55th Fighter Squadron

Squadron
Pilots of the 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, stand around a map at Kings Cliffe air base before mission over northern France, October 1943. L to R: First Lieutenant Merle B. Nichols, Seattle, Wash.; Major Nathaniel H. Blanton, Earlsboro, Oklahoma and First Lieutenant Richard P. Gatterdam, Columbus, Ohio. Censor has drawn lines across the map. Each of these pilots went on to command one of the squadrons of the 20th Fighter Group. Gatterdam commanded the 55th Fighter Squadron, Nichols the 77th a

Object Number - FRE 60 - Pilots of the 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, stand around a map at Kings Cliffe air base before mission over northern France, October...

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Wittering

People

Arthur Theodore Altman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19080399 / O-745991
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot 1056 twin engine

Arthur T Altobell

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Role/Job: Ground Crew

Charles Warren Arnold

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35479541 / O-695290
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Charles Franklin Bain

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16061250 / O-756444
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Charles O Barber

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16136887 / O-2069520
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Aircraft

42-104314

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron

42-104395

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron

42-67081

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Nicknames: - Pistol Packin Mama
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron

42-67194

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron

42-67198

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date9 Apr 2015 21:53:52
ContributorEMBLEMHUNTER
Sources

my photo

Date13 Mar 2015 16:28:22
Contributorrossingtonj
Sources

Type added.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:42:50
ContributorAAM
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)

55th Fighter Squadron: Gallery (48 items)

Armorers of 55th Fighter Squadron of the 20th Fighter Group at Kings Cliffe air base. The building on the right with the stove pipe chimney was the Armament Office. The two men on the far right of the photograph were ground officers with the 55th Fighter Squadron. The man on the far right of the photograph is First Lieutenant Thomas N. Godfrey of Waupaca, Wisconsin, and second on the right is Major Mathew P. Cicero of Rockford, Illinois.

Object number: FRE 100 - Armorers of 55th Fighter Squadron of the 20th...

Ground crew service P-38 Lightning (KI-W, serial no. 42-67855) of the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group. A pair of dice, the emblem of the 55th Fighter Squadron, can be seen on one of the aircraft's wheels.

Object number: FRE 133 - Ground crew service P-38 Lightning (KI-W, serial...

A P-38 Lightning (KI-X, serial number 42-68077) of the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, flown by Lieutenant Donald Wills after crash landing in Holland, 10 April 1944.

Object number: FRE 2381 - A P-38 Lightning (KI-X, serial number 42-68077) of...

A P-51 Mustang (KI-Q) of the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'No change again. Shows ace of KI-Q.'

Object number: FRE 2384 - A P-51 Mustang (KI-Q) of the 55th Fighter Squadron...

A P-51 Mustang (KI-U) of the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, in North Africa, 1945. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'P-51 unite incomme AFN - Afrique Francaise du Nord - 45. 20th FG - 8th AF. seen French North Africa 1945. via Jacques Mutin.'

Object number: FRE 2387 - A P-51 Mustang (KI-U) of the 55th Fighter Squadron...

A P-51 Mustang ( KI-R, serial number 44-13827 ) nicknamed "Little Lady" of the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group.

Object number: FRE 2388 - A P-51 Mustang ( KI-R, serial number 44-13827 )...

A P-38 Lightning nicknamed "Mama's Boy" of the 20th Fighter Group.

Object number: FRE 2391 - A P-38J-15-LO Lightning, s/n 43-28301, coded KI-O...

A P-38 Lightning nicknamed "Murph III" of the 20th Fighter Group

Object number: FRE 2392 - P-38J Lightning (serial 42-68131, coded KI-V)...

A P-38 Lightning (KI-Z, serial number 42-67052) of the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '55th F.S., 20th F.G., 8th Air Force.'

Object number: FRE 2393 - A P-38 Lightning (KI-Z, serial number 42-67052) of...

A P-38J Lightning (KI-V, serial number 42-68760) of the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'P-38-J-10-LO. 42-68760. 20 FG.' On reverse: G.J. Letzer [Stamp].

Object number: FRE 2394 - A P-38J-10-LO Lightning (KI-V, serial number 42...

A P-38 Lightning (KI-W, serial number 42-67855) of the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group flown by Lieutenant R.D. Frey. Handwritten caption on reverse: '42-67855, KI-W, Lt. R.D. Frey.'

Object number: FRE 2395 - A P-38 Lightning (KI-W, serial number 42-67855) of...

A P-38H Lightning (KI-V, serial number 42-67034) of the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group at Wormingford. Handwritten on front of print: "Serial = 42-67034." Handwritten on trimmed edges along front of print: '1921A, 20FG, Fry. 55FS, 20FG. P-38H at Wormingford.'

Object number: FRE 2404 - A P-38H Lightning (KI-V, serial number 42-67034)...