It depicted Ruston Heights Airport as having a 3,900' During World War Two, although constructed as a bomber airfield, the airfield was used by 357th and 358th Fighter Groups of the United States Army Air Force as Station 157. The Peacocks have welcomed returning veterans, and their families, back to the former airfield many times over the years and it was such a pleasure for the group to reaffirm this friendship. The new experiences and friendships formed in remembering the 353rd together are something to truly treasure. former hangar, taken just before its demolition. The runways were mostly broken up in the 1960s. As a special treat, John Madson was able to sit in the cockpit of Janie and had the biggest grin seen on the airfield that day! flew into Ruston Field several times in the late 1940s. Airport office building] is gone. Availability: Image availability cannot be guaranteed until time of purchase. The 358th Fighter Group moved to RAF Raydon from RAF Leiston on 31 January 1944. ", The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris At the end of the war, like many Americans fighters, he was laid to rest in the Amrican cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer. Colchester Town Guide Mr Ian McMeekin describes the Council Chambers to the 353rd Families (353rd FG Archive), 353rd Families explore the Moot Hall at Colchester Town Hall (353rd FG Archive), John Madson with Mr Paul Lind, the Town Sergeant, in the Mayors Parlour. WebFind Raydon stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Carl Mangold. He gave us a very knowledgeable tour of the building and escorted us to the Mayors Parlour to see the 17th Century Rose Bowl given by the 353rd and 55th Fighter Groups to the town to commemorate the friendship in 1945. trace remained of Ruston Field, with the majority of the airport site He has taught at Queens College, University of Cambridge, University College Dublin and the University of Glasgow. The 353rdmade a special friendship with the people of Colchester during World War II so we spent Friday August 22 touring the town. A/C 44-14694 P-51D-10-NA. (S Bishop), A page from a map belonging to Lt. Bishop showing the location of Raydon (S Bishop), The Thunderbolt Theatre at Raydon (S Bishop), Left to right are Bishop, Stump, Milligan [looks like Maguire], Compton and Fuchs [Intelligence Officer] (S Bishop), Left to right are Rosen, Murray, Stump (with Capt. UIG-968-14-12IDM1198 | agefotostock Stock Photo - Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. contribution. | Email Us | Terms & Conditions He later recounted the grim realities of this type of mission: It was a balmy April day. The party then boarded the bus and headed to lunch as guests of the Raydon Airfield Memorial Group at the Case is Altered Pub in Bentley. Please contact us, if you wish to license this image with exclusive rights. http://www.rootsweb.com/~coadams/forgottenpast_1/airport.html. I request financial contributions from site visitors, to His assigned aircraft was YJ-Y Birmingham Anne (a/c 44-11191). Swanezy was killed in action while flying this aircraft on August 18, 1944. Before applying for a grant you should read the advice available on War With the end of military control Raydon was converted into Notley Industrial Park. He was assigned to the 8th Air Force, 353rd Fighter Group as an original cadre member of the 351st Fighter Squadron flying his beloved P-47 that he named High Sierra. The airport property consisted of Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Freeman (3 books) + Bowyerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Raydon Responsible for informing employees about departmental, facility and community activities and news With perfect flying weather, the afternoon promised to be a memorable event. 1944 Aircraft in the National Museum Washington, is believed from All opinions on this site are those of the authors and do not represent those of supporting organisations. After the service, the 353rd families headed to Raydon Old Hall for a tea reception as guests of the Peacock family. However some of the taxiways and part of the main runway is still intact. Powered by. As Squadron Ops and Squadron Commander he received the Air Force Flying Safety Award for ten years accident-free flying. Coming from the direction the boscherons Gaudreville Richard bailed out, but too low. As the 353rd families arrived, John Anderson welcomed them personally and the Wattisham Military Wives Choir treated them to songs. It was depicted as having a 3,900' unpaved runway. pages of this website are sponsored by the Colorado 353rdFighterGroup | All about the 353rd Fighter Group during WWII During 1960/62 the Air Ministry sold the remaining airfield parts of RAF Raydon to agricultural interests, retaining most of the technical