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Horham

Military site : airfield

  • A bomber crew of the 95th Bomb Group outside a Nissen hut briefing room at Horham, August 1944. Image via Albert Keeler, 95th Bomb Group. Written on slide casing: '

    A bomber crew of the 95th Bomb Group outside a Nissen hut briefing room at Horham, August 1944. Image via Albert Keeler, 95th Bomb Group. Written on slide casing: '"B" Briefing room, 95th Bomb Group (H) Horham, England "Full House" crew.' Note: This is the George Dancisin crew, 412th Bomb Squadron.

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  • 1LT Paul Tucci Navigator 95th BG - 336th BS

    1LT Paul Tucci Navigator 95th BG - 336th BS

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  • Fitje Pitts on the left and Jean Plageman serving donuts to a G.I. at the 95th Bomb Group in Horham

    Fitje Pitts on the left and Jean Plageman serving donuts to a G.I. at the 95th Bomb Group in Horham

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  • Pony cart at 95th Bomb Group in Horham, 1943. Base adjacent, Major Ed Russell, is second from left.

    Pony cart at 95th Bomb Group in Horham, 1943. Base adjacent, Major Ed Russell, is second from left.

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  • Fitje dancing with Sergeant Daugherty, 95th Bomb Group, Horham, July 1943

    Fitje dancing with Sergeant Daugherty, 95th Bomb Group, Horham, July 1943

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  • Fitje Pitts' drawing of the Red Cross club, 95th Bomb Group, Horham, 1943

    Fitje Pitts' drawing of the Red Cross club, 95th Bomb Group, Horham, 1943

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  • Unidentified G.I. with Fitje's kitten, Lt. Clark, 95th Bomb Group, Horham, 1943

    Unidentified G.I. with Fitje's kitten, Lt. Clark, 95th Bomb Group, Horham, 1943

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  • Frank J Calicura greets Commander Jack Shuck before heading off for his 8th mission in March 1945. Also there to exchange words with Frank is Statistical Officer David Olsson who shares the same hometown as Frank, Martinez, Calif. USA

    Frank J Calicura greets Commander Jack Shuck before heading off for his 8th mission in March 1945. Also there to exchange words with Frank is Statistical Officer David Olsson who shares the same hometown as Frank, Martinez, Calif. USA

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  • Missing Air Crew Report 10418

    Missing Air Crew Report 10418

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  • Opening night at the Red Cross Aero Club, 95th Bomb Group, Horham, England. Fitje Pitts (next to chef), Michaele (?), Mac McGrath and Jean Plageman

    Opening night at the Red Cross Aero Club, 95th Bomb Group, Horham, England. Fitje Pitts (next to chef), Michaele (?), Mac McGrath and Jean Plageman

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Horham airfield was planned and built for RAF use, but handed over to the Eighth Air Force and used initially by the 47th Bomb Group. When they joined the Twelfth Air Force in January 1943, it became home to the B-26 Marauders of the 323rd Bomb Group. The 323rd transferred to Earls Colne in June1943, and Horham instead became the final UK base of the 95th Bomb Group, who flew B-17 missions from the airfield until the end of the war in Europe. RAF Maintenance Command took over the airfield in 1945, and the base remained in RAF hands until sold off in the early 1960s.

Detailed history

Not yet known

English Heritage's record description

An airfield situated near Horham was taken over by the 95th Bomb Group in June 1943. In 1945 the Group retuned to the USA and the station returned to the RAF and was used as a satellite site for No.25 and No.262 Maintenance Units.
The site closed in October 1948 and was later used to defend the East Anglian V-bomber bases. The site was sold in the 1960s to a private owner.

Service

Units

People

  • Russell Allman

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 95th Bomb Group
    Damaged by fighter attacks on the return from a mission to Klein Machow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-31299 'Junior' maintained formation until finally crashing NW of Beilen, Holland after the crew baled out. Prisoner of War (POW). POW

  • Claude Anderson

    Military | Lieutenant | Command Navigator | 95th Bomb Group
    95th Bomb Group, 412th Bomb Squadron April 44 to September 44, 35 missions with the Roy Gielen crew and then with the Lyle Scott crew. Returned to the states to train new crews, then went inactive while he returned to college and later medical school....

  • Jack Anderson

    Military | Corporal | Navigator | 95th Bomb Group

  • Oliver Andres

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 95th Bomb Group
    Oliver Andres served as a bombardier with the 334th Bomb Squadron of the 95th Bomb Group, out of Horham, England. ...

