(F. Birtciel)
Capt. Merle E. Blanchard
(F. Birtciel)
Capt. Merle E. Blanchard
338th FS - States - 09 August 1944
| Assigned Aircraft |
P-38 CL- "Big Nick" |
| Mission History |
Not Known |
| Mission List |
Not Known |
| Air Scores |
2-0-2 |
| Ground Scores |
0-0 |
| Score Detail | 31 January 1944
Me-109 destroyed
(air) Goch 22 May 1944 FW-190 destroyed (air) Neumunster 11 June 1944 Me-109 damaged (air) Beauvais 06 July 1944 Me-109 damaged (air) Laon |
| Notes | Capt. Blanchard was born in Campbell, CA on
16th November 1919 to John Lee and Bessie Mae Blanchard. Merle graduated from Santa Cruz High School in 1938. After leaving school he was employed by Lockheed at Burbank, CA, where he worked on the first flush-riveted P-38 fighter plane and fell in love with it. He joined the Army Air Corp in January 1942 at Santa Maria, CA, and after receiving his basic training at Lemoore, CA, advanced to aviator cadet training in June 1942 at Williams Field, AZ. He received his wings in March, 1943, and was assigned to the 55th Fighter Group at McCord Field, WA, where he checked out in the P-38 with the 338th Fighter Squadron. Entered service from Santa Cruz, California ASN- 0-740137 31 January 1944 - Promoted from 2nd Lieutenant to 1st Lieutenant 08 June 1944 - Promoted from 1st Lieutenant to Captain 09 August 1944 - Transferred out of the 338th Fighter Squadron 10 August 1944 - Assigned to the 496th Fighter Training Group Merle Blanchard, 86, passed away at his home in Placerville, CA on 23rd October 2006. |
| Memories | |