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P-47 Thunderbolt
Captain Walker "Bud" Mahurin on his P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft (serial number 42-8487), speaking to the Crew Chief (Staff Sergeant John E. Barnes) of his P-47 Thunderbolt. Handwritten on slide:"Mahurin Halesworth 39 R. Freeman"
Captain Walker "Bud" Mahurin of the 56th Fighter Group standing on the port wing of his P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft, conversing with its crew chief, Staff Sergeant John E. Barnes.The aircraft had been "bought" courtesy of war bonds purchased (to a value approximately equivalent to the cost of a fighter) by the citizens of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Consequently, the name painted on the aircraft was chosen by Atlantic City. Handwritten on slide:"Mahurin Halesworth/ on UN M"
Shot down by enemy fighters on the Bomber escort mission 27 March 1944.
Crashed near Allonnes/Boisville-La-St-Père, Eure-et-Loir Department, 16km SE of Chartres, France. Pilot Walker Mahurin managed to evade capture, with the help of French citizens and members of the Résistance. He was back in the UK on 7 May 1944.
Group
Flying P-47 Thunderbolts throughout their time stationed in England, the Group, known as "the Wolfpack", had more ace pilots than any other Eighth Air Force Fighter Group. The 56th Fighter Group also destroyed more enemy aircraft in air combat than any...
Squadron
Military | Staff Sergeant | Enlisted Man | 56th Fighter Group
Military | Colonel | Fighter Pilot-1055 single engine | 56th Fighter Group
Walker Mahurin joined the 56th Fighter Group in July 1942 and arrived in the UK in January 1943. He was later promoted to Captain and Flight Leader of the 63rd Fighter Squadron. He claimed his first victories during the Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission,...
27 March 1944
A combined force of 960 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 ad P-51 are despatched to provide escort to heavy bombers attacking 11 German airfields and air depots in France. 243 of the 960 are frunished by IX Fighter Command. The P-51 element also attacks...
Military site : airfield
Halesworth was constructed in 1942-1943. Initially planned as a bomber airfield, its location close to the Suffolk coast meant that it was in an ideal position to operate escort fighters, where range was a critical factor. Consequently, the 56th...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Failed to Return (FTR) | France | 27 March 1944 |
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Shot down by enemy fighters on the Bomber escort mission 27 March 1944. Crashed near Allonnes/Boisville-La-St-Père, Eure-et-Loir Department, 16km SE of Chartres, France |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 03 March 2020 13:16:26 | ED-BB | Changes to description, events, place associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Missing Air Crew Report – MACR 3440 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 28 November 2014 12:01:47 | Emily | Changes to nicknames and markings |
| Sources | ||
Added name and markings based on associated media |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:41:07 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
MACR 3440 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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