Vasseure Howe Wynn Jr

Military
media-15411.jpeg UPL 15411 Hailing from Dalton, Georgia, Capt Vasseure Wynn became commander of 334th Fighter Squadron's 'B' Flight in March 1944, only to be shot down by Fw 190s during a mission to Schweinfurt on 13 April.

Personal research & 4th Fighter Group 'Debden Eagles' by Chris Bucholtz.

Object Number - UPL 15411 - Hailing from Dalton, Georgia, Capt Vasseure Wynn became commander of 334th Fighter Squadron's 'B' Flight in March 1944, only to be shot down by Fw...

Captain Wynn was from Dalton Georgia, and had transferred to the 4th Fighter Group from the RAF on 17 September 1943 [he had flown Spitfires in the defense of Malta with the RAF]. He flew with the 334th Squadron until 13 April 1944, when he was shot down in his P-51 by an Fw-190 and had to bail out, becoming a POW. His only satisfaction was in knowing that Captain "Nick" Megura immediately shot down his attacker.

He had been Commanding Officer of "B" Flight for nearly a month prior to becoming a POW.



The following is an account that displays Captain Wynn's dedication to duty and his fellow airmen:

Major John Godfrey dove alone on two bandits at one o'clock low. As he dropped his belly tank he discovered that he had no wingman. He called on his radio "Come on down; cover me", as he closed on the rear Me-109. Unknown to Godfrey, the only one responding to his call was not from his own squadron, but was Captain Vasseure Wynn from the 334th Squadron. Vasseure, nicknamed "Georgia", was not one to avoid a call for help, and he dove to Godfrey's rescue as Godfrey overshot his quarry. The German, at his lower speed was about to turn onto Godfery's tail when Vasseure blazed away and downed him. Meanwhile Godfrey, flying his plane "Reggie's Reply", turned into the lead 109, blasting away until the pilot bailed out. Wynn soon encountered another 109 and attacked him prior to heading back to Debden.

Captain Wynn had five victories to his credit; 2.5 with the RAF, and 2.5 with the 4th Fighter Group. He had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster.

Later, as a Major, he became Commanding Officer of 446th Group in August 1953 at Misawa Air Base, Japan.

Connections

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Units served with

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Kiefer, OK, USA 11 November 1917 Son of Vasseure Howe and Willie Lou Hannah Wynn.

Other

Promotion

9 April 1944 Promoted to Captain.

Other

Shot down

Aschaffenburg, Germany 13 April 1944 shot down by an Fw190 on mission to Schweinfurt, Pilot Capt Vasseure H Wynn baled out, POW. 13-Apr-44. MACR 4128.

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Zagan, Poland 13 April 1944 - 7 April 1945 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft III.

Died

Florida, USA 8 May 1987

Buried

Jacksonville Memory Gardens Orange Park Clay County FL 13 May 1987 Jacksonville Memory Gardens Orange Park Clay County Florida, USA
Dalton, GA, USA

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Corrected a typo in the "Summary biography" - “satisfaction” was misspelled.

Date
Contributorapollo11
Changes
Sources

Personal research & 'Eighty-One Aces of the 4th Fighter Group' by Frank Speer.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4128 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Vasseure Howe Wynn: Gallery (2 items)