Clifford F Armstrong
MilitaryAdded photo
A 1938 graduate of Coeymans High School, Clifford Armstrong enlisted in the Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet in January 1942. Assigned to the 353rd Fighter Group / 352nd Fighter Squadron in England as a P-47 pilot. He flew fighter escort for 8th Air Force bombers or as a fighter-bomber in the strafing and bombing of tactical and strategic targets in the occupied territories as well as in Germany. He participated on missions providing air cover and close air support on D-Day, 6 June 1944 and afterwards in the Normandy invasion. Cliff completed 94 combat missions and was credited with 3 aerial and 2 ground kills of enemy aircraft, attaining the status of ace. He was promoted to Captain shortly before leaving active military activity in 1946. He continued serving his country in the Air National Guard, was a squadron operations officer and promoted to Major in 1952. Cliff left the ANG in 1958 and rejoined his brother Lester to operate their family farm in West Coxsackie, New York. Cliff was a 60-year member of the New Baltimore American Legion Post 1614 and a 60-year member of the Cornell Hook and Ladder. He passed away in March 2006.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
New York, New York State, United States | 12 January 1920 | the son of Joseph Armstrong Jr and Helena (Hough) Armstrong |
Enlisted |
Albany, New York, United States | 14 January 1942 | in the Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet, together with John Zolner, who was also assigned to the 353rd Fighter Group like him |
Other Crashed |
Metfield, Harleston IP20, UK | 5 April 1944 | Taxiing Accident Metfield/Sta 366 Cat 3 damage, pilot Lt Clifford F Armstrong, 5-Apr-44. P-47D 42-75622 - 352FS 353FG 8AF |
Other Promotion |
Raydon, Ipswich IP7, UK | 17 June 1944 | Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. |
Other End Tour Duty (ETD) |
30 June 1944 | Ended Tour Duty (ETD). | |
Died |
West Coxsackie, Greene County, New York, United States | 23 March 2006 | |
New Baltimore, Greene County, New York, United States | |||
Buried |
New Baltimore, NY, USA | Chestnut Lawn Cemetery New Baltimore Greene County New York, USA. | |
Other Assigned |
Raydon, Ipswich IP7, UK | 30 June 1944 | Assigned to 352FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF. |
Other Promotion |
Raydon, Ipswich IP7, UK | Promoted to Captain. | |
Other Promotion |
United States | Promoted to Major |
Revisions
Armstrong was a member of the 352nd Fighter Squadron and not the 350th as stated.
353rd FG Records/friendship with Armstrong
NARA WWII Enlistment database
www.registerstar.com
https://353rdfightergroup.wordpress.com/
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list