  • George Asprocolas

    Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 95th Bomb Group

  • Dale Avers

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 95th Bomb Group

  • Robert Baber

    Military | Captain | Pilot | 95th Bomb Group
    Pilot B-17 42-102700 "I'll Get By" Shot down by flak and crashed near Lisieux. 2-8-44. Killed in Action (KIA).

  • Harrell Baker

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
    26 missions over Europe

  • Roy Ballard

    Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 95th Bomb Group

  • Sidney Balman

    Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 95th Bomb Group
    Shot down by fighters and crashed near Wietmarschen, district Bad Bentheim, NE of Nordhorn, Germany on a mission to Brunswick on 10 February 1944 in B-17F #42-30609 "Pistol Packin' Mama". Prisoner of War (POW).

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Aircraft

  • 42-97194 Good Pickin'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 5/2/44; Kearney 24/2/44; Presque Is 11/3/44; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-O] Horham 11/3/44; with G.M. Jackman force landed B-53 Merville, Belg., 10/5/45; with Lt Henderson force landed A-70 Laon, France 20/5/45; 114m Returned to the USA...

  • 41-24416 'Black Diamond Express'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Assigned 326BS/92BG Bangor 16/7/42; 95BG Horham /43; 359BS/303BG [BN-V] Molesworth, 17/6/43; Returned to the USA Sheppard 5/7/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Walnut Ridge 26/10/45. BLACK DIAMOND EXPRESS.

  • 42-102427

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 2/3/44. Kearney 25/3/44. Grenier 2/4/44. Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-C] Horham 7/4/44 Battle damaged Mainz 9/10/44 with Taylor; force landed France, 9RTD. Salvaged 14/11/44.

  • 42-102447 'El's Belles'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 4/3/44; Kearney 22/3/44; Dow Fd 4/4/44; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-A] Horham 6/4/44; with L.J. Price, force landed 4/8/44 sal; with M.S. Roy force landed Framlingham AFB 25/12/44; with H. Rivet force landed France 20/2/45; with J.E....

  • 42-107047 The Doodle Bug

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Tulsa 6/2/44; Grenier 3/3/44; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-M] Horham 17/3/44; with R.V. Mercer force landed Framlingham AFB 25/12/44 with engine failure; battle damaged Berlin 3/2/45 with H. Palmer; force landed Charleroi, Bel; 97m, repaired & ret...

  • 42-107201 'Worry Bird'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Tulsa 20/3/44; Kearney 31/3/44; Dow Fd 6/7/44; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-J] Horham 8/4/44; 121m, Returned to the USA Bradley 2/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 23/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA)...

  • 42-30176 'Assassin'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne, WY 22/4/43; Smoky Hill, KS 28/4/43; Walla Walla, WA 7/5/43; Smoky Hill 25/5/43; Presque Island 6/6/43; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-P] Framlingham 5/6/43; 335BS [OE-P] Horham 15/6/43; 12m, Missing in Action Regensburg 17/8/43 with John...

  • 42-30185 'Wee Bonnie'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 24/4/43; Smoky Hill 5/5/43; Dow Fd 25/5/43; Assigned 412BS/95BG [QW-H] Horham 15/6/43; 10m, severe battle damaged Schweinfurt 17/8/43 with Don Eastling, rest unknown; Salvaged 24/8/43. WEE BONNIE.

  • 42-30272 'Fritz Blitz'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 7/5/43; Gore 8/5/43; Smoky Hill 17/5/43; Dow Fd 30/5/43; Assigned 335BS/95BG [OE-U] Horham 15/6/43; Missing in Action (21m) Munster 10/10/43 with Eldon Broman, Co-pilot: John Chaffin, Navigator: Bill Fowler, Bombardier: Paul Guiteras...

  • 42-30288 'Louise II'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 9-May-43; Smoky Hill 17-May-43; Dow Field, Bangor, Maine 30-May-43; Assigned 412BS/95BG [QW-T] at Horham, UK on 14-Jun-43; with R.E. Robinson force landed RAF Wheaton Ash, all crew OK, 16-Jun-43; 18m, battle damaged Marienberg 9-Oct...

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Number
119
Known as
Not yet known
Construction date
Not yet known
USAAF from date
Not yet known
USAAF to date
Not yet known
Closure date
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
03 September 2019 13:31:36 Emily Changes to english heritage description
Sources

Historic England National Monument Record TM 27 SW 34
Date Contributor Update
02 November 2016 11:30:59 Lucy May Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

Connected aircraft records that have Horham in their biography fields.
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:02:16 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978).

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