Flight Lieutenant Donald J. M. Blakeslee of 133 Eagle Squadron
exits his Spitfire MkVb at the Lympne airfield after his fourth
mission of 19th of August 1942. On this date, during Operation
Jubilee - the joint British-Canadian amphibious assault
against German forces on the French coast at Dieppe, RAF Fighter
Command flew hundreds of sorties in support of the landings.
Among the RAF units active during the day were the three all
American volunteer Eagle squadrons, who between them accounted
for 10 enemy aircraft destroyed, 5 probable and 12 damaged, Blakeslee
himself being credited with two destroyed and two probables.
The following month, the Eagle squadrons were absorbed into the
U.S. 8th Air Force as the 4th Fighter Group, under the leadership
of Don Blakeslee. |