September 11, 2001
Lest We Forget . . .
September 11, 2001
78th Fighter
Group
A History and Tribute
" In echelon...they came...they fought...they died...they preserved Freedom ! "
A " flying " tribute to the 78th Fighter Group, this P-47D is a part of the "Fighter Collection" maintained at the Duxford Air Field, Cambridgeshire, U.K.. The markings represent the P-47D, "No Guts, No Glory", an aircraft flown by Lt. Colonel Ben Mayo of the 82nd Squadron, 78th Fighter Group.(Picture source: John M. Dibbs)
Duxford 78th Fighter Group Association
The " Duxford 78th Fighter Group Association - WWII " has designated this web site as their " Official Home Page ".
This Association was founded by veterans of the USAAF, 78th Fighter Group, to maintain a focal point of information for it's members, co-ordinate reunion activities and in general further the memory and honor of this WWII combat Unit. The Association pages include:
2004 Reunion re-scheduled for Florida April 28 - May 1, 2005
The "Hurricane Delayed" 2004 Reunion of the 78th Fighter Group Association will be held in Kissimmee, Florida this April. Click above for additional information and a registration form.
Membership Information
The " Checkerboard " Newsletter
( Postings - Past Issues )
" Goxhill Today "
" "Duxford Eagles", a new artwork by Nicolas Trudgian. Signed by Clark Clemons and Wayne Coleman"
" Remembering Jack C. Price "
" Betty and Joyce's "
" Robert E. Smith's recollections of the missions of 1-15-45 and 2-22-45 "
Message Board
( A Message Board is provided for veterans and friends of the 78th. Please, post your "78th Fighter Group " inquiries here! )
Search the Web Site
Due to the extensive amount of information presented on this web site, it was necessary to install a search engine. We trust this will help our visitors navigate more easily and locate specific information.
Please click here
General Interest Section
( Reports and stories of general interest regarding the 78th Fighter Group)
More " Lost and Found " Aircraft of the 78th Fighter Group
( Lost aircaft of th 78th recovered through the efforts of dedicated aviation archeologists )
" The Seversky BT-8 "
( A personal recollection / pictures contributed by Jerry E. Brasher, 82nd Fighter Squadron)
" 8th Air Force Fighter Command, Official Training Documents "
( "Long Reach" and "Down to Earth", published by the 8th Air Force Fighter Command addressed fighter / fighter-bomber tactics employed successfully against Germany in the ETO. The format for these documents included personal surveys of combat commanders and pilots, including members of the 78th Fighter Group. )
" Archives"
( Previous " General Interest Section " postings )
Internet Search Results for 78th Fighter Group References . . .
( The internet was recently searched for references to the 78th Fighter Group. In addition to locating a number of historical reference sites, it was surprising to find numerous web articles and postings regarding specific 78th Fighter Group personnel . These findings are posted as follows on several pages along with appropriate source credits and web addresses. )
" We feel it is necessary to include these references on the "History and Tribute" site because they do contribute in part in telling the complete story of the "Eagles of Duxford". "
Please click on the appropriate Search Results Page below to access the information on the individuals listed.)
