Eagle Squadrons - Formation and Evolution

Formation and Evolution

The first Eagle Squadron, (No. 71 Squadron), was formed in September 1940 as part of the RAF's buildup during the Battle of Britain, and became operational for defensive duties on 5 February 1941. Eventually, a total of three Eagle Squadrons formed and were numbered 71, 121, and 133, respectively. Of the thousands that volunteered, 244 Americans served with the three Eagle Squadrons; l16 Britons also served as Squadron and Flight commanders.

71 Squadron commenced operations based at RAF Church Fenton in early 1941, before a move to RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey. In April, the squadron transferred to RAF Martlesham Heath in Suffolk for operations over Europe. During May they suffered their first loss when Mike Kolendorski was killed during a fighter sweep over Holland.

Intensity of operations stepped up with a move into No 11 Group of Fighter Command, being based at RAF North Weald by June 1941. On 2 July, William J. Hall became the first Eagle Squadron pilot to become a Prisoner of War (POW) when he was shot down during an escort mission. The squadron's first confirmed victory came on 21 July 1941 when P/O William R. Dunn destroyed a Messerschmitt Bf 109F over Lille. In August, the Spitfire Mk II replaced 71 Squadron's Hurricanes, before quickly re-equipping with the latest Spitfire Mk V. The unit soon established a high reputation, and numerous air kill claims were made in RAF fighter sweeps over the continent during the summer and autumn of 1941. In December, the Squadron was rested back at Martlesham Heath, before a move to Debden in May 1942.

121 Squadron were formed at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey in May 1941, flying Hurricanes on coastal convoy escort duties. On 15 September 1941, it destroyed its first German aircraft. The Hurricanes were replaced with Spitfires and the Spitfire Mk V arrived in November 1941. The following month the Squadron moved to RAF North Weald, replacing 71 Squadron. In 1942, its offensive activities over the English Channel included bomber escorts and fighter sweeps.

133 Squadron was the last Eagle unit to be formed, standing up at RAF Coltishall in July 1941 and flying the Hurricane Mk IIb. A move to RAF Duxford followed in August, and re-equipment with the Spitfire Mk V occurred early in 1942. In May, the Squadron became part of the famed RAF Biggin Hill Wing. On 31 July 1942 during a bomber escort mission to Abbeville, 52-kill Luftwaffe 'ace' Oblt. Rudolf Pflanz of 11./JG 2 engaged in combat with 133's Spitfires, and after shooting down one was then shot down and killed in his Bf 109G-1 over Berck-sur-Mer, France. 133 Squadron claimed 3 destroyed and one probable while losing 3 aircraft. P/O "Jessie" Taylor accounted for 2 of the claims (a Bf 109F and a Fw 190) and P/O W. Baker was credited with a Fw 190 destroyed. On 26 September 1942 11 of the unit's 12 brand new Spitfire Mk IXs were lost on a mission over Morlaix, when escorting USAAF B-17 Flying Fortresses in heavy cloud cover. Strong winds blew the unit further South than realised and short of fuel, the Squadron let down directly over Brest. Six of the squadron were shot down and taken prisoner, four were killed, one bailed and evaded capture, while one crash landed in England. One of the British pilots taken prisoner, Flt Lt Gordon Brettell, was to be shot as one of the escapees in The Great Escape from Stalag Luft III in 1944.

The Dieppe Raid was the only occasion that all three Eagle Squadrons saw action operating together. No. 71 moved from Debden to Gravesend in mid-August in anticipation of the Dieppe action, while No. 121 operated from South End. 133 Squadron moved with No. 401 Squadron of the RCAF from RAF Biggin Hill to Lympne, on the English south coast. 71 Squadron claimed a Ju 88 shot down, 121 a single Fw 190, while 133 claimed 4 Fw 190s, a Ju 88 and a Dornier Do 217 downed. Six 'Eagle' Spitfires were lost, with one pilot taken prisoner and one killed.

Through to the end of September 1942, the squadrons claimed to have destroyed 73½ German planes while 77 American and 5 British members were killed. 71 Squadron claimed 41 kills, 121 Squadron 18 kills, and 133 squadron 14½ kills.

When informed of the attack on Pearl Harbor, most of the Eagle Squadron pilots wanted to immediately join the fight against Japan. Representatives from 71 and 121 Squadrons went to the American Embassy in London and offered their services to the United States. The pilots from 71 Squadron decided they wanted to go to Singapore to fight the Japanese and a proposal was put to RAF Fighter Command, but it was turned down.

On 29 September 1942, the three squadrons were officially turned over by the RAF to the fledgling Eighth Air Force of the U.S. Army Air Forces and became the 4th Fighter Group, with the American pilots becoming officers in the USAAF. The Eagle pilots had earned 12 Distinguished Flying Crosses and one Distinguished Service Order. Only four of the 34 original Eagle pilots were still present when the squadrons joined the USAAF. Typical were the fates of the eight original pilots in the third squadron: Four died during training, one was disqualified, two died in combat, and one was a prisoner of war. About 100 Eagle pilots had been killed, were missing, or were prisoners. Negotiations regarding the transfer between the Eagle Squadrons, USAAF, and the RAF had to resolve a number of issues. The RAF wanted some compensation for losing three front-line squadrons in which they had heavily invested. Determining what rank each pilot would assume in the USAAF also had to be negotiated, with most being given a rank equivalent to their RAF rank. For example, a Flight Lieutenant became a USAAF Captain, while a Wing Commander became a Lieutenant Colonel. None of the Eagle Squadron pilots had previously sserved in the USAAF and did not have US pilot wings. As such, it was decided that they be awarded USAAF pilot wings upon their transfer to the USAAF. By concession, the Eagle Squadron pilots who transferred to the USAAF Fourth Fighter Group were permitted to retain their RAF wings, reduced in size, on the opposite side of their uniform to their new USAAF pilots wings. They had insisted on being allowed to retain their RAF wings, which they had earned, when ordered to wear USAAF wings, which they had not directly earned in the normal way.

Major General Carl Spaatz, head of the USAAF in Europe, wanted to spread the experience of the Eagles amongst various new US fighter squadrons. However, the pilots of the three Eagle Squadrons wanted to stay together. The 71, 121, and 133 squadrons were respectively designated by the USAAF as the 334th, 335th, and 336th and transferred as complete units, retaining their Spitfires until P-47 Thunderbolts became available in January 1943. The 4th Fighter Group flew Spitfires until its conversion to P-47s was completed in April 1943. The 4th Fighter Wing, along with the 334th, 335th, and 336th Fighter Squadrons, exist today as F-15E Strike Eagle units at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, North Carolina and are part of the Ninth Air Force.