Harold Herman Strickland

Military

media-17107.jpeg UPL 17107 "Officers of the USAAF formerly members of the British Eagle Squadrons, have returned form the European front. they are in Washington today where they told their experience in aerial combat against the Nazis. The Eagle Squadrons were composed of American citizens who joined the British RAF and were organized into all American fighter squadrons. These were disbanded following the entry of the US into the war and the American personnel for the most part were transferred to our air forces. As such they continued in combat duty and have taken part in many of the successful actions against the enemy."
L-R: Maj Carroll W McColpin, Lt John I Brown, Capt Reade Tilley, Maj William J Dailey Jr, Capt John J McCloskey, Lt Dale Taylor, Lt A L Haynes, Capt Harold Strickland, Lt Bradford W Boyar, Capt Sam A Mauriello, Lt George L Strauss and Lt Fred Cullen Smith.

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Object Number - UPL 17107 - "Officers of the USAAF formerly members of the British Eagle Squadrons, have returned form the European front. they are in Washington today where...

Failed check ride in Curtiss Jenny and washed out of AAC flying program 3-1925, approached British embassy to fly for RAF 1940, contacted Knight committee 1940, service pilot training in US, shipped overseas to ETO, joined RAF June 1941 at 37 yrs old, assigned to 133 Eagle Sqn RAF, transferred to 71 Sqn Eagle Sqn RAF, transferred to 334th FS, 4th FG, 8th AF USAAF 14-9-42, returned to the US to attend the USAAF Air Intelligence School 1943, joined the Reserves working as an intel research officer with the Air Force 1946, joined the Defense Intelligence Agency and retired from there in 1965.

Connections

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Units served with

334th Fighter Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

No 133 'Eagle' Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Type Category: Fighter

No 71 'Eagle' Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Type Category: Fighter

Missions

VIII Fighter Command

Date: 19 August 1942
Official Description:

Places

Pilot Officer Kenneth Le Roy Holder stands on the shoulders of Pilot Officer Donald William McLeod to reach out for an American flag flying from a flag pole. A group of American airmen look on. They wear the insignia of the RAF Eagle Squadrons, the forerunners of the squadrons of the 4th Fighter Group. Passed for publication on 27 November 1941. Printed caption on reverse: 'Pilot Officer Kenneth Le Roy Holder from Buena Park, California, stands on the shoulders of Pilot Officer Donald William McLeod from

Biggin Hill

Site type: Airfield

Debden

Site type: Airfield

Kirton-in-Lindsey

Site type: Airfield

Martlesham Heath

Site type: Airfield

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Born	Louisiana, USA	1 August 1903	Louisiana, USA.
Other E/A Damaged	Dieppe, France	19 August 1942	1st sortie of Dieppe Raid bagged a Fw190 damaged.
Other Transferred	Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK	14 September 1942	Transferred to 334th FS, 4th FG, 8th AF USAAF 14-9-42.
Died	Georgetown University Hospital, 3800 Reservoir Rd NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA	25 May 1981	Died of heart attack, Georgetown University Hospital 25-5-1981.
Buried			Arlington National Cemetery.
Other Grew up	California, USA		Raised in CA, USA.
	Washington, DC, USA	25 May 1981
Other Washed out Army Air Corp	United States		Failed check ride in Curtiss Jenny and washed out of AAC flying program. 3-1925.
Other Knight committee via UK embassy	Washington, DC, USA		Approached British embassy to fly for RAF 1940. Directed to Knight committee.
Other Service pilot training	Tulsa, OK, USA		Service pilot training in US.
Other Shipped overseas	Merseyside, UK		Shipped overseas to ETO. Norwegian ship SS Olaf, eleven day crossing alone no convoy.
Other Joined RAFVR	Canada		Joined Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. June 1941 at 37 yrs old.
Other Assigned	Kirton in Lindsey, Gainsborough, North Lincolnshire DN21, UK		Assigned to 133 Eagle Sqn RAF.
Other Transferred	Kirton in Lindsey, Gainsborough, North Lincolnshire DN21, UK	13 September 1942	Transferred to 71 Sqn Eagle Sqn RAF as casualty replacement.
Other Returned Stateside			Returned to the US to attend the USAAF Air Intelligence School 1943.
Other Joined USAAF Reserves	United States		Joined the Reserves working as an intel research officer with the Air Force.
Other Joined DIA			Joined the Defense Intelligence Agency and retired from there in 1965.