Debden

Airfield
media-6444.jpeg UPL 6444 Improved version of FRE 5327 courtesy of Mark Richie, Edward Richie's son.

View from SW of Debden. Red Nissen hut next to back entrance road to blister hangers is the Belly Tank, EM bar. Later disassembled and rebuilt at the SAF Museum at Dayton, Ohio.

Added information to the caption as received by Mark Richie, VP, Association of the 4th Fighter group WWII http://www.4thfightergroupassociation.org/

Object Number - UPL 6444 - Improved version of FRE 5327 courtesy of Mark Richie, Edward Richie's son. View from SW of Debden. Red Nissen hut next to back entrance road to...

RAF Debden, construction of which began in 1935, is perhaps most famous as a Battle of Britain fighter airfield, partly responsible for the defence of London in 1940. In 1942 it was also home to three RAF 'Eagle Squadrons’ of volunteer American pilots. When the base was handed over to the Americans in 1942, the Eagle Squadrons transferred to the USAAF, becoming the 4th Fighter Group. Equipped first with Spitfires, then P-47 Thunderbolts, the Group occupied Debden until July 1945. The airfield continued to be used after the war by the RAF, and from 1975 was occupied by the British Army.

Connections

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

Detailed History

Grover Hall said this about Debden in the forward to '1000 Destroyed', “No it wasn’t all bad, not at all. In fact, I suspect that we’re all enduringly sentimental over Debden and always will be. By King George’s lisp, darned if I wouldn’t like to catch the 12:50 at Liverpool Street Station and chuff down to see the old place!”

People

Arthur Reid Bowers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-721332
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Beacham Owens Brooker

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron 4th Mobile Reclamation and Repair Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14128382 / O-721954
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Carl Frederick Brown

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15313418 / O-820214
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Allen Franklin Bunte

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 334th Fighter Squadron 335th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-885497
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Arnold G Camp

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ground crew

Aircraft

42-103609

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron

42-103791

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

42-103796

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron
A P-51 Mustang (WD-W_ , serial number 42-106429) nicknamed "Judy IV" of the 335th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, flown by Lieutenant Harry E Jennings, 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: '"Judy IV" WD-W_, 335FS, Spring '44. Source - W Jensen.'

42-106429

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Judy IV
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron
A P-51 Mustang (WD-U, 42-106438) of the 335th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, flown by Lieutenant Curtis Simpson, after a forced landing in Switzerland, 19 July 1944. "P.51B Mustang , coded WD-U, right side three-quarter view, with mountainous background, which I said was in neutral country. It was, in fact, Switzerland, when Lt. Curtis Simpson was forced to abort a mission to Munich on 19th July, 1944, following a glycol leak." Information from Debden historian Keith Braybrooke

42-106438

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

Added connection to Marvin H Castleberry

Date
ContributorWex_AdamSterecki
Changes
Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Debden

Date
ContributorWD-C Mustang
Changes
Sources

http://www.4thfightergroupassociation.org/uploads/8/2/0/3/8203817/hallg…

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978)

Debden: Gallery (805 items)

A P-47 Thunderbolt (QP-W), of the 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group and a captured German Fw 190 with RAF roundel and fin flash. The Fw 190 is also marked with a P in a circle to show that the aircraft is a Prototype operated by the RAE (Royal Aircraft Establishment), which carried out tests on different aircraft types during the Second World War. Aircraft of German design were flown from USAAF bases so that pilots could engage in mock engagements and assess the capabilities of the enemy's aircraf

Object number: FRE 1427 - A P-47 Thunderbolt (QP-W), of the 334th Fighter...

Capt. Nicholas Megura of the 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, in cockpit, at Debden air base, 8 March 1944. Caption on reverse: Pilots of the P-51s. Lt.Col. Donald J. M. Blakeslee's Mustang Group. Associated Press photo shows: Lt. Nicholas Megura, aged 24, of 108 Broad Street, Ansonia, Conn., has been on first two raids over Berlin and shot down two planes each time. WOR265648. 8344EM. Stamp (Passed for publication - General Section, Press & Censorship Bureau, 9 March 1944)

Object number: FRE 1428 - Capt. Nicholas Megura of the 334th Fighter...

