12 AAF fighter pilots with RAF in 1941

[zekestriker]

Hopefully this is the right section of the forum to post this query so here goes...

The Air Force biography of General William D. Greenfield includes the following passage:

"In early 1941 General [then Lieutenant] Greenfield was one of the twelve pilots selected by the Army Air Corps from squadrons throughout the United States to go to Great Britain to obtain firsthand knowledge of fighter tactics used by the Royal Air Force. While in Great Britain he flew Spitfires with RAF squadrons."

In searching a little further online, I found his obituary, which similarly states:

"In 1941, he and 11 other pilots were sent on a secret mission to England to learn to fly Spitfires with the Royal Air Force."

According to Dr. Richard P. Hallion in "The Battle of Britain in American Context and Reference" numerous higher ranking officers (among them Spaatz, Eaker, Hunter, and Kenney) were going to Britain during 1940 and 1941 to observe the air war. But the mission above is not mentioned in his study and this is the first I have read of junior officers being assigned as observers.

My question is has anyone ever come across any other reference to these 12 pilots, specifically their identities? I welcome any comments or suggestions that might help me in my research.

[kaki3152]

I do have the POW memoir of Capt. (later General) Albert Clark who was flying with a RAF squadron (412 RCAF) in 1942 amd was shot down and taken prisoner (July 26th). I know there was also another USAAF casualty who was KIA while flying with the British