John Cooper Fitch

Military
media-24032.jpeg UPL 24032 Capt John C Fitch 335FS, 4FG, 8AF. Prior to flying fighters in the ETO, flew 50 plus bombing missions in A-20 Havoc's for the 12AF in Italy.

Object Number - UPL 24032 - Capt John C Fitch 335FS, 4FG, 8AF. Prior to flying fighters in the ETO, flew 50 plus bombing missions in A-20 Havoc's for the 12AF in Italy.

Assigned to 15BS, 12AF flying A-20 Havoc's flying more than 50 bombing missions. Transferred to 335FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited 1/2 kill (Me262). Whilst carrying out a third strafing pass on a train, shot down 4 miles SW Neumarkt, Germany in P-51 44-15351 and taken Prisoner of War (POW). 20-Feb-45. MACR 12546.



Awards: AM (OLC), PH, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.



Post war: Racing driver, 1st American to compete successfully in Europe post war. In an 18 year career he won such notable sports car races as the Gran Premio de Eva Duarte Perón – Sport, 1953 12 Hours of Sebring, 1955 Mille Miglia (production car class), and the 1955 RAC Tourist Trophy, as well as numerous SCCA National Sports Car Championship races. He also involved in Briggs Cunningham’s ambitious Le Mans projects in the early 1950s, and was later a member of the Mercedes-Benz sport car team. He also competed in two World Championship Grands Prix. Car designer [5 x designs] and inventor of the Fitch barrier system, employed to this day on US highways, saving thousands of lives.

Connections

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Units served with

A bomber crew of the 301st Bomb Group with their A-20 Havoc after being awarded medals. From left to right, they are Sergeant B.B. Cunningham of Tupelo, Missouri; Sergeant R.L. Golay of Fredonia, Kansas; Second Lieutenant M. Dorton of Long Beach; and Major Charles C. Kegelman. Image stamped on reverse: 'Passed for Publication 11 Jul 1942.' [stamp], 'Not to be published until 12/7/42.' [stamp], 'Keystone Press.' [stamp], 'USA (NIR)CCC.' [written annotation] and '209807.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on rev
  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: The Phoenix
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
Prisoners of war, including Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 479th Fighter Group at Stalag Luft I.
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Indianapolis, IN, USA 4 August 1917 Son of Robert V Fitch.

Enlisted

New York, NY, USA 25 April 1941 New York City, New York

Other

Crashed

Vicenzo AF, Italy 30 October 1943 Crashed Belly Landing BTC [APO 525] Cat 3 damage John C Fitch, 30-Oct-43. Me110E - 1BTS 12AF

Other

E/A Destroyed 1/2

Germany 18 November 1944 Credited with shared destroyed Me262 air to air. 18-Nov-44.

Other

Shot down

Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, Germany 20 February 1945 Whilst carrying out a third strafing pass on a train, shot down 4 miles SW Neumarkt, Germany in P-51D 44-15351 and taken Prisoner of War (POW). 20-Feb-45. MACR 12546.

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Barth, Germany 20 February 1945 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft I.

Died

Lime Rock, Salisbury, CT 06039, USA 31 October 2012

Born

Riverdale, New York, USA

Other

Assigned

Vicenzo AF, Italy Assigned to 15BS, 12AF USAAF.

Other

Transferred

Debden, Saffron Walden CB11, UK 20 February 1945 Transferred to 335FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF.

Buried

Lime Rock CemeterySalisbury, Litchfield County, CT Lime Rock Cemetery Salisbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Capitalized the words in the "Role/job" field to aid readability.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
Changes
Sources

Merged with duplicate entries to include details from:
- Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list;

Date
Contributorapollo11
Changes
Sources

Personal research & 'The Debden Warbirds' by Frank Speer.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 12546 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list / self/ MACR 12546

John Cooper Fitch: Gallery (4 items)