T/Sgt. William Blystone, 82nd Fighter Squadron, from 1942 to 1943, Personal Interviews
Lt. Colonel John D. Landers, Headquarters Squadron, Group CO, 2-22-45 to 6-28-45, Personal Biography
2nd Lt. George C. Maitland, 83rd Fighter Squadron, 1-44 to 3-8-44, KIA, Crash Site Recovery Project Report
2nd Lt. Frederick J. Regner, 83rd Fighter Squadron, 3-27-45 to EOW, Obituary
1st. Lt. Robert E. Wieland Jr., Headquarters Squadron, 1942 to 1943, Personal Web Site / Newspaper Article
2nd Lt. Lloyd L. Eadline, 83rd Fighter Squadron, 10-15-44 to 2-24-45, KIA, Collingwood, NJ Memorial Web Site
Captain Robert E. Belliveau, 84th Fighter Squadron, 4-22-43 to 4-18-44, to US, Veterans Project Personal Interview
1st. Lt. Cyril Thomas Bendorf, 84th Fighter Squadron, from 11-10-44 to EOW, Crash Site Recovery Project Report
2nd. Lt. Vernon Y. Jones, 82nd Fighter Squadron, from 11-43 to 2-10-44, KIA, Personal Biography
1st. Lt. John A. Kirk, 83rd Fighter Squadron, 11-30-44 to EOW, Modelling Club Article / Obituary
1st. Lt. William F. Neel, 82nd Fighter Squadron, from 2-16-43 to 1-24-44, MIA, Personal Biography
1st. Lt. Hayden E. Richards, 82nd Fighter Squadron, 5-44 to 9-44, to US, D-Day Ceremony Interview, Duxford, 2004
2nd. Lt. Franklin B. Resseguie, 84th Fighter Squadron, 10-43 to 10-18-43, Evader, Book Review
1st. Lt. Grant M. Turley, 82nd Fighter Squadron, 11-43 to 3-6-44, KIA, Personal Biography
1st. Lt. Neal Hepner, 84th Fighter Squadron, 3-28-45 to EOW, Newspaper Article
1st. Lt. James B. Stallings, 84th Fighter Squadron, 4-6-44 to 9-6-44, to US, Personal Interview / Book Review
Miscellaneous
Humor of the Times . . .
( Lt. Col. Bob Stevens(ret.), famous for his entertaining comic strips in the "Air Force" Magazine, captures some of the humor "of the Times" through his personal experiences as a fighter pilot in World war II. )
Click here for more:
"Through the eyes and art of Bob Stevens "
( Comic art was sometimes used as a training aid for new fighter pilots. The "Fighter Tips" poster series was created by the USAAF Training Aids Division to communicate awareness of enemy tendencies and tactics for fledgling fighter pilots just entering a specific theater of operation. )
Click here for more:
" Fighter Tips- USAAF Training Aids "
Period Poster Art
" As it was, Then...It shall be, Now...God Bless America!! "
"Twilight Tear" Returns to Fly Again at Duxford
( 83rd Fighter Squadron, P-51D-20-NA, HL-W, s/n 44-63864 )
The fully restored "Twilight Tear" takes it's place with other period warbirds at Duxford for the 2003 "Flying Legends Air Show. In the background(right) is the "Fighter Collection's" restored P-47D painted with the markings of the 78th, representing the P-47D, "No Guts, No Glory", an aircraft flown by Lt. Colonel Ben Mayo of the 82nd Squadron. Also painted in 78th Fighter Group markings for the 2003 "Flying Legends" is TF-51D 67-14866(background, left) from Chino Warbirds Inc. flown by experienced warbird operator Ed Shipley. ( Source Credit: The "Fighter Collection"archives via Gary Parsons, Duxford)
Through the efforts of the "Fighter Collection" Duxford restoration team, P-51D-20-NA, s/n 44-63864 flys again in the markings of the 78th Fighter Group. "Twilight Tear" was assigned to Lt Hubert "Bill" Davis(a pilot from 1/45 to the EOW), 83rd Fighter Squadron, who flew the bulk of his 35 combat missions in this aircraft, scoring three aerial victories and one damaged. The a/c name was chosen by Lt. Davis after a famous race horse of the times.
Hubert Davis had three children - son Bob and daughters Louisa and Virginia. They all attended the 2003 "Flying Legends" show in Duxford, together with Bob's two daughters. For more pictures of the days events and the complete story on "Twilight Tear", please visit the Fighter Collection's 2003 "Flying Legends" article "Living Legends".
