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Captain Harry Shields Greeno
The following information was submitted by Christopher Fox (2nd cousin) 10/17/2008:
Are there any pilots that flew from Carentan field in 1944 still around? I am trying to find those that may have known my 2nd cousin Captain Harry Shields Greeno?
He flew P-47 Thunderbolts. Below is a query that I sent to the Imperial War Museum in England but it wasn't much help. I want to know more about this lost cousin or perhaps find pilots that might have had photos with him in them. The family lost contact many years ago and surprisingly enough I was able to find the info below online and from government agencies but I still want to find those that knew him. I was hoping that you had him listed on your site but you didn't however there are many that are but I don't know who might have been stationed with him at Lymington England..
American Army Air Corp Captain Harry Shields Greeno pilot killed August 6 1944 Carentan field France
My name is Christopher Fox and I am inquiring about what information you may have on the American 10 fighter squadron 50th fighter group that came from Florida in 1943 and was stationed at Lymington England. Any photos of that field? I have been trying to find out more on this missing cousin. The last photos of Harry Shields Greeno I have are when he was twelve and no one knew what had happened to him. By sheer luck I found a little about him by information about him from the Normandy American Cemetery,
Colleville-sur-Mer/St. Laurent-sur-Mer (Calvados), France. I have since have gone to the American archives to find out more about him and perhaps things about him while he served with the 10th fighter squadron. Would you have American documents on the fighter groups? There has to be some documentation on Harry's crash on Carentan field August 6 1944. Perhaps the number of his ship, since it seems there was a record of machinery of ours that was destroyed. I would like to see if there is a picture of his fighter a P-47 Thunderbolt.
I have had little luck going through the American archives so I have been exploring Military museums and since I have watch the extraordinary series The World at War of the BBC, I know how meticulous and extensive the records that the Imperial War Museum must have. Is there anyone that can help me learn more about my lost and missing cousin Captain Harry Shields Greeno or perhaps direct me to those that could. It is sad that in the same month I discovered not only this cousin but his family only to find that all of them are gone and there are no descendants that I know to learn more about them, a family that no longer exists. Oh, did these fighter carry cameras? Would there be any films listing a ship camera of Lt Harry Greeno? I noticed in some of the World at War scenes there were films that had the lead header of who's ship the footage was shot from. Below is what information I have found but I want to know more about the man his life and his missions with perhaps someone to contact. Unfortunately, I found that anyone tha t may have known him are in their 80's which makes getting accounts difficult with the one exception of Bernie Morrison who was the mechanic on the field the day Harry crashed on the field and bought it.
The story per Bernie Morrison mechanic:
My cousin Harry S Greeno jr aka Si was killed in Normandy August 6 1944. I since found out how, by the mechanic on the field at the time. August 6 during the beginning of the German offensive at Normandy. Harry's ship was hit by ground fire and damage his tail. When he tried to put down his landing gear the plan would begin to crash. He radioed the field which happened to be a farmers field that he was going to belly land. The protocol at the field had a man with a red flag who's job was to wave off planes if he saw a problem. He was not notified that Harry was coming in without landing gear so when he saw the situation, he flagged him off. Harry not realizing it about his landing gear followed protocol and tried to pull up but instead, without rudder and ailerons the ship went straight up and over and crashed on his cockpit and then burst into flames. His chances of surviving a belly land were good. It was lack of communications that may have killed him. I got the info from a Bernie Morrison, the mechanic on the field. He said that transports were not allowed to land on the field for fear of giving away their position since the enemy line was only two miles from the field at this time. Before getting the toe hold, they had to fly 80 miles from Lymington England to the area and save enough fuel to make the 80 miles back. The fuel last for a about 360 miles so there wasn't much time with any target. Bernie mentioned the most sorties in one day by a pilot was 17 when they had their base at Normandy. Seventeen missions and making it back, incredible.
I am gathering information on a lost cousin that I have started to find information on. His name was Captain Harry Shields Greeno who was a pilot in the U. S. Army Air Corp. He is my 2nd cousin. His mother Kathryn Fox Greeno was my great Aunt. The last information until recently I had on Harry and his family was when Harry was about 12 years old. First I found where he lived and then shortly after locating the last place he lived, I found that he died from a crash on Carentan field in France on August 6th 1944 during WWII. He was a pilot who flew the Thunderbolt P-47. Harry joined the Army Air Corp and trained first at Goodfellow Field in Texas. He did advanced pilot training at Zepyhrhills Florida before shipping overseas in 1943 where he was stationed at Lymington England, where he and his group flew sorties over the France in preparation for D-Day and flew support for the invasion. After sufficient ground had been taken and held his squadron then flew out of Carentan field. His commander at Carentan was Captain Robert Yundt who was the commander of the 10th fighter Squadron Advanced Landing Ground A-10 near Carentan at this time.
At the time of his death, Aug 6, 1944, he was serving with the 10th Fighter Squadron, 50th Fighter Group. He was the recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with 8 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart.
