Vernon Charles Keough

Military

"Three American pilots of No 71 (Eagle) Squadron RAF, P/O's A Mamedoff [ Thompson, Connecticut ], V C 'Shorty' Keough [ Brooklyn, New York ] and G Tobin [ Los Angeles ], show how their new squadron badge will look on Keogh's uniform at Church Fenton, Yorkshire. Mamedoff was formerly a stunt pilot in an air circus. Keough was a professional parachutist with 480 drops at the time this photograph was taken. Tobin was a commercial pilot who also did film work in Los Angeles." IWM Photo - CH 1442.

UPL 78887 UPL 78887 "Three American pilots of No 71 (Eagle) Squadron RAF, P/O's A Mamedoff [ Thompson, Connecticut ], V C 'Shorty' Keough [ Brooklyn, New York ] and G Tobin [ Los Angeles ], show how their new squadron badge will look on Keogh's uniform at Church Fenton, Yorkshire. Mamedoff was formerly a stunt pilot in an air circus. Keough was a professional parachutist with 480 drops at the time this photograph was taken. Tobin was a commercial pilot who also did film work in Los Angeles."
IWM Photo - CH 1442.

Cropped from image media-17070.jpeg (media id 18667)
IWM Photo.

Object Number - UPL 78887 - "Three American pilots of No 71 (Eagle) Squadron RAF, P/O's A Mamedoff [ Thompson, Connecticut ], V C 'Shorty' Keough [ Brooklyn, New York ] and G...

Born in Brooklyn, New York around 1912, the son of Charles and Constance Theresa Keough. He had earned a civil pilot's licence in America and was also a professional parachute jumper with over 500 jumps, performing at air shows across America.

He joined the French Air Force towards the end of the Battle of France, but as France fell he came to England with his friends and fellow Americans Andrew Mamedoff and Eugene Tobin and joined the Royal Air Force in 1940.

Keogh was the smallest pilot in the whole of the Royal Air Force, hence the nickname, and was just 4'10" (approx 1.47m) tall. He had to use two cushions in his Spitfire to see out of the cockpit.

Following Spitfire conversion training at 7 OTU Hawarden on 8 August 1940 he was posted to No 609 Squadron RAF at Middle Wallop airfield. He flew many missions during the height of the Battle of Britain in August and September. He was credited with one shared 'kill': Dornier Do 17 bomber shot down on 15 September with P/O Mike Appleby and Flt Lt John Dundas.

He was one of 11 American pilots who flew with RAF Fighter Command between 10 July and 31 October 1940, thereby qualifying for the Battle of Britain clasp to the 1939–45 campaign star.

He was posted to RAF Kirton in Lindsey in Lincolnshire on 18 September 1940 and was a founder member of No. 71 'Eagle' Squadron.

On 15 February 1941, Keogh was on a convoy-protection mission off Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire. During the chase of a Heinkel He 111, he was last seen spinning off into the sea. He may have been a victim of disorientation in cloud or oxygen failure. He was 29 years old. Killed in Action (KIA). His body was not recovered, but he is remembered on the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

No 71 'Eagle' Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Type Category: Fighter

Places

Kirton-in-Lindsey

Site type: Airfield

Martlesham Heath

Site type: Airfield

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Other Battle of Britain Veteran	England, UK	10 July 1940 - 31 October 1940	One of 11 American pilots who flew with RAF Fighter Command between 10 July and 31 October 1940, thereby qualifying for the Battle of Britain clasp to the 1939–45 campaign star.
Other Posted	AAC Middle Wallop, Stockbridge, Hampshire SO20, UK	8 August 1940	Posted to No 609 Squadron RAF.
Other Credited one shared kill		15 September 1940	Credited with one shared 'kill': Dornier Do 17 bomber shot down on 15 September with P/O Mike Appleby and Flt Lt John Dundas.
Other Founder member No 71 'Eagle' Sqn.	Kirton in Lindsey, Gainsborough, North Lincolnshire DN21, UK	18 September 1940	Posted to RAF Kirton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire on 18 September 1940 and was a founder member of No 71 'Eagle' Squadron.
Died	Off Flamborough Head, Bridlington, East Yorkshire, UK	15 February 1941	On 15 February 1941, Keogh was on a convoy-protection mission off Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire. During the chase of a Heinkel He 111, he was last seen spinning off into the sea. He may have been a victim of disorientation in cloud or oxygen failure. He was 29 years old. Killed in Action (KIA).
Born	Brooklyn, NY, USA		Brooklyn, New York, USA. 1912.
	Brooklyn, NY, USA
Buried/ Commemorated	Monument Way W, Woking, Surrey GU21 5EN, UK		Commemorated on Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede.
Other Joined French AF	France		Joined the French Air Force towards the end of the Battle of France.
Other Joined RAF	England, UK		Joined Royal Air Force in 1940.
Other Conversion training to Spitfires	Hawarden, Deeside, Flintshire CH5, UK		Spitfire conversion training at 7 OTU Hawarden.