Leon McFaddin Blanding
Military
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 15 - Major Leon M. Blanding, a pilot with the 4th Fighter Group, at Debden. He wears an A-2 flight jacket.
Leon Blanding joined the RCAF and began flying as a sergeant pilot with No. 121 'Eagle' Squadron, and he rose to the rank of Major over the course of two tours with the 4th fighter Group.
His time in the frontline came to an abrupt end when he suffered a fractured skull after his Mustang was hit by flak during the 8 August 1944 mission to Norway.
Blanding was by then assigned to the 4th Fighter Group Headquarters flight, having previously been CO of the 335th Fighter Squadron.
Awards: DFC, AM, PH, WWII Victory, EAME.
Post war: Retired from the USAF as a Lieutenant Colonel, post war Owner/Operator Blanding Iron Works Sumter, SC.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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
- Unit Hierarchy: Headquarters
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 78th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron 83rd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 31st Fighter Group 4th Fighter Group 307th Fighter Squadron 335th Fighter Squadron
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
South Carolina, USA | 30 October 1919 | Son of Donald McQueen and Georgie Conyers [Ingram]Blanding. |
|
Other E/A Probable |
Dieppe, France | 19 August 1942 | 1 x Fw190 probable, Dieppe. |
|
Based |
Debden | 29 September 1942 - 24 March 1944 | Transferred to 335FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF as 2nd Lieutenant. |
|
Other E/A Kill |
Utrecht, Netherlands | 28 July 1943 | 1 x Fw190 destroyed 10 miles SE of Utrecht. E/A was one of a pair lining up a crippled B-17 Flying Fortress. |
|
Other Transferred |
Atcham, Shrewsbury, UK | 24 March 1944 - 24 May 1944 | Transferred to 495FTG, 8AF USAAF. |
|
Other Re-Assigned |
Debden, Saffron Walden CB11, UK | 24 May 1944 - 29 July 1944 | Re-Assigned to 335FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. |
|
Other Transferred |
Debden, Saffron Walden CB11, UK | 29 July 1944 - 20 September 1944 | Transferred to HQ Sqn, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. |
|
Other End Tour Duty (ETD) |
England, UK | 20 September 1944 | Completed Tour Duty (ETD). |
|
Died |
Sumter, SC, USA | 15 April 1998 | Died - 15 April 1998 Sumter, South Carolina, USA. |
| Sumter, SC, USA | |||
|
Other Based |
North Weald Bassett, Epping CM16, UK | 29 September 1942 | Assigned to 121 [Eagle] Sqn RAF. |
|
Other Promotion |
Debden, Saffron Walden CB11, UK | Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. | |
|
Other Promotion |
Debden, Saffron Walden CB11, UK | Promoted to Captain. | |
|
Other Promotion |
Debden, Saffron Walden CB11, UK | Promoted to Major. | |
|
Buried |
Cemetery Rd, Sumter, SC 29150, USA | Sumter Cemetery Sumter Sumter County South Carolina, USA |
Revisions
EAGLES of the RAF - The World War II Eagle Squadrons by Phillip D Caine.
http://www.4thfightergroupassociation.org/uploads/8/2/0/3/8203817/335_b…
http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/p-47/er/4-blanding-28july43.jpg
Personal research & 4th Fighter Group 'Debden Eagles' by Chris Bucholtz.
Personal research & 'The Debden Warbirds' by Frank Speer.
Combined two entries for Leon Blanding. Now includes information from the following source:
Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://www.4thfightergroupassociation.org/pilots.html
