Headquarters (4th Fighter Group)

Headquarters
media-14369.jpeg UPL 14369 Colonel Donald Blakeslee is leading a formation of 335th, 336th and 334th Fighter Squadron P-51 D models.

Personal research & 'The Debden Eagles' by Garry L. Fry.

Object Number - UPL 14369 - Colonel Donald Blakeslee is leading a formation of 335th, 336th and 334th Fighter Squadron P-51 D models.

The Headquarters Squadron was made up of true leaders. Most had flown Hurricanes, Spitfires, Thunderbolts and Mustangs.

Some had flown in the RCAF, the RAF, and the USAAF, while others had flown in the Pacific Theatre in P-40s and P-38s.

They were not necessarily high scoring, but attentive to their duties of melding three squadrons into a group with a high degree of readiness and esprit-de-corps.

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Debden

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: Headquarters (4th Fighter Group)
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron 336th Fighter Squadron 63rd Fighter Squadron Headquarters (4th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-2044892
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 62nd Fighter Squadron Headquarters (4th Fighter Group)
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Role/Job: Ground Personnel
Personnel of the 4th Fighter Group, 335th Fighter Squadron, grouped around the P-51B Mustang that they have modified into a two-seater aircraft, November 1944. L to R: on wing, Ernest Lange; standing Captain Gene Grunow, 335th Fighter Squadron Engine Officer; Master Sergeant Elwood "Woody" Jensen, 335th Fighter Squadron Technical Inspector; front seat, Bill Berthold; rear seat, Sidney Polsky.
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 335th Fighter Squadron Headquarters (4th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: 36338183
  • Highest Rank: Master Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Technical Inspector
Captain Henry W "Baby" Brown and Lieutenant-Colonel Claiborn H "Zoot" Kinnard Jr of the 355th Fighter Group with Brown's P-51 Mustang (WR-Z, serial number 42-106448) nicknamed "The Hun Hunter ~ Texas". Image stamped and signed on reverse to pass base censorship. First handwritten caption on reverse: 'HW Brown (Left) & unknown commander 355 FG.' Second handwritten caption on reverse, in different script, refers to the "unknown commander": 'He is Lt Col Kinnard.'
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 355th Fighter Group 356th Fighter Group 354th Fighter Squadron 360th Fighter Squadron Headquarters (355th Fighter Group) Headquarters (4th Fighter Group) Headquarters (65th Fighter Wing)
  • Service Numbers: O-383753
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot / Commanding Officer

Revisions

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ContributorWD-C Mustang
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Sources

Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Date
ContributorWD-C Mustang
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Merged pictures from duplicate entry

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ContributorWD-C Mustang
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Merged info from duplicate entry

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ContributorAAM
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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)

Headquarters (4th Fighter Group): Gallery (20 items)