George Brooks Sperry

Military
media-45309.jpeg UPL 45309 George B Sperry, American pilot with No 133 Eagle Squadron in his RAF Uniform.

Image published in The San Jose News, 26 October 1976. A Newspaper clipping was shared with the American Air Museum by Robert A Wall

Object Number - UPL 45309 - George B Sperry, American pilot with No 133 Eagle Squadron in his RAF Uniform.

Sperry had a private pilot's licence before he joined RAFVR in 1940. He was assigned to No 133 Squadron of the RAF then, transferred to 336FS, 4FG 8AF USAAF.



On 26 September 1942 Sperry crashed near Morlaix in Spitfire BR638 after running out of fuel. Upon reaching the ground he played a game of cat and mouse with German Patrols across the French countryside before eventually being captured and taken Prisoner of War (POW). Sperry recalled that he was taken to a Luftwaffe base where he was 'stuffed with food, champagne, brandy and cigars'. 'The next day, when they picked us up to take us to the prison camp, the whole damn squadron came down to the station to see us off and they loaded us down with brandy, wine and fruit.'

Connections

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Units served with

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Flight Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 334th Fighter Squadron 336th Fighter Squadron No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-885093
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Unit: No 133 'Eagle' Squadron

Missions

Places

Line up of P-47 Thunderbolts of the 82nd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, at Duxford air base. September 1944. Printed caption on reverse of print: '55432 AC - War Birds Home To Rest - Republic P-47 Thunderbolts lined up on an 8th Air Force field in England after a daylight sweep over Germany. Crews have finished inspections and refueling.'
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: "Duckpond"

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

San Francisco, CA 12 February 1914 Son of Loraine Brooks Sperry.

Other

Transferred

Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK 14 September 1942 - 26 September 1942 Transferred to 336th FS, 4th FG 8AF USAAF.

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Zagan, Poland 26 September 1942 - 2 July 1945 Held at Stalag Luft III, Sagan-Silesia (now Poland) later moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser. Officially Returned to Military Control (RMC) 2-Jul-45.

Other

Crash landed

Morlaix, France 26 September 1942 Crashed near Morlaix on 26 Sept 42 (Out of Fuel) in Spitfire BR638.

Died

18 December 1991

Buried

Saint Augustines Cemetery, Pleasanton, Alameda County, CA 21 December 1991 Saint Augustines Cemetery Pleasanton, Alameda County, California

Other

Joined RAFVR

Canada Joined Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Other

Assigned

Biggin Hill, London SE19 3HY, UK 14 September 1942 Assigned to 133 [Eagle] Sqn RAF.

Other

Start of Whirlwind Romance

Luke Field, AZ Met his future wife Helen Adele Hayes at the Officers Club swimming pool at Luke Field, Arizona.

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Story about Sperry & James Gray published in The San Jose News, 26 October 1976. A Newspaper clipping was shared with the American Air Museum by Robert A Wall

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 16-Nov-2014. POW event added.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Oct-2014. Correction to mission association.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Oct-2014. Added mission association within web site data.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Oct-2014. National Archive Records Administration (NARA) POW database

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR, Losses of the 8th and 9th Air Forces by Bishop and Hey, p. 32

George Brooks Sperry: Gallery (2 items)