried to do a half-roll too close to the ground and crashed, killing both himself and his passenger. (The author thanks the late Art Roscoe for providing some of the information used in this biographical sketch.)

Whedon, Samuel Fisk RAF Number: 101462 Born: 20 July 1919, in Appleton, Wisconsin Served: 133 Squadron from 1 September 1941 to 3 April 1942 Religious preference: Christian Science Civilian occupation: Studio utility employee, MetroGoldwyn-Meyer Studios, Hollywood, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 3 April 1942 452 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Although he was born in Wisconsin, Samuel Whedon grew up in California. His family apparently moved there in the 1930s and made their home in Beverly Hills. After high school, Sam had a good job in the movie industry but also wanted badly to fly. He, like so many other Eagles, did not have the necessary two years of college for admission into the Army or Navy Aviation Cadet Programs but did not want to be in the infantry when the war, then raging in Europe, engulfed the United States. He apparently had a little flying experience, but must have altered his log book to show much more than the actual 30 hours of flying time he had, for when he visited to the Clayton Knight Committee in Los Angeles on 25 February 1941 to join the RAF, he was accepted. Sam was sent to RAF refresher training at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from which he graduated in early June. On 27 June 1941, Whedon sailed from Montreal, Canada, on board the Norwegian freighter Olaf Fostenes, along with six other future Eagles, including Eric Doorly and Harold Strickland. On that date he was also commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Sam arrived in Glasgow, Scotland, on 9 July and boarded a train for London. After processing at the Air Ministry and getting his uniforms at Moss Brothers Clothiers, he was sent to the personnel center at Bournemouth. On 14 July 1941, he reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge to learn to fly the Hurricane. Six weeks later, on 1 September, Whedon reported to 133 Squadron at Duxford as part of the original cadre of that unit. At the time they were flying Hurricane IIB fighters. Shortly after his arrival in 133, the unit was sent to Eglinton, Northern Ireland, and transitioned into the Spitfire IIA. They remained there, flying convoy escort missions and training flights until the end of 1941, when they moved to Kirton-in-Lindsey where Whedon and his squadron mates upgraded into the Spitfire VB aircraft. The unit was in its first action against the Germans on 5 February but most of the flying was still convoy patrol duty with an occasional sweep into France. During this time, Sam emerged as one of the most popular and admired pilots in the unit. On 3 April 1942, however, Whedon was involved in a minor midair collision with Bill Arends and was forced to bail out of his Spitfire. Sam’s parachute opened and he waved to his squadron mates, who were following him down to indicate that he was all right. Unfortunately, when Whedon landed, a strong gust of wind caught his parachute and caused him to lose his footing. He fell backward and hit his head on a rock, which killed him. 453 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

White, William Joseph RAF Number: 100535 Born: 25 June 1920, in Belvidere, Illinois Served: 133 Squadron from 26 August to 8 October 1941 Religious preference: Roman Catholic Civilian occupation: Mechanic, W. H. Wells Aircraft Service, location unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed on active service, 8 October 1941

William White apparently decided that he wanted to fly when he was still in high school. After graduation he went to work at a local airport and began to accumulate flying time. Bill flew whenever he had the chance and had over 180 hours of experience when he visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee in Kansas City, Missouri. Although his official record says he made that visit on 7 June 1941, that date is in error. He probably went there in January or February 1941. In any case, White was promptly accepted and sent to Spartan School of Aeronautics at Tulsa, Oklahoma, for his RAF refresher training. He completed that course in late May, and on 5 June 1941 White sailed from Canada for England on the SS Bayano along with eighteen other future Eagles, and on that same day he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. After arriving in England in late June, he was sent to Bournemouth for processing into the RAF as well as an officer orientation. About two weeks after his arrival, on 14 July, he reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge for advanced training in Hurricanes. White reported to the newly formed 133 Squadron at Duxford on 28 August 1941 as one of the original cadre. At that time the unit was flying Hurricanes. During the next few weeks the third Eagle Squadron worked on gaining operational status but accidents, a lack of experienced personnel, and a pending change to the Spitfire prompted Fighter Command to transfer 133 to Eglinton, Northern Ireland. On 8 October 1941, the squadron departed Fowlmere for the flight to Eglinton. While letting down for a refueling stop on the Isle of Man, four members of the squadron were killed when their Hurricanes hit a hill and were destroyed. One of those four was William White.

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Whitlow, Gordon Herschell RAF Number: 116462 Born: 11 August 1920, in Lander, Wyoming Served: 71 Squadron from 23 June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Lineman, Roy Wilson Aviation School, Denver, Colorado Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 15 September 1942

Gordon Whitlow was actually born as Herschell Plants but was adopted by Cyril and Rena Whitlow on 17 June 1921 through the Wyoming Children’s Home Society, so he must have been either orphaned or put up for adoption by his natural mother. In any case, Gordon apparently grew up in Colorado, probably Denver. He enrolled in Colorado A&M College in 1938 but evidently did not stay there very long, possibly because he wanted to be involved in flying. He got a job at the Denver airport but early in 1941 decided to try to join the RAF. There is no record of how much flying time he had when he contacted the Clayton Knight Committee but he had enough to be accepted. It is not clear just how Gordon signed up since the Clayton Knight Committee did not have an office in Denver. In any case, he took his physical for the RAF in Fort Collins, Colorado, on 28 May 1941, but there was a considerable delay before he was sent to an RAF refresher training school. He finally enrolled in the program in Lancaster, California, sometime early in the fall of 1941. On 7 January 1942, Whitlow was commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England, along with Polaris classmate Bob Priser. He arrived in the United Kingdom late in January 1942 and was sent to a short officer training school. On 16 March, he was posted to an advanced flying unit for more instruction, and it was not until 21 April that Gordon reported to 52 Operational Training Unit at Aston Down in Gloucestershire. He completed that training in June, and on 23 June was posted to 71 Squadron at Debden. During the rest of the summer, Gordon flew mostly bomber escort missions over France. On 19 August he was part of the huge escort and troop cover operation that accompanied Operation Jubilee, the ill-fated invasion of France at Dieppe. On 15 September, Whitlow went into London with several of his squadron mates and transferred to the US 455 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant, and on 29 September became a member of the 334th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force. He was part of the first mission flown by the Fourth on 2 October 1942. During early 1943, the Fourth exchanged their Spitfires for P-47s. The transition process took about three months, during which they continued to fly both escort missions and convoy patrol in their Spitfires. On 15 April 1943, Gordon was part of the first P-47 bomber escort mission and he was also promoted to first lieutenant. On 21 May 1943, the bomber escort mission of which Whitlow was a part was met by particularly heavy German resistance. Gordon and two of his squadron mates were shot down in the action over Ghent, France. Unfortunately, Gordon Whitlow was killed.

Wicker, Walter Charles RCAF Number: R74415 Born: 14 January 1922, in Chicago, Illinois Served: 133 Squadron from 9 December 1941 to 27 April 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Student Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 27 April 1942

Walter Wicker, “Wick” or “Charlie” to his friends, was a very unique young man. Born into a fairly well-to-do family, he could have done about anything with his life that he chose, but he decided that he wanted to spend it in service to his fellow man. Wick grew up in Chicago, the home of his family for several generations. His great-grandfather was a prominent city councilman in the late 1800s and had drowned off the coast of Florida attempting to save his companions on their capsized sailboat. So it was no surprise that Wick seemed always concerned with doing the right thing. Wick’s parents were divorced but each was very successful. His father, who lived in Florida, was an author and producer. His mother, who had moved to New York City, became a nationally known radio personality, “The Singing Lady,” with her own award-winning children’s program. Walter attended private schools and was able to travel and eventually learn to fly. He was also an independent spirit, a trait that unfortunately got him dismissed from Phillips 456 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. He then attended Norfolk School in Norfolk, Connecticut, where he flourished, graduating in 1939. There the five-foot, eleven-inch, 150-pound athlete with brown hair and blue eyes participated in football, baseball, and track, but he also became interested in the social causes of the day. He was impressed with the work of several authors, particularly John Steinbeck, and decided that he wanted to be a writer. To experience some of the broad realities of life in the United States, Wick went south to Mississippi during the summer of 1939 and joined a group of migrant workers. Upon his return, he enrolled in the University of Virginia to pursue his quest to become an author. After his first year, however, he decided that he wanted to learn to fly. He did not return to the University but went to Florida. There he completed a Civil Aeronautics Administration ground school and initial flying course where he got about 35 hours of flying time. Wick had been concerned with Europe and the rise of Nazi Germany for some time. In 1938, when he was just sixteen years old, he was attending a movie with his sister Nancy. She remembered: “They were playing a newsreel showing Hitler making a speech with that terrible hysteria in his voice and wild gesticulations. The audience was laughing. Wick was shocked and white-faced when he turned to me and said, ‘They shouldn’t laugh. He is a dangerous man and will have us all in war.’” Apparently the fall of France and the threatened invasion of England were enough for Wick. With his parents’ permission, on 2 November 1940, the eighteen-year-old Wicker joined the Royal Canadian Air Force with the objective of becoming a fighter pilot. For the next ten months, he progressed from the Manning Depot at Ottawa through 8 Training School at Moncton, to 1 Intermediate Training Squadron at Toronto, and finally, in April 1941 he began to fly at 3 Elementary Flying Training School at London, Ontario. This was followed by 1 Service Flying Training Squadron at Camp Borden, and on 20 August 1941 Wick was promoted to technical sergeant and awarded his RCAF Flying Badge. During that time, he flew about 140 hours in aircraft ranging from the very basic Fleet bi-plane to the advanced AT-6 “Harvard.” His overall rating was above average. After completing his training, Wick took leave to visit his mother in New York City, and then returned to Halifax from which he sailed for England on 15 September 1941. Wicker arrived in England on 29 September, and after the necessary in processing, he was assigned to 55 Operational Training Unit at Usworth 457 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

in Tyne and Wear, reporting on 20 October. Eight days later, he took his first flight, fifty minutes in a Miles Master, and on Halloween he finally came face-to-face with a real fighter when he flew three flights, totaling 2 hours and 15 minutes, in the Hurricane. On 8 December 1941, he took his last flight in the Hurricane and completed the OTU with an above average grade. The next day, Wick embarked for Northern Ireland to join 133 Squadron, which was just transitioning into the Spitfire, at Eglinton. At that time he had about 190 hours of flying experience. Winter in Ireland was cold and dreary but Wicker made his first flight in the Spitfire on 18 December and on 22 December flew his first operational mission, convoy patrol over the forbidding Atlantic. On 1 January 1942, 133 was posted back to England at Kirton-in-Lindsay. Flying began there on 5 January, but all Wicks’s flying until the last day of the month was training. He then began a month of convoy patrol, a few scrambles against reported enemy aircraft, and a number of training missions—a total of thirty-three flights. The same routine followed during March, but on 12 March he was forced to make a crash landing because his landing gear would not come down. He was uninjured and flew again the next day. It is interesting to note in his logbook the loss of members of his squadron, such as that of Sam Whedon on 3 April. He simply notes that Whedon and Arends collided in midair, and “Sam didn’t make it.” On 13 April, Wick finally got his own Spitfire and spent the next three days testing the cannons and getting familiar with his plane. On 16 April, he flew his first combat missions over France and noted in his logbook that he saw four FW-190s. Ten days later he was involved in his first combat during which his leader, Carroll McColpin, destroyed an FW-190. The next day, 27 April 1942, Wick flew his first bomber escort mission. He never returned from that mission, and his body was washed up on the English coast two days later. His aircraft apparently was hit over Ostend, Belgium, and he was trying to make it back to England when he crashed. He is officially listed as killed in action off Dover, England. He was twenty years old when he gave his life for his fellow man. (The author wishes to thank Walter Wicker’s sister, Nancy Wicker, for her help in preparing this biographical sketch.)

