The "356th" Monument Martlesham Heath, in 1964
Copyright © 1964 Tom Miller

The citation

"In grateful memory of the members of the 356th Fighter Group USAAF from this station who gave their lives during the war 1939 to 1945. This plaque erected by their British friends to commemorate the stay of the USAAF at Martlesham Heath"

Another Memorial

Another memorial was left behind in 1944, by a member of the 356th Fighter Group.  Apparently, Sergeant Irving Smith painted a picture of Saint Francis of Assisi on the side of a pump house by a pond near Ipswich.

The picture is still there in 2003...

Click the picture to see the full size version

...and yet another

Click the picture to see the full size version
Photograph © 2000 Alan Powell

This picture of the stained glass windows in the north wall of the church of St Michael's and All Angels, Martlesham Heath. They were dedicated on Sunday 23rd September, 2000 by Bishop Jeremy Walsh and Canon Brian Lillistone. A flypast salute by a P-51 Mustang followed the Dedication Service.

Each panel is about 22 inches wide and 32 inches deep. They record the history of RAF Martlesham from the Great War until it closed in 1963. The first panel is an RFC (Royal Flying Corp) crest. The second panel is the RAF (Royal Air Force) crest. The third panel is a USAAF (United States Army Air Force) Eighth Air Force crest with non official 356th FG (Fighter Group) printed around its circumference. The final panel is the crest for RAF Martlesham Heath.

There were no commercial sponsors for the windows so the money to finance it came from fund raising activities of the MHAS and generous donations from veterans of the 356th FG. As secretary of MHAS, Alan Powell (who took the photo) was the prime mover to have the windows installed.

It was made by the same person who constructed a stained glass window commemorating the USAAF in Britain, which is in the American Air Force section in the new Norwich library.