New TV series’ strong links with Bury St Edmunds
“Masters of the Air”, a new Apple TV series being released on January 26, has strong connections with Bury St Edmunds and the surrounding area.
Starring Austin Butler and produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, the 10-episode series is based on Donald L Miller’s non-fiction book of the same name.
It tells the true story of the bomber boys of the American Eighth Air Force 8th Air Force, known as the Mighty Eighth.
During the Second World War the East of England became home to over 350,000 United States Army Airforce (USAAF) personnel.
The Friendly Invasion, as it was dubbed, introduced a rural backwater to the big band music of Glenn Miller, peanut butter, chewing gum, nylons, donuts, jitterbugging, Coca Cola and much more.
Designed as a base for a USAAF unit bomb group, Rougham Airfield (RAF Bury St Edmunds and pictured above) opened in September 1942 .
It became home to the 94th Bomb Group from June 15, 1943, to December 12, 1945, who flew more than 300 missions with the B-17 Flying Fortress.
“Masters of the Air” includes the heroic story of Brigadier General Frederick Walker Castle. After early loses, he was given command of the 94th Bomb Group from June 19, 1943. In April 1944 he took command of the 4th Bombardment Wing, the largest in the Eighth Air Force.
On Christmas Eve, 1944, he led the greatest force in the history of aviation against communication centres and Luftwaffe fighter fields.
Flying over Belgium his plane experienced engine problems but with friendly troops below he refused to jettison the bombs to gain speed and the trailing plane became an easy target.
Realising the hopelessness of the situation they were ordered to bail out. Castle took the controls to give his crew time to escape. Another attack exploded the gasoline tanks while Castle guided the plane to an open field. Of the nine crewmen, five survived the crash.
Castle was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honour and Merced Army Airfield in California was renamed Castle Field and became the Castle Air Force Base.
Rougham Control Tower and Aviation Museum
One of the best-preserved military buildings in the region, Rougham Control Tower is now home to an aviation museum where displays include an exhibit in memory of Brigadier General Castle. The air base welcomed 3,000 GIs during the Second World War.
Opened in 1992, it also houses a fascinating collection of memorabilia including photos, artefacts, uniforms, letters and photographs which tell the story of the airfield and the US personnel stationed there.
These include the wedding dress of British aircraft inspector Edith Miller who married her dashing GI B17 bomber hero Tom Miller on May 12, 1944, just after VE Day.
There is also a collection of photographs and original concert posters of The Skyliners, the band of the 322nd Bomb Group after whom the new Skyliner Sports Centre and Skyliner Way in Bury St Edmunds is named.
The hangar where the Glenn Miller Ensemble played can also be visited although Glen Miller was never there in person.
The museum is open every Sunday, from April to October with free entry. For information visit www.rctam94th.co.uk