Smashing Time,
I wasn't aware that he had died this past September. In high school,...I remember reading about his exploits in the air and on the ground too. I'm posting some info about Col. Blakeslee.
The 4th Fighter Group
On 12 September 1942, Nos 71, 122 and 133 Squadrons became "activated" as the
USAAF's
4th Fighter Group, operating from a former RAF field at
Debden. After a few months flying Spitfires, the group was re-equipped with the new
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. On 14 April 1943 Blakeslee claimed an FW-190 for the group's first P-47 "kill". Leading the 335th Squadron of the 4th FG, Blakeslee flew the group into Germany for the first time on 28 July. Towards the end of the year Blakeslee led the group more often, and developed a tactic of circling above any air battle and directing his fighters as necessary. Blakeslee flew the
P-51 Mustang for the first time in December 1943 and thereafter worked hard to have the 4th FG re-equipped as soon as possible with the new fighter, pushing hard especially as he now became Commanding Officer of the 4th on 1 January 1944.
[2]
The 8th Air Force Command eventually agreed to the request, provided the pilots were operational on the P-51 within 24 hours of receiving them. Blakeslee agreed, instructing his pilots to "learn how to fly them on the way to the target".
In March 1944 Blakeslee was in the first Mustang over Berlin. Escorting the massed daylight raids of the 8th Air Force over Occupied Europe while under Blakeslee's command, the 4th FG became one of the highest scoring groups of VIII Fighter Command. The 4th's aggressive style was very effective, and the 4th Fighter Group passed the 500 kill mark at the end of April, 1944.
The next landmark for Blakeslee was leading the first "shuttle" mission to Russia on 21 June 1944, flying 1,470 miles in a mission lasting over 7 hours.
Don Blakeslee was finally grounded in September 1944, after the loss of several high scoring USAAF aces. He had accounted for 15.5 kills in the air and 2 more on the ground and had flown over 400 operational sorties.
Blakeslee retired from the
United States Air Force in 1972 with the rank of Colonel.
[3]
:unitedsta:
