US Army Air Force

Charles "Shorty" Keogh - An American Eagle

gsellars

P/O Veron Charles 'Shorty' Keogh was an American and had signed originally to fight for Finland against Russia, but arrived in Europe too late for that war. After a spell in France, they came to England on the last ship from the port of St Jean-de-Luz and joined the R.A.F. He was accepted by the RAF and on July 5 then went to 7 O.T.U. Hawarden. He was sent to No 609 Squadron on the 8th of August 1940 and they became operational on the 16th of August on his first patrol encountered the enemy. He saw combat during August and he shared in the destruction of a Do 215 on the 15th of September 1940 before transferring on the 18th of September 1940 to the to help form the No 71 'Eagle' Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire. Vernon C. 'Shorty' Keogh had a civil pilots licence in America. He had been a professional parachute jumper with over 500 jumps. He was the smallest pilot in the R.A.F. and had to use two cushions in his Spitfire to see out of the cockpit. "Shorty" was last seen spinning into the sea off Flanborough Head during the chase of a Heinkel. He was 29 and is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial.