Captain Jack M Ilfrey from Houston, Texas first arrived in the UK in 1942 with the 1st Fighter Group initially based at Goxhill and Kirton-in-Lindsey in Lincolnshire as part of Operation Bolero, the build-up of an American strategic air force in Britain.

With the 1st Fighter Group, Ilfrey carried out fighter escort missions over France before moving to the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations to support the Allied invasion in North Africa as part of Operation Torch in November 1942. Ilfrey became an ace in the Mediterranean, shooting down five enemy aircraft and evading internment in Portugal.

In 1943 he was sent back to the US to train fighter pilots, but soon returned to the UK in March 1944 as a commander of the 79th Fighter Squadron at Kings Cliffe in Northamptonshire. Flying with the 20th Fighter Group, Ilfrey claimed two more enemy aircraft until, on 12 June 1944, he was shot down in France behind enemy lines.

Disguised as a deaf and mute French farmer Ilfrey once again evaded capture, hiding in hedgerows and cycling 150 miles to Allied lines in Normandy with the assistance of French civilians. Ilfrey returned to combat duty and during his two tours he completed an impressive 142 missions.

Overall Ilfrey spent a total of 548 combat hours in the air and shot down eight enemy fighters, all in P-38s.