VIII Fighter Command Field Order 03 - RODEO 204

15 April 1943

Description

A combined fighter force of 59 P-47s despatched from 4FG, 56FG and 78FG participate in RAF Rodeo 204, a sweep of the Furnes/St.Omer area of France. Number contributed by each Fighter Group was not recorded in the source data. 4FG has 3 aircraft MIA, but one of the pilots bales out into the English Channel and is recuded by ASR. The fighter force claims 3-0-1 on enemy aircraft.

Mission Details

SAINT OMER / FOURNES

Description: FIGHTER SWEEP

Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt

Notes: Fighter sweep in Furnes/St. Omer, France vicinity. Participation of each Fighter Group not broken out in available data. All Missing in Action (MIA) aircraft and personnel from 4th Fighter Group, one Missing in Action (MIA) pilot rescued from the sea.

4th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

56th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

From left to right: Captain Walker L. Boone, Flight Officer Manuel S. Martinez and Flight Officer Gerry E. Brasher, pilots of the 82nd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, sit on the bonnet of a jeep at Duxford air base. Passed for publication 28 October 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Thunderbolts - the "Guardian Angels" of Flying Fortresses. Here are pictures of Thunderbolts P-47s, the famous American fighter planes, which escort Flying Fortresses on their daylight missions over Occupied Europe. Pho

78th Fighter Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Fighter

Mission Statistics

People killed in action: 2
People returned to duty: 1
Aircraft sent: 36
Aircraft missing in action: 3

Connections

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People

Lieutenant Robert Boock, Lieutenant James Clarke, Captain William T O'Regan, Lieutenant-Colonel Chesley G Peterson, Captain Richard McMinn, Captain Stanley Anderson and Captain Oscar Coen of the 4th Fighter Group with a Spitfire at Debden Passed by the U.S. Army censor on 30 March 1943.

Printed caption attached to print:
'Lt. Col. Chesley G. Peterson D.S.O., D.F.C., U.S. Army Air Force 4th (crossed through with censor's red pencil) Group Britain, who formerly commanded the old Eagle Squadron, seen at

Richard D McMinn

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 334th Fighter Squadron No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
Service Numbers: O-885135
Highest Rank: Captain
Role/Job: Fighter pilot

Revisions

Date30 Dec 2014 19:11:09

ContributorLee8thbuff

Changes

Sources

Lee Cunningham 30-Dec-2014. Correction of typo in description.

Date30 Dec 2014 19:09:30

ContributorLee8thbuff

Changes

Sources

Lee Cunningham 30-Dec-2014. Description based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:43:19

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'.