Robert Gordon Patterson
Military
Object Number - UPL 18725 - 1st Lt Robert G Patterson 335th FS, 4th FG, 8AF USAAF formerley a 121 [Eagle] Sqn RAF Spitfire pilot.
On 8-Oct-43 1LT Robert G Patterson, 335FS, 4FG 8AF USAAF was shot down by enemy fighters in P-47 42-7911 while on a mission to escort B-17s attacking at Bremen, Germany. His aircraft was attacked by German fighters over Holland. He was able to bale out and managed to evade capture for a time, but was finally captured in Amsterdam as a Prisoner of War (POW).
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), PH, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Post War - 1975-80 Merchant seaman.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 56th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron 63rd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 56th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron 63rd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron
Missions
- Date: 8 October 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Pathway
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Williston, ND 58801, USA | 14 July 1916 | Williston, North Dakota, USA. |
|
Other Transferred |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 14 October 1942 - 8 October 1943 | Transferred to 335th FS, 4th FG, 8AF USAAF. |
|
Other Promoted |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 23 April 1943 | Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. |
|
Other Evaded EVD |
Belgium | 8 October 1943 - 9 December 1943 | Evaded in Belgium and then captured in Netherlands. |
|
Other Shot down |
Essen, Germany | 8 October 1943 | Shot down during a scrape with 30+ German fighters near Assen, Germany. EVD/POW. (MACR 882/938). |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Barth, Germany | 9 December 1943 - 5 June 1945 | Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft I. |
|
Died |
San Francisco, CA, USA | 1 April 2004 | |
| Los Angeles, CA, USA | |||
|
Other Assigned |
Kirton in Lindsey, Gainsborough, North Lincolnshire DN21, UK | 14 October 1942 | Assigned to 121 [Eagle] Sqn RAF. |
|
Other Joined RCAF |
Canada | Joined Royal Canadian Air Force. Fl/Sgt. | |
|
Other Service pilot training |
Ottawa, ON, Canada | Service pilot training. | |
|
Other Shipped overseas |
Merseyside, UK | Shipped overseas to ETO. | |
|
Other Operational training |
Great Britain, United Kingdom | Operational training at OTU. Conversion to Hurricane and Spitfires. |
Revisions
Merged with duplicate entries to include details from:
- Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list;
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia ;
- MACR 882/938;
- Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey, p. 90 includes picture of a/c, NARA POW records;
Lee Cunningham 3-Jul-2015, Correcting POW camp data per National Archives Records Administration (NARA) WWII POW database.
Lee Cunningham 3-Jul-2015. Added Decoration and POW event per National Archives Records Administration (NARA) WWII POW database.; Corrected rank and confirmed SN from MACR 882; Added Summary biography based on "The Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.
MACR 882 & 938 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