P-47 Thunderbolts of the 4th Fighter Group in the air over Debden air base. Passed by the U.S. Army on 25 June 1943. Printed caption attached to print: 'DUCHESS OF KENT PRESENTS PLAQUES TO FORMER EAGLE SQUADRON PILOTS. H.R.H. The Duchess of Kent visited a U.S. Army Air Station and presented plaques bearing the Eagle Squadron insignia to men who served in the Eagle Squadrons of the R.A.F. prior to the entry of the U.S.A. into the war. SG/US-POOL/B. Keystone. 78-79-80'.

Object number: FRE 1429 - P-47 Thunderbolts of the 4th Fighter Group in the...

P-47 Thunderbolts of the 4th Fighter Group in the air over Debden air base. Passed by the U.S. Army on 25 June 1943. Printed caption attached to print: 'DUCHESS OF KENT PRESENTS PLAQUES TO FORMER EAGLE SQUADRON PILOTS. H.R.H. The Duchess of Kent visited a U.S. Army Air Station and presented plaques bearing the Eagle Squadron insignia to men who served in the Eagle Squadrons of the R.A.F. prior to the entry of the U.S.A. into the war. SG/US-POOL/B. Keystone. 78-79-80'.

Object number: FRE 1430 - P-47 Thunderbolts of the 4th Fighter Group in the...

Formation of P-47 Thunderbolts of the 4th Fighter Group in the air over Debden air base. Passed by the U.S. Army on 25 June 1943. Printed caption attached to print: 'DUCHESS OF KENT PRESENTS PLAQUES TO FORMER EAGLE SQUADRON PILOTS. H.R.H. The Duchess of Kent visited a U.S. Army Air Station and presented plaques bearing the Eagle Squadron insignia to men who served in the Eagle Squadrons of the R.A.F. prior to the entry of the U.S.A. into the war. SG/US-POOL/B. Keystone. 78-79-80'.

Object number: FRE 1431 - Formation of P-47 Thunderbolts of the 4th Fighter...

Formation of P-47 Thunderbolts of the 4th Fighter Group in the air over Debden air base. Passed by the U.S. Army on 25 June 1943. Printed caption attached to print: 'DUCHESS OF KENT PRESENTS PLAQUES TO FORMER EAGLE SQUADRON PILOTS. H.R.H. The Duchess of Kent visited a U.S. Army Air Station and presented plaques bearing the Eagle Squadron insignia to men who served in the Eagle Squadrons of the R.A.F. prior to the entry of the U.S.A. into the war. SG/US-POOL/B. Keystone. 78-79-80'.

Object number: FRE 1432 - Formation of P-47 Thunderbolts of the 4th Fighter...

Airborne P-51B Mustang of the 4th Fighter Group, which was based at Debden, 1944-1945.

Object number: FRE 1433 - Airborne P-51B Mustang of the 4th Fighter Group...

Major Leon M. Blanding, a pilot with the 4th Fighter Group, at Debden. He wears an A-2 flight jacket.

Object number: FRE 15 - Major Leon M. Blanding, a pilot with the 4th...

Captain Don Gentile and Crew Chief Staff Sergeant John Ferra, of the 4th Fighter Group, in front of their P-51B Mustang "Shangri-La" (VF-T, serial no. 43-6913) at Debden air base, March 1944.

Object number: FRE 16 - Captain Don Gentile and Crew Chief Staff Sergeant...

Staff Sergeant Melvin J. Weddle, of the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, refueling a P-51 Mustang (VF-F?) at Debden, spring 1945.

Object number: FRE 17 - Staff Sergeant Melvin J. Weddle, of the 336th...

A performance of the Flying Eagles Orchestra Band at Debden, 1944. The string bassist is Sergeant Frank M. Nowak, a radio repairman who served with the 335th Fighter Squadron of the 4th Fighter Group.

Object number: FRE 18 - A performance of the Flying Eagles Orchestra Band...

Maj. Louis H. Norley of the 4th Fighter Group at Debden air base, April 1944. Printed Caption: Photo dated 10/4/44 "U.S.A.A.F. Mustang Fighter Station of Ace Pilots. OPS24 Pilots' superstitions. Lt. L.H. Norley (Montana) flys with a scarf made from an old parachute canopy used by a fellow pilot who balled (sic) out over the Channel."

Object number: FRE 19 - Maj. Louis H. Norley of the 4th Fighter Group at...