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| 78th Fighter Group, Duxford England Missing Air Crew Reports Photos Duxford Diary Other Information |
If I am missing a name or information is incorrect please email and let me
know. The information gathered on each page is from the Duxford Diary, the
National Archives, from the web and some very generous friends. I would
appreciate a link to this page from you website if you have one.
Curt
clsspace@yahoo.com
know. The information gathered on each page is from the Duxford Diary, the
National Archives, from the web and some very generous friends. I would
appreciate a link to this page from you website if you have one.
Curt
clsspace@yahoo.com
Last Updated June 23 2010
| Other Links |
Latest News
2010
June 23
From Danny Morris - 4227606 EX MX-A & WZ-A converted 2 seater P-47
May 15
Chino Air Show, California.
Capt. Huie Lamb (82nd) and Lt. William Spengler (83rd) in attendance.
Cielos LLC's newly restored P-51 painted to match Lt. Spengler's Buzzin Cuzzin
Buzzin Cuzzin Website
May 14
Thanks to a tip from Terry Jensen about yearbooks I was able to locate two of them from 1941, one
from Hamilton Field and the other from March Airfield. These books contain photos of the men of the
14th Pursuit Group, many of which went on to form the 78th Fighter Group. Click Here
Check out the new link above for a restored P-51 painted to match the 83rd Lt. Spengler's Buzzin
Cuzzin.
April 20
Sad news to report, Ken Fish the owner of the original 78th Fighter Group website has suffered a
brain aneurysm and is in severe condition. Please keep Ken in your thoughts and prayers.
April 18
A lot of new gun camera photos have been added from a variety of pilots. Click Here
Added Photos and information on the 66th FW commander Gen. Murray Woodbury (to which the 78th
was assigned) had an old B-17F at Duxford presumably as an "office" when on his tours. It was
known as the "Waldorf Astoria" and was parked near the tower; outer wing panels and most of
vertical tail removed. Click Here
February 27
Updated the crash photos with new information supplied by Danny Morris, author of "The Real Aces
and Wingmen. Click Here
Many "Thanks" go out to those who still remember those of the 78th lost in Europe. Read below
about one family whose daughter has adopted the grave site of Lt. Grant Turley.
Hello everybody,
We are Dennis and Gerda from the Netherlands.
We, Dennis and Gerda have adopted 11 soldiers who have lost their lives in fighting for our freedom
during WWII. We have made a tribute for these heroes, see: www.theyfoughtforfreedom.nl
But we also wanted that our daughter would adopt one of these fallen heroes and today we received
the certificate of adoption for her, and now she is the proud adopter of 1Lt Grant M Turley.
We hope that somebody can help us in finding information and maybe the family, so we can let
them know that somebody is taking care of 1Lt Grant M Turley.
We hope to hear from you.
Sincerely, Dennis, Gerda and Denise
Since this message was posted on Geneolgy.com, Dennis has made contact with the Turley Family.
Please visit his webpage and leave a message for him.
February 7
Updated MACR for Col Armand Peterson, new information on a
Army (yes Army) ship named for him. Click Here
Updated MACRs with follow up information for:
Lt. Grant Turley Click Here
Lt. Jack LaGrange Click Here
Added new books - 78th in Books, Magazines and News Link. Click Here
New Pictures 82nd FS Click Here 83rd FS Click Here 84th FS Click Here
2009
11-10-09 Check out the spectacular picture board of the 84th
9-18-09
I have added a Book Section at the bottom of this page which lists books about the men of the 78th
either by themselves or a family member.
Updated Col. Peterson's MACR page to include several newspaper articles concerning him.
Updated Lt. Turley's MACR page to include several newspaper articles concerning him and also
book about him.
New Photos of Lt. Levi Smith (82nd photo page) from his daughter.
8-13-09
2nd Lt. Watson R. Gabriel (83rd) passed away.
5-27-09
New pictures added for each group's photo page and a Memorial Day tribute for Lt Ernest Boehner at
his MACR page.
3-21-09
Added new pictures to the 82nd photo page. Added additional information to 82nd MACR Lt Boehner.
