Gregory Augustus Daymond

Military
media-17175.jpeg UPL 17175 Squadron Leader Gregory Augustus 'Gus' Daymond DFC No 71 [Eagle] Squadron RAF. 16 September 1942.
Photo - National Portrait Gallery London.

Object Number - UPL 17175 - Squadron Leader Gregory Augustus 'Gus' Daymond DFC No 71 [Eagle] Squadron RAF. 16 September 1942. Photo - National Portrait Gallery London.

Born in Great Falls, Montana, in November 1920, Gregory soon became known as Gus, from his middle name Augustus. He grew up in California, and upon graduating from high school he worked in the motion picture industry in various positions. He took flying lessons on the side and qualified as a private pilot at the age of 16. When the war broke out in Europe he joined the RAF, went to an Operational Training Unit in England, and eventually was assigned to No. 71 Eagle Squadron.

While flying Hurricanes, he shot down his first Me-109 over France in July 1941. In the same month he shot down a second Me-109, followed by a Do-17 in August. In early September, flying a Spitfire, he shot down another Me-109, and later in the month he became an Ace by destroying his fifth enemy aircraft - another Me-109.

Gus was sent to the States in December on a lecture tour and returned to combat in June 1942. In August he was promoted to Commander of No. 71 Eagle squadron. In September 1942 the Eagle squadrons were transferred to the USAAF, where he received a commission as a Major. By then he had a record of seven enemy aircraft destroyed and was appointed Commander of 4th fighter Group, 334th Squadron.

Eventually he was returned to the States to develop a combat indoctrination programme for the USAAF. In November 1945 he left the service and and returned to the movie industry. He obtained a degree in Physics from Cal Tech and entered the aerospace industry, leaving in 1957 to join Interstate Electronics Corporation, from which he retired in 1987.



He became a Lt. Colonel in the USAAF Reserve. He had flown Hurricanes, Spitfires and P47's, and was awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross with Bar by King George VI.

Connections

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Units served with

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 114074
  • Highest Rank: Pilot Officer
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Unit: 31st Fighter Group 309th Fighter Squadron No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Unit: No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Unit: No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
Pilots of the 4th Fighter Group, formerly No. 71 Eagle Squadron, RAF with their Spitfires, 29 September 1942. Printed caption on reverse: 'Photo Shows:- Pilots of the Eagle Squadron in their new American Army Air Corps uniforms, besides their Spitfires, seen with the new American markings at their operational station in England. AND. Sept. 1942. PN.B.' On reverse: Planet News, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].
  • Aircraft Type: Spitfire
  • Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron No 71 'Eagle' Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

End Tour of Duty (ETD) (2)

Great Falls, MT, USA 25 November 1920 Born in Great Falls, Montana, in 25th November 1920.

Other

Assigned

Kirton in Lindsey, Gainsborough, North Lincolnshire DN21, UK 8 October 1940 Assigned to No 71 Eagle Squadron RAF.

Other

Awarded Bar to his British DFC

Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK 11 September 1942 Awarded Bar to the British Distinguished Flying Cross.

Other

Transferred to USAAF

Bushey Hall Drive, Bushey, Bushey, Hertfordshire WD23 2AX, UK 29 September 1942 September 1942 the Eagle squadrons were transferred to the USAAF, commissioned as a Major.

Other

Assigned

Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK 29 September 1942 Appointed Commander of 4th fighter Group, 334th Squadron.

Other

Returned Stateside

United States 3 March 1943 Returned to the States to develop a combat indoctrination programme for the USAAF. 3 March 1943

Died

Newport Beach, CA, USA 16 December 1996 16 December 1996 Newport Beach, California, USA.
Newport Beach, CA, USA

Other

Qualified private pilot

Qualified as a private pilot at the age of 16.

Other

Joined RAF

England, UK Joined Royal Air Force.

Other

Assigned

England, UK Assigned to Operational Training Unit.

Other

Made Ace

France Became an Ace by destroying his fifth enemy aircraft. 1 x Bf109 France July 1941. 1 x Bf109, 1 x DO-17 Aug 1941. 2 x Bf109 Sept 1941.

Other

Stateside Tour

United States Sent to the States in December on a lecture tour and returned to combat in June 1942.

Other

Promoted

Kirton in Lindsey, Gainsborough, North Lincolnshire DN21, UK In August he was promoted to Sqn Leader of No 71 Eagle RAF.

Other

Left USAAF sevice

November 1945, left service with USAAF and returned to the movie industry.

Other

Awarded the British DFC and Bar

Buckingham Palace Gardens, London SW1A 1AA, UK Awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross by King George VI.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
Changes
Sources

Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

IWM Photo.
http://www.4thfightergroupassociation.org/uploads/8/2/0/3/8203817/334_d…
Aces High: A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the ..., Volume 2 By Christopher Shores, Clive Williams.
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35699/page/3962/data.pdf

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

IWM Photo.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

IWM Photo.

Date
Contributorapollo11
Changes
Sources

Personal research & 'Eighty-One Aces of the 4th fighter Group' by Frank Speer.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list

Gregory Augustus Daymond: Gallery (11 items)