26 July 1942
Not yet known
6 Spitfire VB aircraft from 31FG join with 412 (Falcon) Squadron RCAF flying from Merston on a fighter sweep over Abbeville and St. Omer, France. Lt Col Albert P. Clark, O-020218, 31FG Executive Officer flying EN784 is shot down and captured becoming the first 8th Air Force fighter pilot to become a POW.
FIGHTER SWEEP
Spitfire
A fighter sweep. This is the first all 8th Air Force fighter mission (Spitfires). One aircraft is listed Missing in Action (MIA), it's pilot is LT COL Albert Clark bails out and is made a POW. This is the first operation of the 31st Fighter Group since arriving in the UK in June 1942.
Group
The 31st Fighter Group only flew missions from England between June and September 1942 but during this period they supported the Dieppe raid, the assault on occupied Europe, predominantly by the Canadian army. The attack was forced into early retreat...
| Number of aircraft Sent | 6 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 6 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 1 |
Military | Lieutenant General | Pilot | 31st Fighter Group
Shot down doing a sweep over France with the 412 Squadron (Royal Canadian Air Force) 26 July 1942 while assigned to 31st Fighter Group as a Lieutenant Colonel, flying Spitfire Mk Vb, BL964. Prisoner of War (POW). Was executive officer of the 31st FG in...
Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire BL964 Mk Vb, Built at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory.
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 18 October 2014 23:20:20 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to name and description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 19-Oct-2014 "Losses of the 8th & 9th AIr Forces" Stan Bishop & John A hey MBE. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:14 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'. |
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