Cecil was born in the Grant Township of Marion County and was a graduate of Florence High School, Class of 1937. He attended the Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia, Kansas. He was a Phi Sigma Epsilon Rush Captain. Cecil left college after his third year, because he wanted to become a fighter pilot. He jumped the border into Canada and joined the Royal Air Force (RAF).
After training to be a fighter pilot in Canada, Cecil sailed for England from Montreal on 4 June 1941. After more training in England, he was assigned to the newly formed Number 133 Squadron at RAF Coltishall in England, United Kingdom on 1 August. No. 133 was the third Eagle Squadron (Americans) to be formed and they flew British fighter aircraft (Hawker Hurricanes) with British ranks. Pilot Officer Meierhoff moved with No. 133 to RAF Duxford, England on 16 August before arriving RAF Eglington, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland in early October. Here they received Supermarine Spitfires to fly. The new year 1942, saw a move back to England, RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey in Lincolnshire on 2 January. In April, Cecil returned home for three weeks leave and afterwards reported to Canada to train British fighter pilots in aerial combat tactics. Here he received his promotion to Flight Lieutenant.
In October 1943, he applied for and was granted a transfer to the United States Army Air Forces with the rank of Captain. He continued to be an instructor of tactical aerial combat instruction. First at Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York and then at Bluethenthal Field, Wilmington, North Carolina. In March 1945, Captain Meierhoff volunteered for a transfer to the Pacific. This was granted and he was assigned to the 21st Fighter Squadron, 413th Fighter Group, 301st Fighter Wing, 20th Air Force based on Le Shima Island, Okinawa, Japan as a Flight Leader.
Cecil flew P-47N-2-RE Thunderbolt tail number 44-87997. On 22 July 1945, he was leading a combat mission as Hootowl Blue Flight. They took off at 0900 (9am) to conduct a Strike Mission against Japanese forces at Wangpoo River, Shanghai, China. At 1004 (10:04am) just 200 miles from Le Shima over the East China Sea, Cecil's P-47 developed an oil leak and caught fire. He had to bail from the aircraft and his chute was seen to deploy, but was lost in the clouds. After the rest of Hootowl Blue Flight got down below the clouds, Cecil could not be spotted, they kept widening their search circles to no avail. Search aircraft were dispatched and one reported seeing a pilot in a Goodyear (survival raft) and was OK, so the remaining flight members returned to Le Shima. He was never rescued, no statements of rescue flights in the Missing Aircrew Report, so as to why remains a mystery.
Cecil was 24 years old. He's listed on memorials at Cottonwood Falls, Chase County, Kansas; the Eagle Squadron Memorial, Grosvenor Square, American Embassy, London, England; and ground markers at Grant Cemetery in Marion, Marion County, Kansas and in the Harris plot at Monte Vista Memorial Gardens in Johnson City, Washington County, Tennessee. **Why here is also a mystery.
Cecil was the son of Frederick John Meierhoff and Matilda Kohlman, both first generation born Americans of German parents. Frederick in Illinois and Matilda in Kansas. After the death of his parents, Cecil lived for seven years with Mr. and Mrs. James M. Snelling in Florence. He was married to Philia "Ruth" Roberts on 27 April 1941 in Tulsa, Oklahoma and left for England four days later.
** 6 February 2015, one mystery solved thanks to Thad Meierhoff of Kansas, he shared many photos and newspaper clippings of both Cecil and Ruth. Ruth while working in Washington, D.C. as a Stewardess for American Airlines in 1947 when she meet Allen Harris, Jr. from Johnson City, Tennessee. They fell in love, were married and she moved here to Allen's home. Ruth is the one that had Cecil's memorial marker installed at Monte Vista.
After training to be a fighter pilot in Canada, Cecil sailed for England from Montreal on 4 June 1941. After more training in England, he was assigned to the newly formed Number 133 Squadron at RAF Coltishall in England, United Kingdom on 1 August. No. 133 was the third Eagle Squadron (Americans) to be formed and they flew British fighter aircraft (Hawker Hurricanes) with British ranks. Pilot Officer Meierhoff moved with No. 133 to RAF Duxford, England on 16 August before arriving RAF Eglington, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland in early October. Here they received Supermarine Spitfires to fly. The new year 1942, saw a move back to England, RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey in Lincolnshire on 2 January. In April, Cecil returned home for three weeks leave and afterwards reported to Canada to train British fighter pilots in aerial combat tactics. Here he received his promotion to Flight Lieutenant.