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Willis, Donald Kenyon RAF Number: 105136 Born: 7 August 1911, in Marion, Indiana Served: 121 Squadron from 2 June to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Church of England Civilian occupation: Purchasing agent and salesman for furniture manufacturing company in Indiana Marital status: Unknown Transfer to USAAF: 23 September 1942

Donald Kenyon “D.K.” Willis’s youth would make a good movie. The son of college professors, it was assumed that higher education would be the path taken by the young man but nothing could have been further from reality. Willis was free-spirited and rebellious, a trait he first demonstrated while still in high school when he ran away from home and worked on a freighter plying the waters between the West Coast of the United States and Japan. He eventually returned to high school, graduated, and went off to college, but that was short lived. He loved the sea and adventure, and took a job as purser on a freighter that sailed the waters of South America. It was the freedom that Don found on the ocean that led him to flying. He had that same feeling on his first flight and decided he wanted to be a pilot. Flying lessons followed, and soon D.K. had earned his pilot’s license. He also went to work for his grandfather who was a furniture manufacturer. Willis bought materials as well as sold furniture to dealers, another job that involved freedom, since he traveled primarily to Chicago and New York on his business trips. It was on one of those trips to New York in the summer of 1939 that Don’s life took a major turn. His grandfather had recently given D.K. a new red Chrysler convertible that he drove on the trip. While in New York, he met a violin-playing Finn in a bar who had a friend who talked about the need for pilots in the Finnish Air Force. The drinks continued to flow, and when Don awoke, both he and his red convertible were on a freighter sailing for Helsinki. Apparently Willis had agreed to serve in the Finnish Air Force. Don liked Finland, and particularly enjoyed flying over the vast forests that covered the country. But flying an open-cockpit biplane, the British-built Bristol Bulldog, in the winter in combat against superior Russian fighters was a 459 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

different story, and as the fortunes of the Finns waned, Willis decided it was a good time to leave Finland. He went to Norway in March 1940, apparently leaving his Chrysler convertible in Finland, and began flying for the Norwegian Navy. But a few weeks later, the Germans attacked Norway and Willis had to flee again, this time in a two-engine Heinkel 115 light bomber that he stole from the Germans. Amazingly, he got to the Shetland Islands, surrendered to a British naval officer, and then joined a Norwegian naval contingent in the United Kingdom. But as the war continued, he determined he wanted to be in the action, and so joined the RAF. On 25 August 1941, Willis was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. He was then apparently assigned to general flying duties and possibly some flying training schools for several months. It was not until 31 March 1942 that Willis reported to 61 Operational Training Unit to learn to fly the Spitfire. On 2 June 1942, he was sent to 121 Squadron at North Weald. He began operational flying immediately, and on 25 August was promoted to flight officer. Unfortunately, on 1 September, he burst an eardrum and so did not fly again as an Eagle. On 23 September Willis transferred to the US Army Air Forces and no doubt set a record, since the American pilot’s wings were added to those of Finland, Norway, and the RAF that he was qualified to wear. Willis returned to flying with the 335th Fighter Squadron of the Fourth Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force. He continued to fly the Spitfire until 22 March 1943, when he made his first flight in the P-47 Thunderbolt. Just a month later he transferred to the headquarters of the Eighth Air Force, and a few weeks after that, to the 67th Fighter Wing, which flew the P-38. It was there that he suggested modifying that fighter to accommodate a bombardier so it could function as a fighter-bomber. The theory was that a squadron of bomb-carrying P-38s would fly with the one carrying the bombardier and all the aircraft would drop their bombs on a signal from the bombardier in the lead aircraft. All the P-38s, except the one with the bombardier, would then assume their traditional fighter role and strafe other targets. On 10 April 1944, Willis, then a major, was flying a P-38 as part of the squadron to evaluate the new tactics when he was shot down and crashlanded on a soccer field in Holland. While the soccer fans and German soldiers were absorbed with the crashed aircraft, Willis was able to escape on a bicycle taken from the soccer area. He was subsequently aided by the 460 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

village shoemaker, given some clothes to take the place of his uniform, and began his amazing evasion adventure. He nearly starved as he made his way into Belgium, but was finally aided by local farmers. Willis eventually got to Antwerp, where a man passed him on the street and simply said, “American?” The dumbfounded Willis nodded his head. He then was taken into the back of a store and given food, some money, and instructions on how to use the trolley to get through Antwerp. Again on his own, he continued his trek south and even joined a Belgian work party moving logs for the Germans in order to get across a major river. Eight days after he was shot down, the exhausted Willis arrived at the outskirts of Brussels with no idea of what to do next. He stopped at a small restaurant to spend the last of the money he was given in Antwerp for a sandwich, but when he left, he realized he was being followed. Eventually the man following him got close and simply said, “Pilot?” When Willis nodded yes, the man motioned for him to follow to a modest row house. Although Willis did not know it, the underground had found him. With their aid he traveled all the way to southern France, where he was taken over the Pyrenees Mountains into Spain. Finally, on 28 June 1944, Willis arrived back in England. He was returned to his former home base of Debden and remained there until the end of the war. By that time he had destroyed one German aircraft and been awarded two Air Medals. Willis remained in the US Army Air Forces after the war as part of the occupation force in Germany. In 1946, he returned to the United States and was stationed at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. He was subsequently transferred to Wright Patterson Air Force Base, and left the Air Force in 1953. Willis initially worked in the insurance business and then took a position with Global Van Lines. But his love of the sea remained and he eventually returned as the quartermaster on one of the first supertankers. Willis died in Ocala, Florida, on 27 April 1977. (For a complete account of D.K. Willis’s evasion adventure see, Philip D. Caine, Aircraft Down!, Brassey’s, Washington, DC, 1997. The author wishes to thank D.K.’s widow, Pat Willis, for her help in providing material for this biographical sketch.)

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Wolfe, Roland L. RAF Number: 102518 (100537) Born: 12 January 1918, in McGehee, Arkansas Served: 133 Squadron from 25 August to November 1941 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Pilot Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: November, 1943

Roland “Bud” Wolfe was one of the most experienced pilots to join the Eagle Squadrons. Although he lived in the small town of Ceresco, Nebraska, he had nearly 1,000 hours when he signed up. There is no record of when he began flying, but he earned his commercial pilot rating in 1940 and flew for a living. Why Bud went to the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee, probably in Kansas City, in early 1941 is not clear. Given his flying record, he was promptly accepted and sent to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Love Field in Dallas. Bud completed his training there in May and went to Canada. On 5 June 1941, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England on the SS Bayano, which many of the passengers called a “banana boat.” With him on that voyage were eighteen future Eagles, several of them destined to be Wolfe’s squadron mates. After his arrival in England, the first order of business was a visit to the Air Ministry in London to formally sign in, followed by the uniform session, and finally the move to 3 Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth. But when Bud arrived, he found that there was such a backlog of pilots waiting to go to an Operational Training Unit that he and his future squadron mate Marion Jackson were sent to a large estate in the country for a week rather than having to sit around the barracks at Bournemouth. In early July, Wolfe reported to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge, where he learned to fly the Hurricane as well as receiving his first taste of instruction in combat tactics. He finished the course and reported to 133 Squadron at Duxford on 25 August 1941 as part of the original cadre of that unit. At that time they were equipped with Hurricanes. The squadron had several accidents during the fall of 1941 and the entire unit was sent to Eglinton, a cold and damp base in 462 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Northern Ireland, in early October for further training. Their bad luck held even on that trip, as four of the pilots were killed when they hit a mountain while letting down for fuel on the Isle of Man. Shortly after arriving, the squadron made the transition from the Hurricane to the Spitfire IIA. Aside from becoming comfortable with that aircraft, most of the flying at Eglinton was convoy patrol over the North Atlantic, a very boring but dangerous assignment. About a month after arriving in Northern Ireland, Wolfe unfortunately got lost in the weather due to radio failure, ran out of fuel, and had to bail out. He landed in Erie, or the Irish Free State, only ten miles from his base at Eglinton but on the wrong side of the border. He was interred there until late 1943, when he escaped. As soon as he returned to England he transferred to the US Army Air Forces and resumed flying, although there is no record of his assignments. By the end of the war, Bud had shot down four German aircraft and destroyed two more on the ground. After World War II, Wolfe remained in the Army and then transferred to the US Air Force when it became a separate service in 1947. He flew in Korea and also in southeast Asia—a total of 847 combat missions in three wars. After retiring from the Air Force, Bud moved to Miami, Florida. He died there on 28 January 1994.

Wright, Gilbert G. RAF Number: 112286 Born: 3 August 1919, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Served: 133 Squadron from early August to 26 September 1942 Religious preference: Unknown Civilian occupation: Unknown Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

Because his official RAF record is not available, there are a number of things about Gil Wright that are unknown. He was a real all-American boy in his hometown of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; a popular, good-looking athlete who was an All-State football player. When Gil graduated from high school in 1937, he had a football scholarship to LaSalle Military College in Phila463 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

delphia. But he soon transferred to Manhattan College in New York City, again to play football. When his coach died he moved again, this time to Meridian College in Pennsylvania, and it was there that he became interested in flying. He enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program during his junior year and eventually progressed all the way through the instructor phase, which gave him about 150 hours of flying time. In the summer of 1941, a recruiter from the Clayton Knight Committee named Tom Suder, talked to some of the young men enrolled in the CPTP about joining the RAF. Wright and a couple of his friends signed up, and in the early fall of 1941 Wright left college and went to Polaris Flight Academy in Glendale for his RAF refresher training. (Wright never tried to enlist in the US Army Aviation Cadet Program although he had the necessary prerequisites.) Among his classmates were future Eagles Don Gentile, Alfred Hopson, Glenn Smart, and Don Smith. Wright thought the training at Polaris was superb, and at the end of November he graduated. He went back to Pennsylvania for a few days and then on to Ottawa, Canada, to begin his trip to the United Kingdom. Wright was commissioned on 13 December and sailed from Halifax aboard the HMS Letitia. Aside from his classmates at Polaris, future Eagles Jim Clark, George Middleton, Ervin Miller, Gene Neville, Len Ryerson, and Bill Taylor were also on board. It took nearly two very rough weeks to cross the stormy North Atlantic so Gil and his fellow pilot officers didn’t disembark in the United Kingdom until 26 December 1941. Because there was no Operational Training Unit class immediately available, Wright was assigned to 5 Senior Flight Training School on 12 January 1942. He spent nearly six weeks there learning more about flying in the challenging English weather as well as being taught some basic military skills and protocol. On 24 February 1942, Gil and several of his future squadron mates, including George Middleton and Len Ryerson, made the trip to Wales and 53 Operational Training Unit at Llandow, near Llantwitt Major. There, one of his instructors was future Eagle, LeRoy Gover. Wright completed OTU in April and was assigned to 616 Squadron (Yorkshire Regiment) at Wettering, flying the Spitfire VI, a high altitude, pressurized, extended wing version of the Spitfire V. His flight commander was the soon to be legendary Johnny Johnson. In August, 616 moved to Henley, and Wright was transferred to 133 Squadron stationed at Biggin Hill. He was already an experienced fighter pilot when he arrived, and his 464 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

first big operation as a member of the Eagles was on 19 August in support of the abortive invasion of France at Dieppe. During the action on that day, he was credited with damaging a German aircraft. Shortly after Dieppe, the squadron got the more powerful Spitfire IXs, which enabled them to intercept German bombers, specifically the JU-88, much more effectively. On 16 September 1942, Wright went into London and transferred to the US Army Air Forces as a second lieutenant. Ten days later, on 26 September, Gil was part of a 133 Squadron twelve-ship contingent assigned to escort a B-17 bombing raid on the French city of Morlaix. Because of an erroneous weather forecast and several other unfortunate errors, the entire unit, flying new Spitfire IXs, was lost when they ran dangerously low on fuel and mistakenly let down over the heavily defended German occupied city of Brest, France, rather than England. Eleven of the squadron’s twelve aircraft were lost, as was Wright, who bailed out of his Spitfire when he ran out of fuel. Gil was able to evade the Germans for a number of days, but was eventually captured and turned over to the Gestapo, who treated him terribly, including some torture. When he finally arrived at the Luftwaffe prison camp Stalag Luft III in what is now Poland, the former football player weighed only about a hundred pounds. Nonetheless, Wright survived his ordeal, including the trek west in 1945 in the dead of winter, when the Germans evacuated the camp in order to stay ahead of the Russians. After being liberated in May of 1945, Wright and a friend made their way to Paris where they celebrated VE day. Wright then got transportation to England, and because of the chaos resulting from the end of the war, he was able to, as he put it, “just mess around London for two or three months.” Gil was eventually put on a Liberty Ship for the trip back to the United States. Wright remained in the Army Air Forces and then the US Air Force. He was assigned to Bolling Field as a first lieutenant instructor pilot. He was there for over four years before going to Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base. In 1951, he was sent to Korea flying P-51 Mustangs but eventually was reassigned to RB-26 light bombers. Upon his return from Korea he was stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, in his first jet, the RB-66 reconnaissance aircraft. Gil then went to Alaska, Turkey, and finally Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where he retired in 1962 as a lieutenant colonel. Wright then went back to college to finish his degree 465 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

in Middle Eastern history. For a number of years he ran a sailing school in Florida and worked for the Dade County Park and Recreation Department. He and his wife also toured the United States on their motorcycles. Gil Wright died in Niceville, Florida, on 13 August 1995.

