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Squadron
P-47D 43-25570 "Kwit-Cher-Bitchin" assigned to Randall W. Hendricks, 397th Ftr Sq, 368th FG. Officially credited with five confirmed aerial victories, he & LTC Paul P. Douglas, Jr were the Group's only aces. Not surprising, since their primary task was ground support & interdiction. Captain Eugene M. Potter at the wing root.
"Maj Gen E R Quesada congratulates Capt Richard E Leary Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter bomber pilot of the 9th AF fighter command as he returned from a successful mission and then landed to refuel on an American emergency landing strip in Normandy." - Major Richard E. Leary of the 397th Ftr Sq, 368th FG is congratulated by Maj Gen Elwood R. "Pete" Quesada on landing at one of the newly-won forward operating fields near the Normandy coast. The 368th moved to Cardonville (A-3) on 20 June 1944 and remained there for about two months.
1st Lt George L Bauer 397FS, 368FG, 9AF.
1st Lt George L Bauer, P-47 pilot of XIX Tactical Air Command, gun camera footage of Me109 kill in the Ardennes Salient. Belly tank equipped Me109 is hit initially in the engine cowling and fuselage.
![1st Lt George L Bauer, P-47 pilot of XIX Tactical Air Command, gun camera footage of Me109 kill in the Ardennes Salient. Belly tank equipped Me109 is hit initially in the engine cowling [ flying off above cockpit ] and fuselage.](http://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/media/media-27674.jpeg?itok=Pobn6SVb)
1st Lt George L Bauer, P-47 pilot of XIX Tactical Air Command, gun camera footage of Me109 kill in the Ardennes Salient. Belly tank equipped Me109 is hit initially in the engine cowling [ flying off above cockpit ] and fuselage.
1st Lt George L Bauer, P-47 pilot of XIX Tactical Air Command, gun camera footage of Me109 kill in the Ardennes Salient. Belly tank equipped Me109 is hit initially in the engine cowling and fuselage.
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt 43-25570 "Kwit-Cher-Bitchin" [Right of frame] assigned to Major Randall W. Hendricks of the 397th Ftr Sq, 368th FG (coded D3-H). He was officially credited with five confirmed aerial victories. Avanced airfield at St Pierre Du Mont, Normandy.
P-47D Thunderbolt 42-25881 397th FS, 368th FG, 9th AF pilot Capt Eugene M Potter. A/C and pilot lost on dive bombing mission in a mid air collision with a Fw190. 7-7-44. MACR 6645.
A summer picnic in a French field may sound idyllic - unless the fare is out of a can with the tail of your Thunderbolt doubling as a table. Unidentified pilots of the 397th Ftr Sq, 368th FG grab a quick bite between sorties from their base at Cardonville (A-3), France, late June 1944. L-R Eugene M Potter, Unknown, Captain Joseph Marini and Captain Randall W Hendricks.
"The first group of American planes to land on an American Airfield in France." - P-47's of the 397th Fighter Squadron, likely at Advanced Landing Ground A-1 (St. Pierre Du Mont) on or about 13 June 1944. Serials are obscured, but they are possibly P-47D D3-B 42-75844 and P-47D D3-D 42-76327, 397th FS, 368FG, 9AF.
Group
The 368th Fighter Group flew P-47s in combat from England from March 1944. In the days after D-Day the Group supported Allied ground troops fighting in the Cherbourg penisula and then around St. Lo. The Group received a DUC for flying seven missions in...
| Station | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Based | Chilbolton |
Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter pilot
Assigned to 397FS, 386FG, 9AF USAAF. 2 x confirmed kills. Failed to Return (FTR) armed recon, crashed into a hill while strafing motor transport vehicle near Densberg, Germany. MACR 13622.
Awards: DFC, PH.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 368th Fighter Group
Forced to bail out on a mission on 14 June 1944. Either Returned to Duty (RTD) or became a Prisoner of War (POW). MACR not clear on this point.
...
Military | Captain | Pilot | 368th Fighter Group
Eugene Potter began training in the Canadian air force in the winter of 1940-41. Joined the RAF and was assigned to 71 [Eagle] Sqn RAF, but was not among the officers transferred to the USAAF on 29-9-42.
...
Military | Lieutenant General | 368th Fighter Group
Distinguished Service Cross Citation:
...
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt 42-25881, assigned to the 397th FS, 368th FG, 9th AF, 9-3-44. Whilst on dive bombing mission, collided with a Fw190 near Campeau that had emerged from the overcast directly in front of him. 7-7-44 A/C crashed near Campeau,...
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Assigned to 397FS, 386FG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) armed recon, crashed into a hill while strafing motor transport vehicle near Densberg, Germany. Pilot 1Lt George L Bauer Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 13622.
P-47 Thunderbolt
One-time aircraft of [then] Lt Henry L "Hank" Mills.
Assigned to 334FS, 4FG, 8AF. Transferred to 397FS 368FG 9AF.
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47D Thunderbolt 43-25570 D3-H 'Kwit-Cher-Bitchin' 397th FS, 368th FG, 9th AF. Pilot Randall W Hendricks.
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Assigned to 360FS 356FG 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 375FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 376FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 397FS, 368FG, 9AF USAAF. Abandoned off French coast 27-Jun-44 Pilot Lt Joe R Burney.
None
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 13 March 2015 15:47:13 | rossingtonj | Changes to type |
| Sources | ||
Type added. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:42:49 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980) |
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