In October 1943, he applied for and was granted a transfer to the United States Army Air Forces with the rank of Captain. He continued to be an instructor of tactical aerial combat instruction. First at Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York and then at Bluethenthal Field, Wilmington, North Carolina. In March 1945, Captain Meierhoff volunteered for a transfer to the Pacific. This was granted and he was assigned to the 21st Fighter Squadron, 413th Fighter Group, 301st Fighter Wing, 20th Air Force based on Le Shima Island, Okinawa, Japan as a Flight Leader.
Cecil flew P-47N-2-RE Thunderbolt tail number 44-87997. On 22 July 1945, he was leading a combat mission as Hootowl Blue Flight. They took off at 0900 (9am) to conduct a Strike Mission against Japanese forces at Wangpoo River, Shanghai, China. At 1004 (10:04am) just 200 miles from Le Shima over the East China Sea, Cecil's P-47 developed an oil leak and caught fire. He had to bail from the aircraft and his chute was seen to deploy, but was lost in the clouds. After the rest of Hootowl Blue Flight got down below the clouds, Cecil could not be spotted, they kept widening their search circles to no avail. Search aircraft were dispatched and one reported seeing a pilot in a Goodyear (survival raft) and was OK, so the remaining flight members returned to Le Shima. He was never rescued, no statements of rescue flights in the Missing Aircrew Report, so as to why remains a mystery.
Cecil was 24 years old. He's listed on memorials at Cottonwood Falls, Chase County, Kansas; the Eagle Squadron Memorial, Grosvenor Square, American Embassy, London, England; and ground markers at Grant Cemetery in Marion, Marion County, Kansas and in the Harris plot at Monte Vista Memorial Gardens in Johnson City, Washington County, Tennessee. **Why here is also a mystery.
Cecil was the son of Frederick John Meierhoff and Matilda Kohlman, both first generation born Americans of German parents. Frederick in Illinois and Matilda in Kansas. After the death of his parents, Cecil lived for seven years with Mr. and Mrs. James M. Snelling in Florence. He was married to Philia "Ruth" Roberts on 27 April 1941 in Tulsa, Oklahoma and left for England four days later.
** 6 February 2015, one mystery solved thanks to Thad Meierhoff of Kansas, he shared many photos and newspaper clippings of both Cecil and Ruth. Ruth while working in Washington, D.C. as a Stewardess for American Airlines in 1947 when she meet Allen Harris, Jr. from Johnson City, Tennessee. They fell in love, were married and she moved here to Allen's home. Ruth is the one that had Cecil's memorial marker installed at Monte Vista.
Cecil was born in the Grant Township of Marion County and was a graduate of Florence High School, Class of 1937. He attended the Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia, Kansas. He was a Phi Sigma Epsilon Rush Captain. Cecil left college after his third year, because he wanted to become a fighter pilot. He jumped the border into Canada and joined the Royal Air Force (RAF).
After training to be a fighter pilot in Canada, Cecil sailed for England from Montreal on 4 June 1941. After more training in England, he was assigned to the newly formed Number 133 Squadron at RAF Coltishall in England, United Kingdom on 1 August. No. 133 was the third Eagle Squadron (Americans) to be formed and they flew British fighter aircraft (Hawker Hurricanes) with British ranks. Pilot Officer Meierhoff moved with No. 133 to RAF Duxford, England on 16 August before arriving RAF Eglington, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland in early October. Here they received Supermarine Spitfires to fly. The new year 1942, saw a move back to England, RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey in Lincolnshire on 2 January. In April, Cecil returned home for three weeks leave and afterwards reported to Canada to train British fighter pilots in aerial combat tactics. Here he received his promotion to Flight Lieutenant.
In October 1943, he applied for and was granted a transfer to the United States Army Air Forces with the rank of Captain. He continued to be an instructor of tactical aerial combat instruction. First at Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York and then at Bluethenthal Field, Wilmington, North Carolina. In March 1945, Captain Meierhoff volunteered for a transfer to the Pacific. This was granted and he was assigned to the 21st Fighter Squadron, 413th Fighter Group, 301st Fighter Wing, 20th Air Force based on Le Shima Island, Okinawa, Japan as a Flight Leader.
Cecil flew P-47N-2-RE Thunderbolt tail number 44-87997. On 22 July 1945, he was leading a combat mission as Hootowl Blue Flight. They took off at 0900 (9am) to conduct a Strike Mission against Japanese forces at Wangpoo River, Shanghai, China. At 1004 (10:04am) just 200 miles from Le Shima over the East China Sea, Cecil's P-47 developed an oil leak and caught fire. He had to bail from the aircraft and his chute was seen to deploy, but was lost in the clouds. After the rest of Hootowl Blue Flight got down below the clouds, Cecil could not be spotted, they kept widening their search circles to no avail. Search aircraft were dispatched and one reported seeing a pilot in a Goodyear (survival raft) and was OK, so the remaining flight members returned to Le Shima. He was never rescued, no statements of rescue flights in the Missing Aircrew Report, so as to why remains a mystery.
