Charles Jean Joseph Goffin

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-7107.jpeg UPL 7107 Lt. Charles J.J. Goffin
7th PRG - 14th PRS - 8th AF
Belgian pilot flying with the USAAF

Eyes of the Eighth - Patricia Fussell Keen

Object Number - UPL 7107 - Lt. Charles J.J. Goffin 7th PRG - 14th PRS - 8th AF Belgian pilot flying with the USAAF

Update 15 March 2022 : "Born in the village of Graide, Belgium on 7 March 1913, Charles Goffin graduated from the Royal Belgian Military Academy and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Belgian Cavalry. His heart being in aviation, he trained as an aerial observer and later became a pilot in the Belgian Air Force. When Germany invaded Belgium in May 1940, he was credited with shooting down two German aircraft. After his unit was deployed to France after the Belgian capitulation, he flew other missions, but after France fell, Charles and his unit were ordered to return to Belgium and to surrender to the Germans. At the end of June, Charles was imprisoned in the PoW camp at Beverloo, near Leopoldsburg in Belgium. He escaped from the camp and made his way on foot back to his home in Graide. Once home, he packed up some food and clothes, kissed his mother goodbye, and headed out with the intention of going to England and joining the British Royal Air Force (RAF). Travelling completely on his own and without any assistance, he made it on foot all the way across France and across the Pyrenees mountains. Arrested by the Guardia Civil, he was imprisoned in the Spanish camp of Miranda de Ebro near Burgos where he contracted an eye disease that nearly made him blind in his left eye. In May 1942, he found a way to escape again, reached Gibraltar and was transported from there to England by the British Navy. The RAF's medical examiners rejected Charles for flying service because of his now bad left eye. Through Belgian diplomatic channels he finally could enlist as a Staff Sergeant in the USAAF on 8 January 1943. After three months in the planning Headquarters of the 8th Air Force Fighter Command, he insisted on flying on operations. After a successful test, piloting a training aircraft, he was promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant, with the unique distinction of earning pilot wings in both the Belgian and American Air Forces. Assigned to the 14th Photo Squadron of the 7th Reconnaissance Group, he flew many missions on specially equipped Spitfires to photograph and map enemy positions. On 8 September 1944, Charles was flying a mission to map the Siegfried Line near Saarbrucken in Germany. While returning to England, his plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire over Luxembourg. His Spitfire MB952, which he had nicknamed "Kisty", burst into flames and crashed to the ground around 11:00am near the village of Reckange, 2km West of Mersch, Grand-Duchy of Luxemburg, a mere 80 kilometers from his place of birth. The charred remains of Charles were later identified and were first buried in the Mersch cemetery. After the war, his remains were brought back to the family grave in the Graide cemetery."

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Hereunder, earlier notes by

"We have since been contacted by a researcher from Luxembourg who has researched this loss fully and is also hoping to write a book about it. We also hope to receive other articles from Erny as and when he is able."

Connections

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Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Nicknames: Kisty I
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 14th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
A Mark XI Spitfire nicknamed "My Darling Dorothy" of the 14th Photographic Squadron, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Handwritten on slide case:"14PS R. Astrella"
  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Nicknames: My Darling Dorothy
  • Unit: 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 14th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Graide, 5555 Bièvre, Belgium 7 March 1913

Enlisted

London, England 8 January 1943 as a Staff Sergeant in the Air Corps

Died

Reckange, Luxemburg 8 September 1944 in the crash of his Spitfire MB952

Revisions

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ContributorED-BB
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Contributormillebr
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TogetherWeServed.com

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ContributorED-BB
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Research done in 2014 and 2015 about compatriot Charles GOFFIN..
NARA WWII Enlistment Records
MACR 9171
Websites :
http://www.74squadron.org.uk/Newsletters/Tiger%20News%2056%20for%20webs…
Video at http://fearoflanding.com/history/american-spitfire-pilot-in-1944-and-20…

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Contributor466thHistorian
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Chris Brassfield

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Contributor466thHistorian
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Chris Brassfield

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Contributor466thHistorian
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aircrewremembered.com

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ContributorAAM
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7th Photo Recon Group Master Directory, 6 June 1996 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Charles Jean Joseph Goffin: Gallery (4 items)