476th Sub-Depot
Group
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Military site : airfield
Built during 1942-43 as an Eighth Air Force bomber base, Metfield had three concrete runways, 39 pan plus 15 loop hardstandings, and two dispersed T2 hangars. It was first occupied by the 353rd Fighter Group, equipped with P-47s, from August 1943 to April 1944. The station then became home to the 491st Bomb Group, equipped with B-24s, from May to August 1944. A devastating accident occurred at Metfield on 15 July 1944 when the bomb store exploded, killing at least five ordnance men, damaging 11 B-24s, and rocking the countryside for several miles around. Transferred to the European Division of Air Transport Command in October 1944, the station was used until May 1945 as a general transport base. More significantly, it was one of the stations used by the 1409th Army Air Force Base Unit, which operated B-24s and other transport types for secret missions to Sweden, carrying special materials and ferrying personnel. Handed over to the RAF in 1945, the site was effectively abandoned by the Air Ministry and began the process of return to agriculture. This speeded up after the airfield was sold during 1964-65. The runways and perimeter tracks were removed, and the huge crater made by the 1944 bomb store explosion was filled in, during the late 1960s.
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The 491st Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators in bombing missions over northern France and Germany from June 1944 until April 1945. Missions over Germany included bombing the headquarters of the German General Staff at Zossen. The Group was awarded a DUC...
Group
The 353rd Fighter Group was assigned to the Eighth Air Force on 7 June 1943. The group flew P-47 Thunderbolts, and from October 1944, P-51 Mustangs, as escorts for bombing missions across occupied Europe and to strafe targets on the ground. Tactical...
Squadron
Browse 18th Weather Squadron photographs and other documents in the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library digital archive here: www.2ndair.org.uk/digitalarchive/Dashboard/Index/60
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
Headquarters
Military | Captain | Fighter Pilot | 353rd Fighter Group
Enlisted USAAC Nov-39. Posted to A-20 light bomber squadron. Qualified for pilot training Nov-40. Entered Aviation Cadets Jan-42. Presented wings Nov-42. Advanced pilot training Sep-42. Married Sep-42. Joined 351FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF nucleus Dec-42....
Military | Staff Sergeant | Togglier, Nose Gunner | 491st Bomb Group
Assigned to 853BS, 491BG, 8AF USAAF. John Kenney crew. Failed to Return (FTR) Swabische Hall. Crashed Semmenstedt in B-24 'Ain't Bluffing' 44-40246 Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 8861
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 491st Bomb Group
Assigned to 854BS, 491BG, 8AF USAAF. Flew on B-24 44-40237. ETD
Awards: AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (2 x Battle Stars).
Military | Senior Master Sergeant | Gunner | 491st Bomb Group
Assigned to 854BS, 491BG, 8AF USAAF. ETD
Awards: AM (OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 353rd Fighter Group
Assigned to 350FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 8ASC.
Awards: AM (OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Major | Fighter Pilot | 353rd Fighter Group
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...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-pilot | 491st Bomb Group
Post war George Aschinger was owner of G. Aschinger & Son Electric, Streator and served as president of Streator Chamber of Commerce. He died 12 October 1993 in Illinois.
Awards: AM (4OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (1 x Battle Star).
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 491st Bomb Group
Assigned to 852BS, 491BG, 8AF USAAF. Richard Wilson crew. Failed to Return (FTR) Swabisch Hall. Crashed at Dusseldorf on 13-Sep-44 in B-24 'Times Awaisting' 44-40234 Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 8860
Awards: AM (2OLC), PH.
Military | Colonel | Fighter pilot | 353rd Fighter Group
Walter C Beckham enlisted in April 1941. He flew his first missions over the Panama Canal and Ecuador from December 1941. He was assigned to the 353rd Fighter Group in mid 1943, and arrived in the UK in August 1943. Beckham became a successful P-47...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 491st Bomb Group
Assigned to 854BS, 491BG, 8AF USAAF. 35 x combat missions. ETD
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
P-47 Thunderbolt
P47C-5-RE 41-6583 [YJ:K] "Alyce" was assigned to the 353FG/351FS at Metfield, UK. On 5-Nov-43 the aircraft, piloted by CPT Orville A. Kincade was despatched with others from the 353FG to provide escort to the B-17 formations of 3rd Bomb Division...
B-24 Liberator
Assigned to 854BS, 491BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Hanover mission; downed by flak over Russelheim, Germany, on 24-Aug-44. 3 x POW, 6 x KIA. MACR 8296
...
B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
Assigned to 852BS, 491BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Berlin with Frank Jensen crew 26-Feb-45; feathered No3 engine over target, fell behind formation, A/C abandoned Rakoniewice, Poland. 11 x RTD MACR 12770
P-47 Thunderbolt
Shot down by enemy fighters (German document KUJ-698 has “shot down by light Flak”) on a bomber escort mission on 16 March 1944 to the Clastres airfield, Aisne Department, France. Crashed East of Juvincourt-et-Damary, Aisne Department, France. Pilot...
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47D-10-RE 42-7901 was assigned to the 353FG/352FS at Metfield, UK. On 6-Sep-43 the aircraft, piloted by F/O Earl W. Perry, Jr. was despatched on a mission to escort bombers making an attack on Stuttgart, Germany. F/O Perry's flight was attacked by...
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47D-1-RE 42-7907 was assigned to the 353FG/350FS at Metfield, UK. On 5-Nov-43 the aircraft, piloted by 1LT Robert Newman, was despatched with otheres from the 353FG to proivde escort to B-17 formations of 3rd Bomb Division that were attacking at...
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47D-2-RE 42-7989 was assigned 353FG/350FS at Metfileld, UK, On 22-Oct-43 the aircraft, piloted by 2LT Walter B. Stone, was despatched with others of the 353FG to provide escort to b-26 bombers from 9th Air Force. The aircraft was last seen entering a...
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47D-2-RE 42-7995 was asssigned to the 353FG/352FS at Metfield, UK On 23-Sep-43 the aircraft, piloted by 2LT George S. Dietz, was despatched on a mission to escort B-17s attacking at Nantes, France. The flight encountered German fighters just...
Date | Contributor | Update |
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27 September 2014 18:02:17 | AAM | AAM ingest |
Sources | ||
Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978) Roger Freeman, Mighty Eighth War Manual (2nd edn, London, 2001) Michael Bowyer, Action Stations 1: Wartime Military Airfields of East Anglia 1939-1945 (Cambridge, 1979) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Metfield http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/huge-rare-wwii-army-air-force-hw-l... |