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 media-376954.jpg 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 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 and Blanton the 79th. Printed caption attached to print: 'Lightnings Attack Northern France. Versatile P-38 Lightnings, flashing their power across the English Channel for the first time in a combat role, bring new serial phase into the European Theatre of Operations. Well-trained pilots - some of them already experienced in the other theatres of war - and ground crews swear by their ships. From briefing room to flying line, from runways to skyways and contest with the enemy, each mission represents expert planning by Operations and Intelligence and the brains and sweat of every man who prepares an order or tightens a screw on a prop. Photo shows:- 1st Lt. Merle B. Nichols, Seattle, Wash.; Major Nathaniel H. Blanton, Earlsboro, Oklahoma and 1st Lt. Richard P. Gatterdam, Columbus, Ohio. U.S. Pool/SG/H. Keystone 81.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

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

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Role/Job: Ground Crew
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Role/Job: Squadron Headquarters
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Role/Job: Driver
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Communications Section
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Communications Section

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
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.
  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
A P-38 Lightning nicknamed "Murph III" of the 20th Fighter Group
  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Nicknames: Murph III
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorEMBLEMHUNTER
Changes
Sources

my photo

Date
Contributorrossingtonj
Changes
Sources

Type added.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
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)