2nd Air Division. 8th USAAF Fighter Groups

65thh Fighter Wing.


4th Fighter Group "The Eagles"

Assigned Eighth AF. 12 Sep. 42.

Component Squadrons

334th. 335th & 336th Fighter Squadron.

Combat Aircraft

Spitfire V. Sep 42-1 April 43

P-47C in combat from 10 Mar, 43- Feb. 44. P 47D, Jun- 43- Feb 44-

p 51 B in combat from 25 Feb- 44 P 51 D from Jun- 44- P-51 K from Dec 44

Stations

DEBDEN 29 Sep. 42 -  27 Jul. 45.

STEEPLE MORDEN    27 Jul. 45-4 Nov. 45,


56th Fighter Group. "The Wolf pack"

56th Fighter Group
Assigned Eighth
 AF 12 Jan 43
 Wing & Command Assignments
VIII FC 12 Jan 43
VIIIFC, 4AOW 30Jun 43
VIII FC, 65 FW 7 Aug 43
2BD65FW 15Sep44
 2 AO 65 FW 1 Jan 45
 Component Squadrons
 61st 62nd and 63rd Fighter Squadron Combat Aircraft P 47
Stations
 KINGS CLIFFE             13 Jan 43 5 Apr 43
 HORSHAM ST FAITH    5 Apr 43 8Jul 43
 HALESWORTH              8 Jul, 43 18 Apr 44
 BOXTED                        18 Apr 44 9 Sep 45.
 LITTLEWALDEN           9Sep 4510Oct 45
 Group COs
 Col Hubert Zemke                 1 Sep 42 30 Oct 43
 Col Robert B Landry           30 Oct 43 11 Jan 44
 Col Hubert A Zemke           19 Jan 44 12 Aug 44
 Col David C Schilling          12 Aug 44 27 Jan 45
 Lt Col Lucian A Dade JR       27 Jan 45 Aug 45
 Lt Col Donald D Renwick         Aug 45 Oct 45
(Lt Col Schilling acting CO   1l  Jan 44 18  Jan 44)
 First Mission
 13 Apr 43 Last Mission 21 Apr 45. Total Missions 447 A/c MIA 128 E/a Claims: 674 air 311 ground



 
 

                                                             355th Fighter Group.  355th Fighter group.
Assigned Eighth AF: 6 Jul.43.
Wing & Command Assignments
VI11 FC: 6 Jun 43
VIII FC 65 FW: Aug. 43
2 BD, 65 FW: 15 Sept 44
2 Dan 65 FW  1 Jan 45
Component Squadrons
354th 357th and 358th Fighter Squadron
Combat Aircraft
P-47D , Jul 43-- 13 Mar 44
P-51B  9Mar 44: P-51D and P-51K
Station
STEEPLE MORDEN 8 Jul 43. 3 Jul 45.
Group CO.
Col William J Cummings JR: 12 Nov 42-4 Nov 44.
Lt Col Everett W Stewart 4 Nov 44-21 Feb 45.
Lt Col Claiborne H Kinnard JR: 21 Febn 45-7 Jun 45.
Lt Col William D Gilchrist: 7 Jun 45.-Sep.45.
First Mission: 14 Sept 43 Last Mission  25 Apr 45.
A/c MIA: 175 E/a Claims: 365 air: 502 ground.


                                                       361st Fighter Group. Bottisham. 361st Fighter Group
 Assigned Eighth AF: 30 Nov. 43
 Wing & Command Assignments
 VIII FC: 30 Nov 43
 VIII FC. 66 FW: 12 Dec. 43.
 VIII FC. 67 FW. 11 Mar 44
 VIII FC. 65 FW n 8 Aug. 44.
 2 BD. 65 FW: 15 Sep 44
 9 AF. XIX TAC: 24 DeC 44 (Temporary assignment air
                            echelon Op control)
 VIII FC: : 1 Feb 45
 2 AD. 65 FW lO April 45
 Component Squadrons

 374th. 375th and 376th Fighter Squadron
 Combat Aircraft
 P-47D  Dec 43-15 May  44
 P-51B  P-51C  from 12 May 44:
 P-51D and P-51K
 Stations
 BOTTISHAM 30 Nov 43-26 Sep. 44
 LITTLE WALDEN 26 Sep 44-Cn 4 Feb 45
 ST DIZIER 25 DeC 44-15 Feb 45 (Air ech only)
 CHIEVRES 15 Feb 45-9 Apr 45 (Gnd ech in early Feb 45).
 LITTLE WALDEN  9 April 45-3 Nov. 45
 Group COs.

 Col Thomas J. In Christian Jr: 10 Feb 43-12 Aug 44. KIA
 Col Ronald F Fallows: 14 Aug 44-30 Aug 44
 Lt Col Roy B Caviness: 31 Aug 44-20 Sep 44
 Lt COI Joseph In Kruzel: 20 SeP 44-2 Nov 44
 Lt Col Roy B Caviness: 3 Nov 44-2 Dec. 44
 Col Junius W Dennison Jr: 3 Dec.44-15 Apr 45
 Lt Col Roy B Caviness: 15 Apr. 45-29 Jun. 45
 Col John D Landers: 29 Jun 45-unknn
 (Lt Col Caviness. group executiven as interim CO Aug and Nov.44)
 First Mission: 21 Jan 44 Last Mission: 20 Apr 45
Total Missions: 441.
 A/c MIA: 81 E/a Claims: 226 air: 105 ground


                                                                              479th Fighter Group.
479th Fighter Group
"Riddle's Raiders'.

Assigned Eighth AF. 14 May 44.
Wing & Command Assignments
 VIII FC, 65 FW: 15 May 44.
 2 BD, 65 FW: 15 Sep. 44.
 2 AD, 65 FW. 1 Jan 45.
Component Squadrons
 434th, 435th and 436th Fighter Squadron
Combat Aircraft
P-38J  May 44 to 27 Sep 44
P-51D , 13 Sep. 44-Sep. 45.
Station
WATTISHAM  15 May 44-22 Nov. 45.
Group COs
Lt Col Kyle L Riddle:25 Dec. 43-10 Aug. 44 MIA-evaded.
Col. Hubert Zemke:  12 Aug. 44-30 Oct. 44, POW
Col. Kyle L Riddle: 1 Nov. 44-late 45.
First Mission: 26 May 44. Last Mission: 25 Apr. 45.
Total  Missions: 351
A/c MIA: 69. E/a Claims: 155 air; 279 ground.

 

BACK To Main

Back to Bomber Groups