site for storage of emergency vehicles by the Home Office. A 1991 aerial photo showed no See also: As a charity, War Memorials Trust relies on voluntary donations and every The 358th Fighter Group moved to High Halden in April 1944, when Raydon was handed back to the Eighth Air Force as the home of the 353rd Fighter Group, equipped with P-47s, which remained until October 1945. After the Americans left, Raydon was transferred back to RAF Fighter Command on 20 December 1945. When the group arrived at Raydon, it was assigned as part of the Ninth Air Force. apparently renamed Federal Heights Airport. The airfield was equipped with three concrete runways and two aircraft hangars (Type T2), one on each of the east and and west sides. If the There is, or at least was, a Raydon Airfield Preservation Society. | Acceptable Use Policy Farewell Meal at the Rose and Crown, Colchester (353rd FG Archive), With the events now at an end, we can reflect that it really was a very successful visit. The group were able to tour the brand new visitors centre at the cemetery and visit some of the graves of 353rd Fighter Group. as that is how it was labeled on the May 1954 Denver Some of the details are also quite difficult to see so just click on the images for a larger view. Chart. A recent query from the 8th Fighter Command research community has prodded me out of inaction on the aircraft histories part of this blog. Hopefully I will resume posting more regularly in the near future. first private airports in Colorado. Im sure you will join me in thanking Laurent for all his endeavours to ensure Lt. Keywan is remembered and in congratulating the people of the area for such a moving tribute to a member of the 353rd who made the ultimate sacrifice. standing (for the time being). He flew C-46 and C-119s. The flak was terrific, but we took care of it. If it is, you will need to provide further details and submit current Object Number - UPL 14944 - The Raydon airfield memorial. Glenn Duncan Jr at the Raydon Memorial (353rd FG Archive), John Madson at the Raydon Memorial with the USAF Honour Guard from RAF Mildenhall (353rd FG Archive), The 353rd Families at the Raydon Memorial with Mustangs en route! In Evreux, squads split up to attack specific targets: The 352FS, led by Lieutenant Colonel Bailey takes care of a truck convoy near Evreux before heading to rail objectives and Goms station. Ruston Airport. He was released from active duty August 27, 1945 as a Captain. Raydon An exchange of aircraft types and bases was arranged, so in January 1944 the 357th transferred to the Eighth Air Force at Leiston, and the 358th Fighter Group, equipped with P-47s, transferred to the Ninth Air Force at Raydon. He is survived by his wife, Emma, brother Earl Walsh of Angels Camp, CA; daughter Marilynn and husband James Griffin of Boise, two grandchildren Gail Tosh Crumpton of Fort Worth, TX; Gary Griffin of Fairbanks, AK; and foster grandson, Spencer Farrell of Phoenix, AZ. Second World War airfield, built 1942-3. He retired from the U.S. Air Force at the rank of Colonel on March 6, 1980. At the end of the war, like many Americans fighters, he was laid to rest in the Amrican cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer. Pilots Association: ____________________________________________________. The Weg may roughly translate as road or way in Dutch and German thus Immelmann Road/Way after the famous combat manoeuvre though this is entirely speculation on my part. Raydon airfield preservation society building, Raydon, Suffolk, "RAYDON AIRFIELD: FIGHTER STATION TO FARMLAND - Cross, Graham" See original listing Condition: -- Slightly better than very good condition Ended: 24 May, 2022 11:21:10 BST Price: 22.90 Postage: 24.42 Standard Delivery Located in: Tintern, United Kingdom Seller: stellabooks ( 18560 ) | Seller's other items Sell one like this office building, last reused as the Flight Deck Bar. Raydon His villageare dedicating a memorial plaque for Lt. Richard V. Keywan of the 352nd Fighter Squadron on May 8, 2015. We were very lucky to have 350th Fighter Squadron pilot John Madson in attendance with his family and the families of Glenn Duncan, Gordon Compton, Frank King, Tony Rosatone, Galen Bevington, John Davenport and Bayard Auchincloss. 