_ 
Left: The"Twilight Tear" (P-51D -2--NA, 83rd Fighter Squadron, HL-W, s/n 44-63864) arrives back home to Duxford in April, 2002 for restoration by the "Fighter Collection". Still sporting Swedish Air Force Colors, this P-51D served with the 78th Fighter Group from April 1, 1945 to October 11, 1945. After the war, this aircraft was sold to Sweden and has been well travelled since. Right: A member of the "Fighter Collection" team adds some finishing paint touches to the fully restored aircraft for it's debut to the public at the 2003 "Flying Legends" air show at Duxford. ( Source Credit: The "Fighter Collection"archives via Gary Parsons, Duxford)
The restored P-51D, "Twilight Tear"(lower right) and the P-47D, "No Guts, No Glory" join a visiting TF-51D for a fly-by at the 2003 Duxford "Flying Legends" show in tribute to the 78th Fighter Group and all who served in WW II in the ETO. ( Source Credit: The "Fighter Collection"archives via Gary Parsons, Duxford )
"Checkerboard Paradise"
Robert Ford, Paradise Airshows, owns and operates a North American AT-6 and has been performing at air shows for ten years now. In 1997, he painted his AT-6 aircraft in 78th Fighter Group colors. During a visit to Duxford in 1992, he saw "The Fighter Collections" P-47D, "No Guts, No Glory" and decided that he would paint his aircraft in the same color scheme. Bob reports:
"I did this as a special tribute to the 78th Fighter Group and dedicate all my airshow performances to the veterans of WW II. It has been a very popular attraction at all the shows. My program is set to big band music and the introduction specifically addresses the veterans. This is my personal thanks for their skill, dedication and sacrifice. "
" Additionally, I have not lost a single dog-fight since adopting the 78th colors."
Robert Ford and his AT-6, "Paradise", in flight, painted in the 78th Fighter Group markings with D-Day stripes. (Source Credit: Robert Ford collection)
Robert Ford and his AT-6, "Paradise" on the tarmac at Nellis Air Force Base. (Source Credit: Robert Ford collection)
Research Help
We receive a substantial number of inquiries with regards to events( missions, losses, etc. ) and aircraft( ID numbers, etc. ) both via email and on the message board. We try to respond to most of these requests, but the task is becoming overwhelming. It is almost impossible to research and respond individually. To assist our visitors seeking such information, a comprehensive listing of historical information / data sources has been compiled for reference. Please see and utilize the:
78th Fighter Group Researcher's Guide
78th Fighter Group Historical Overview
Unit History
( A historical summary of the 78th Fighter Group, general information and statistics are reported . )
The Duxford Days . .
( Known as the "Country Club" of the ETO, Duxford Airdrome served as the WW II home for the 78th Fighter Group. These pages visit the facility "as it was" and addresses the wartime "culture". )
Aces of the 78th
( The 78th Fighter Group "officially" had twelve(12) pilots that were credited with five(5 ) or more aerial victories. However, this was not the whole story.... )
Portraits and Profiles
( Pictures and personal profiles of 78th Fighter Group personnel )
_Big Friends
( The primary mission of the 78th Fighter Group was escort duty in support of the daylight heavy bombardment campaign in the ETO. Fighter pilots commonly referred to the heavy bombers as "Big Friends". These pages are in tribute to the heavy bombardment Groups that served in the ETO with the 78th. )
Jets Over the Reich
( With the introduction of Germany's first turbojet fighter aircraft in the summer of 1944, a serious new threat challenged the Allied strategic bombing campaign in the ETO. The 78th Fighter Group stepped up to this challenge..)
The Missing Man . . .
( Dedicated to those members of the 78th Fighter Group who gave the ultimate sacrifice for Freedom. )
78th Fighter Group Art Showcase
( Art works by aviation artists and illustrators depicting the 78th Fighter Group )
Links and References
( Pertinent web page link references for the 78th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force and the USAAF in World War II )
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Notes
This page was last revised on 3 / 13 / 05
Illustrations and text references used in the creation of these pages were drawn from either literature sources, internet web sites or from personal contributors. In most instances due credit is given the source. Where source identity was not apparent, it is so noted. The intention of these pages is to provide a tribute to the 78th Fighter Group veterans. No commercial value or return is expected or solicited. If there is a violation of the copyright laws, it was unintentional. Please advise the Webmaster of any such violations. The subject illustrations or text references will be removed from the site immediately. Thank you.
If you have any questions or difficulty with these pages or the content herein, please contact the Webmaster.
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