Freeman was a farmer’s son who lived close to Boxted airfield in Essex, used by the United States Eighth Air Force during the Second World War. His teenage enthusiasm for the airfield developed into a life-long interest, and he published many highly respected books on the US Air Forces in Britain, whilst making his living as a farmer.



His Mighty Eighth Air Force 'History', 'War Diary' and 'Manual' trilogy were the result of correspondence with many different veterans and international researchers in the pre-internet age. They remain essential sources for the study of American airmen and their aircraft in Britain during the Second World War.



Born in 1928 Roger Freeman was in the 1940's just like all the other lads of his age desperate to be a fighter pilot. The family farm was in Dedham, a village near Colchester in Ipswich plumb in the middle of what was to become USAAF territory. His father -suffering from a shortage of labor - took him out of school where he was an indifferent student- at the age of fifteen and he started to help out at the farm. Earlier again like all the other boys of his age he spent all his free time cycling to airfields in the surrounding area, getting as close to the planes as they were able..



In August 1942 he had got his first glimpse of the USAAF, B-17s flying low escorted by Spitfires, a thrilling sight. His uncle, a Squadron Leader in the RAF had been given the task of preparing and opening up bases for the Americans so Roger had a personal contact and, with his cousin, was given permission to go aboard a visiting A-20 en-route to North Africa. They were astonished to see it piled high with 'tins of sweets and toilet rolls'. What kind of fighting men were these?



Later in 1942 several of the local farmers were given the option of selling up or having their land requisitioned; most chose to sell but the Freemans stayed on the land they were left with and Roger had the thrill of seeing an airfield constructed just over a mile from his home. It took six months to complete, 400-500 acres, three runways, hard stand for 50 aircraft and accommodation for 2500 personnel. The airfield - Boxted - opened in June 1943, the 386th BG flying the B-26 Marauder being the first occupants. The local lads were in their seventh heaven collecting numbers and adopting planes - Roger's was 'Privy Donna'. He exchanged aircraft information with his cousin and a letter was discovered when his jacket went to the dry cleaner's. Then Roger found himself in his headmaster's study where two RAF MPs gave him a severe ticking off about passing on information which could be helpful to the enemy. After he left school he had more access than most as his father had a milk round which serviced civilian housing on the site and he would go on the van with the land girls making the deliveries.



The B-26s were replaced in September by P-51s of the 364th FG which did not impress the boys at first - no lurid fuselage illustrations - until they discovered that the Mustang had a greater range than any other fighter and one of their pilots had won the coveted Medal of Honour flying from Boxted. In the way of things the Mustangs were themselves replaced in June 1944 by the 56th FG 'red nosed' P-47 Thunderbolt. At some point Mr Freeman was given the option of farming all the unused land on the site and Roger was given an airfield pass to his great delight. One day civilians were barred from the base as the planes were given their D-Day markings of black and white. In the early hours of the following morning all the aircraft took off and they knew the invasion was on.



Roger recalled that they knew very few of the Americans socially - his father not approving of some of their attitudes - But many villagers did and seven of the local girls were to marry GIs, including one of the farm land girls who Roger would later visit in the USA. Coincidentally it was from this girl's then boyfriend that he got hold of the 'Stars & Stripes' and began picking up stories and information about the various 8th Air Force groups. Whilst most of his contemporaries at aged 16 had given up aircraft for girls Roger intensified his 'plane-watching' bought a new bicycle and sought information even further afield - one Sunday, his day off, he did a 100 mile round trip.



As it turned out he was to stay on the farm all his life, marrying Jean in 1956 and taking over the family farm in 1959. He began his literary career writing for local journals on agricultural matters and aviation maps. It took him another 11 years to gather the information for 'The Mighty Eighth' published by Doubleday in 1970 and is undoubtedly the definitive work, the 'bible' of the 8th Air Force. The National Museum in Savannah, Georgia - for which Roger was a consultant - uses the name 'Mighty Eighth' as do many publications. He was to produce several more books about the 8th and traveled to the States many times to meet veterans as well as engaging in vast amounts of correspondence with such as General Doolittle who commanded the 8th AF from January 1944.



Roger Freeman died in 2005; all his considerable research is now with the American Air Museum at Duxford and his books are in constant use as research tools.