Max Victor
Military | Staff Sergeant | Automotive Mechanic | 56th Fighter Group
Grownd crew for Col. Harold Comstock.
Bronze Star Medal Co 164 Hq 2AD, Dist. Unit Badge; EAME Medal;Good Conduct Medal
The American Air Museum is Closed
Following recent government announcements the museum is currently closed, there is plenty to explore in our online archive.
The American Air Museum is a charity - Find out how you can support us
Harold Elwood Comstock
Military
-
1Lt Harold Comstock 56th FG
-
A group of pilots from the 56th Fighter Group. Left to right they are: Richard H. Allison of the 61st Fighter Squadron, Lieutenant Harold E. Comstock of the 63rd Fighter Squadron, three unknown pilots, Lieutenant-Colonel Hubert "Hub" Zemke, Major Donald M. Goodfleisch of the 63rd FS and Lieutenant Conway C. Saux of the 62nd FS. 1943. Printed caption attached to print: 'The "Thunderbolt". The new American Fighter P-47, known as the 'Thunderbolt' is designed as a high altitude fast fighter, now in quantity production for the U.S. Army Air Force. Photo shows: Lt. Col. Hubert Zempke [sic] with some of the pilots who will fly the new P-47 planes. Topical Press.'
-
Pilots of the 56th Fighter Group celebrate 800 victories and the second anniversary of their arrival in England at a party on 6 January 1945 at Boxted air base. Left to right the pilots are: Major James R. Carter, Lieutenant-Colonel Donovan F. Smith, Lieutenant Harold E. Comstock, Lieutenant-Colonel David C. Schilling, Major Lucian A. Dade and Lieutenant-Colonel Leslie C. Smith.
-
A crashed P-47 Thunderbolt (UN-Y, serial number 41-6326) of the 56th Fighter Group, flown by Lieutenant Harold E Comstock, 3 February 1944. Official caption on image: "3396-4GIS-2-P47-Crash Landing." Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Comstock, 3/3/44.'
-
View of P-47C 41-6326 showing the fuselage broken from the rear of the armour plating. Pilot Harold Comstock was uninjured in the crash-landing.
-
View of the port side of P-47C 41-6326 following crash-landing on 3rd February 1944.
-
Detail of artwork on P-47C 41-6326 UN-Y "Happy Warrior" assigned to Harold "Bunny" Comstock.
-
Lt Col Harold Comstock CO 481st TFS
-
A 63rd Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group P-47D Thunderbolt (UN-Y, serial number 41-6326) piloted by Lieutenant Comstock that crash-landed on the 3rd of February 1944 and lost a wing in the crash. The root of the lost wing is all that remains attached to the fuselage. Roger Freeman Photo FRE 12129 Official caption on image: "33SG - 4G15 - 5 - P47 - Crash Landing." Handwritten caption on reverse: '3 Feb '44. P47, 41-6326, Lt. Comstock, 63FS.'
CO 63rd FS 56th FG July 1944 - Jan. 1945
Flew 2 combat tours totalling 136 missions from April 1943 thru Jan. 1945.
6 kills air + 3 kills by strafing
CO 481st TFS and flew 132 combat missions over S. Vietnam.
Col. USAF retired
Service
People
Units served with
-
8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945. ... -
56th Fighter Group
Group
Flying P-47 Thunderbolts throughout their time stationed in England, the Group, known as "the Wolfpack", had more ace pilots than any other Eighth Air Force Fighter Group. The 56th Fighter Group also destroyed more enemy aircraft in air combat than any... -
63rd Fighter Squadron
Squadron
Aircraft
-
42-75870
P-47 Thunderbolt
Originally assigned to Capt. Harold "Bunny" Comstock and reassigned to Capt. Campbell. -
42-26413 Happy Warrior / Oregon's Britannia
P-47 Thunderbolt
Assigned to 63FS, 56FG, 8AF USAAF. Assigned to Major Hubert Zemke, re-assigned to 1st Lt Harold E Comstock. Fatally crashed by Lt Samuel K Batson after engine failure. -
41-6326 Happy Warrior
P-47 Thunderbolt
Assigned to 63FS, 56FG, 8AF USAAF. 1Lt Comstock secured 2 victories and 3 x damaged in this A/C. Written off following crash-landing at Mutford due to running out of gas on return from mission. Pilot 1Lt Harold Comstock uninjured and returned to base. -
44-19757
P-47 Thunderbolt
Assigned to 63FS, 56FG, 8AF USAAF. -
44-20455
P-47 Thunderbolt
Assigned to 63FS, 56FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 315FS, 324FG, 9AF USAAF.
Associated Place
-
Boxted
Military site : airfield
Boxted was built for heavy bombers and became operational from May 1943. In the few months B-26 Marauders of the 386th Bomb Group were stationed there, there were two night attacks by the Luftwaffe. On 17 August 1943, one man was killed when bombs... -
Halesworth
Military site : airfield
Halesworth was constructed in 1942-1943. Initially planned as a bomber airfield, its location close to the Suffolk coast meant that it was in an ideal position to operate escort fighters, where range was a critical factor. Consequently, the 56th... -
Horsham St Faith
Military site : airfield
Horsham St Faith was an RAF Bomber Command Station opened in June 1940. It was home to Bristol Blenheim medium-bombers, and was for a time occupied by fighters, including those of No. 19 Squadron and No. 264 Squadron. From September 1942 the airfield...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Fresno, CA, USA | 20 December 1920 |
|
Son of Clinton E and Leona Millie [Daw] Comstock. |
||
| Enlisted | Fresno, CA, USA | 6 November 1941 |
| Promoted | Halesworth, Halesworth, Suffolk IP19, UK | 12 March 1944 |
|
Promoted from 1Lt to Captain |
||
| End Tour of Duty (ETD) (1) | Halesworth, Halesworth, Suffolk IP19, UK | 19 April 1944 |
|
Ended first tour of duty |
||
| 2nd tour of duty | Boxted, Colchester, Essex, UK | 11 July 1944 |
|
Commenced 2nd tour of duty |
||
| Reassigned | Boxted, Colchester, Essex, UK | 22 July 1944 |
|
Took command of 63rd Fighter Squadron. |
||
| Promoted | Boxted, Colchester, Essex, UK | 17 September 1944 |
|
Promoted from Captain to Major |
||
| End Tour of Duty (ETD) (2) | Boxted, Colchester, Essex, UK | 10 January 1945 |
|
Ended second tour of duty |
||
| Died | Clovis, CA, USA | 3 April 2009 |
| Buried | Fresno Memorial Gardens, 175 S Cornelia Ave, Fresno, CA 93706, USA | 19 April 2009 |
|
Fresno Memorial Gardens |
||
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 03 July 2018 20:22:52 | Al_Skiff | Changes to middlename, service number, events, unit associations and aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/312802087?terms=Harold%20E%20Comstock |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 29 August 2017 22:31:56 | fugari | Changes to highest rank, role, biography, awards and media associations |
| Sources | ||
JCook Photo Collection & Archives |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 March 2016 14:16:30 | Pyker | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Corrected typo on 2nd tour start date. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 March 2016 14:05:44 | Pyker | Changes to nickname, highest rank, events and place associations |
| Sources | ||
Updated nickname and added to biography. From own and Ted Damick data files. Hometown was Fresno California but unable to add dates. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:12:01 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
AccidentReports.com, 8th AF Losses / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list |
||
