8th Air Force
Command
John Aitken Jr
Military
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"Major Aiken, pilot, points out an interesting feature to his ground crew as they stand by the wing of their North American P-51 of the 339th Fighter Group at 8th Air Force Station F-378, Fowlmere Airfield, England. 2 September 1944." There's no telling what Major John Aitken is trying to relate to his crew chief S/Sgt. William B Helliger, (R) and armorer Sgt Robert T Markle (L). P-51D 44-14004 (Aitken's assigned ship, pictured here) eventually received the nose art "Annie May" - maybe he's telling them where he wants it painted. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A12384-71860AC.
First tour of operations in the Mediterranean flying Spitfires in the 2FS, 52FG, 15AF USAAF as a Lieutenant. Credited with two victories and one shared in 1943. For second tour, assigned to 503FS, 339FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited with three aerial victories. Completed tour of duty (ETD) 2-Oct-44.
Service
Units served with
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339th Fighter Group
Group
In the years before deployment to the UK, the Group had been designated as a Bombardment Group (Dive) and trained in A-24 and A-25 dive-bombers and P-39 Airacobras. When, in April 1944, they joined the Eighth Air Force in Britain though, the pilots... -
52nd Fighter Group
Group
Two of the Squadrons of the 52nd Fighter Group flew Spitfires with RAF Fighter Command in August and early September 1942 from northern Ireland. After these preparatory missions, the Group joined the Twelfth and then Fifteenth Air Force in the... -
503rd Fighter Squadron
Squadron
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15th Air Force
Misc
Aircraft
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44-14004 'Annie May'
P-51 Mustang
Assigned to 503FS, 339FG, 8AF USAAF. Personal aircraft of Major John Aitken Jr. Re-assigned to Capt Robert H Ammon. Lost in take-off accident. 18-Nov-44. Lt Elmer E Haidle killed in Action KIA.
Associated Place
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Fowlmere
Military site : airfield
Just as nearby Duxford was known as the 'Duck pond' by American airmen, so Fowlmere was known as 'the Hen Puddle' because of the wet conditions that pervaded the bases during the winter of 1943-1944. The 339th Fighter Group had no choice but to persist...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Georgia, USA | 1918 |
| Lived in | Elberton, GA 30635, USA | 1940 |
| Enlisted | Fort McPherson, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA | 12 July 1941 |
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Fort McPherson |
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| Crashed | Fort Myers, FL, USA | 20 August 1943 |
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Belly Landing due to Mechanical Failure Fort Myers AAF Florida Cat 4 damage, pilot Lt John Jr Aitken, 20-Aug-43. P-47D 42-74919 - 15FS 53FG |
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| Assigned | Fowlmere, Royston, Cambridgeshire SG8, UK | 25 May 1944 – 2 October 1944 |
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Assigned to 503FS, 339FG, 8AF USAAF. |
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| Promotion | Fowlmere, Royston, Cambridgeshire SG8, UK | 8 June 1944 |
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Promoted to Major. |
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| End Tour of Duty (ETD) | England, UK | 2 October 1944 |
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Ended Tour of Duty (ETD). |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 28 June 2016 23:17:08 | Al_Skiff | Changes to suffix, service number, highest rank, biography, awards, events, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/search.php?searchString=Aitken |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:15:23 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list / Unit History |
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