George Brooks Sperry
MilitaryImage published in The San Jose News, 26 October 1976. A Newspaper clipping was shared with the American Air Museum by Robert A Wall
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
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Type Category: Fighter
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
Missions
- Date: 26 September 1942
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: "Duckpond"
- Site type: Memorial
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
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
Lee Cunningham 28-Oct-2014. Added mission association within web site data.
Lee Cunningham 22-Oct-2014. National Archive Records Administration (NARA) POW database
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