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Military
Captain (later Major) David Noah Harmon Fighter Pilot/Asst Group Ops Officer 365th Fighter Group
"By radio a Republic P-47 gives lowdown on enemy tank columns in Northern France." - P-47 Elsie II flown on the deck by Major David N Harmon, 365th FG, radios information on enemy tanks to an advancing US tank column in northern France.
Assigned to 386FS, 365FG, 9AF USAAF. Assistant group Operations Officer. On a dive bombing mission in support of V Corps, having seen heavy AA fire whilst bombing German tank positions. Set up a strafing pass on flak positions and was hit by a 20mm round in the main tank along with 25+ other hits. Seemingly, his fuel management must have left him with a full main tank which stopped the explosion that should have come from the direct hit !! Awarded the Oak Leaf to his DFC for this deed, he considered himself the luckiest man alive.
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (15OLC), BS, WWII Victory, EAME.
Group
The Group moved to England in December 1943 as part of the Ninth Air Force. Flying P-47s, the Group took part in missions over northern France designed to weaken Germany's ability to repulse the planned Allied invasion of summer 1944. After the...
Squadron
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Military site : airfield
The first airfield site was near East Boldre, used before the First World War. A Royal Flying Corps and RAF station during the First World War, it was sold and dismantled from 1920-1924, though the land was used as a private airfield from 1933 to 1938....
Military site : airfield
First used as an airfield during the First World War, when known as Royal Flying Corps/RAF Sible Hedingham, it was built as Gosfield for the Eighth Air Force and then Ninth Air Force in 1942-43. Home to first the 365th Fighter Group, then the 397th...
Military site : airfield
Military site : airfield
Military site : airfield
Military site : airfield
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Chester, Illinois | 31 September 1919 |
| Combat damaged | Diekirch, Luxembourg | 19 September 1944 |
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After strafing flak positions, hit several times by return fire. A 20mm shell penetrated his main tank, amazingly his P-47 Elsie II did not explode. |
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| Died | Springfield, IL | 16 November 2013 |
| Buried | New Palestine Church Cemetery New Palestine, Randolph County, IL | 19 November 2013 |
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New Palestine Church Cemetery |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 19 December 2021 00:59:18 | 466thHistorian | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Corrected bio |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 December 2021 19:31:40 | Al_Skiff | Changes to biography and events |
| Sources | ||
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/122967778/david-noah-harmon |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 13 October 2021 02:17:53 | Bombay | Changes to biography |
| Sources | ||
must of>have left him |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 December 2020 17:51:38 | 466thHistorian | Changes to middlename, role, events and place associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/13789626/person/1802003... |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 19 May 2018 18:25:11 | Al_Skiff | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/312802494?terms=David%20N%20Harmon |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 19 May 2018 18:23:52 | Al_Skiff | Created entry with surname, middlename, firstname, nationality, service number, highest rank, role, biography, events, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/image/312802494?terms=David%20N%20Harmon |
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