George Teicheira

Military
media-38710.jpeg UPL 38710 George Teicheira - 71 'Eagle' Squadron
Missing from fighter sweep [Circus 178] to Thourout 1-6-42, shot down by Fw190, Killed in Action (KIA).

Teicheira Family Archives

Object Number - UPL 38710 - George Teicheira - 71 'Eagle' Squadron Missing from fighter sweep [Circus 178] to Thourout 1-6-42, shot down by Fw190, Killed in Action (KIA).

Pilot Joined RAFVR. Assigned to 71 [Eagle] Sqn 1941. Missing from sweep [Circus 178] to Thourout 1-Jun-42, shot down by Fw190, Killed in Action (KIA).



Born George Teixeira*, a second generation Portuguese-American, and one of eleven children to John (Joao) and Mary Teixeira in Alamo, California on 17-Jan-20.

George aspired to be a pilot from a young age, even going so far as to seek out and pay for small bits of pilot training at only 18 years old at a small, private airfield near his home. At the onset of the Battle of Britain in 1940, George, working at a golf links at the time, knew his calling was to leave home and fight for the freedoms he was so grateful to have.

By early 1941 he was headed up to Canada where he could further pursue flight training. He quickly joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve, knowing full well that he could be tried as a traitor back in the United States for supporting a foreign military. His training largely consisted of flying Hawker Hurricanes, which would later be replaced by the Supermarine Spitfire by the time he arrived in England.

By December of 1941, George found himself on his way to Martlesham Heath, then over to Debden, the new home of the 71st ‘Eagle’ Squadron of the RAF. From December to March, he flew training missions to become familiar with the Supermarine Spitfire Vb, finally meeting the requirements to fly combat patrols by the onset of April 1942.

Through April George would complete 31 missions, ranging from bomber escorts to simple patrols. May brought another 9 missions during a much slower month, while June would bring only one more mission, George’s last on 1-Jun-42, a day of heavy losses for the RAF as a whole.

Although official reports detailed him as “Missing” somewhere over the English Channel on a fighter sweep returning back from Bruges, first-hand reports from members of his squadron presumed him as shot-down by an FW190, as he was last seen with several on his tail, heavy smoke billowing, and headed toward the channel in a very long, drawn-out turn. No parachute was seen, and later searches proved fruitless.

George is memorialized at Runnymede Air Forces Memorial in Englefield Green, on the Eagle Squadrons memorial in Grosvenor Square London, as well as in the Books of Remembrance at St. Clement Danes RAF Church in London.



*During George’s tenure in high school, the Teixeira name would be changed to Teicheira in order to better meet the phonetic rules of the English language.

Connections

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Units served with

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron No 71 'Eagle' Squadron No 121 'Eagle' Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-885115
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Squadron Commander
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Flight Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Nicknames: Manchester Corporation Transporter
  • Unit: 313th Fighter Squadron No 71 'Eagle' Squadron 66th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Unit: No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Unit: No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Unit: No 71 'Eagle' Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Alamo, CA, USA 17 January 1920 Son of John and Mary Teicheira. Brother to Manuel, Joseph, John, August, James, Lewis, Isabel and Catherine.

Died

English Channel 1 June 1942 Missing from fighter sweep [Circus 178] to Thourout 1-6-42, shot down by Fw190, Killed in Action (KIA).

Buried

Runnymede Memorial, Egham, UK Named on Runnymede Air Forces Memorial.

Other

Joined RAFVR

Canada Joined Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Other

Assigned

Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK Assigned to 71 [Eagle] Sqn 1941.

Revisions

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Teicheira Family

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Teicheira Family

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Teicheira Family Files

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Teicheira Family Files

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Teicheira Family Files - 71 Record Books April - June 1942

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Teicheira Family

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Teicheira Family

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Spitfire Production List.
https://www.fold3.com/image/155162088/ 1930 Census.

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ContributorAAM
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Combat Chronology / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

George Teicheira: Gallery (7 items)