Name: Harry S Greeno
A. Full name of the individual: Captain Harry Shields Greeno,
B: Serial number: O-667065
C. Inducted From: Florida
D. Rank held at a specific time or highest rank achieved: Captain at the time of his death, Aug 6, 1944
E. Names and dates of awards for decorations received (e.g., the Purple Heart).
He was the recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with 8 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart
F. Unit(s) to which the individual was assigned or attached and the dates of service.
10th Fighter Squadron, 50th Fighter Group
G. Individual's military occupation or specialty: fighter pilot P-47 Thunderbolt
Captain Harry S. Greeno, O-667065 is interred at Plot C, Row 2, Grave 16 at the Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer/St. Laurent-sur-Mer (Calvados), France, which is located on the high ground above the D-Day landing sites.
My cousin's plane, I was told crashed on the field at Carentan while trying to land. I guess his fighter had been hit by enemy ground fire. I would like to obtain the following reports for Captain Harry Shields
Greeno:
1:MACR Missing Air Crew Report from Caretan field France His commander
at Carentan was Captain Robert Yundt
2:"After Actions reports" for August 6-7, 1944 for Carentan field France
3:"Morning reports" for August 6-7, 1944 for Carentan field France.
4:His IDPF file
5:The serial number of his plane at time of crash August 6 1944
6: record for any or all of his medals and citations received.
(reports may have been filed per commander at Carentan field at the time
of Harry's crash, Captain Robert Yundt)
7: Service records. They can not be found at the record depository in
Missouri. Area where fire was the worst and no record recovery was possible.
This photo is of Harry's grad picture from flight school at Goodfellow field in Texas which I recently obtained.
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Pilot Name
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Biography Summary
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John Abbotts
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P-47 transition followed at Pocatello, Idaho and Greenville, Texas after which he was assigned to the 56th Fighter Group in England. When the news of his arrival reached Berlin, Hitler retired to his bunker with his cyanide capsule and revolver. Eva found the news equally depressing.
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Asa A. Adair
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He returned to the States in August of 1944 after participating in the invasion "D" Day. He flew P-63's, P-51's, F-80's, T-33's, F-84's, T-38's, P-47's in numerous assignments during the following twenty years in in, Japan, U.S.A. and Europe before retiring after twenty-six years of Active Duty.
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Edward B. Addison
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The 507th Fighter Group, equipped with P-47N's, won the Presidential Unit Citation for destroying 32 Japanese aircraft in the air on one mission to Seoul, Korea. The average flying time for raids to Korea and Japan would be 7 to 9 hours flying time. In a total of 31 months, the 507th not only provided top cover for B-29's, but also
dive-bombed, napalm-bombed and flew low-level on strafing missions.
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Levon B. Agha-Zarian
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It is rumored that he, took his primary training on a flying rug. He flew Spits, briefly, in England, but as the, war moved to the East, he was sent to India as a Sgt. Pilot and first saw action from Ceylon, flying the Curtiss P.36, the Brewster Buffalo, and the Hurricane. At this point he might have opted for the rug! This was at the time of the fall of Singapore and the sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse.
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George N. Ahles
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Posted to A-20 light bomber squadron Barksdale Field, Louisiana. . Group moved to Hunter Air Base Savannah, Georgia. Qualified for Pilot training November 1940. Entered Aviation Cadets January 1942. Presented wings November 1942 class of 42-J. Married Mary Louise while in Advanced Pilot Training at Craig AFB, Selma, Alabama, September 1942.
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Roy J. Aldritt
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Shortly after the group moved to France he ran into some unseen flak and was forced to make a nylon descent behind the lines; some evasion and a lot of luck had him back with his unit
in 24 hours.
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Eugene J. Amaral
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After graduation from Stonington High School he enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in December 1942 and was called to active duty in March, 1943. He received his wings and commission at Spence Field, Georgia as a member of the Class of 43-C.
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Talmadge L. Ambrose
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Flew 84 missions thru VE Day, was downed by 22mm ground fire over Siefried Line. He destroyed 11 enemy aircraft, 9 known confirmed in air and on
ground, including 4 FW 190-D's in one afternoon over Hanover, Germany, April 8, 1945. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross,
Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, 17 man, Oak Leaf Clusters, Good Conduct Medal, Pacific Theatre and European Theatre Meda1s with 5 Battle
Stars and Unit Citation Medal.
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John C. Anderson
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After P-47 transition he was assigned to the 406th Fighter Group, 512th Fighter Squadron. (E.T
.0.) He flew 56 missions through January, 1945 destroying supply routes, bridges, and railroads; he also flew close support missions with the ground forces, with attacks on tanks, artillery and enemy positions.
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William Anderson
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It was not always flak,two ME-109's beat the hell out of me one day. The central controller called me and said "Basher-Red Leader do you have contact Bandits," I replied, "I sure do, I'll bring them over the field in 3 minutes, they're chasing me home." Got all the usual medals including two Belgium and two French but one I'm most proud of is the Silver Star -it is the greatest.
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