Leon McFaddin Blanding

Military
Major Leon M. Blanding, a pilot with the 4th Fighter Group, at Debden. He wears an A-2 flight jacket. media-377270.jpg FRE 15 Major Leon M. Blanding, a pilot with the 4th Fighter Group, at Debden. He wears an A-2 flight jacket. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 15 - Major Leon M. Blanding, a pilot with the 4th Fighter Group, at Debden. He wears an A-2 flight jacket.

Leon Blanding joined the RCAF and began flying as a sergeant pilot with No. 121 'Eagle' Squadron, and he rose to the rank of Major over the course of two tours with the 4th fighter Group.

His time in the frontline came to an abrupt end when he suffered a fractured skull after his Mustang was hit by flak during the 8 August 1944 mission to Norway.

Blanding was by then assigned to the 4th Fighter Group Headquarters flight, having previously been CO of the 335th Fighter Squadron.



Awards: DFC, AM, PH, WWII Victory, EAME.



Post war: Retired from the USAF as a Lieutenant Colonel, post war Owner/Operator Blanding Iron Works Sumter, SC.

Connections

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Units served with

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 78th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron 83rd Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 31st Fighter Group 4th Fighter Group 307th Fighter Squadron 335th Fighter Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

South Carolina, USA 30 October 1919 Son of Donald McQueen and Georgie Conyers [Ingram]Blanding.

Other

E/A Probable

Dieppe, France 19 August 1942 1 x Fw190 probable, Dieppe.

Based

Debden 29 September 1942 - 24 March 1944 Transferred to 335FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF as 2nd Lieutenant.

Other

E/A Kill

Utrecht, Netherlands 28 July 1943 1 x Fw190 destroyed 10 miles SE of Utrecht. E/A was one of a pair lining up a crippled B-17 Flying Fortress.

Other

Transferred

Atcham, Shrewsbury, UK 24 March 1944 - 24 May 1944 Transferred to 495FTG, 8AF USAAF.

Other

Re-Assigned

Debden, Saffron Walden CB11, UK 24 May 1944 - 29 July 1944 Re-Assigned to 335FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF.

Other

Transferred

Debden, Saffron Walden CB11, UK 29 July 1944 - 20 September 1944 Transferred to HQ Sqn, 4FG, 8AF USAAF.

Other

End Tour Duty (ETD)

England, UK 20 September 1944 Completed Tour Duty (ETD).

Died

Sumter, SC, USA 15 April 1998 Died - 15 April 1998 Sumter, South Carolina, USA.
Sumter, SC, USA

Other

Based

North Weald Bassett, Epping CM16, UK 29 September 1942 Assigned to 121 [Eagle] Sqn RAF.

Other

Promotion

Debden, Saffron Walden CB11, UK Promoted to 1st Lieutenant.

Other

Promotion

Debden, Saffron Walden CB11, UK Promoted to Captain.

Other

Promotion

Debden, Saffron Walden CB11, UK Promoted to Major.

Buried

Cemetery Rd, Sumter, SC 29150, USA Sumter Cemetery Sumter Sumter County South Carolina, USA

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
Contributorapollo11
Changes
Sources

Personal research & 4th Fighter Group 'Debden Eagles' by Chris Bucholtz.

Date
Contributorapollo11
Changes
Sources

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

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Combined two entries for Leon Blanding. Now includes information from the following source:
Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes

Leon McFaddin Blanding: Gallery (5 items)