Debden After Hours
Like any combat unit, the men of the 4th Fighter Group needed some time and a place to relax or wind down after a mission, blow off a little steam, celebrate a milestone or simply hang out and have a cold one with some friends.
Being based at a permanent RAF station had its advantages, and the 4th had at its disposal many facilities, resources and amenities that most of the other fighter stations lacked. Debden was known as the place with the parties everyone wanted to attend. While it didn't make flying the missions or maintaining the aircraft any easier, it made forgetting about a hard day's work or a tough mission a bit easier.
The famous photo at left appeared in the book Escort To Berlin. It shows a group of officers enjoying themselves in the Officer's Bar in the spring of 1944. How many of those present can you name? Take the Debden Bar Exam, then check your answers below. Our thanks to Escort To Berlin co-author Garry L. Fry for providing the photo - and of course the answers!
Being based at a permanent RAF station had its advantages, and the 4th had at its disposal many facilities, resources and amenities that most of the other fighter stations lacked. Debden was known as the place with the parties everyone wanted to attend. While it didn't make flying the missions or maintaining the aircraft any easier, it made forgetting about a hard day's work or a tough mission a bit easier.
The famous photo at left appeared in the book Escort To Berlin. It shows a group of officers enjoying themselves in the Officer's Bar in the spring of 1944. How many of those present can you name? Take the Debden Bar Exam, then check your answers below. Our thanks to Escort To Berlin co-author Garry L. Fry for providing the photo - and of course the answers!
Gallery 1
Gallery 2
The Bar Exam
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1. Neil Van Wyk pilot, 336
2. Reuben Simon pilot, 336 3. Jack Raphael pilot, 336 4. Herb Blanchfield pilot, 335 5. Verd Mitchell grd officer 6. Robert Church pilot, 335 7. Robert Tussey pilot, 336 8. Harold Frederick pilot, 336 9. O.K. McCullough grd officer 10. Conrad Ingold grd officer 11. Jim Clark CO, 334 12. Carl Leverock grd officer 13. Kendall Carlson pilot, 336 14. Fred Glover pilot, 336 |
15. Don Blakeslee CO, 4FG
16. Paul Riley pilot, 335 17. J. Forrest Ihinger Red Cross 18. Albert Schlegel pilot, 335 19. Warren Johnson pilot, 336 20. David Van Epps pilot, 334 21. Glenn Smart grd officer 22. Joe L. Bennett pilot, 336 23. Robert Sheridan grd officer 24. George Carpenter CO, 335 25. Leon Blanding pilot, 335 26. Charles Anderson pilot, 335 27. Ben Ezzell I.O., 334 |