Young, Donald Alvin RAF Number: 114112 Born: 21 May 1919, in Wichita, Kansas Served: 121 Squadron from 26 May to 29 September 1942 Religious preference: Methodist Civilian occupation: Student, Kansas State Teachers College, Pittsburgh, Kansas Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: 16 September 1942

Don Young was raised on a farm in Kansas but was always interested in flying; in fact, he said he was “crazy about airplanes…” But he never had the opportunity to really do any flying until he went to Kansas State Teachers College in Pittsburgh, Kansas. There he was able to enroll in the Civilian Pilot Training Program to learn how to fly. Unfortunately, when he was interviewed by the Army and Navy recruiters for aviation cadets in the spring of 1941, he admitted that he had been airsick, so they told him to wait six months and they would reevaluate his status. But Don’s friend, future Eagle Jack Gilliland, told him about the RAF and the Clayton Knight Committee and he decided to give that a try. If he were accepted, he could well be flying the aircraft of his dreams, the Spitfire, sooner than the Army would make a decision about his airsickness. Young went to Kansas City for an interview, and although he had only the bare minimum number of hours—80—he was accepted. Interestingly, the subject of airsickness was never an issue. On 10 August 1941, Don arrived for RAF refresher training in Bakersfield, California. There his flying experience was broadened as he flew the PT-17 and the AT-6 as well as learned the basics of instrument flight. During his time at Bakersfield, Young also developed friendships with several future Eagles, including LeRoy Gover, who remained a close friend for life. Don completed his training at Bakersfield on 24 October 1941 and took a short 466 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

leave at home in Kansas before setting out for Canada and England. He took the train to Chicago where, on 7 November, he met his Bakersfield buddies, including Gover, and the group went on to Ottawa. But rather than hurrying on to their ship for England, they were delayed for nearly two weeks, which gave them time to sightsee in the beautiful, historic city. On 20 November, Young embarked for England on the Emma Alexander, along with Gover and Fletcher Hancock, two of his buddies from Bakersfield, and future Eagles Gene Fetrow, Joe Helgason, and George Teicheira. He was also commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve. After a long voyage with far too many rough seas, Young and his friends arrived in Liverpool on 7 December 1941. It was here that Don said the reality of war really hit him when he saw bombed and partially sunk ships and the damage in the city. On 8 December he arrived in London, signed the necessary papers at the Air Ministry, got his uniforms, and the next day was on the train to the RAF Personnel Reception Center at the old city of Bournemouth. A week later Young and his friends were told to pack to go to 53 Operational Training Unit at Llantwitt Major in Wales. But when it came time to get on the train, Don and Jay Reed were told they were being delayed. A week later, Young was also sent to 53 OTU where the group was again reunited. Over the next two months, Young got 30 hours of flying time in the Spitfire for which he was very thankful. The normal flying time was not much over 20 hours, but Don believed that the additional 10 hours made him a much more qualified pilot when he got to his first operational squadron. But completing OTU did not lead to assignment to an Eagle Squadron, as Young had believed it would. Instead, on 24 February 1942, he was assigned to 130 Squadron in Perranporth in Cornwall. Young liked that assignment, however, since it was in a quiet sector and he was able to get even more experience in the Spitfire before going into combat. It was also an international unit with British, French, Canadians, Australians, two pilots from Argentina, one from India, and himself as the sole American. But on 26 May, Don got his wish when he was assigned to 121 Squadron at North Weald and it was not long until he was in the thick of the action. On his first operational mission he was part of a bomber escort mission against some German ships. Although he didn’t get any shots at the Germans, the German ships took plenty at him and his squadron mates. He always remembered the first tracers that zipped past his Spitfire. 467 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

In June he flew twelve combat missions. On 31 August, Don took off in his Spitfire to go see his friends Lee Gover and Mick Lambert, who were in 133 Squadron at Biggin Hill, but instead he was called into action and he shot down his first German aircraft, a JU-88. On 16 September 1942, Young went into London to transfer to the US Army Air Forces, and on 29 September he was part of the formal ceremony that marked the end of the three Eagle Squadrons and the beginning of the Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. Young was a member of the 335th Fighter Squadron still flying Spitfires. Early in 1943, the unit began to transition into the P-47 Thunderbolt and on 10 March 1943 Don was part of the first longrange escort mission flown by P-47s. On that day, he would have gotten at least one German aircraft but the firing button on his aircraft had been rewired and his guns didn’t fire. Nonetheless, on 30 July he shot down an FW-190, and on 16 August got yet another one. By late 1943, Don had been promoted to major and flown 112 combat missions, 45 in the Spitfire and 67 in the P-47, so he was sent back to the United States. Young had destroyed three German aircraft. After about a month’s leave, Don was posted to Patterson Field in Dayton, Ohio, as the commanding officer of the headquarters squadron. He stayed there until he left the Army in August of 1946. The assignment at Dayton was fortuitous because, since it was an Air Service Command base, there were a number of airline pilots stationed there. They advised Don to try to get an airline job as soon as he could. He was successful and got a job flying for C&S Airlines. He stayed with them until 1953, when he transferred to Delta Airlines. Young flew for Delta until he retired in 1979. He then made his home in Metairie, Louisiana. Don Young died on 28 May 2003.

Young, Norman Dudley RAF Number: 116163 Born: 25 March 1916, in Corvallis, Oregon Served: 121 Squadron from 14 July to 31 July 1942 Religious preference: Presbyterian Civilian occupation: Lifeguard, San Jose, California Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 31 July 1942 468 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Norman Young’s family apparently moved from Oregon to the San Francisco Bay Area when Norman was still in school, because all the addresses of his relatives on his RAF record are in San Jose, California. And although there is no record available of his youth, he was no doubt an athletic young man, since he was working as a lifeguard in San Jose when he decided to try to join the Royal Air Force in the summer of 1941. While there is also no record of how much flying experience he had or how he learned to fly, he certainly had at least 100 hours, because on 27 August 1941 he took an RAF physical in for the Clayton Knight Committee in Berkeley, California, and was accepted for training. Young was sent to an RAF refresher training school in September, and completed his training in December 1941. After a short leave, he made the long journey to eastern Canada. On 19 January 1942, Norman was commissioned in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and embarked for England. After getting his uniforms and reporting to the Air Ministry, he arrived at the personnel center in Bournemouth on 9 February. Apparently there was a significant backlog of pilots awaiting assignment to an Operational Training Unit at that time, because Young stayed at Bournemouth for nearly a month and was then assigned to officer training school, where he learned the customs and courtesies associated with being an RAF officer. He then returned to Bournemouth and was sent to an advanced flying school. Finally, on 12 May 1942, Young was sent to 61 OTU at Rednal in Salop. Two months later, on 14 July 1942, Norman joined 121 Squadron at Southend-on-Sea, flying Spitfire VB aircraft. Young’s operational checkout was completed a few days later, and on 31 July 1942 he flew his first combat mission to France. The mission was a “circus,” a formation of fighters and bombers designed to bring the German defenders up so they could be engaged by the RAF aircraft. The mission on that date was a success, but in the melee Norman Young was apparently shot down. His squadron mate, Don Young, had seen Norman flying alone and wagged his wings as a signal to join up on him. But at the same time Don Young became engaged by a German fighter and when the combat was over, Norman was nowhere to be seen. He had been killed for the cause of freedom on his first combat mission.

469 BIO GRA P HIE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

Zavakos, Frank George RAF Number: 108645 Born: 25 August 1917, in Dayton, Ohio Served: 71 Squadron from 23 December 1941 to 2 June 1942 Religious preference: Orthodox Civilian occupation: Aviation cadet, US Army Air Corps Marital status: Single Transfer to USAAF: Killed in action, 2 June 1942

There is nothing in the available records about Frank Zavakos’s early life or how he got interested in aviation. He attended college after graduating from high school in Dayton, and was enrolled in the ROTC and probably in the Civilian Pilot Training Program as well. His record does not indicate how long he attended college or where, but since he was an aviation cadet in the Army Air Corps and one of the requirements for entry into that program was at least two years of college, he must have stayed at least that long and may have even graduated. It is also certain that he loved flying, since he had a private pilot’s license and 270 hours of flying experience when he went into the RAF, some of which was logged as an aviation cadet. Frank was apparently eliminated from the Army Aviation Cadet Program sometime in the late spring of 1941. Although it is not indicated in his record, he probably visited the offices of the Clayton Knight Committee shortly thereafter, possibly in Chicago, and was accepted for the RAF. He was sent to the RAF Refresher Training Program at Lancaster, California, probably in June 1941, because he was commissioned as a pilot officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve and sailed for England on 27 September 1941 aboard the SS Bayano, along with nine other future Eagles. The first entry of formal RAF training in his record is his assignment to 56 Operational Training Unit at Sutton Bridge on 28 October 1941. He completed that program, and on 23 December 1941 reported to 71 Squadron at Martlesham Heath flying Spitfires. Primarily because of bad weather, the unit saw little action during the first three months of 1942, but combat finally resumed in April and Frank was part of the squadron’s regular escort and low-level missions over France. Unfortunately, on 2 June 1942, while flying a search-and-rescue mission over the North Sea, Zavakos had engine trouble and was forced to crash-land at sea. He was killed in that landing. 470 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Appendix A Map

471

Appendix B Birthplaces of the Eagle Squadron Members

T

he birthplace of an Eagle was generally not where he lived when he entered the RAF or RCAF. Those places are noted, as much as possible,

in the individual’s biographical sketch. Alabama River Falls Arizona Mesa Tucson Arkansas Fort Smith McGehee Burma Syriam California Alamo Berkeley Brawley Buena Park Calexico Fall River Hills Half Moon Bay Long Beach Los Angeles Modesto Oakland Pasadena San Francisco San Jose San Pedro Santa Barbara Torrance Canada Cardston, Alberta Edmonton, Alberta Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Winnipeg, Manitoba China Hankow

Colorado Greeley Loveland Rule Connecticut Lakeville New Haven Thompson District of Columbia Washington Florida Clearwater Fort Pierce Jacksonville France Nantes Georgia Albany Greece Athens Hawaii Honolulu Idaho Boise Burley Slamon Illinois Belvidere Blue Island Chicago Glasford Grant Park Greene Hurst Nomis Ridgway

472

Salem Waukegan Indiana Angola Clinton Eckerty Indianapolis Shelbyville Iowa Emmetsburg Marshalltown Osceola Kansas Kansas City Levenworth Marion Randall Robinson Sedan Wichita Kentucky Harrodsburgh Mt. Sterling Louisiana Independence New Orleans Maine Bangor Maryland Baltimore Hyattsville Massachusetts Blackstone Boston Pittsfield Springfield

Michigan Saginaw Minnesota Eitzen Fergus Falls Minneapolis Pitt Saint Cloud Saint Charles Saint Paul Mississippi Brookhaven Newton Missouri Ash Grove Carthage Fulton Joplin Springfield Webb City Montana Great Falls Nebraska Concord Omaha New Hampshire Danbury New Jersey East Orange Elizabeth Jersey City Newark Paulsboro Rutherford New Mexico Hidalgo New York Brooklyn Bufffalo Long Island City Movia New York City Rochester Saratoga Springs Syracuse Westbury, Long Island

North Carolina Harnett County North Dakota Bottineau Walum Williston Wilton Norway AaPesun Ohio Ashtabula Bellaire Dayton Fairport Lorain Miamisburg Miller City Piqua Zanesvillle Oklahoma Adair Buffalo Caddo Cement Duncan Durant Oilton Olustee Skiatook Tulsa Oregon Corvallis Portland Riddle Pennsylvania Lititz Oakdale Philadelphia Royersford Townville Wilkes-Barre South Carolina Bishopville Spartansburg Sumpter

Tennessee Knox County Memphis Nashville Texas Aspermont Bobville Bridgeport Brownfield Brownwood Dallas Fort Worth Gainesvillle Hemphil Kaufman Louisville Malakoff Morgan Hill Paducah Paris San Angelo Santa Anna Summerville Temple Wharton Utah Salt Lake City Vermont Springfield Virginia Norfolk Richmond Washington Aberdeen Hoquiam Malden Mount Vernon Spokane West Virginia Charleston Wisconsin Appleton Sun Prairie Wyoming Lander

473 BIRTHP LA CE S O F THE E A G L E SQ U A D R O N M E M B E R S

For Further Reading

T

he items included in this bibliography are intended to help the interested reader find further information about the three Eagle Squadrons

and their members. It is not intended to document all the resources used in preparing this book or to identify the source of specific information about an individual or an event.

