Interesting stuff. I never knew they had their own formations.
Very much so Big Z.
The first Eagle Squadron (No. 71) was formed in September 1940, and became operational for defensive duties on 5 February 1941. The three Eagle Squadrons were numbered 71, 121, and 133. Of the thousands that volunteered, 244 Americans served with the three Eagle Squadrons; 16 Britons also served as Squadron and Flight commanders.
71 Squadron commenced operations base at RAF Church Fenton in early 1941, before a move to Kirton-in-Lindsay. 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' pilot to become a POW when he was shot down during an escort mission. The squadron's first confirmed victory came on 21 July 1941 when P/O W. Dunn destroyed a Messerschmitt Bf 109F over Lille. In August the Spitfire Mk II replaced their 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.
On 29 September 1942, the three squadrons were officially turned over by the RAF to the fledgling Eighth Air Force of the USAAF and became the 4th Fighter Group. 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 had to be negotiated, with most being given a rank equivalent to their RAF rank. For example, a Wing Commander became a Major. None of the Eagle Squadron pilots had served in the USAAF and did not have US pilot wings. It was decided to give them US pilot wings upon their transfer.
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 at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, North Carolina and are part of the Ninth Air Force.
