George Curtis Arnold
Military
IWM collections
Object Number - HU 141098 - Portrait of Captain George Curtis Arnold, 487th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group in service dress uniform
George Curtis Arnold was born in Babylon, New York in 1921, he worked as a traffic clerk before enlisting as an air cadet in January 1942. Upon completion of his training, he was assigned to the 352nd Fighter Group and arrived in the UK with the unit in July 1943.
Arnold was a keen photographer, taking images of his experience in the UK, and allegedly photographed fellow fighter pilot George Preddy on 6 August 1944, immediately after Preddy claimed 6 victories during a single mission. The 352nd Fighter Group took part in a number of notable offensives during Arnold's service, including Big Week, the invasion of Normandy and the Battle of St Lo.
Arnold completed his tour with the 352nd in September 1944, he later reenlisted in the air force, eventually retiring as Lieutenant Colonel. Following his military service Arnold worked as a teacher and a salesman, he died in Arizona in 1996.
Arnold’s personal collection of photos, documents are held by IWM.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 352nd Fighter Group 328th Fighter Squadron 487th Fighter Squadron Headquarters (352nd Fighter Group)
- Service Numbers: O-430846
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot/Squadron Commander
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Nicknames: Babylon Panther
- Unit: 352nd Fighter Group 487th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 352nd Fighter Group 487th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 352nd Fighter Group 487th Fighter Squadron 55th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Babylon Panther, Dutchess, Millie
- Unit: 352nd Fighter Group 487th Fighter Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Royal Air Force Bodney
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Babylon, NY, USA | 10 January 1920 | Son of Wilfred Curtis and Margaretha [Mershausem] Arnold. |
|
Other Crashed |
Napier Field Rd, Dothan, AL, USA | 24 September 1942 | Landing Accident Ground Loop Napier Field, AL Cat 3 damage, pilot Lt George C Arnold, 24-Sep-42. AT-6A 41-253 - 429SchSq |
|
Other Crashed |
Moriches, NY, USA | 22 April 1943 | Crashed Ground Collision Moriches Gunnery Range, NY Cat 3 damage, pilot Lt George C Arnold, 22-Apr-43. P-47D 42-22350 - 34FS 352FG |
|
Other Assigned |
Bodney, Thetford IP26, UK | 1 July 1943 - 25 September 1944 | Assigned to 487FS, 352FG, 8AF USAAF. |
|
Other Promotion |
Bodney, Thetford IP26, UK | 17 August 1943 | Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. |
|
Other Crashed |
Ash Bypass, Ash, Canterbury CT3, UK | 28 June 1944 | Baled Out due to Engine Failure Ash, Canterbury Cat 5 damage, pilot Lt George C Arnold, 28-Jun-44. P-51D5 44-13331 - 487FS 352FG 8AF. |
|
Other Promotion |
Bodney, Thetford IP26, UK | 18 September 1944 | Promoted to Captain. |
|
Other End Tour Duty (ETD) |
England, UK | 25 September 1944 | Ended Tour Duty (ETD). |
|
Died |
Sun City, AZ, USA | 13 May 1996 | |
|
Buried |
Sunland Memorial Park Sun City Maricopa County AZ | 16 May 1996 | Sunland Memorial Park Sun City Maricopa County Arizona, USA |
|
Enlisted |
New York, NY, USA |
Revisions
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list;
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia;
- Unit history