Books There are thousands of books on the air war in Europe. These are a few that are of particular value to those interested in the Eagle Squadrons. Alexander, Richard, They Called Me Dixie. Hemet, California: Robinson Typographics, 1988. Bowyer, Chaz, Fighter Pilots of the RAF, 1939-1945. London: William Kimper, 1984. Caine, Philip D., Aircraft Down!. Washington, DC: Brassey’s (US), 1997. ———. American Pilots in the RAF: The WWII Eagle Squadrons. Washington, DC: Brassey’s (US), 1993. ———. Eagles of the RAF:The World War II Eagle Squadrons. Washington, DC: National Defense University Press, 1991. ———. Spitfires, Thunderbolts, and Warm Beer. Washington, DC: Brassey’s (US), 1995. Childers, James Saxon, War Eagles. New York: D. Appleton-Century Company, 1943. Dibbs, John and Holmes, Tony, Spitfire: The Flying Legand. New York: Barnes and Noble, 1996. Donahue, Arthur G., Tally-Ho!: Yankee in a Spitfire. New York: MacMillan Company, 1941. Dunn, William R., Fighter Pilot: The First American Ace of World War II. Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 1982. 474

Fry, Garry C. and Ethell, Jeffery L., Escort to Berlin. New York: Arco Publishing, Inc., 1980. Gabreski, Francis, Gabby: A Fighter Pilot’s Life. New York: Bantam Doubleday, 1992. Galland, Adolph, The First and the Last. New York: Bantam Books, 1978. Godfrey, John T., The Look of Eagles. New York: Ballantine Books, 1958. Goodson, James A., Tumult in the Clouds. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1983. ———. The Last of the Knights. Canterbury, Kent, England: 1990. Gunston, Bill, Aircraft of World War II. London: Octopus Books, 1980. Hall, Grover C., Mr. Tettley’s Tenants. London: Baynard Press, 1944. ———. 1000 Destroyed. Montgomery, Alabama: Brown Printing Company, 1946. Haugland, Vern. Caged Eagles. Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania: 1992. ———. The Eagle Squadrons: Yanks in the RAF 1940–1942. New York: Ziff-Davis Flying Books, 1979. ———. The Eagles’ War; The Saga of the Eagle Squadron Pilots 1940–1945. New York: Jason Aronson, 1982. Hess, William N. and Ivie, Thomas G., Fighters of the Mighty Eighth. Osceola, Wisconsin: Motorbooks International, 1990. Kaplan, Philip and Saunders, Andy, Little Friends: The Fighter Pilot Experience in World War II England. New York: Random House, 1991. Kelley, Terence, Hurricane and Spitfire Pilots at War. London: Arrow Books, 1988. Kershaw, Alex, The Few. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2006. Pisanos, Steve N., The Flying Greek. Washington DC: Patomac Press, 2008. Spagnuolo, Mark M., Don Gentile: Soldier of God and Country. East Lansing: College Press, 1986. Speer, Frank, The Debden Warbirds: The 4th Fighter Group in World War II. Atglen, Pennsylvania, 1999. Toliver, Raymond F. and Constable, Trevor J., Fighter Aces. New York: MacMillan Publishing, 1965.

475 FO R FU R T H E R R E A D I N G

References

Notes from the Introduction 1. Alex Kershaw, The Few (Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2006), 239. 2. There are a number of books on the Lafayette Escadrille. The best is Philip M. Flammer, The Vivid Air: The Lafayette Escadrille (Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1981). The standard on the individuals that flew in the organization is Charles B. Nordhoff and James N. Hall, The Lafayette Flying Corps (Cambridge: Kessinger, 1920). Also useful are: Alan Clark, Aces High: The War in the Air Over the Western Front, 1914–1918 (London: Putnam, 1973); Herbert M. Mason, Lafayette Escadrille: The First American Flyers to Face the German Air Force 1914–1917 (New York: Konecky & Konecky, 1964); Bert Hall and John J. Niles, One Man’s War (New York: 1980; Ralph Michaelis, From Bird Cage to Battle Plane (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1943); Christopher Shores, Fighter Aces (London: Hamlyn, 1975). 3. There are a large number of books about the Flying Tigers. Among the more useful are: Ron Heiferman, Flying Tiger: Chennault in China (New York, 1971); Fourteenth Air Force Association, Chennault’s Flying Tigers (Dallas, 1982); Anna Chennault, Chennault and the Flying Tigers (New York: Ballantine Books, 1963); Claire Chennault, Way of a Fighter (New York: GP Putnam’s Sons, 1949). 4. Philip D. Caine, American Pilots in the RAF (Washington: Brassey’s Inc., 1993), 24, 25. 5. For information on the life of Colonel Charles Sweeny, see Donald McCormick, One Man’s Wars: The Story of Charles Sweeny, Soldier of Fortune (London: Arthur Barker, 1972); Ralph Michaelis, From Bird Cage to Battle Plane (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1943); Herbert Mason, Lafayette Escadrille: The First American Flyers to Face the German Air Force 1914–1917 (New York: Konecky & Konecky, 1964); Earl Boebert, “The Eagle Squadrons,” American Aviation Historical Society Journal, Spring 1964, 3–20. 6. Interview, Charles Sweeny with the author, London, 20 March, 1988. (Hereafter cited as Sweeny Interview.) 7. Letter, Robert Sweeny to Vern Haugland, 6 March, year unknown (used with permission of Charles Sweeny). Letters, Charles Sweeny to Vern Haugland, 5 September 1974 and 24 June 1980 (used with permission of Charles Sweeny). Eagle Squadron Association address list, January 1987 (copy in author’s files). 8. Sweeny Interview. 9. The best source on the Civilian Pilot Training Program is Patricia Strickland, The Putt-Putt Air Force (Washington, DC: Federal Aviation Administration, 1971). Pat was the wife of Eagle Harold Strickland. Unfortunately, the book is out of print and very few copies exist. 476

10. Letter, Charles Sweeny to Vern Haugland, 5 September 1974 (used with permission of Charles Sweeny). Competition between programs never became an issue because there were sufficient volunteers as the war progressed. 11. Letters, Charles Sweeny to the author, 22 July 1987 and 10 October 1987. New York Sun, 9 October 1940. 12. Sweeny Interview. 13. Peter Kilduff, “Clayton Knight, No. 206 Squadron, RAF,” Cross and Cockade, Spring 1967, 29. Oakland Tribune, 8 September 1945. See also Interview with Clayton Knight by Robert E. Hays, 8 March 1955, in file MS 766, Clayton Knight Papers, US Air Force Academy Library. 14. Clayton Knight with Thomas Fleming, Aid to Victory, unpublished manuscript, 2. (Hereafter cited as Knight, Aid to Victory.) 15. William Stevenson, A Man Called Intrepid (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1976), 345. C. Herman Pritchett, The American Constitution (New York: McGrawHill Education, 1977), 766. 16. Knight, Aid to Victory, 11–12. Interview, William Geiger with the author, Pasadena, California, 3 September 1987. 17. Interviews, Edwin Taylor with the author, San Clemente, California, 27 August and 1 September 1987. 18. Interview, Reade Tilley with the author, US Air Force Academy, Colorado, 2 August 1988. Interview, Donald Blakeslee with the author, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 23 September 1989. 19. All of the pilots arriving in England prior to June 1941 were sent to Uxbridge Depot. Due to overcrowding and the need for some ability to do military training, the RAF opened 3 Personnel Reception Center at Bournemouth in the summer of 1941 and most arrivals were then sent there. 20. Squadron Operations Record Book, 71 Squadron, Microfilm, Special Collections Division, US Air Force Academy Library. (Hereafter cited as 71 Record Book.) “Eagle Squadron of US Fliers Will Aid Defense of Britain,” Salt Lake Tribune, 9 October 1940. “Eagle Squadron, RAF, Biographical Notes on Pilots of ‘Eagle Squadron,’” Eagle Squadron File, Ministry of Defense, London. Air Ministry Bulletin No. 1928, Formation of American “Eagle Squadron,” The King Approves Special Badge, 8 October 1940. Historical Archives, Air Ministry, London. The motto and description were given to the author by Edwin Taylor and are in the author’s files. 21. 71 Record Book. 22. I used a number of sources for information on the ill-fated Morlaix mission. Charles Cook, Carroll McColpin, Marion Jackson, George Sperry, and Robert Smith Interviews. No. 133 (Eagle Squadron) RAF Squadron History. Vern Haugland, The Eagle Squadrons, (New York: Ziff-Davis, 1979), 162–177. 133 Squadron Folder, 12 July 1962, Air Historical Branch, Air Ministry, London. 23. US War Department Secret Order AG 320.2, 22 August 1942. (Copy in US Air Force Academy Library.) 24. Sample Commissioning Letter in author’s files. 25. 334th Fighter Squadron, Fourth Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force, History of the 334th Fighter Squadron, Office of Air Force History, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, DC, 1–3. 26. “Eagles Switch to US Army,” Life, 2 November 1942, 37–38. “New Wings for Eagles,” Time, 12 October 1942, 70. 27. James Saxon Childers, War Eagles (San Francisco: D. Appleton and Co., 1943), 336–337. 28. Garry L. Fry and Jeffrey L. Ethell, Escort to Berlin (New York: Arco Publishers, 1980), 125–127.

