20th FG USAAF and Captain Joe McKeon

[keith A]

Can anyone confirm when he joined this unit? SAB gives 07.07.1944 as the date but I have also seen it as June 1944.

Also can you tell me what position he held? He was an experienced pilot in the Pacific but does not appear to have been a squadron commander, perhaps another HQ role?

regards


Keith

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by keith A

Can anyone confirm when he joined this unit? SAB gives 07.07.1944 as the date but I have also seen it as June 1944.

Also can you tell me what position he held? He was an experienced pilot in the Pacific but does not appear to have been a squadron commander, perhaps another HQ role?

regards


Keith

July 1944 to the 20FG, 55FS, then 77th FS in Sept. POW Oct 7, 1944 - MAC with Brown near Stettin. Apparently a Flight Leader.

He had 1-0-1 in the air to raise his VC to 6 air, 2 ground.

[Delmenhorst]

McKeon arrived at 20 FG on July 7, 1944, and was assigned to 55th Fighter Squadron. He became a Flight Commander on July 15 and remained in this position until he collided with Lt R C Brown on October 7th near Stettin.

[keith A]

Thanks chaps,

So he was with 55th FS when he joined and then transferred to 77th FS. I hadn't realised he was made POW after colliding with his wingman.


Regards

Keith

[Delmenhorst]

He was never in 77th FS

[KM1957]

McKeon did serve in the 77th Fighter Squadron. Following are a few samples (not the complete list of course) from the 20th Fighter Group history as he flew 37 missions total. The squadron line ups show he was 77th White Leader on July 31, White Leader on August 5, 1944, White Leader on August 7, Red Leader on August 9, Red Leader on August 14. On August 16 he was Red Leader when he claimed a Me 109 destroyed and a FW 190 damaged, both in the air, flying LC-C. It appears his first 55th Fighter Squadron mission was August 27 when he aborted as 55th Black Leader. First completed mission with the 55th was August 30 as Red Leader.

Kent