The Last Flight of Glenn Miller !

The man you spoke with was Jack Ilfrey, the former CO of the 79th. Fighter Squadron and an 8 kill ace. I knew him fairly well, he contributed much to the CD-Rom I am compiling on the squadron he commanded. Sadly he passed away in October of last year. The world may never see another individual of his like again.

The book you are refering to was “Peter Three Eight” by John Stanaway, Jack’s autobiography was “Happy Jack’s Go Buggy” and the group history is “King’s Cliffe”. The latter two are excellent reads, I haven’t read Mr. Stanaway’s book yet but it’s on my short list. The 20th. did originally fly P-38s and transitioned to P-51s in the summer of 1944. Jack had also flown a previous tour with the 94th. “Hat In The Ring” Squadron in North Africa.

The Locobuster moniker is a nod to the 20th., there were known as the “Locobusters” or the “Loco Boys” because of their prowess against rail traffic.

Paul contributed a number of his excellent shots for my CD-ROM. I’ll pass along your compliments. He has a studio in the Peterborough area, I believe he specializes in sports pics and the likes.

The 77th. Fighter Squadron were on detached service in Spartanburg for a few months in 1942, while under the command of Col. Barton Russell. They basically used Spartanburg Memorial Airport as a training facility before they moved on to Sarasota, Florida. Roger Wilkie, the man who wrote the section in the Spartanburg book, could tell you alot more about it than I can. I could put you in contact with him if you would like.

I’ll contact you via e-mail as soon as I post this.

Locobuster:

Greetings and thanks for those great links…WOW just looking at those great looking P-51’s get my blood flowing. Might have to get one for Christmas….Of course “CRIPES A’MIGHTY THIRD” being from the great state of North Carolina, Maj Preddy is of great interest to me. Yes, Bob Powell is such a fine man and a great pilot.
I do know about the HUB City writers project and I live out near the old US Army base, Called Camp Croft. I am a television news photojournalist and editor at WSPA-TV
NewsChannel 7, CBS in Spartanburg and have a copy of this great book on the history of Camp Croft. Speaking of 20th Fighter Group, about 10 years ago I once called up Jack Elffery ( SP) about his days in the ETO and he sent me a copy of the groups history or one he wrote….something like Peter ..Three Eight????? Enjoyed our phone conservation and I dont know if he is still living. Correct me if I am wrong here , but the group came over with P-38’s and then of course went to P-51’s later on! I did pick up a great book on the BlueNose P-51’s operated by the West Virginia Air National Guard in the 1950’s and I believe the group came from the 352nd or something like that after the war. What is the story behind the 77th FG, did they stay in the Spartanburg area in the early 1940’s after Pearl Harbor? There were B-25’s based in Greenville ,SC during the war at Donaldson Army Air Base. Now a industrial site and Lockheed Martin operates a repair facility there for USAF & US Navy planes. Love that handel you have….has got to be ground straffing and shooting up trains by our boys in the ETO !!!!! A bit of triva…Maj **** Winters of E Company 506th PIR , 101st Airborne …yes that Maj Winters of Band of Brothers HBO deal..did his basic here as did well over 200,000 other GI’s bound for ETO & other places during WWII. Yes if you know Paul Young pass along my thanks for those great photo’s , they are so sharp and the composition on them tells me this is a very experienced photographer. Regarding Glenn Miller and my original post for many years I have been a member of the Mighty Eighth Historical Society for years and heard so many “stories and tales” at many reunions of the Society meetings over the years, wish his plane could be located or at least find the engine and serial number on the block like the Channel Four documentary was talking about! Send me your private email and contact number off forum, would like to send you something 8th af related you would enjoy watching Locobuster! You have to get the new DVd documentary on the 352nd FG….called The Last Reunion!
Here is the weblink……http://www.lastreunion.com/ Thanks again for the links !

Tom Colones
Photojournalist
WSPA-TV NewsChannel 7 CBS
Spartanburg, SC USA
http://www.wspa.com [email]tcolones@yahoo.com[/email]

Bluenoser, I wish I could take credit for those amazing photos but they are the work of an English photographer named Paul Young. His work is amazing, isn’t it?

Yes, I am aware of Bob Powell and his aircraft named for my current home. I’ve never met him, however. BTW, I have a friend who builds excellent model Mustangs, all in 352nd colors, check out his site at: http://www.352fgbluenosedmodels.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/index.html I hope to convince him to do a 20th. Fighter Group plane on of these days… 😉

I see you are from Spartanburg, I have a good friend there who contributed to a book about the military activity in that area during both World Wars, I contributed a few photos and some info on the section related to the 77th. Fighter Squadron’s short stay in your area. Check it out at: http://www.hubcity.org/nws_soldierbook.htm

Finally just a related photo of Maj. Miller and a Sgt. Miller (not related though the Sarge did date the Major’s sister in high school) at King’s Cliffe in September, 1944.

A friend of mine did some work there last year and he got to have a good look around, Reckons it’s an interesting place to visit.

LocoBuster….those are great photos and I see your from W.Virginia, there was a pilot in the 352 FG , Bob Powell, he flew “The By Gawd W. Virginia” nose art on his P-51 Mustang. He is active today with the 352nd Fighter Group association. Thanks for posting those super clear & very colorful photos, what that place must have looked back in 1944-45. A hanger full of P-51’s and P-38’s I believe flew out of Kings Cliff , those are great photos. Also thanks to every one here who posted some great information…thanks so much. Locobuster you don’t have similar photo’s of Bodney , where the 352nd flew from. I had hoped the team from the Channel Four documentary would continue to search that location in the English channel for additional aviation
wrecks. Guess that would be a great project for Bob Ballard and the National Geographic team. Thanks again troops for all the links and info.

A salute from :
BlueNoser352!

There is a museum on the site at Twinwood Airfield. It is housed in the bottom half of the restored Control Tower. Having visited before I can say that it is well worth a visit.
As well as the restored Control Tower there are also several of the administration and crew buildings still surviving. An original blister hangar similar to the one at Old Warden also remains on site. The museum has a dedicated band of volunteers who have restored some of the buildings to their former glory and are working hard on others.

It is also one of the locations that will be visited during a forum meet on the 20th, so I am sure that some photos will be posted in due course.

Meanwhile, their website address is http://www.twinwoodevents.co.uk/

Fergy1

Details of the After The Battle Glenn Miller book can be found here http://www.afterthebattle.com/miller.html

Geoff

Didn’t James Stewart do an awesome Glenn Miller in the movie about him.
Great movie if you haven’t seen it. They even used a proper Norseman.

TNZ

See here: http://www.glennmillertrust.co.uk/

It appears that the control tower has been restored and is now a museum.

Have you been to the USAF Musuem in Dayton? They have a display about Miller that includes one of his original trombones. It was put together by a Miller fanatic/former 20th. Fighter Group pilot/former USAF curator Royal Frey with the help of Miller’s family. Frey also helped to get many of the rare wartime recordings of Miller and his band together and published.

Footage of Miller’s last live airfield hangar exists but it is silent, a memorial has been erected on the spot where the concert took place see: http://www.fieldsofvalour.co.uk/KingsCliffe/SouthEast/southeast-38.htm