477 REFERENCES

Interviews The following interviews were conducted by the author between 1987 and 2000. They are all housed in the Clark Special Collections Division of the McDermott Library at the US Air Force Academy. Adams, Alida (sister of Ross O. Scarborough). Las Vegas, Nevada, 1 October 1993. Almos, Fred E. San Diego, California, 15 October 1988. Beatie, Ernest D. San Diego, California, 15 October 1988. Bennett, Joe L. Midland, Texas, 1 October 1999. Blakeslee, Donald J. M. Colorado Springs, Colorado, 23 September 1989. Braley, Richard G. Newport Beach, California, 23 April 1993. Blanding, Leon M. Sumter, South Carolina, 27 February 1994. Brown, John I. San Diego, California, 2 September 1987. Butts, Alfee. Colorado Springs, Colorado, 16 October 1995. Campbell, John A. Chula Vista, California, 1 September 1987. Carpenter, George. Paris, Tennessee, 2 March 1994. Clark, A. P. USAFA, Colorado, 18 September 1987. Coen, Oscar H. Baker, Oregon, 19 October 1994. Cook, Charles A. West Covina, California, 31 August 1987 and 2 July 1989. Daymond, Gregory A. Newport Beach, California, 2 July 1994. Doorly, Eric. San Diego, California, 15 October 1988; San Diego, California, 15 October 1993; Vista, California, 5 July 1994; and 26 September 1994. Dunn, William R. Colorado Springs, Colorado, 26 April 1990. Edwards, Wilson V. Colorado Springs, Colorado, 16 September 1987. Ellington, Paul M. Slidell, Lousiana, 19 February 1994. Evans, Roy W. San Diego, California, 13 October 1988. Fessler, Morris W. San Diego, California, 15 October 1988. Fetrow, Gene B. San Diego, California, 14 October 1988 and 16 April 1993. Fox, Philip J. Phoenix, Arizona, 20 April 1999. Geiger, William D. Pasadena, California, 3 September 1987 and 22 April 1993. Goodson, James A. London, England, 23 March 1988. Gover, LeRoy. Palo Alto, California, 10 September 1987; San Carlos, California, 21 July 1989; 26 April 1993 and 30 June 1993 Gray, James A. Dublin, California, 11 September 1987. Griffen, James E. Kingman. Arizona, 14 April 1993. Jackson, Marion E. Aptos, California, 10 September 1987. Kennard, Hugh. London, England, 24 March 1988. Lambert, Donald E. Redding, California, 1 May 1993. Lucas, Laddie. Telephone interview, 24 March 1988. Mahon, Jackson Barrett. Hollywood, California, 4 September 1987 and Los Angeles, California, 23 April 1993. McColpin, Carroll W. Novato, California, 8 September 1987 and 28 April 1993. Miller, Ervin L. Santa Monica, California, 30 September 2000. Miluck, Edward T. San Diego, California, 15 October 1988. Moore, Richard A. San Francisco, California, 23 February 1996. Nomis, Leo S. Sherman Oaks, California, 31 August 1987. Nee, Donald D. Las Vegas, Nevada, 15 April 1993. Peterson, Chesley G. Ogden, Utah, 14 September 1987 and San Diego, California, 14 October 1988. Peterson, Mrs. Chesley (Audrey). Riverside, California, 16 April 1993. Pisanos, Spiros Nickolas. San Diego, California, 2 September 1987. Priser, Robert L. Tucson, Arizona, 2 October 1993 and 25 March 1994. Roscoe, Arthur F. Hollywood, California, 4 September 1987. Sintetos, Nicholas D. San Bernadio, California, 17 April 1993. Slade, William C. Colorado Springs, Colorado, 5 October 1995. 478 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Smith, Fonzo D. (Don). San Diego, California, 13 October 1988. Smith, Robert E. Alexandria, Virginia, 18 September 1987 and 15 September 1994. Sperry, George B. Pleasanton, California, 11 September 1987. Steinhoff, Johannes. Colorado Springs, Colorado, 29 July 1988. Stewart, Hubert L. San Diego, California, 15 October 1988. Strickland, Mrs. Harold (Patricia). Washington DC, 3 November 1987. Sweeny, Charles. London, England, 20 March 1988. Taylor, Edwin D. San Clemente, California, 27 August 1987, 1 September 1987, and 20 April 1993. Tilley, Reade F. Colorado Springs, Colorado, 11 February 1988, and US Air Force Academy Colorado, 2 August 1988. Willis, Mrs. Donald K. (Patricia). Las Vegas, Nevada, 1 October 1993, and Ocala, Florida, 22 February 1994. Wilkinson, Royce. Minister, Isle of Sheppey (Kent, England), 22 March 1988. Wright, Gilbert G. Niceville, Florida, 21 February 1994. Young, Donald A. San Diego, California, 14 October 1988 and Metairie, Louisiana 18 February 1994.

Telephone Interviews Completed between 1988 and 2008 The following telephone interviews were not transcribed nor were any formal notes made of the conversations. Adams, Alida Allen, Luke E. Almos, Valerie Balfour, Sir Harold Clark, James A. Coen, Oscar Crowe, Stephen H. Edwards, Wilson V. Fetrow, Gloria Geiger, William D.

Gover, Leroy Gray, James A. Lucas, Laddie Maher, Helen Maxwell, George McColpin, Carroll W. Peterson, Chesley G. Pisanos, Spiros N. Priser, Robert L.

Robinson, Roland J. (Lord Martonmere) Roscoe, Arthur R. Ross, Donald H. Smith, Wilma Taylor, Edwin D. Tilley, Reade F. Wicker, Nancy Willis, Patricia

Questionnaires Questionnaires were sent by the author to each living member of the Eagle Squadron Association in June 1987. All of them are on file in the Clark Special Collections Division of the McDermott Library at the US Air Force Academy. Alexander, Richard L. Beatie, Ernest N. Bennett, Joseph L. Blanding, Leon M. Booth, Douglas E. Brown, John I. Campbell, John A. Carpenter, George Daniel, Gilmore C. Daymond, Gregory A. DuFour, John G.

Durham, Joseph E. Ellington, Paul M. Fessler, Morris W. Geiger, William D. Goodson, James A. Gover, LeRoy Griffin, James E. Hopson, Alfred H. Jackson, Marion E. Miller, Ervin L. Miluck, Edward T.

479 REFERENCES

Nee, Donald D. Parker, Vernon A. Peterson, Chesley G. Priser, Robert L. Roscoe, Arthur F. Ross, Donald H. Smith, Fonzo D. Smith, Robert E. Taylor, William E. G. Tilley, Reade F. Wilkinson, Royce

Other Publications, Files, and Records The McDermott Library at the US Air Force Academy is the largest repository of Eagle Squadron personnel files and information in the world. This collection includes the papers, letters, diaries, log books, photographs, and so forth of a large number of Eagles as well as copies of the official RAF and RCAF records of most of them. Of particular importance are the files and research materials of the author. In addition, many of the research notes and manuscript pages of the late Vern Haugland are in this location. There are also Eagle materials and memorabilia located in a number of libraries and museums throughout the United States. Among the most significant are the San Diego Aerospace Museum in California; and the Eighth Air Force Museum in Savannah, Georgia;

Websites There are a number of websites that are either dedicated to the Eagle Squadrons or have a significant amount of information about them. Since the Web is a fluid environment, these were current as of 1 September 2008. Eagle Squadrons, www.eaglesquadons.com Army Air Forces of World War II, www.armyairforces.com Official Website of the Fourth Fighter Group, AAF, World War II, www. fourthfightergroup.com Aces of World War II, www.acesofww2.com Eighth Air Force Historical Society, www.8thafhs.org Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum, www.mightyeighth.org Little Friends, www.littlefriends.co.uk

480 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

Indexes

The Eagle Squadron Members Alexander, John Keith, 39–41, 259 Alexander, Richard L., 41–44 Allen, Luke Elbert, 44–45, 247, 307 Allen, Thomas Willcase, 46, 47 Almos, Fred Edward, 47–50, 89, 151, 297, 415, 436 Anderson, Newton, 50–51 Anderson, Paul Roger, 52–53 Anderson, Stanley Melick, 53–54 Andrews, Thomas J., 54–56, 89, 311, 424 Arends, William Albert, 56–57, 244, 245, 288, 289, 453, 458 Atkinson, Roger Hall, 55, 58, 311, 424 Austin, Frederick Carleton, 59–60 Ayer, John Butler, 60–61, 63 Ayers, Henry Lee, 61–62

182, 299, 312 Clark, James Averell, 112–113, 190, 224, 371, 464 Coen, Oscar Hoffman, 114–117, 272, 279, 417, 448 Cook, Charles A., 117–120, 154, 318, 446 Cox, Forrest Melvin, 97, 120–121 Coxetter, James Geiger, 97, 121–122 Crowe, Stephen H., 101, 123–122 Crowley, James Jay (aka John Guilbert DuFour), 144–146

Daley, William James, 31, 34, 35, 99, 125–127, 137, 385, 420 Daniel, Gilmore Cecil, 128–130 Daymond, Gregory A., 31, 34, 35, 130–133, 148, 346 Baker, William Henry, 63–64, 201 DeHaven, Ben Perry, 133–134, 334, Barrell, Charles Sewall, 64–65, 404 356, 388, 392, 399 Bateman, Charles Edward, 52, 60, Donahue, Arthur Gerald, 102, 134–136 65–66, 329 Doorly, Eric, 99, 126, 136–139, 207, Beatie, Ernest D., 67–68 400, 401, 420, 453 Beaty, Richard Norton, 69–70 Dowling, Forrest Patty, 139–140, 349 Beeson, Duane Willard, 70–72 Downs, Bruce Charles, 141–142, 201, Bennett, Joe Lee, 72–74, 84 254 Bicksler, Edwin Hurlbert, 75–76, 83, Driver, William Richard, 142–143 233, 323 DuFour, John Guilbert (aka James Jay Blakeslee, Donald James Matthew, 37, Crowley)144–146 76–79, 191, 356 Dunn, William R., 132, 146–149 Blanding, Leon McFaddin, 79–81 Durham, Joseph Ellsworth, 149–151, Bodding, Carl Olaf, 60, 82–83, 201, 254 297, 343, 417 Boehle, Vernon Arthur, 83–85 Edner, Selden Raymond, 48, 103, Bono, Victor Robert, 85–86 151–152, 383, 415, 441, 450 Boock, Robert Alfred, 86–87, 93 Edwards, Wilson Victor, x, 72, 118, 132, Booth, Douglas Everett, 49, 88–90, 436 152–155, 446 Boyles, Frank Raymond, 90–91 Eichar, Grant Eugene, 156–157, 216 Braley, Richard Gordon, x, 87, 91–94, Ellington, Paul M., 157–159 301, 348 Evans, Jack, 160 Brite, William O., 94–95 Evans, Roy William, 82, 161–163, Brossmer, Robert Vincent, 60, 95–96 201, 254 Brown, Hugh Card, 97–98, 215 Brown, John Innes, 98–100, 420 Fenlaw, Hilliard Sidney, 163–164, 417 Bruce, George Russell, 101, 124, 274 Fessler, Morris Wilbur, 164–167 Campbell, John Acey, III, x, 102–104, Fetrow, Gene Bailey, 167–170, 197, 184, 185, 297, 339, 365, 385, 440 234, 467 Care, Raymond Charles, 105–106 Fink, Frank Maurice, 171 Carpenter, George, Jr., 73, 84, 107–109 Florance, David Ray, 172 Chap, Norman Richard, 109–110 Flynn, John, 173–174 Chatterton, Lawrence Albert, 111–112, Ford, William Kenneth, 174–175

481

Fox, Philip Jerome, 175–177 France, Victor James, 177–178 Freiberg, Ralph William, 96, 179–180, 427 Galbraith, Charles Oliver, 180–181 Gallo, Tony Arthur, 111, 181–182, 299, 312 Gamble, Frederick Arvon, 99, 126, 137, 183, 184, 420 Geffene, Donald, 103, 184–186, 440 Geiger, William Dodd, 92, 103, 186–188, 258, 279, 440 Gentile, Dominic Salvatore, 71, 112, 189–192, 224, 293, 390, 408, 429, 464 Gilliland, Jack Dewberry, 192, 272, 466 Goodson, James Alexander, 193–195, 301 Gover, LeRoy, x, 62, 69, 72, 162, 168, 196–199, 211, 244, 345, 289, 301, 303, 321, 348, 371, 390, 433, 464, 466, 467, 468 Gray, James Amsler, x, 82, 200–202 Griffin, James Edward, 202–205 Grimm, Chester Parlin, 205–206 Gudmundsen, Dick D., 206–207 Hain, Harry Clem, 207–208 Hall, William Isaac, 115, 208–209, 448 Halsey, Gilbert Owen, 209–210 Hancock, Fletcher, 168, 197, 210–211, 467 Happel, James Rowland, 212–213 Hardin, Charles Allin, 213–214 Harp, Carter Woodruff, 157, 214–216, 425 Harrington, James Cornelius, 216–217, 410 Helgason, Joseph Field, 168, 197, 217–218, 467 Hively, Howard Davis, 219–220, 223, 250 Hobert, Robert D., 220–221 Holder, Kenneth LeRoy, 97, 221–222 Hollander, Walter John, 222–223 Hopson, Alfred H., 112, 224–225, 429, 464 Inabinet, William Burness, 201, 226 Jackson, Marion Elmo, 119, 120,

