Godfrey, John Trevor

Godfrey, John Trevor, born on 22-07-1922 in Woonsocket, Montreal, Canada,  but his parents moved to Rhode Island when he was young.  He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in August 1941 and graduated from flight school in October 1942. Godfrey then served with the No 57 Operational Training Unit in England before receiving a commission with the U.S. Army Air Forces on 27-04-1943. He was destined to become an outstanding American warrior, to destroy more enemy aircraft than any other pilot in the 4^th Fighter Group under command of Colonel Chesley Gordon Peterson

who died on 28-01-1990 in Riverside, California and is buried at Riverside National Cemetery  and to become a national hero in whose honor factory whistles were blown, military parades staged and war bond rallies held. But at home, in his ‘teens, Godfrey was the subject of many anxious family consultations. He was moody, reckless and appeared to be shiftless. His salient feature was his set of darting, gypsy black eyes. They later proved the keenest eyes in the 4^th, disciplined, radar eyes that could spot enemy specks in the sky miles away. But in 1940, they had a restless, faraway expression that reflected Godfrey’s maladjustment. 11-08-1941, his despairing parents made a covenant with him. It was agreed that he could go to Canada and try to enter the RCAF to become a fighter pilot. Attempted to join the RCAF but brought home by authorities (3x).  If he failed he would come back and go to college. He never went to college. He painted “Reggie’s Reply” on his plane,

  after his brother, who died torpedoed by the Germans as he sailed to England. Godfrey and his wingman and close friend, Captain “Don” Gentile

  flew with a group from the 4^th Fighter Group of the 336^th Fighter Squadron  flying out of Debden.

They tormented Hermann Goering’s (see Leutnant Peter Goering)

   (did you know) Luftwaffe to such an extent that Goering called them the “Debden Gangsters”. Between Gentile and Godfrey they had 37 kills. Gentile and Godfrey used rather unconventional tactics; tactics which would in later years be used by American fighter pilots in Vietnam and was in the best position, took the lead with the other covering his “six”.

      The Gentile-Godfrey combination was so effective the Goering is said to have sworn he’d give up two squadrons for their capture. Major Godfrey was shot down 8 miles northeast of Nordhausen, Germany, when he was hit by his wingman’s gunfire and bellied in. He spent several months in a prison camp, but managed to escape just before the end of the war. He passed away 12-06-1958, at the age of 35, in South Free port. His promising life was cut short by of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and is buried on the Maple Root Cemetery, Coventry.