Eacott Garvin Allen (listed as Garvin Allen in the US 1930 Census for Robstown, Nueces County, Texas, where his widowed mother is listed as Lucy L. Allen) was born and raised in Texas. His father, William C. Allen died in 1928 in Robstown, Texas and his mother Lucille raised alone 2 other older sons and two daughters. Eacott had four years of High School when he enlisted in the Air Corps in June 1942. After training as a Pilot, he was sent overseas in 1944 and was assigned to the 334th Fighter Squadron in the 4th Fighter Group, based in Debden, Essex, England. On his 21st mission, on 8 June 1944, he was flying P-51 42-106823 on the day's second mission for the Squadron, targeting bridges, rail installations in support of the invasion of Normandy. On the return flight to base, Allen noticed a bridge down on the left of the formation, asked for permission to strafe it and when he received it, he banked rapidly on the left. His wingman Lt James F. Scott, flying P-51 43-7150 had either not seen him or been able to turn as quickly and both aircraft collided. Allen's P-51's propeller sliced off the other Mustang's tail. Lt Scott was killed in his Mustang's crash in Ecommoy. After bailing out, Allen was injured in the back and in his left leg in landing on and falling from the roof of a building on a farm in Connerré in the Sarthe Department, France. Immediately helped by French patriots and underground members, he was fed, hidden, given civilian clothes and brought from Connerré to the neighboring Departement of Eure-et-Loir. There he was hidden in Brou and Cloyes-sur-le-Loir before being led to a secret camp in the Fréteval Forest (Bellande). Liberated by US troops on 13 August, he was back in England on 16 August 1944. For all details about his evasion see his page at www.evasioncomete.be >>> Fiches.