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Leiston Airfield Memorial
Information plaque about Leiston Airfield at the memorial.
Leiston Airfield had a short but distinguished operational history. Located 3 miles from the North Sea, it was the UKs most easterly operational airfield. It was constructed between 1942-43.
Between 1944-45 the airfield was home to the 357th Fighter Group of the American 8th Army Air Force flying P51 Mustangs supporting daylight bomber raids. One such pilot was Chuck Yeager, who later became the first man to flyer faster than the speed of sound.
A typical mission would start with 50-60 aircraft taking off at dawn and returning 6-8 hours later in ones and twos. They were often low on fuel and damaged in combat. It was now that the 800 ground support personnel would move into action. Overnight the ground crew would prepare the pilots and machines for the next day's operations.
William Joyce, alias Lord Haw Haw, was a member of the German propaganda. During a broadcast on German radio he welcomed the fighter group to their new home at Yoxford, a nearby village. As a result of this broadcast the 357th Fighter Group assumed the name "Yoxford Boys".
Leiston Airfield Memorial
Information plaque about Leiston Airfield at the memorial.
Leiston Airfield had a short but distinguished operational history. Located 3 miles from the North Sea, it was the UKs most easterly operational airfield. It was constructed between 1942-43.
Between 1944-45 the airfield was home to the 357th Fighter Group of the American 8th Army Air Force flying P51 Mustangs supporting daylight bomber raids. One such pilot was Chuck Yeager, who later became the first man to flyer faster than the speed of sound.
A typical mission would start with 50-60 aircraft taking off at dawn and returning 6-8 hours later in ones and twos. They were often low on fuel and damaged in combat. It was now that the 800 ground support personnel would move into action. Overnight the ground crew would prepare the pilots and machines for the next day's operations.
William Joyce, alias Lord Haw Haw, was a member of the German propaganda. During a broadcast on German radio he welcomed the fighter group to their new home at Yoxford, a nearby village. As a result of this broadcast the 357th Fighter Group assumed the name "Yoxford Boys".