U.S. General visits the Point Clear Aviation Museum
	Today, Tuesday 17th May 2005, is a 'big' day in the history of our local museum. Brigadier General Kyle L. Riddle was chief of staff, Headquarters Twelfth U.S. Air Force, Bergstrom Air Force Base, Austin, Texas until his retirement in 1969. During the war in December 1943 General Riddle assumed command of the 479th Fighter Group, which was being trained as a combat group for the Eighth Air Force and was sent to Wattisham in England in May 1944. The group's first combat mission was flown May 21. His pilots were so successful that they became known as 'Riddle's Raiders' and now a days are usually those shown in the television shots, when we see aircraft strafing anything that moved on enemy territory The museum is dedicated to one of his pilots, Raymond E. King who crashed off Clacton on Sea and in the picture below Brig. General Riddle (left) together with Albert Scott (right who is in charge of the museum), are seen inspecting the wrecked P51 Mustang fighter aircraft recovered from the sea and in which the pilot died.

They have visited Wattisham where their squadron was based and are here to lay a wreath in memory of pilots of their group who lost their lives in the war.

Brigadier General Riddle is now 92 years of age and on this, his last ever visit to the U.K., he is accompanied by other veterans and in one case the son of a veteran.

The photo (right) show a group of the volunteers who keep the museum open for the public to enjoy. They have come today to welcome the American party to Point Clear with a lunch in the Ferryboat Inn.

Albert Scott and his wife with the General standing in the doorway of the Martello Tower museum

Brigadier General Kyle L. Riddle lays a wreath at the Clacton Sea Front memorial to pilots of the 8th Air Force

		Here is the group being posed by the Clacton Gazette photographer who is gathering up the personalities, after their interviews with Radio BBC Essex, who were on site for the event. Note the ceremonial guard present to dignify the occasion.
	17th May 2005.    Photographs by John White and Michael Talbot.