227–229, 462 Jones, William Little Calder, 230–231, 336

Morgan, W. Brewster, 308–310 Smith, Dennis David, 134, 334, 356, Morris, Moran Scott, 55, 310–311, 424 388, 392–393, 399 Mueller, Robert Sanford, 111, 182, Smith, Fonzo Donald, 112, 190, 224, 299, 312–313 393–395, 429, 464 Kearney, Jack LaRue, 231–232 Smith, Fred Cullen, 395–397 Kelly, Joseph Michael, 72, 232–234, 323 Nash, Herbert Temple, 313–314 Smith, Kenneth Guy, 397–398 Kelly, William Philip, 234–235 Nee, Don Dawson, 315–317, 356, 390 Smith, Robert E., 134, 138, 334, 356, Kennerly, Byron Fees, 235–236, 307 Nelson, James Christian, 118, 317–319, 388, 398–401 Keough, Vernon Charles, 8, 45, 354, 443 Smolinsky, Frank Joseph, 340, 401–402 237–238, 248, 256, 330, 438, 439 Neville, Gene Parks, 70, 190, 224, 294, Soares, Walter Gordon, 403–404, Kimbro, Karl Kenneth, 239–240 319–320, 371, 372, 464 407, 443 King, Coburn Clark, 157, 240–242 Nichols, William Henry, 92, 259, Sobanski, Waclaw Wladyslaw Michael, Kolendorski, Stanley Michel, 242–243 321–322 404–406 Lambert, Donald Edward, 43, 57, 211, Nomis, Leo Stratton, 75, 145, 233, Sperry, George Brooks, 89, 190, 403, 243–245, 288, 289, 468 322–325, 436 406–409 Laughlin, Loran Lee, 246, 417 OíBrien, Lyman Dennis, 325–326 Sprague, Robert Summerville, 97, 217, Leckrone, Philip Howard, 85, 238, Olson, Virgil Willis, 326–327 409–410 247–248, 330 Omens, Gilbert Inland, 328–329 Stanhope, Aubrey Charles, 411–413 Loomis, Lyman Stevens, 248–249, 349 Orbison, Edwin Ezell, 238, 248, Stephenson, Andrew Jackson, 413–414 Lutz, John Frederick, 249–250 329–330, 374 Stepp, Malta Leon, 48, 157, 414–415 Lynch, John Joseph, 97, 218, 251–252, OíRegan, William Timothy, 330–331, Stewart, Hubert Layton, 43, 115, 220, 410 349 416–418, 448 Mahon, Jackson Barrett, x, 82, 201, Osborne, Julian Meade, 332–333 Stout, Roy Neal, Jr., 354, 418–419, 443 253–255 Strickland, Harold Herman, 99, 126, Padgett, Cadman Vinton, 134, Mamedoff, Andrew B., 8, 27, 28, 45, 137, 218, 273, 419–422, 453 333–335, 356, 388, 392, 399 85, 237, 238, 255–257, 437, 438, Parker, Vernon Andrew, 89, 335–337 Taylor, Benjamin Albert, 422–423 439 Patterson Richard Fuller, 338–339 Taylor, Edwin Dale, x, 55, 89, 138, Mannix, Robert Louis, 103, 257–258, Patterson, Robert G., 339–340, 402 215, 310, 311, 423–426 271, 440 Peck, James Elvidge, 49, 97, 283, Taylor, James LaRue, 179, 426–427 Maranz, Nathaniel (aka Marans 341–342, 410 Taylor, Kenneth Samson, 63, 427–428 Nathaniel), 259–260 Pendleton, Wendell, 297, 342–343, 417 Taylor, William Douglas, 112, 224, 371, Marcus, Clifford H., 261 Peterson, Chesley Gordon, 8, 29, 31, 429–430, 464 Martin, Clarence L., 262–264, 376, 37, 52, 60, 65, 76, 78, 115, 116, Taylor, William Erwin Gibson, 430–432 449, 452 132, 206, 307, 321, 329, 344–347, Teicheira, George, 168, 197, 432–433, Marting, Harold Fesler, 264–266, 352, 374 467 297, 298 Peterson, Kenneth Dwight, 92, 301, Thorpe, Clifford Ralph, 433–434 Mason, Earl Wallace, 266–267 347–349, 351 Tilley, Reade Franklin, 435–437 Matthews, Joseph G., 267–268 Pewitt, Robert Lewis, 349–350 Tobin, Eugene Quimby, 8, 45, 237, Mauriello, Sam Alfred, 268–269, 280 Pisanos, Spiros Nickolas, x, 91, 348, 238, 256, 437–439 Maxwell, George St. Maur, 270–271 350–353 Tribken, Charles Wallace, 103, 166, Mays, Ben Freeman, 192, 272–273 Potter, Eugene Melvin, 354–355, 443 258, 439–441 McCall, Hugh Harrison, 101, 124, 125, Priser, Robert Lee (aka Prizer), 134, Tucker, Thaddeus H., 441, 450 273–274 334, 355–357, 388, 399, 455 McColpin, Carroll Warren, 31, 34, Vance, Fred R., 442 Provenzano, Peter Benjamin, 357–358 35, 78, 91, 92, 132, 194, 263, Vosburg, Murray Slauson, 354, Putnam, Hiram Aldine, 359–360, 436 275–278, 279, 346, 348, 417, 458 443–444 McGerty, Thomas Paul, 278–279, 363, Reed, Lawson Farrell, 304, 343, Wallace, Thomas Cherry, 187, 417, 417, 440, 451 360–361, 417 444–445 McGinnis, James Leland, 52, 269, Robertson, Chesley H., 362 Wallace, William Raymond, 118, 154, 280, 374 Roscoe, Arthur Ford, x, 279, 297, 324, 445–447 McHan, Richard Emmett, 111, 182, 349, 363–366, 436, 451, 452 Ward, Rufus Clyde, 447–448 281–282, 299, 312 Ross, Donald Henry, 366–368 Warner, John William, 263, 376, McLeod, Donald William, 97, 282–284 Ross, Gilbert Gary, 363–369 449–450, 452 McMinn, Richard D., 201, 284–285 Ryerson, Leonard Thomas, 69, 112, Watkins, Vivian Eugene, 103, 441, McPharlin, Michael George Hurschell, 190, 198, 211, 224, 293, 970–372, 450–451 116, 285–287 390, 433, 464 Weir, Jack Wesley, 263, 363, 376, 440, Meierhoff, Cecil Edwin, 287–288, 449, 451–452 354, 443 Sanders, James Milton, 373–374 Whedon, Samuel Fisk, 99, 137, 420, Middleton, George Hancock, 57, 69, Satterlee, Dean H., 314–375 452–453, 458 112, 190, 211, 224, 244, 245, Scarborough, Ross Orden, 263, White, William Joseph, 354, 355, 288–290, 320, 371, 464 375–377, 440, 449, 452 443, 454 Miley, Carl Henry, 157, 290–292 Schatzberg, Seymour Morton, Whitlow, Gordon Herschell, 134, 334, Miller, Ervin Lloyd, 112, 190, 292–294, 377–378 356, 388, 399, 455–456 371, 464 Scudday, Fred, 297, 304, 343, Wicker, Walter Charles, 59, 456–458 Mills, Henry Linde, 295–296 378–379, 417, 436 Willis, Donald Kenyon, 459–461 Miluck, Edward Thomas (aka Michael Seaman, Anthony Joseph, 380–381 Wolfe, Roland L., 89, 228, 462–463 Thomas Miluck), 296–298, 343, 417 Shenk, Warren Vincent, 381–382, 391 Wright, Gilbert G., 371, 463–466 Miner, Denver E., 111, 182, 299–300, Sintetos, Nicholas Dimitrios, 382–384 312, 420 Skinner, LeRoy Arnold, 99, 127, 137, Young, Donald Alvin, 168, 171, 197, Mirsch, George E., 300–301, 348 384–385, 420 397, 433, 466–468, 469 Mitchellweis, John, 301–303 Slade, William Corbett, 386–388 Young, Norman Dudley, 468–469 Mize, Collier Charles, 297, 304–305, Slater, John Tassie, 134, 334, 356, Zavakos, Frank George, 201, 470 343, 417 388–389, 399 Mooney, John Joseph, 152, 303–306 Smart, Glenn Joseph, 112, 224, 293, Moore, Richard Arthur, 52, 60, 389–390, 429, 464 306–308, 329, 374 Smith, Bradley, 382, 391

482

Subjects 71 Squadron, 8, 23, 26, 27, 29, 36, 39, 40, 44, 45, 50, 51–55, 58, 60, 61, 65, 66, 70, 71, 83–87, 94, 105, 106, 111–115, 128–131, 134, 135, 139, 140, 142, 144–146, 148, 160, 163–165, 171, 173, 174, 177, 178, 180, 181, 184, 185, 186, 187, 200–203, 208, 209, 216–219, 222–226, 232, 233, 235, 236, 237, 238, 242, 247, 249–252, 255–260, 264, 265, 268–272, 275, 277–280, 284–286, 295–297, 305, 306, 308, 309, 321–323, 326, 327, 329–331, 342, 343, 344, 345, 350, 352, 354, 355, 356–358, 363, 364, 368, 369, 374, 375, 377, 380, 409, 410, 416, 417, 419, 421, 427–429, 430, 432, 433, 437–440, 443–445, 447, 451–452, 455, 470 121 Squadron, 26, 27, 46, 47, 48, 59, 60, 67, 68, 79, 80, 82, 83, 88–91, 95, 96, 98–100, 102, 103, 107–110, 120, 121, 125–129, 139–141, 144, 145, 149, 150–152, 157, 158, 161, 162, 167, 169, 171, 175, 176, 179, 183–185, 192, 202, 203, 205, 209, 210, 212–214, 221, 222, 230–232, 234, 235, 246, 251, 253, 254, 259–266, 275, 277, 281–283, 288, 289, 296, 297, 304–306, 313, 314, 325, 326, 332–341, 359–361, 366, 367, 373, 378, 379, 381–385, 388–391, 393–398, 401, 402, 409–412, 414–417, 422, 423, 426, 427, 433, 435, 436, 441, 442, 449–451, 459, 460, 467–469 133 Squadron, 27, 29, 32, 36, 39, 41–43, 55–57, 59, 61–66, 69, 70, 72, 73, 75–77, 82, 83, 90–93, 95, 96–98, 101, 117, 118, 121–124, 128, 129, 133, 134, 136–138, 153–156, 172, 174, 175, 181–182, 189, 190, 193, 194, 196, 198, 200, 201, 206–208, 210, 211, 214–216, 220, 221, 227–228, 239–245, 248, 249, 255, 257, 267, 273–275, 277, 287–292, 294, 299–301, 310–312, 315–320, 328, 347–349, 359, 362, 370, 372, 375–379, 386–390, 392–393, 398, 400, 403–406, 408, 413–415, 418–419, 421, 423–425, 445–446, 449–454, 456, 458, 462–465, 468 334th Fighter Squadron, see Fourth Fighter Group, 32, 34, 36, 54, 56, 71, 84, 87, 95, 106, 108, 113, 116, 132, 178, 198, 206, 217, 220, 223, 225, 250, 269, 285–286, 295, 309, 331, 352–353, 356, 369, 380–381, 396, 406, 410, 422, 456 335th Fighter Squadron, see Fourth Fighter Group, 32, 36, 68, 80–81, 91, 108, 127, 159, 162, 170–171, 205–206, 210, 213–214, 235, 333–334, 340, 365, 367, 374, 389, 395–396, 398, 402, 412, 423, 460, 468 336th Fighter Squadron, see Fourth Fighter Group, 32, 36, 43, 62, 78, 89, 92–93, 106, 145–146, 155, 191, 194, 198, 206, 221, 245, 267, 277, 291, 294, 301, 303, 316, 348,

