361st Fighter Group
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| 361st Fighter Group | |
|---|---|
 361st Fighter Group Insignia |
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| Active | 1943 - 1945 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army Air Forces |
| Role | Fighter |
| Part of | Ninth Air Force |
| Garrison/HQ | European Theatre of World War II |
The 361st Fighter Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization. It served primarily in the European Theatre of World War II.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Operational Units
- 374th Fighter Squadron (B7)
- 375th Fighter Squadron (E2)
- 376th Fighter Squadron (E9)
[edit] Aircraft Flown
[edit] Stations assigned
- Richmond AAB, VA 10 Feb 1943
- Langley Field, VA 26 May 1943
- Millville AAFld, NJ 20 Jul 1943
- Camp Springs AAFld, MD 28 Aug 1943
- Richmond AAB, VA 20 Sep-11 Nov 1943
- RAF Bottisham, England 30 Nov 1943 374
- RAF Little Walden, England 26 Sep 1944 165
- Chievres, Belgium 1 Feb-Apr 1945
- RAF Little Walden, England 9 Apr-3 Nov 1945 165
- Camp Kilmer, NJ 9-10 Nov 1945
[edit] Operational history
Constituted as 361st Fighter Group on 28 Jan 1943. Activated on 10 Feb 1943. Joined Eighth AF at RAF Bottisham, England in Nov 1943. The group was under the command of the 65th Fighter Wing of the VIII Fighter Command. Aircraft of the group were identified by yellow around their cowlings and tails.
The 361st FG entered combat with P-47 aircraft on 21 January 1944 and converted to P-51's in May 1944. The unit served primarily as an escort organization, covering the penetration, attack, and withdrawal of B-17/B-24 bomber formations that the USAAF sent against targets on the Continent.
The group also engaged in counter-air patrols, fighter sweeps, and strafing and dive-bombing missions. Attacked such targets as airdromes, marshalling yards, missile sites, industrial areas, ordnance depots, oil refineries, trains, and highways. During its operations, participated in the assault against the German Air Force and aircraft industry during Big Week, 20-25 February 1944; the Normandy invasion, June 1944 and the Saint-Lô breakthrough in July.
The weight of the heavy P-47 fighters soon began to tell on the wet surface making take-offs tricky. A team of American engineers were called in during January 1944 and, in three days, they constructed a 1,470-yard-long runway with pierced-steel planking. This feat was considered a record for laying this type of prefabricated surfacing. The runway, which was aligned NE-SW, became the main at Bottisham the other also being constructed of P5P.
In September 1944 the 361st FG moved to RAF Little Walden. At Little Walden, the 361st served primarily as a B-17/B-24 escort organization, covering the penetration, attack, and withdrawal of bomber formations that the USAAF sent against targets on the Continent. The group also engaged in counter-air patrols, fighter sweeps, and strafing and dive-bombing missions. Attacked such targets as airfields, marshalling yards, missile sites, industrial areas, ordnance depots, oil refineries, trains, and highways.
The group supported the airborne attack on Holland in September 1944 and deployed to Chievres, Belgium between February and April 1945 flying tactical ground support missions during the airborne assault across the Rhine.
The unit returned to Little Walden and flew its last combat mission on 20 April 1945.
On 10 November the 361st Fighter Group returned to Camp Kilmer New Jersey and was deactivated.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Freeman, Roger A. (1978) Airfields of the Eighth: Then and Now. After the Battle ISBN 0900913096
- Freeman, Roger A. (1991) The Mighty Eighth The Colour Record. Cassell & Co. ISBN 0-304-35708-1
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
