Also known as Station 365 · RNAS Halesworth (HMS Sparrowhawk) · Holton
The story of RAF Halesworth
In April 1944 the 56th moved to Boxted, and the 489th Bombardment Group arrived with B-24 Liberators. It entered combat on 30 May 1944. On 5 June, over Wimereux, Lt Col Leon Vance's lead aircraft was crippled and his right foot almost severed. He led the bombing, brought the aircraft back and ditched it to save a crewman. He was awarded the Medal of Honor. The 489th returned to the United States in November 1944. The 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron then flew rescue missions from here.
The Royal Navy borrowed the base in 1945 as HMS Sparrowhawk. Flying ended in February 1946. The Ministry of Food used it for storage until 1963. Turkey sheds, wind turbines and a solar farm now cover much of it.
Flying units
| Unit | Years | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| 56th Fighter Group, USAAF | 1943–1944 | Republic P-47 Thunderbolt |
| 489th Bombardment Group (Heavy), USAAF | 1944–1944 | Consolidated B-24 Liberator |
| 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron, USAAF | 1945–1945 | P-47, OA-10 Catalina, SB-17 |
| 798 Naval Air Squadron | 1945–1946 |
What survives
- 1983 granite memorial to the 489th Bomb Group and a memorial to the 56th Fighter Group
- A few derelict huts on the dispersed sites
- Memorial plaque in St Peter's Church, Holton
The museum on the airfield
| Museum | Adult entry | Airframes | Headline exhibit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halesworth Airfield Memorial MuseumHalesworth, Suffolk | Free | 2 | Halesworth (56th FG — Zemke's Wolfpack — and the air-sea rescue squadron) remembered in a compact free museum strong on personal effects… |