Frederick Joseph Christensen Jr

Military
Captain Frederick J. Christensen, of the 56th Fighter Group with his P-47 Thunderbolt. Printed caption on reverse: 'AP 30306. Top Scoring U.S. Fighter Group. Captain Frederick J. Christensen of Watertown, Massachusetts, an ace in the "Zemke Wolf Pack," the top-scoring U.S. fighter group in England, has shot down 22 enemy planes, six of these on Independence Day, July 4, 1944. He is the holder of the Air Medal and three clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross with the four clusters and the Silver Star. The "Z media-401303.jpg FRE 2552 Captain Frederick J. Christensen, of the 56th Fighter Group with his P-47 Thunderbolt. Printed caption on reverse: 'AP 30306. Top Scoring U.S. Fighter Group. Captain Frederick J. Christensen of Watertown, Massachusetts, an ace in the "Zemke Wolf Pack," the top-scoring U.S. fighter group in England, has shot down 22 enemy planes, six of these on Independence Day, July 4, 1944. He is the holder of the Air Medal and three clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross with the four clusters and the Silver Star. The "Zemke Wolf Pack," attached to the Eighth U.S. Air Force and led by Colonel Hubert Zemke, former Assistant Air Attache In Moscow, has accounted for more than 540 enemy planes and has 38 aces ... men with over five victories each. Associated Press Photo No. 269800. Not For Use In British Isles, Western Hermisphere, Berne, Dublin, Stockholm, Australia, New Zealand Or South Africa. Serviced by London OWI. Certified As Passed By SHAEF Censor.' On reverse: Associated Press and B.L. Davis [Stamps]. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 2552 - Captain Frederick J. Christensen, of the 56th Fighter Group with his P-47 Thunderbolt. Printed caption on reverse: 'AP 30306. Top Scoring U.S....

Fred Christensen was assigned to the 56th Fighter Group in the Summer of 1943, as a replacement pilot. He shot down his first aircraft in November 1943. On 7 July 1944, Christensen became the first pilot in the 8th Air Force to shoot down six enemy aircraft on one mission. He claimed a total of 21.5 aircraft.



Whilst serving with the 56th Fighter Group, Christensen adopted a stray cat, which he named Sinbad. Sinbad supposedly flew missions with Christensen, who felt he was a good luck charm- they both returned to the United States on the completion of Christensen's tour of duty in September 1944. Following the war Christensen became a pilot in the Air National Guard, he retired in 1970.



Aircraft included P-47s 'Rozzi Geth,' 'Miss Fire' and 'Rozzi Geth II. '

Part of Zemke's Wolfpack.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Miss Fire / Rozzie Geth II
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 62nd Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Rozzi Geth Eradicator
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 62nd Fighter Squadron
Flying Officer Lee Gover of No. 133 Eagle Squadron, RAF in the cockpit of his Spitfire Mk. V nicknamed "Sondra-Lee", 1942. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'F/O Lee Gover RCAF, 133 Eagle Sqdn, 1942.'
  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Nicknames: Sondra Lee IX
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group 107th Reconnaissance Squadron 336th Fighter Squadron No 133 'Eagle' Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Watertown, Massachusetts 17 October 1921

Enlisted

Boston, MA, USA 4 February 1942

Other

Crashed

Cross City Airport - CTY, 508 NE 241 St, Cross City, FL 32628, USA 14 January 1943 Taxiing Accident Cross City AAB, FL Cat 3 damage Lt Fred J Christensen Jr, 14-Jan-43. P-47D 42-22256 - 305FS 338FG

Other

Crashed

Atcham, Shrewsbury, UK 6 May 1943 Taxiing Accident Atcham/Sta 342 Cat 3 damage Lt Fred J Christensen Jr, 6-May-43. Spitfire Vb BL722 - 552FTS* 495FTG* 8AF

Based

Boxted 27 August 1943 Assigned to 62FS, 56FG, 8AF USAAF.

Other

E/A Destroyed

26871 Papenburg, Germany 26 November 1943 Me110 destroyed Papenburg, Germany 26-Nov-43. P-47C 41-6193.

Other

E/A Destroyed

Roermond, Netherlands 1 December 1943 Me109 destroyed Roermond, Netherlands 1-Dec-43. P-47D 42-75207.

Other

E/A Destroyed

Elberfeld, Wuppertal, Germany 5 January 1944 Fw 190 destroyed Elberfeld, Germany 5-Jan-44. P-47D 42-75207.

Other

E/A Destroyed

Frankfurt, Germany 4 February 1944 Fw 190 destroyed Frankfurt, Germany 4-Feb-44. P-47D 42-75207.

Other

E/A Destroyed

Frankfurt, Germany 11 February 1944 Me 109 destroyed Frankfurt, Germany 11-Feb-44. P-47D 42-75207.

Other

E/A Destroyed [1.5]

Dümmer, Germany 20 February 1944 1.5 Me109 destroyed Dummer Lake, Germany 20-Feb-44. P-47D 42-75207.

Other

E/A Destroyed

Dümmer, Germany 6 March 1944 E/A destroyed Dummer Lake, Germany 6-Mar-44. P-47D 42-75207.

Other

E/A Destroyed [2]

Brunswick, Germany 15 March 1944 2 x E/A destroyed Brunswick, Germany 15-Mar-44. P-47D 42-75207.

Other

E/A Destroyed [2]

Augsburg, Germany 16 March 1944 2 x E/A destroyed Augsburg, Germany 16-Mar-44. P-47D 42-75207.

Other

E/A Destroyed [2]

Flensburg, Germany 15 April 1944 2 x Fw190 destroyed Flensburg, Germany 15-Apr-44.

Other

E/A Destroyed

Villeneuve, France 27 June 1944 Me109 destroyed Villeneuve, France 27-Jun-44. P-47D 42-26628.

Other

E/A Destroyed

34500 Béziers, France 5 July 1944 Fw190 destroyed Béziers, France 5-Jul-44. P-47D 42-26628.

Other

E/A Destroyed [6]

Gardelegen, Germany 7 July 1944 6 x Ju52 destroyed Gardelegen, Germany 7-Jul-44. P-47D 42-25522.

Other

Promotion

Boxted, Colchester, UK 13 August 1944 Promoted to Major.

Other

Crashed

Harrison Charter Township, MI 48045, USA 29 July 1946 Landing Accident Selfridge Fld, MI Cat 3 Maj Fred J Christensen Jr, 29-Jul-46. P-51H 44-64311 146AAFBU SAC

Died

Northborough, MA, USA 4 April 2006

Other

Promotion

Boxted, Colchester, UK Promoted to 1st Lieutenant.

Other

Promotion

Boxted, Colchester, UK Promoted to Captain.

Other

End Tour Duty (ETD)

Ended Tour Duty (ETD).

Buried

Connery Ave, Bourne, MA 02532, USA Massachusetts National Cemetery Bourne Barnstable County, MA

Enlisted

Revisions

Date
Changes
Sources

Associated aircraft from :
- "The Mighty Eighth" by Roger A. Freeman
- Little Friends at http://www.littlefriends.co.uk
- http://www.cieldegloire.com

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Combined entries for Christensen into a single entry. Now includes information from the following sources:
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list / www.56thfightergroup.co.uk/personnel.htm
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit History

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Freeman, The Mighty Eighth, p. 275.
http://acepilots.com/eto/christensen.html

Footage of Christensen and Sinbad: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/american-airfield-1/
Further information on Sinbad: http://www.purr-n-fur.org.uk/featuring/war01.html

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / The Mighty Eighth by Roger Freeman

Frederick Joseph Christensen: Gallery (17 items)