3-09-09
The Duxford Diary page is now completed and can be viewed.
1-25-09
Pictures on Photo Page have reorganized so as to find easier. Additional photos have also been
added.
1-11-09
Added Photo Page - All kind of photos, planes, pilots, personnel from all the groups at Duxford
1-7-09
Interesting Christmas POW story about Lt Stark of the 82nd.
1-5-09
Interview with Burton Newmark (84th)about his last mission and stay at a POW Camp.
1-1-2009
More information about Lts Wilson and Oldfield has been recieved from Keith James at the WW2
Escape Lines Memorial Society (www.escapelines.com) via his Dutch contact Alexander Tuinhout.
Until April 2009 the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation has an exhibition in the Resistance Museum
(Verzetsmuseum) in Leeuwarden, where we pay some attention to the crash-landing of Wilson and
Oldfield. We also put some information about their crash online on our new website
www.luchtoorlogfriesland.nl
Wilson and Oldfield had flown a mission over Germany that rainy Sunday morning, but they stayed
too long in the combat-area near Heidelberg. The P-51's ran out of petrol and the men decided to
make a crash-landing close to the village of Siegerswoude, in the province of Friesland. Both pilots
fled into the woods and the Germans started searching for them. They shot at every moving object
between the trees. The airmen escaped and first found a shelter in the house of T. Nijboer in Hemrik.
From there they were moved to the small house of Jan Minkes in Hoornsterzwaag, where they were
hidden in the cupboard-beds. Minkes spoke no English, but the men had a great time with him.
Together they sang popular songs as "lili marlene". In this period they were also hidden in the house
of Pier Dijkstra, who had a farm in Hoornsterzwaag (housenr. 11).
As it was expected that the Liberation would come soon, Wilson and Oldfield stayed in Friesland until
the arrival of the Canadian Army. This part of the Netherlands was liberated mid-April 1945.
12-26-2008
Received email from a relative of Pier Dijkstra (Dutch Resistance) in reference to Lt Mark Wilson of
the 84th. Lt. Wilson was kept at the farm of Pier on his route back to England. Lt. Charles Oldfield
(Wilson's wingman) was also at the farm at the same time.
2010
June 23
From Danny Morris - 4227606 EX MX-A & WZ-A converted 2 seater P-47
May 15
Chino Air Show, California.
Capt. Huie Lamb (82nd) and Lt. William Spengler (83rd) in attendance.
Cielos LLC's newly restored P-51 painted to match Lt. Spengler's Buzzin Cuzzin
Buzzin Cuzzin Website
May 14
Thanks to a tip from Terry Jensen about yearbooks I was able to locate two of them from 1941, one
from Hamilton Field and the other from March Airfield. These books contain photos of the men of the
14th Pursuit Group, many of which went on to form the 78th Fighter Group. Click Here
Check out the new link above for a restored P-51 painted to match the 83rd Lt. Spengler's Buzzin
Cuzzin.
April 20
Sad news to report, Ken Fish the owner of the original 78th Fighter Group website has suffered a
brain aneurysm and is in severe condition. Please keep Ken in your thoughts and prayers.
April 18
A lot of new gun camera photos have been added from a variety of pilots. Click Here
Added Photos and information on the 66th FW commander Gen. Murray Woodbury (to which the 78th
was assigned) had an old B-17F at Duxford presumably as an "office" when on his tours. It was
known as the "Waldorf Astoria" and was parked near the tower; outer wing panels and most of
vertical tail removed. Click Here
February 27
Updated the crash photos with new information supplied by Danny Morris, author of "The Real Aces
and Wingmen. Click Here
Many "Thanks" go out to those who still remember those of the 78th lost in Europe. Read below
about one family whose daughter has adopted the grave site of Lt. Grant Turley.
Hello everybody,
We are Dennis and Gerda from the Netherlands.
We, Dennis and Gerda have adopted 11 soldiers who have lost their lives in fighting for our freedom
during WWII. We have made a tribute for these heroes, see: www.theyfoughtforfreedom.nl
But we also wanted that our daughter would adopt one of these fallen heroes and today we received
the certificate of adoption for her, and now she is the proud adopter of 1Lt Grant M Turley.
We hope that somebody can help us in finding information and maybe the family, so we can let
them know that somebody is taking care of 1Lt Grant M Turley.
We hope to hear from you.
Sincerely, Dennis, Gerda and Denise
Since this message was posted on Geneolgy.com, Dennis has made contact with the Turley Family.
Please visit his webpage and leave a message for him.
February 7
Updated MACR for Col Armand Peterson, new information on a
Army (yes Army) ship named for him. Click Here
Updated MACRs with follow up information for:
Lt. Grant Turley Click Here
Lt. Jack LaGrange Click Here
Added new books - 78th in Books, Magazines and News Link. Click Here
New Pictures 82nd FS Click Here 83rd FS Click Here 84th FS Click Here
2009
11-10-09 Check out the spectacular picture board of the 84th
9-18-09
I have added a Book Section at the bottom of this page which lists books about the men of the 78th
either by themselves or a family member.
Updated Col. Peterson's MACR page to include several newspaper articles concerning him.
Updated Lt. Turley's MACR page to include several newspaper articles concerning him and also
book about him.
New Photos of Lt. Levi Smith (82nd photo page) from his daughter.
8-13-09
2nd Lt. Watson R. Gabriel (83rd) passed away.
5-27-09
New pictures added for each group's photo page and a Memorial Day tribute for Lt Ernest Boehner at
his MACR page.
3-21-09
Added new pictures to the 82nd photo page. Added additional information to 82nd MACR Lt Boehner.
3-09-09
The Duxford Diary page is now completed and can be viewed.
1-25-09
Pictures on Photo Page have reorganized so as to find easier. Additional photos have also been
added.
1-11-09
Added Photo Page - All kind of photos, planes, pilots, personnel from all the groups at Duxford
1-7-09
Interesting Christmas POW story about Lt Stark of the 82nd.
1-5-09
Interview with Burton Newmark (84th)about his last mission and stay at a POW Camp.
1-1-2009
More information about Lts Wilson and Oldfield has been recieved from Keith James at the WW2
Escape Lines Memorial Society (www.escapelines.com) via his Dutch contact Alexander Tuinhout.
Until April 2009 the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation has an exhibition in the Resistance Museum
(Verzetsmuseum) in Leeuwarden, where we pay some attention to the crash-landing of Wilson and
Oldfield. We also put some information about their crash online on our new website
www.luchtoorlogfriesland.nl
Wilson and Oldfield had flown a mission over Germany that rainy Sunday morning, but they stayed
too long in the combat-area near Heidelberg. The P-51's ran out of petrol and the men decided to
make a crash-landing close to the village of Siegerswoude, in the province of Friesland. Both pilots
fled into the woods and the Germans started searching for them. They shot at every moving object
between the trees. The airmen escaped and first found a shelter in the house of T. Nijboer in Hemrik.
From there they were moved to the small house of Jan Minkes in Hoornsterzwaag, where they were
hidden in the cupboard-beds. Minkes spoke no English, but the men had a great time with him.
Together they sang popular songs as "lili marlene". In this period they were also hidden in the house
of Pier Dijkstra, who had a farm in Hoornsterzwaag (housenr. 11).
As it was expected that the Liberation would come soon, Wilson and Oldfield stayed in Friesland until
the arrival of the Canadian Army. This part of the Netherlands was liberated mid-April 1945.
12-26-2008
Received email from a relative of Pier Dijkstra (Dutch Resistance) in reference to Lt Mark Wilson of
the 84th. Lt. Wilson was kept at the farm of Pier on his route back to England. Lt. Charles Oldfield
(Wilson's wingman) was also at the farm at the same time.
| 78th Fighter Group |
If you would like information about joining please contact:
Jacquelyn Childs
2813 Greentop St
Lakewood, Cal. 90712
Jacquelyn Childs
2813 Greentop St
Lakewood, Cal. 90712
