Mendlesham

Airfield
B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 34th Bomb Group at Mendelsham. Image via Mark Brown, AFA. Written on slide casing: 'Mendelsham Red Sqdn, 18 BS 5/45.' media-387817.jpg FRE 5462 B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 34th Bomb Group at Mendelsham. Image via Mark Brown, AFA. Written on slide casing: 'Mendelsham Red Sqdn, 18 BS 5/45.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5462 - B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 34th Bomb Group at Mendelsham. Image via Mark Brown, AFA. Written on slide casing: 'Mendelsham Red Sqdn, 18 BS 5/45.'

Built in 1942-1943, Mendlesham's first flying unit was the RAF's No. 310 Squadron - a Czechoslovakian unit. The airfield then became home to the USAAF 34th Bomb Group. This unit flew missions from Mendlesham in B-24s and B-17s.

Connections

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People

Chester Frank Nowakowski

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 18th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36852722
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Captain Richard A "Bud" Peterson, a P-51 Mustang pilot of the 357th Fighter Group, explains fighter tactics to a B-17 Flying Fortress crew, led by Second Lieutenant Seymour W. Isaacs, of the 34th Bomb Group at Mendelsham. In the front row from left to right: Second Lieutenant Seymour W. Isaacs; Captain Richard A. "Bud" Peterson; Sergeant William W. Muntger, from 4C20 Hartel St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Second Lieutenant Robert M. Platz, from Glensdale, Pennslyvania 5 and 2d; Lieutenant Kenneth C. Hood

Berchman L Olivier

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 391st Bomb Squadron
  • Role/Job: Engineer

Donald J Pietsch

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 493rd Bomb Group 18th Bomb Squadron 860th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16116064
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer / Top Turret Gunner

Cleveland J Romero

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 7th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Bernard Sabbath

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 4th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16129636
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Aircraft

43-38286

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Flying Dutchmen

43-38292

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 4th Bomb Squadron

43-38294

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 7th Bomb Squadron

43-38299

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Roger's Dodgers
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 391st Bomb Squadron

43-38300

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 391st Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
Contributor34thBombGroupH B-17Tailgunner41-45
Changes
Sources

American Air Museum in Britain: www.americanairmuseum.com

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Added associations to photos where Medlesham was spelt 'Mendelsham'.

Date
ContributorScott 34th7th
Changes
Sources

Wikipedia contributors, "RAF Mendlesham," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=RAF_Mendlesham&oldid=6799007… (accessed May 12, 2016).

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Added aircraft based at Mendlesham.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / http://mendleshamairfieldassociation.wordpress.com/history/

Mendlesham: Gallery (88 items)