362, 368, 388, 405, 406, 414, 415, 425 Aces, 37, 113, 132, 191, 195, 220 Advanced Flying Training Group, 51 Air Ministry, 11–12, 20, 22, 45, 61, 65, 67, 69, 93, 103, 118, 144, 154, 158, 165, 169, 179, 183, 194, 197, 209, 212, 237, 254, 256, 276, 280, 283, 293, 297, 308, 314, 330, 345, 354, 358, 363, 371, 374–375, 383, 391, 400, 408, 417, 421, 431, 438, 441, 446, 453, 462, 467, 469 Air Transport Command, 45, 308, 343 Alhambra Airport, 184, 186 American Air Cadet Corps, 363 Annam in Dumfries and Galloway, 71 Arnold, General Hap, 16, 17, 20, 32, 307 Aston Down,57, 68, 69, 80, 93, 96, 134, 174–176, 192, 223, 272, 334, 348, 356, 367, 387, 392, 400, 455 Aviation Cadet Program, 10, 41, 44, 63, 69, 84, 95, 97, 105, 122, 126, 133, 141, 143–144, 150, 153, 157, 158, 161, 168, 186, 189, 192, 203, 222, 253, 262, 264, 270, 272, 274, 285, 307, 311, 313, 328, 338, 344, 347, 349, 360, 363, 369, 378, 385, 386, 393, 399, 419, 420, 423, 426, 427, 435, 453, 464, 470 Avro ìLancasaterî, 319 Bakersfield, California (Kern County Airport), 21 Balfour, Sir Harold, 12, 20, 21 Battle of Britain, v, 1–3, 24, 48, 62, 75, 111, 135, 137, 147, 151, 165, 183–184, 196, 200, 223, 230, 238, 244, 247, 256, 267, 268, 272, 293, 323, 324, 356, 382, 407, 420, 424, 438, 444, 451 Bell P-39 ìAiracobraî, 43, 401 Benway, Captain Earnest, 92, 123, 367 Biggin Hill, 42, 62, 73, 77, 91, 134, 157, 172, 175, 190, 198, 215, 229, 241, 267, 289, 291, 294, 316, 320, 329, 350, 362, 372, 378, 390, 392, 400, 415, 425, 464, 468 Bishop, Air Marshal Billy, 15, 202, 405 Boeing B-17 ìFlying Fortressî, 29, 43, 72, 74, 78, 81, 108, 119, 178, 181, 190, 191, 202, 229, 245, 251, 290, 291, 337, 348, 372, 375, 393, 401, 408, 465 Bournemouth, England, 42, 138, 169, 449 Bournemouth, RAF 3 Personnel Reception Center at, 22–23, 53, 55, 57, 67, 69, 71, 80, 91, 93, 97, 99, 101, 105, 112, 118, 121, 124, 126, 134, 137, 140, 141, 154, 156, 158, 160, 162, 171, 176, 179, 183, 190, 192, 194, 197, 201, 207, 210–212, 214, 216, 219, 222, 224, 226, 228, 231, 234, 250, 251, 254, 287, 293, 303, 304, 312, 316, 318, 323, 348, 352, 354, 363, 367, 371, 378, 385, 390, 394, 400, 405, 408, 421, 423, 424, 429, 443, 446, 453, 454, 462, 467, 469 Brewster Buffalo, 24, 25, 26, 308, 345, 438 Bristol Blenheim, 187, 188, 209, 279

483 I N D E XE S

Brown, George A., 27, 408 Cal Aero, 73 Chennault, Claire, 5 China-Burma-India Theater (CBI),148, 269, 379 Church Fenton, 23, 45, 131, 238, 242, 256, 280, 308, 330, 345, 431, 438 Churchill, W. M., 25 Churchill, Winston, 1, 12, 67, 118, 420 Citizenship, issue of, 17–19, 144, 145, 193, 276, 361 Civilian Military Training Corps, 161 Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP), 11, 48, 55, 90, 92, 98, 102, 107, 117, 126, 137, 153, 161, 171, 179, 186, 192, 200, 219, 275, 284, 302, 310, 313, 319, 332, 347, 349, 355, 360, 369, 377, 380, 386, 399, 415, 416, 418–420, 435, 464, 466, 470 Clayton Knight Committee, the, 14, 16, 19, 20–21, 48, 55, 57–58, 62–64, 67–69, 73, 75, 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 96, 97, 99, 101, 103, 105–108, 111–112, 120, 122, 123, 126, 129, 133, 137, 139, 141, 143, 150, 151, 153, 157, 158, 161, 163, 168, 171, 174, 178, 183, 184, 186, 187, 192, 197, 200, 206, 208, 209, 211–213, 216, 219, 222, 224, 226, 227, 231–233, 241, 244, 246, 249–251, 253, 257, 262, 272, 274, 276, 278, 279, 281, 282, 284, 287, 289, 291–293, 295, 297, 299, 302, 304, 311–313, 319, 321, 323, 325, 328, 331, 332, 334, 336, 341, 343, 349, 351, 354, 356, 360, 363, 366, 367, 371, 376, 378–380, 385, 386, 388, 390, 392, 394, 396, 397, 399, 402, 403, 407, 409, 413–415, 419, 420, 423, 424, 426, 429, 432, 439, 441, 443, 444, 446, 449, 450, 452–455, 462, 466, 469, 470 Coltishall, 27, 101, 124, 129, 274, 379, 408, 447, 449 Consolidated B-24 ìLiberatorî, 74, 89, 343 Crosby-on-Eden, 194, 203, 210, 265, 326, 396, 447 Curtiss JN-4 ìJennyî, 41, 224, 275, 360 Curtiss P-40 ìWarhawkî, 271, 384 Dallas Aviation School, 150 Debden, 33, 34, 43, 55, 58, 71, 81, 84, 87, 92– 94, 101, 105, 111, 113, 124, 148, 155, 160, 171, 177, 182, 191, 198, 215, 217, 219, 221, 225, 232, 250, 268, 273, 274, 281, 287, 294, 295, 299, 301, 309–312, 348, 352, 356, 367, 369, 380, 396, 422, 242, 455, 461 Dieppe, France, raid on, 54, 55, 70, 78, 80, 113, 119, 152, 158, 169, 176, 190, 198, 207, 210, 219, 225, 254, 286, 289, 294, 301, 308, 331, 333, 346, 372, 387, 394, 400, 412, 421, 425, 427, 455, 465 Dornier 217, 28, 138, 228, 318, 365 Douglas, Air Marshal Sir Sholto, 10, 12, 34, 35 Duxford, 64, 100, 129, 137, 208, 228, 239, 241, 249, 288, 299, 318, 349, 404, 419, 421, 453, 454, 462

Eagle Club, London, 158 Eagle Squadron Association, viii, x, 14, 50, 100, 177, 202, 301, 313, 317, 326, 418, 426, 434, 437, 441, 450, 477 Eagle Squadron (movie), 85, 140 Eagle transport ships Allionia, 263, 376 Banfora, 367 Dominion Monarch, 158 Duchess of Atholl, 40, 165, 259, 321 Duchess of Bedford, 45, 247 Duchess of Richmond, 52, 60, 65, 236, 280, 307, 329, 345, 374 Georgic, 77 HMS Letitia, 57, 69, 112, 189, 207, 224, 289, 293, 320, 371, 390, 394, 429, 464 Jon Vonorlendvonbelt, 448 SS Athenia, 193 SS Bayano, 63, 82, 139, 141, 162, 201, 208, 226, 227, 241, 249, 254, 284, 287, 317, 328, 331, 336, 349, 354, 363, 403, 407, 419, 443, 454, 462, 470 SS Emma Alexander, 168, 211, 218, 231 SS Manchester Division, 75, 233, 323 SS Mosdale, 55, 58, 311, 424 SS Olaf Fostenes, 99, 137 SS Vollendam, 73 Strathsden, 383 Eglinton, Northern Ireland, 28, 59, 75, 83, 96, 97, 101, 118, 122, 124, 137, 154, 182, 215, 239, 241, 257, 274, 288, 299, 311, 312, 328, 349, 359, 408, 419, 424, 446, 453, 545, 562, 463 Eighth Air Force, 9, 31, 32, 36, 54, 56, 68, 71, 89, 106, 108, 113, 116, 119, 127, 132, 146, 154, 159, 162, 170, 177, 178, 194, 221, 225, 264, 294, 295, 302, 303, 352, 367, 369, 389, 393, 414, 421, 437, 456, 460, 468, 478 El Alamein, 204, 265, 298, 324, 440 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS), 42, 147, 176, 457 Fairchild PT-19, 112, 134, 162, 387 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 7, 8, 17, 52, 302, 345 Finch Fleet Trainer, 331 Flying Tigers, 5, 233, 297, 413 Folke-Wulf 190 (FW-190), 29, 54, 57, 68, 70, 78, 84, 106, 108, 116, 127, 138, 169, 171, 174, 190, 195, 198, 201, 206, 210, 215, 218, 221, 242, 254, 295, 300, 306, 348, 350, 353, 385, 393, 396, 398, 402, 412, 425, 458, 468 Four Horsemen of Visalia57, 244, 245, 289 Fourth Fighter Group, v, 30, 32, 36–37, 43, 54, 56, 62, 68, 71, 72, 78, 80, 81, 84, 87, 91, 92, 95, 100, 106, 113, 116, 127, 132, 152, 155, 159, 162, 170, 171, 177–178, 191, 194, 198, 205, 210, 213, 214, 217, 220, 221, 225, 235, 250, 269, 277, 285, 291, 295, 301–303, 309, 316, 320, 333–334, 340, 346, 348, 352, 362, 367, 369, 372, 374, 380, 388–390, 393, 395, 396, 398, 402, 405–406, 410, 414–415, 421, 423, 425, 444, 456, 460, 468

Fowler, Harold, 18 Fowlmere, 124, 257, 274, 421, 454 French Foreign Legion, 550

231–233, 241, 244, 246, 249–251, 253, 257, 262, 272, 274, 276–279, 281, 282, 284, 287, 289, 291–293, 295, 297, 299, 302, 304, 311–313, 315–317, 319, 321, 323, 325, 328, 332, 334, 336, 341, 343, 347, 349, 351, 354, 356, 360, 363, 366, 367, 371, 376, 378–380, 385, 386, 388, 390, 392, 394, 396, 397, 399, 402, 407, 409, 413–415, 419, 420, 423–424, 426, 429, 432, 439, 441, 444, 446, 449, 450, 452–455, 462, 464, 466, 469, 470

Gibraltar, 89, 104, 116, 138, 142, 185, 383, 401 Glendale, California, 21, 73, 92, 97, 103, 111, 122, 139, 189, 224, 227, 232, 249, 323, 394, 449 Grand Central Air Terminal, 21, 92, 103, 227, 399, 440, 449 Grangemouth, Scotland, 87, 106, 158, 217, 380, 398, 414 Great Sampford, 33, 144, 267, 301, 303, 405, 414 Lafayette Escadrille, vii, 3–7, 14, 88, Gripsholm, 62 112, 202 LaGuardia, Fiorello, 17 Halifax, Nova Scotia, 42, 63, 88, 103, Lancaster, California, 21, 75, 82, 86, 162, 168, 189, 197, 201, 211, 236, 90, 92, 97, 101, 164, 178, 182, 244, 276, 288, 293,, 297, 302, 218, 222, 226, 249, 253, 258, 274, 303, 315, 323, 336, 367, 371, 279, 281, 283, 312, 331, 341, 348, 376, 387, 394, 417, 433, 438, 448, 349, 351, 380, 390, 414, 429, 444, 457, 464 452, 455, 470 Hamilton, Pierpont (Pete), 18 Lemington Hotel, Oakland, California, Hawker Hurricane, 85, 152, 185, 236, 82, 197, 200, 211, 223, 929, 407 238, 256, 304 Lindbergh Field, 86, 307 Heinkel 111, 324, 460 Llandow, Wales, 73, 100, 169, 197, Heston, 91 211, 213, 218, 289, 316, 320, 342, Hitchcock, Tommy, 112 390, 394, 423, 429, 431, 433, 464 Hitler, Adolf, v, 457 Lockheed Hudson, 61, 241 HMS Prince of Wales, 118 Lockheed P-38 ìLightningî, 151, 155, Hollywood-Roosevelt Hotel, 63, 67, 92, 342, 460 103, 118, 120, 123, 153, 161, 168, Long, William F., 21 184, 187, 222, 227, 241, 244, 250, Love Field, Dallas, Texas, 71, 83, 114, 251, 253, 257, 262, 274, 276, 281, 115, 224, 297, 304, 325, 336, 343, 312, 315, 323, 331, 356, 363, 366, 360, 379, 462 371, 376, 394, 441, 443, 444, 452 Lufbery, Raoul, 4 Hooper-Holmes Investigation Agency, Luftwaffe, v, 1, 11, 23–25, 28–29, 35, 124 42, 60, 63, 76, 89, 93, 104, 113, Howarden in Clwyd, Wales, 445 118, 127, 157, 174–175, 194, 225, Hunter, Brigadier General ìMonkî, 34, 228, 239–241, 248, 254, 268, 277, 35, 199, 250 291, 311, 331, 343, 345, 350, 384, 408, 425, 434, 444, 445, 465 International Red Cross, 88, 260 Isle of Man 28, 66, 101, 124, 257, 274, Madingley Cemetery, 64, 206, 285, 454, 463 410 Malta, 36, 49, 89, 104, 142, 155, 202, Jimmie Allen Flying Club, 363 252, 265, 281, 283, 300, 311, 314, Junkers 88 (JU-88), 136, 152, 265 342, 359, 360, 364–365, 379, 383, Junkers 52 (JU-52), 106, 127 384, 436, 440 March Field, 153–154 Kelly Field, 73 Martlesham Heath, 28–29, 45, 51, 53, Kennard, Hugh, 26 115, 148, 164, 174, 187, 201, 209, Kennedy, Joseph P., 10 218, 226, 258, 265, 271, 279, 284, King George V, 112 306, 309, 327, 343, 345, 428, 429, Kirton-in-Lindsey, 26, 28, 42, 48, 57, 433, 438, 440, 445, 448, 470 59, 61, 63, 75, 83, 85, 89, 98, 99, Martonmere, Lord, see Robinson, J. 103, 118, 121, 125, 140, 152, 154, Roland, 480 156, 172, 174, 175, 181, 184, 185, Maxwell Field, 20 193, 203, 211, 222, 228, 240, 245, Messerschmitt 109 (ME-109), 25, 51, 251, 260, 261, 263, 265, 266, 269, 56, 68, 78, 85, 87, 89, 106, 127, 277, 281, 283, 291, 294, 297, 299, 129, 140, 148, 174, 178, 188, 207, 04, 311, 312, 321, 328, 336, 350, 209, 229, 243, 268, 277, 291, 310, 361, 379, 385, 387, 391, 408, 410, 311, 322, 325, 531, 334, 342, 362, 415, 417, 425, 428, 434, 438, 441, 364, 367, 395, 406, 412, 425 446, 449, 450, 453 Miles Master, 42, 55, 67, 103, 108, Knight, Clayton, 14, 16, 19–21, 48, 55, 147, 158, 364, 367, 458 57, 58, 62–64, 67–69, 73, 75, 82, Moncton, New Brunswick, 87, 93, 178, 84, 86–88, 90, 92, 96, 97, 99, 101, 367, 380, 387, 402, 417, 457 103, 105–108, 111, 112, 117–118, Morlaix mission, 30, 32, 34, 64, 70, 120, 122, 123, 126, 128, 133, 137, 91, 119, 190, 194, 198, 221, 245, 139, 141, 143, 149, 150, 153–154, 290, 294, 301, 348, 372, 337, 400, 157–158, 161, 163, 171, 174, 178, 405, 413, 465 179, 183, 184, 186–187, 189, 192, Moseley, C. C., 21 197, 200, 206, 208, 209, 211–213, Moss Brothers Clothiers, 69, 93, 99, 216, 218, 219, 222, 224, 226, 227, 103, 118, 124, 131, 154, 158, 162,