025 - RAF Raydon: Notley Industrial Park WebHome of the Raydon and District Model Aircraft Club (est. About | The Friendly Invasion When the 353rd Fighter Group were stationed there, it was known as "The Auger Inn". After the service, there was a very enjoyable social occasion where the families could talk to local people. Sunday August 23 saw the group join local people at a special service in St Marys Church, Raydon. Capt McGraw told me to take the one on the left. The aircraft shows up twice in subsequent accident reports after leaving the Group. On these passes I observed numerous fires scattered all along the edge of the woods. I have to report that we have lost another veteran of the 351st Fighter Squadron. Tap into Getty Images global-scale, data-driven insights and network of over 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. you enjoy this web site, please support it with a financial Although never used as such, Raydon was built during 1942-43 as an Eighth Air Force bomber base, with three concrete runways, 50 loop and one pan hardstandings, and two dispersed T2 hangars. Initially on loan to the Ninth Air Force, it was first occupied by the 357th Fighter Group, equipped with P-51s, in November 1943. The outline of the airfield can clearly be seen on google satellite imagery. After the end of hostilities, the group trained and prepared for transfer to the Pacific Theater. Look up acid house on YouTube, and it wont be long until you come across this incredible 24-minute video by The Kino Library, an archive film agency committed to preserving pop culture footage.. With close to 1.9 million views, the video, which captures an Energy warehouse party at Raydon Airfield in the summer of 1989, is a proper time Please note that your data will be managed in the US by the American Air Museum in Britain charity. Index: English Heritage. Dr Graham Cross grew up in the village of Raydon, Suffolk. hangar from Ruston Field, which remained in use as an auto parts visual content at the right price, This image is not included in the easySUBSCRIPTIONS PLANS, @ 0.012 --> Keywords launching task On April 7, 1945, flying wing to Capt. War Memorials On my first pass I put a few bursts into a Ju88 backed into the woods on the far side of the field. Thunderbolt mailing address to send a check, please contact me at: Colonel Duncan directs three squadrons of 12 aircraft with an escort of eight P-47, 351FSand 352 FSon a mission bombing and strafing against enemy communications in the region of Evreux Dreux. is eligible. (Northwest of Denver, CO). Group markings were black, yellow, black, yellow spinners, with a 48-inch black and yellow check band around the cowling to the end of the exhaust stubs. layout of Ruston's 4 unpaved runways. (courtesy of Richard Doehring). Robert F. Hahn Fighter Pilot of the 351st FighterSquadron. An undated view (courtesy of Patrick Griffith) of the Stan undertook ten hours familiarisation flying in a Piper Cub at Birmingham Southern College during April/May 1943 and then completed his pre-flight at Maxwell Field, Alabama, his primary training at Decatur, Alabama, his basic at Courland, Alabama and his advanced training in Craig Field, Alabama graduating February 2, 1944. Initially on loan to the Ninth Air Force, it was first occupied by the 357th Fighter Group, equipped with P-51s, in November 1943. Once submitted been located of Ruston Field was on the March 1946 Denver Sectional Object number: FRE 2857 - - The lounge of the Officers Club at Raydon air base. If reported, As of 4/13/05 the Flight Deck Bar [the former Ruston building[ to hangar., Bob Resling reported in 2005 that Raydon has also been the scene of some paranormal incidents, one being the sighting of an American MP with his dog, still patrolling the airfield. The aircraft is unidentified, but may well be his (S Bishop), Thunderbolt and Mustangs at Raydon (S Bishop), Being checked out on the P-51. He was assigned to 351st FS, 353rd FG in October 1942 at Richmond, VA as an original cadre member of the group. Terms and Conditions Maybe someone can be more precise as to its meaning? David reported, Demolition started 5/11/17 on A posthumous award was made to Lt. Keywan Lieutenant of the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf (DFC OLC). After three years of hard work and fund raising they Compass - History Colorado grant enquiry, for further details please read our The CO We knew a flak barrage protected Pocking airdrome and that expert camouflage concealed several hundred planes of all shapes and sizes. Image availability cannot be guaranteed until time of purchase. Cheryl York Raydon | American Air Museum As a final note on the crew for SX-F that flew as part of B Flight. As Air Force Reservist 1940s he was assigned to a Troop Carrier Wing in 1951. Thanks to Patrick We made a climbing turn to the right to cut them off. Members of the 353rd families helped place the wreaths (Glenn Duncan Jr with Mr Tom Peacock, Gary Bargerhuff with Cllr Jim Lowe, and Lou Rosatone with Bob Gooding). blue NAPA auto parts store. He flew cargo and personnel stateside during Korean War and was recalled for the Cuban Crisis. A World War Two military airfield, opened in 1943 and closed in 1958. Griffith for pointing out this field. A 2005 photo by or information is missing, please make a note of the reference number and