By: PanzerJohn - 16th February 2012 at 13:09
A piece in the Mail..
By: J Boyle - 15th February 2012 at 18:54
I believe that Rome Army Airfield in NY state was renamed after him, Griffiss AFB.
Early in my Air Force career, I worked in the Public Affairs office. I knew he was the first USAAF casuality in Europe, didn’t now anything about RAF involvment. When asked about the base’ namesake, we’d reply he lost lost in a Liberator.
By: Moggy C - 15th February 2012 at 17:10
Maybe so, but they really hadn’t been paying attention in Aircraft Recognition class had they?
A high wing, compound tail, multi mistaken for a low wing, single tail Condor?
They saw what they wanted to see I’m afraid.
But we can’t be too hard on them at this distance. These things do happen in wartime.
Moggy
By: pogno - 15th February 2012 at 17:00
It seems to me to have been unfair to solely blame the Polish pilots for this, the decision by Captain Page to use a different route was a mojor factor which put them potentially in danger of being shot down by enemy aircraft, and then his approach from a different direction contributed to the Poles thinking it was a hostile aircraft.
Richard
By: Moggy C - 15th February 2012 at 16:37
I merged that posting into this thread. It was originally a duplicate.
Moggy
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By: Arabella-Cox - 15th February 2012 at 16:30
Fascinating piece on the BBC website, and a timely reminder that all armed forces have ‘friendly fire’ incidents hidden in their cupboards.
This is the article I started this thread with 😎
By: Scouse - 15th February 2012 at 15:57
First USAAF casualty of WW2 in Europe
Fascinating piece on the BBC website, and a timely reminder that all armed forces have ‘friendly fire’ incidents hidden in their cupboards.
By: Slipstream - 14th February 2012 at 13:57
I believe that Rome Army Airfield in NY state was renamed after him, Griffiss AFB.
By: paulmcmillan - 14th February 2012 at 08:56
To complete story and provide full list of all on board
Consolidated Liberator 1 G-AGDR (AM918) of BOAC was shot down off the Eddystone Lighthouse, by a two Spitfires of 317 Sqn at 8:50 am 15th Feb 1942
Crew
Captain Robert Humphrey Page (first pilot)
Captain John Alexander Stuart Hunter (second pilot)
First Officer Richard John Williamson
Engineer Officer Horace Reginald John Spicer
Radio Officer Hubert France Parker.
Passengers
Brigadier Frederick Morris CB MC ROAC
Lt Col Townsend Griffiss USAAC # O-015010
Lt Charles Oliver Mansfield Vine RNR
Harold Edward Bell (RR representative)
By: Moggy C - 14th February 2012 at 07:32
What a tragedy.
Moggy
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February 14, 2012 at 4:26 am