William P Rowles
Military
Personal research & 4th Fighter Group 'Debden Eagles' by Chris Bucholtz.
Object Number - UPL 15327 - During the 30 January 1944 mission to Gilze-Rijen airfield, 2nd Lt. William Rowles' P-47D Thunderbolt was badly damaged by cannon fire from a Bf 109....
During the 30 January 1944 mission to Gilze-Rijen airfield, 2nd Lt. William Rowles' P-47 D was badly damaged by cannon fire from a Bf 109. Rowles has missed squadron-mate 1st Lt. Kendall Carlson's call to break after the German fighter had been spotted closing on his tail. Fortunately for Rowles, 1st Lt. Paul Ellington reacted quickly and shot the Messerschmitt off his tail, but not before his P-47D Serial No. 42-75112 had been holed in its fuselage, tail, flaps and canopy.
Rowles crash landed at RAF Eastchurch, Kent in P-47D #42-74717 on 20 Feb 1944. RTD.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Nicknames: This Above All
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Thunder Bird
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Revisions
Personal research & 4th Fighter Group 'Debden Eagles' by Chris Bucholtz.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list
