Niven Kendall Cranfill

Military
media-50523.jpeg UPL 50523 Lt Col Niven Kendall Cranfill, 359FG

USAAF Photo

Object Number - UPL 50523 - Lt Col Niven Kendall Cranfill, 359FG

An Ace, Lt. Col. Niven K. Cranfill of Temple, TX, served with HQ and the 368th, 369th, and 370th Fighter Squadrons, from April 1943 through 22 April 1945, flying 133 combat missions in two tours of duty with the 359th Fighter Group.



19 March 1945 mission: Capt. Wetmore leads an escort to the Halle area. Just east of Leipzig, Maj. Cranfill jumps three Me-262s, then notices ten more heading for the bombers. He directs his first attack against a 262 which is chasing a P-51 and he scores a few hits, driving the jet off. He then latches onto a second Me-262 and fires several bursts at it. The jet slips into a dive and explodes on the ground. With his kill, Cranfill becomes Ace number twelve for the Group. While on the initial bounce, Lt. Clifton Enoch, Cranfill's wingman, apparently fails to pull out of his dive and crashes with his plane.





Assigned to 370FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF.

Transferred to 369, 359FG, 8AF USAAF.

Transferred to HQ Sqn, 359FG, 8AF USAAF.

Transferred to 368, 359FG, 8AF USAAF.

Completed 2 tours of duty.



Had 5 air kills and became an ace, Aug. 1944-April 1945, formerly HQ, 133 missions P-51D; according to unit history, Oct. 1943-Aug. 1944, to 368th FS from 369th FS, 370th FS and HQ, 133 total missions, 500+ hours, P-47D 42-74645, P-51B 42-106848 'Deviless 2nd, P-51D 44-13390 'Deviless 3rd'.



Awards: SS (OLC), DFC (OLC), AM (12OLC), LOM, WWII Victory, EAME, UN and Korean medal.

Connections

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

Units served with

People

Clifton Enoch

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 359th Fighter Group 368th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-829832
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Aircraft

42-106848

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Deviless 2nd
  • Unit: 359th Fighter Group 369th Fighter Squadron

42-74645

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Deviless
  • Unit: 359th Fighter Group 369th Fighter Squadron

44-13301

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Swami
  • Unit: 359th Fighter Group 369th Fighter Squadron

44-13390

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Deviless 3rd Big Noise From Winnetka
  • Unit: 359th Fighter Group 369th Fighter Squadron

44-15100

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 359th Fighter Group 369th Fighter Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Bell County, TX, USA 23 July 1920 Son of Lesley Willard and Mary Thelma [Kendall] Cranfill.

Enlisted

San Antonio, TX 78234, USA 26 April 1941 Fort Sam Houston, Texas

Other

Promotion

Wretham, Thetford IP24, UK 19 May 1943 Promoted to Captain.

Other

E/A Damaged

Lingen, Germany 30 January 1944 Me109 damaged Lingen 30-Jan-44. P-47 42-74645.

Other

Promotion

Wretham, Thetford IP24, UK 1 March 1944 Promoted to Major.

Based

East Wretham 22 July 1944 - 12 August 1944 Transferred to HQ Sqn, 359FG, 8AF USAAF.

Other

E/A probable [1/2]

Brunswick, Germany 5 August 1944 Me109 shared probable Brunswick 5-Aug-44 P-51D 42-106848.

Based

East Wretham 12 August 1944 - 27 August 1944 Transferred to 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF.

Other

E/A Destoyed

37574 Einbeck, Germany 16 August 1944 Me109 destroyed Einbeck 16-Aug-44. P-51D 44-13301.

Other

End Tour of Duty (ETD) (1)

27 August 1944 Ended 1st Tour of Duty (ETD).

Based

East Wretham 10 November 1944 - 22 April 1945 Re-joined 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF.

Other

E/A Destoyed [3]

Merseburg, Germany 27 November 1944 2 x Me109, 1 x Fw190 destroyed Merseburg 27-Nov-44. P-51D 44-15100.

Other

E/A Destroyed

Leipzig, Germany 19 March 1945 Me262 destroyed Leipzig 19-Mar-45. P-51D 44-15717.

Other

E/A Damaged

Leipzig, Germany 19 March 1945 Me262 damaged Leipzig 19-Mar-45. P-51D 44-15717.

Other

Promotion

Wretham, Thetford IP24, UK 26 March 1945 Promoted to Lt Colonel.

Other

End Tour of Duty (ETD) (2)

22 April 1945 Ended 2nd Tour of Duty (ETD).

Died

San Antonio, TX, USA 7 August 2002

Buried

Bellwood Memorial Park Temple Bell County, TX 11 August 2002 Bellwood Memorial Park Temple Bell County, Texas

Based

East Wretham Assigned to 370FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF.

Based

East Wretham 22 July 1944 Transferred to 369FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF.
Temple, TX, USA

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/48847696/niven-k-cranfill

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Transferred biography by Janet Fogg, 359th Fighter Group Historian from media record

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- 350th Unit History, 359th FG Unit History;
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

http://littlefriends.co.uk/search.php?searchString=Cranfill&Submit=Sear…
https://www.fold3.com/page/84766438-niven-cranfill/facts
https://www.fold3.com/record/628903622-niven-cranfill-1920
https://www.fold3.com/page/628903622-niven-cranfill-1920/facts
https://www.fold3.com/record/60245721-niven-k-cranfill
http://www.cieldegloire.fr/014_cranfill_n_k.php
http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=45150
http://www.spitfireperformance.com/mustang/combat-reports/359-cranfill-…
http://www.spitfireperformance.com/mustang/combat-reports/359-cranfill-…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/48847696/niven-k-cranfill

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list

Niven Kendall Cranfill: Gallery (2 items)

Object number: UPL 38945 - Lt. Col. Niven K. Cranfill served with HQ and the...

Object number: UPL 50523 - Lt Col Niven Kendall Cranfill, 359FG