Over The Reich: Sam Sitton and the 357th Fighter Squadron

Overview

Sam Sitton Jr. volunteered for service in the United States Army Air Forces in November 1942. He was awarded his wings and commission as a Second Lieutenant on March 12, 1944, and served as a flight instructor before assignment to the fighter pilot training school in Sarasota, Florida, where he trained for combat in a P-40 “Warhawk.”

Lieutenant Sitton arrived in England on September 16, 1944, aboard the French liner Maratania. After P-51 fighter orientation he was assigned to the 357th Fighter Squadron of the 355th Fighter Group based in Steeple Morden, Cambridgeshire, England. For most of Sitton’s forty-one combat missions, he provided escort cover to the B-17 “Flying Fortress” and B-24 “Liberator” bombers of the 8th Air Force on missions over German-occupied Europe.

When not engaged in escort duty, Sitton and his fellow fighter pilots were free to attack ground targets such as barracks, railroad yards, and factories. On March 24, 1945, Sitton and his comrades in the 357th provided cover for airborne troops participating in “Operation Varsity,” the largest single-day Allied airborne operation of the war. With this action, Allied leaders intended to break German defenses along the Rhine River and hasten the war’s end.

For his service in World War II, Lieutenant Sitton received the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters. After the German surrender, Sitton served in the Army of Occupation as Operations Officer of the 70th Fighter Wing until November 11, 1945. Sitton remained in the Air Force Reserves until his retirement in January 1983 with the rank of Major.

Lieutenant Sam Sitton after graduating from Army Air Forces Pilot School, March 12, 1944, Craig Field, Selma, Alabama - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Sitton receiving the Air Medal - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Lieutenant Sitton flew forty-one missions as a member of the 357th Fighter Squadron - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Lieutenant Sitton posing with the P-51 “Mustang” Sassy Shari - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Lieutenant Sam Sitton (R) with his future brother-in-law Captain William P. Boliek, Assistant Group Communications Officer - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Pilots of the 357th Fighter Squadron in front of a former Luftwaffe barracks with their motorcycles while on occupation duty in Germany - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Lieutenants Ray McNeil, Emerson Whitney, and John Weidman with “Duchess,” the 357th Fighter Squadron’s mascot - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Headquarters staff of the 355th Fighter Group hosting the children of Steeple Morden, Cambridgeshire, England, at Christmas - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Lieutenant Sitton (back row, L) and fellow pilots of the 357th Fighter Squadron enjoy some off-duty time skeet shooting - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Men of the 357th Fighter Squadron returned to their base at Steeple Morden, England, on this B-17 bomber after leave in Paris, France - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Lieutenant Frank E. Gelsone in the cockpit of his P-51 “Mustang” Baby Doll - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

357th Fighter Squadron commander Major Henry S. Billie who earned the status of a fighter “ace” with 6 confirmed kills - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Captain Colson, Major Billie, and Lieutenants Rife, Long, McNeil, Williams, and Bowen of the 357th Fighter Squadron - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Pilots of the 357th Fighter Group at their base in Steeple Morden, England - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Lieutenants Kubertin, Knight, and McNiel (front row, L to R) with crew chief Sergeant Thorpe and Lieutenant Whitney (back row, L to R) - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Lieutenant Frank E. Gelsone poses on the wing of his P-51 “Mustang” Baby Doll - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

355th Fighter group commander Lieutenant Colonel Claiborne H. Kinnard in his P-51 “Mustang” Man O’ War - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Lieutenant Forker, nicknamed “Joker” by his fellow pilots, stands next to the P-51 “Mustang” Ain’t Misbehavin’ - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Lieutenant Robert Delhamer and his P-51 “Mustang” Super Sal II - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Captain William J. Cullerton in his P-51 “Mustang” Miss Steve - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Colonel John J. “Moon” Elder Jr., commander of the 357th Fighter Squadron - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

357th Fighter Squadron commander Colonel Elder Jr. and crew chief Staff Sergeant Bill Mitchell - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Major Edward S. Szanianski who preceded Major Henry S. Billie as commander of the 357th Fighter Squadron with his crew chief Sergeant Schultz - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Captain Fred R. Haviland was a fighter “ace” with 6 confirmed kills - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Captain Leslie D. Minchew was a fighter “ace” with 5.5 confirmed kills - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

357th Fighter Squadron commander Colonel Elder, Jr., and crew chief Staff Sergeant Mitchell - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Pilots of the 357th Fighter Squadron prepare for another mission after their briefing - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Lieutenant Sitton flew several different P-51 “Mustangs” while in the 357th Fighter Squadron including this one nicknamed Prune Face - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Lieutenant Randolph W. Cooper of the 357th Fighter Squadron was killed in a flying accident on June 11, 1945 - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Lieutenant Sitton at the controls of a P-51 “Mustang” - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Cockpit of a P-51 Mustang - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Lieutenant David P. Watkins (L) stands by his P-51 “Mustang” with his crew chief - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

Captain Norman Colston of the 357th Fighter Squadron - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

U.S. forces seized this Luftwaffe Focke-Wulf 190 after the war - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton

A strafing attack destroyed this German ME-109 fighter - Photo Courtesy of Sam Sitton