Cecil was 24 years old. He's listed on memorials at Cottonwood Falls, Chase County, Kansas; the Eagle Squadron Memorial, Grosvenor Square, American Embassy, London, England; and ground markers at Grant Cemetery in Marion, Marion County, Kansas and in the Harris plot at Monte Vista Memorial Gardens in Johnson City, Washington County, Tennessee. **Why here is also a mystery.
Cecil was the son of Frederick John Meierhoff and Matilda Kohlman, both first generation born Americans of German parents. Frederick in Illinois and Matilda in Kansas. After the death of his parents, Cecil lived for seven years with Mr. and Mrs. James M. Snelling in Florence. He was married to Philia "Ruth" Roberts on 27 April 1941 in Tulsa, Oklahoma and left for England four days later.
** 6 February 2015, one mystery solved thanks to Thad Meierhoff of Kansas, he shared many photos and newspaper clippings of both Cecil and Ruth. Ruth while working in Washington, D.C. as a Stewardess for American Airlines in 1947 when she meet Allen Harris, Jr. from Johnson City, Tennessee. They fell in love, were married and she moved here to Allen's home. Ruth is the one that had Cecil's memorial marker installed at Monte Vista.
After training to be a fighter pilot in Canada, Cecil sailed for England from Montreal on 4 June 1941. After more training in England, he was assigned to the newly formed Number 133 Squadron at RAF Coltishall in England, United Kingdom on 1 August. No. 133 was the third Eagle Squadron (Americans) to be formed and they flew British fighter aircraft (Hawker Hurricanes) with British ranks. Pilot Officer Meierhoff moved with No. 133 to RAF Duxford, England on 16 August before arriving RAF Eglington, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland in early October. Here they received Supermarine Spitfires to fly. The new year 1942, saw a move back to England, RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey in Lincolnshire on 2 January. In April, Cecil returned home for three weeks leave and afterwards reported to Canada to train British fighter pilots in aerial combat tactics. Here he received his promotion to Flight Lieutenant.
In October 1943, he applied for and was granted a transfer to the United States Army Air Forces with the rank of Captain. He continued to be an instructor of tactical aerial combat instruction. First at Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York and then at Bluethenthal Field, Wilmington, North Carolina. In March 1945, Captain Meierhoff volunteered for a transfer to the Pacific. This was granted and he was assigned to the 21st Fighter Squadron, 413th Fighter Group, 301st Fighter Wing, 20th Air Force based on Le Shima Island, Okinawa, Japan as a Flight Leader.
Cecil flew P-47N-2-RE Thunderbolt tail number 44-87997. On 22 July 1945, he was leading a combat mission as Hootowl Blue Flight. They took off at 0900 (9am) to conduct a Strike Mission against Japanese forces at Wangpoo River, Shanghai, China. At 1004 (10:04am) just 200 miles from Le Shima over the East China Sea, Cecil's P-47 developed an oil leak and caught fire. He had to bail from the aircraft and his chute was seen to deploy, but was lost in the clouds. After the rest of Hootowl Blue Flight got down below the clouds, Cecil could not be spotted, they kept widening their search circles to no avail. Search aircraft were dispatched and one reported seeing a pilot in a Goodyear (survival raft) and was OK, so the remaining flight members returned to Le Shima. He was never rescued, no statements of rescue flights in the Missing Aircrew Report, so as to why remains a mystery.
Cecil was 24 years old. He's listed on memorials at Cottonwood Falls, Chase County, Kansas; the Eagle Squadron Memorial, Grosvenor Square, American Embassy, London, England; and ground markers at Grant Cemetery in Marion, Marion County, Kansas and in the Harris plot at Monte Vista Memorial Gardens in Johnson City, Washington County, Tennessee. **Why here is also a mystery.
Cecil was the son of Frederick John Meierhoff and Matilda Kohlman, both first generation born Americans of German parents. Frederick in Illinois and Matilda in Kansas. After the death of his parents, Cecil lived for seven years with Mr. and Mrs. James M. Snelling in Florence. He was married to Philia "Ruth" Roberts on 27 April 1941 in Tulsa, Oklahoma and left for England four days later.
** 6 February 2015, one mystery solved thanks to Thad Meierhoff of Kansas, he shared many photos and newspaper clippings of both Cecil and Ruth. Ruth while working in Washington, D.C. as a Stewardess for American Airlines in 1947 when she meet Allen Harris, Jr. from Johnson City, Tennessee. They fell in love, were married and she moved here to Allen's home. Ruth is the one that had Cecil's memorial marker installed at Monte Vista.
Bio by: Allen D. Jackson, USAF (Ret)
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