Benjamin H Albertson
Military
Photo courtesy Anthony Chardella.
Archived by Char Baldridge, Historian, 359th Fighter Group Association.
Posted by Janet Fogg.
Object Number - UPL 38361 - Capt. Benjamin H. Albertson, of San Antonio TX, 359th Fighter Group.
Assigned to 369FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 370FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bomber escort Fredrickshafen; crashed near Abbeville on 18-Mar-44 in P-47D 42-75136 after being hit on starboard wing [3ft hole] by flak. Baled out. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 3402.
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), POW, WWII Victory, EAME (2 x Battle Star).
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
![Three P-51 Mustangs of the 369th Fighter Squadron, 359th Fighter Group fly together in formation. The aircraft foreground to background are: (IV-P, serial number 44-14543) nicknamed "Precious Pat", piloted by Lieutenant Ralston; (IV-Z, serial number 44-15007) piloted by Lieutenant Klem; and (IV-D, serial number 44-15394). First handwritten caption on reverse: 'November 15 1944- 369th FS Lts. Ralston (P), Klem (Z), [illegible] (D).' Second handwritten caption on reverse: '15/11/44 369th Fighter Squadron, 3](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-377226.jpg.webp?itok=RQw6Mu-P)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 359th Fighter Group 368th Fighter Squadron
Places
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Kansas, USA | 2 August 1920 | |
|
Other Crashed |
10 miles offshore from Clearwater, FL, USA | 15 September 1942 | Forced Landing Engine Failure 10 miles out at sea from Clearwater, Florida Cat 5 damage, pilot Lt Benjamin H Albertson, 15-Sep-42. P-43A 40-2937 - 98FS, 334FG |
|
Other Transferred |
Wretham, Thetford, Norfolk IP24, UK | 22 October 1943 - 18 March 1944 | Transferred to 370FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. |
|
Other Shot down |
80100 Abbeville, France | 18 March 1944 | Crashed near Abbeville on 18-Mar-44 in P-47D 42-75136 after being hit by flak on the return from an escort and support mission to Southern Germany. MACR 3402. |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Zagan, Poland | 18 March 1944 | Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft III. |
|
Other Crashed |
Japan | 19 August 1947 | Landing Accident due to Mechanical Failure Johnson AB, Japan Cat 4 damage, pilot Lt Benjamin H Albertson, 19-Aug-47. F-15A 45-59322 - 8PRS 35FG |
|
Died |
Los Angeles, CA, USA | 8 June 1968 | |
|
Buried |
Desert Lawn Memorial Park Calimesa Riverside County CA | 11 June 1968 | Desert Lawn Memorial Park Calimesa Riverside County California, USA |
| San Antonio, Texas | |||
|
Other Assigned |
Wretham, Thetford, Norfolk IP24, UK | 22 October 1943 | Assigned to 369FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- MACR 3402 ;
- Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database;
- Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list
Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/search.php?searchString=Albertson
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbmpilot.asp?Pilot=albertson%2C+…
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbapi.asp?Pilot=albertson%2C+Ben
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Albertson&GSfn=Be…;
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3402, Unit History, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces
