Herbert Jude Blanchfield
MilitaryCaptain Herbert Blanchfield of the 334th fighter Squadron, claimed 4.333 strafing kills within days of receiving his P-51B Mustang in early April 1944. He was shot down in P-51D Mustang 42-106767, during a strafing attack on a flak tower at Reims-Champagne airfield. Although initially evading capture, Blanchfield was eventually found by the Gestapo, and he spent the rest of the war as a POW.
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (OLC), POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Nicknames: Quack! Uncle Den
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Salem Representative
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Passaic County, NJ, USA | 9 June 1920 | Son of Thomas and Alice Blanchfield. |
Enlisted |
New York, NY, USA | 22 November 1940 | New York City, New York |
Enlisted |
Canada | 27 June 1941 | Enlisted RCAF AV Cadet [R122589]. |
Other Flight training |
Moncton, NB, Canada | 28 February 1942 - 18 June 1942 | 8 SFTS (RCAF) Moncton - Course 50: February 28 - June 18, 1942. |
Based |
Debden | 13 August 1943 - 9 May 1944 | Assigned to 334FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. |
Other Promotion |
Debden, Saffron Walden CB11, UK | 5 December 1943 | Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant. |
Other Promotion |
Debden, Saffron Walden CB11, UK | 28 January 1944 | Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. |
Other Evaded (EVD) |
France | 9 May 1944 | Evaded capture initially. |
Other Shot down / Baled out |
Putteville, 10500 Rosnay-l'Hôpital, France | 9 May 1944 | Shot down in a strafing attack on a flak tower at Reims-Champagne airfield. Baled out Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 4685. |
Other Promotion |
Barth, Germany | 15 May 1944 | Promoted to Captain. |
Died |
Wyckoff, NJ, USA | 24 January 2001 | |
Buried |
Christ the King Cemetery Franklin Lakes, Bergen County, NJ | 27 January 2001 | Christ the King Cemetery Franklin Lakes, Bergen County, New Jersey |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Barth, Germany | Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft I. | |
Paterson, NJ, USA |
Revisions
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list
Personal research & 4th Fighter Group 'Debden Eagles' by Chris Bucholtz.
Personal research & 4th Fighter Group 'Debden Eagles' by Chris Bucholtz.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4685 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list