484 THE RA F E A GLE S QU A D R O N S

169, 211, 254, 293, 314, 323, 363, 371 Moosburg prisoner of war camp, 43, 130, 188, 195, 254, 260, 412

Pearl Harbor, v, 67, 104, 172, 176, 283, 302, 337, 437 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU), 61 Piper Cub, 56, 77, 80, 96, 203, 239, 270, 313, 333, 335, 366 Polaris Flight Academy, 21, 67, 75, 82, 86, 90, 92, 97, 101, 103, 111, 120, 122, 124, 139, 164, 168, 178, 182, 184, 187, 189, 222, 224, 226, 227, 249, 251, 253, 258, 263, 276, 279, 312, 331, 348, 351, 356, 363, 376, 380, 394, 399, 402, 414, 439, 444, 451, 452, 464 Powell, Peter, 26 Prisoners of war (POW), 57, 71, 109, 130, 152, 159, 163, 166, 188, 195, 202, 230, 254, 260, 296, 309, 327, 349, 395, 398, 434

Neutrality Acts, 3, 7, 13, 17, 358 Ninth Air Force, 78, 127, 346, 357, 425 North Africa, 43, 76, 110, 151, 177, 202, 204, 266, 384, 432 North American AT-6 ìHarvardî, 73, 86, 96, 112, 134, 162, 171, 203, 244, 263, 289, 293, 339, 367, 386, 399, 414, 433, 457, 466 North American BT-14, 73 North American P-51 ìMustangî, 32, 43, 71, 78, 81, 91, 93, 106, 108, 109, 113, 132, 148, 151, 152, 155, 159, 163, 170, 178, 191, 195, 213, 220, 221, 225, 271, 286, 291, 294, 295, 315, 334, 346–348, 352, 353, 357, 367, 395, 398, 401, 406, 465 Queen Elizabeth, 422 North Weald, 28, 45, 55, 60, 74, 83, 85, 91, 96, 99, 111, 126, 129, RAF Refresher Training Program, 20, 140–143, 145, 162, 165, 169, 179, 48, 55, 57, 58, 63, 69, 73, 86, 88, 184, 203, 210, 213, 223, 231, 233, 90, 92, 96, 99, 101, 103, 107, 111, 234, 251, 254, 263, 265, 272, 277, 112, 118, 120, 122, 124, 128, 131, 279, 286, 289, 297, 323, 326, 333, 137, 139, 141, 154, 158, 159, 161, 336, 343, 354, 364, 373, 376–377, 164, 171, 174, 178, 182–184, 187, 394, 410, 417, 421, 423, 427,–428, 189, 197, 208, 210, 211, 212, 214, 440, 442, 443, 445, 450, 452, 216, 218, 219, 222–224, 226, 227, 460, 467 233, 241, 244, 246, 250, 251, 253, 258, 263, 272, 274, 276, 279, 281, Operation Jubilee, see Dieppe, 29, 70, 284, 287, 289, 293, 295, 297, 299, 116, 190, 207, 455 302, 304, 311–313, 315, 317, 320, Operational Training Units, 27, 93, 321, 323, 325, 328, 331, 334, 336, 224, 228, 250, 266, 369, 378, 341, 343, 348, 349, 351, 354, 356, 397, 400 360, 363, 367, 371, 374, 376, 378, 1 OUT, 61, 84, 91, 121, 219, 469 379, 385, 386, 388, 390, 392, 394, 5 OUT, 222, 230, 251 396, 397, 402, 403, 407, 410, 414, 7 OTU at Howarden, 207, 224 415, 419, 420, 423, 424, 426, 429, 52 OTU at Debden and Aston Down, 433, 440, 443, 444, 446, 449, 455, 57, 58, 68, 134, 176, 192, 272, 462, 464, 466, 469, 470 312 Randolph Field, 73, 114, 155, 157, 53 OTU at Llandow, Wales, 169, 213, 259, 296, 307 218, 250, 271 Rednal in Salop, 219, 402, 469, 485 55 OTU at Usworth in Tyne and Wear, Reilly, Brigadier General Henry J., 6 and Annan, 222, 230, 251 Republic P-47 ìThunderboltî, 54, 56, 56 OTU at Sutton Bridge, 140, 150, 62, 71, 74, 78, 81, 84, 87, 89, 91, 183, 208, 209, 233, 249, 254, 279, 93, 95, 106, 108, 113, 116, 127, 287, 327, 331, 378 132, 138, 146, 148, 151, 152, 159, 57 OTU at Howarden, 207, 224, 396 162, 171, 191, 194, 198, 199, 201, 58 OTU at Grangemouth, 87, 217, 206, 213, 220, 221, 225, 250, 251, 398 268, 285, 288, 291, 294, 295, 301, 59 OTU at Charterhall and Crosby303, 309, 310, 316, 325, 331, 334, on-Eden, 205, 210, 326, 447 340, 346, 348, 353, 356, 358, 361, 61 OTU at Rednal in Salop, 84, 91, 388, 395, 398, 402, 406, 412, 415, 219, 469 418, 425, 456, 460, 468 Ottawa, Canada, 16, 39, 42, 56, 65, Robinson, J. Roland (Robbie), see 85, 88, 115, 131, 162, 165, 168, Martonmere, Lord, 36, 421 187, 197, 244, 263, 269, 279, 304, Ryan PT-20, 313 329, 332, 334, 336, 358, 363, 336, 388, 399, 407, 416, 420, 424, 427, Sergeant pilot, 21, 23, 31, 42, 43, 46, 447, 448, 457, 464, 467 53, 59, 71, 77, 80, 84, 94, 108, Overseas League (Club), 103, 169, 110, 129, 156, 157, 160, 172, 176, 228, 243 178, 194, 203, 205, 215, 220, 230, 234, 239, 240, 261, 266, 270, 299, Pan American World Airways, 49, 300, 301, 305, 309, 340, 359, 362, 196, 316 367, 369, 373, 380, 381–832, 383, Pangborn, Clyde165, 403 391, 402, 405, 411, 412, 417, 434, Parson, Edwin C., 7, 8 435, 442

485 I N D E XE S

Service Flying Training School (SFTS), 40, 42, 46, 53, 59, 61, 67, 80, 85, 110, 128, 129, 147, 156, 165, 172, 176, 180, 190, 194, 203, 205, 224, 236, 293, 305, 327, 330, 332, 358, 373, 383, 390, 392, 402, 405, 417, 457 Sinclair, Air Minister Sir Archibald, 12, 23, 52, 280 Singapore, 104, 135, 136, 162, 298 Smith, Homer, 15 Southend-on-Sea, 68, 80, 108, 158, 171, 176, 205, 214, 314, 334, 340, 383, 389, 398, 402, 412, 469, Spaatz, Major General Carl, 31, 34, 35 Spartan Executive, 82, 96, 162, 386 Spartan School of Aeronautics, 20, 48, 64, 96, 99, 105, 107, 112, 118, 126, 134, 137, 152, 154, 157–159, 161, 171, 183, 192, 259, 284, 287, 293, 299, 302, 313, 317, 334, 354, 378, 385, 386, 403, 410, 441, 443, 446, 448, 450, 453, 454 Stalag Luft I, 71, 155, 159, 202, 340, 368 Stalag Luft III, 43, 119, 129, 130, 166, 171, 188, 190, 195, 209, 224, 230, 254, 260, 290, 310, 322, 384, 385, 409, 412, 465 Stearman PT-13, 73, 86, 112, 414 Sutton Bridge, 42, 48, 51, 59, 63, 75, 83, 89, 99, 103, 115, 118, 126, 137, 140, 141, 143, 145, 150, 152, 154, 162, 164, 165, 181, 183, 185, 187, 201, 208, 209, 226, 228, 233, 241, 246, 249, 254, 258, 261, 263, 276, 279, 284, 286, 287, 297, 304, 318, 323, 327, 328, 331, 336, 338, 343, 349, 354, 361, 376, 378, 379, 385, 403, 404, 408, 415, 419, 421, 440, 441, 443, 445, 446, 448–450, 452, 453, 454, 462, 470 Sweeny, Charles, 8, 9 Sweeny, Colonel Charles, 5, 9–15, 39, 52, 60, 65, 131, 144, 164, 235, 242, 247, 255, 256, 259, 280, 307, 327, 329, 345, 358, 374, 431, 436, 437, 439 Sweeny, Robert, Sr., 9 Sweeny, Robert, Jr., 10 Tiger Moth, 217 U.S. State Department, 16, 17, 18 Usworth in Tyne and Wear, 97, 121, 122, 222, 251, 283, 341, 410, 412, 427, 457 Vultee BT-13, 86, 313, 367, 414, 416 Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, 6, 88, 96, 171, 182, 183, 212, 216, 226, 351, 378, 399, 429 Wilkinson, Royce, 26 Winant, John, 10, 113, 337 Windsor, Ontario, 44, 60, 135, 239, 247, 373 Woolley, Duke Wing Commander, 34, 113

About the Author

B

rigadier General Philip D. Caine, US Air Force, Retired, was commissioned as a Distinguished

Military Graduate from the Air Force ROTC at the University of Denver. He graduated at the top of his pilot training class, and during his thirty-sevenyear Air Force career he flew some 5,000 hours in various military aircraft. He earned both his master’s and doctor of philosophy degrees in history from

Stanford University. He is also a graduate of the Air War College and the National War College. General Caine’s assignments included: mission pilot and instructor pilot at Mather AFB, Hamilton AFB, Lowry AFB, and Peterson AFB; tenure professor and acting head of the US Air Force Academy History Department; acting head of Project CHECO in Vietnam; Professor of Strategic Studies at the National War College; Senior Research Fellow at the National Defense University; Deputy Commandant of Cadets for Military Instruction at the US Air Force Academy. General Caine retired from the Air Force in 1992. He is the author of four books: Eagles of the RAF and American Pilots in the RAF, known together as the definitive history of the RAF Eagle Squadrons; Spitfires, Thunderbolts, and Warm Beer, the story of a highly decorated American fighter pilot’s life in the RAF and Eighth Air Force; and Aircraft Down!, an account of six extraordinary evasion adventures that took place in Europe during World War II. He and his wife, Doris, live in Monument, Colorado.