include it in It was recorded in Domesday as "Reindune" or "Reinduna" and appears on John Speed's 1610 map as "Roydon". Some of the photos from Lt. Bishops album are posted here with thanks to Scott Bishop for sharing this fascinating further information. By the time records do become more comprehensive in January, 1944 it seems a variety of 352nd Squadron pilots flew it, but with no regular pilot it perhaps had a poor reputation in the Squadron. The aircraft, which draws crowds of visitors, is looked after by the XM655 Maintenance and Preservation Society at the airfield. He was buried January 24, 2015 with a full USAF Honour Guard in attendance. Post-service reception at St Marys Church, Raydon (353rd FG Archive), John Madson and Lou Rosatone talk at the book of remembrance at St. Marys Church, Raydon (353rd FG Archive), The 353rd Families at St Marys Church, Raydon (353rd FG Archive), Is this the same country? Our Squadron Commander said we should get at least two apiece. Aircraft of the 357th were P-47D "Thunderbolts". Travel Company. As an end to the memorial service, 16-year-old Maia Elsey sang Well Meet Again beautifully to the assembled families with few dry eyes among her audience. No chutes appeared from either plane. There is a full account and pictures of the accident in Crosss Jonahs Feet Are Dry (p.624-625). Cheryl York showing the remains of the steps which led into the Monday August 24 saw the heavens truly open and the rain descend in a way it only can in England. Lt Col. Loren Mac McCollom took it as his personal aircraft and named it Butch II for his wife. He named the aircraft Betty and flew it throughout July and into August, 1944. Aviation Trails. Sadly, due to the worsening weather, a trip to Metfield by some of the party had to be cancelled. McGraw, came on the big strafing mission of April 16, 1945: I followed my leader, Capt McGraw, down on Kircham landing ground making my pass in a south westerly direction. Cheryl York showing the reason for the redevelopment of the former Trust if it has raised funds. Raydon airfield preservation society building, Raydon, Suffolk,. I saw bodies of gunners tossed into the air by the impact of our bullets. He also Instructed pilots in C-119 for flying in Vietnam. If you believe your project is eligible for a grant you should complete the Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images The events began with a drinks reception and briefing for the twenty-three family members attending at the Rose and Crown Hotel in the town of Colchester on the evening of August 21. Coming from the direction the boscherons Gaudreville Richard bailed out, but too low. There were bomb stores and an ammunition dump on the north side of the airfield, the technical site was on the east side. total quantity of material on this site is to continue to grow. you enjoy this web site, please support it with a financial Zoom in to see more. Time passes quickly when you are having fun and it hardly seems as if the Last Hurrah for the 353rd Fighter Group can be over already. Revd Paul then rededicated the Memorial Vestry Doors donated by the 353rd in 1984. Your donation will help protect and conserve war memorials for future generations so WebRaydon was primarily a fighter station for the Eighth and Ninth United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Lt. Stanley S. Petticrew Jr., 351st Fighter Squadron, January 20, 1922 January 21,2015. Two small buildings were depicted along the west side depicted at all on the June 1963 Denver Sectional Chart (courtesy contained 2 classrooms, one with aircraft simulators, and Cheryl York showing the former Ruston Airport hangar, which remains @ 0.063 --> GetKeywords: Request cached? Experts put the accident down to a He flew combat from Metfield and Raydon in his P-47 Thunderbolt he named Gator Bait. FROM THIS FORMER AIRFIELD, DURING WORLD WAR TWO, FIGHTER AIRCRAFT/ OF THE USAAF FLEW OPERATIONS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE/ ALLIED VICTORY IN EUROPE/ 833RD AVIATION ENGINER BATTALION/ 862ND AVIATION ENGINEER BATTALION/ 357TH FIGHTER GROUP/ 358TH FIGHTER GROUP/ 353RD FIGHTER GROUP/ AND THEIR SUPPORT UNTIS/ SINCERELY DEDICATED TO THOSE SO FAR FROM HOME, WHO CAME TO HELP US/ IN OUR HOUR OF NEED/ 10TH JUNE 1995, War Memorials Online c/o War Memorials Trust, 14 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W Located around two miles south-east of Hadleigh, it is part of Babergh district. @ 0.123 --> GetKeywords: File to Json WebIn November 2020, By Light Professional IT Services LLC acquired Raydon Corporation. In this action 1st Lt. Richard V. Keywan destroyed and damaged two Me 109 before he was brought down by enemy fire. tremendously. Saturday August 23 dawned bright and sunny and the party left the hotel for a 10 am appointment at the Raydon Memorial. company buys Port Orange manufacturer Raydon Corp WebMemorial bricklayer and member of RAPS ( Raydon Airfield Preservation Society), celebrates it's completion. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images The highlight of the afternoon was, of course, the static and flying aircraft displays kindly arranged by Maurice Hammond of Hardwick Warbirds. Our Group recorded its biggest bag and I flew my first strafing mission. On 19 December the group received their first fighter, a single North American P-51B. The western T2 hangar remains in private ownership as a farm store. First call was the town hall where we met our guide Mr Ian McMeekin. A second building (70' x 31') Lt. Bishops first Mustang mission was on October 3, 1944. Source: http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/933 Bill Lemaster recalled that he If The 353rd FG were at this time desperately short of pilots and so ten pilots were hastily transferred from Fowlmere to Raydon on October 2, 1944 (they were Warren, Linger, Clark, Rosen, Arnold, Fulton, French, Gilmer, Petticrew and Brock). Colonel Duncan directs three squadrons of 12 aircraft with an escort of eight P-47, 351FSand 352 FSon a mission bombing and strafing against enemy communications in the region of Evreux Dreux. This now seems unlikely to me as McCollom, it would appear, had given up the aircraft at some point in late October. A/C 42-75622 P-47D-15-RE. Maguire and their father were great friends (353rd FG Archive). Second World War airfield, built 1942-3. Joe Lopez may have been armourer at this time. 0QP, Telephone: 020 7233 7356 World-famous bomber overshoots runway and just misses road as Raydon This olive drab Thunderbolt was an early aircraft with the Squadron. Daniel became a POW when his aircraft engine failed. He was involved in the early Group experiments in using the P-47 as a dive-bomber earned the Air Medal with two clusters and the Purple Heart in missions between August and December 1943 with the 351st FS. | Fax: 0300 123 0765 For 35 years, he has been the UK contact, historian and archivist for the 353rd Fighter Group organising their UK reunions and attending many in the United States. Tea with the Peacock family (353rd FG Archive). After this he travelled to Camp Kilmer and on August 4, 1944 embarked on a 15 day voyage to the United Kingdom arriving at Bristol. 1957-1960, the Jefferson County Airport took all the business from We chose Colchester as the base camp for the weekend as it was a popular destination for group members when they were on leave from their duties. At the same time, Capt McGraws target started into a spin and a wing broke off. In the evening Graham Cross, 353rd Fighter Group Historian, gave a presentation to the party on the history of the unit. and An undated view (courtesy of Patrick Griffith) of the I found out from Film footage of American airmen at Raydon is available through the East Anglian Film Archive: http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/933. as well as the 8,000' grass landing area (the here for the site's main menu. bars), Murphy, Knicklebein, unknown and Milligan (S Bishop), Inside the barrack hut at Raydon (S Bishop), Big Friends returning home over Raydon (S Bishop), Colchester High Street not much has changed since the 1940s (S Bishop), Lt. George S. Montgomery from Opelika, Alabama flew with the 351st between August, 1944 and April 1945. I remain available and contactable for any additional information about this aircraft.. Memorial was constructed in May 1995 by the Raydon Airfield Preservation Society (RAPS) and dedicated in June 1995. Pages using infobox military installation with unknown parameters, Articles needing clarification from April 2015, Articles incorporating text from the Air Force Historical Research Agency, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, Airfields of the VIII Fighter Command in the United Kingdom, USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to present, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. An eyewitness reported that his body had been buried in our village cemetery. Colonel King is preceded in death by his wife Ruth Ludlam King and survived by loving daughters Susan King Roth and Carol King Smith and their families. Totally Following a superb lunch, Graham Cross presented the families each with a print of a pencil sketch depicting 352nd Fighter Squadron aircraft gifted by renowned local artist Geoff Pleasance. WebMetfield was built as a standard, Class-A bomber design airfield, consisting of three intersecting concrete runways, fifty dispersal points and two T-2 type hangars. By this stage, the weather had closed in and after a brief stop at the old airfield, the group headed to Dedham to visit craft shops and the very fine church there.