356th Fighter Group
GroupIWM, Roger Freeman Collection
The 356th Fighter Group flew 413 missions between 15 October 1943 and 7 May 1945 and suffered the highest ratio of losses to enemy aircraft claims of any Eighth Air Force Group. This gave the Group the reputation of being the 'hard luck' outfit. The Group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for its support of the airborne invasion of Holland in mid September 1944.
Commanding Officers
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: VIII Fighter Command 356th Fighter Group 56th Fighter Group 63rd Fighter Squadron Headquarters (356th Fighter Group)
- Service Numbers: O-393591
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Group Commander
Connections
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Unit stations
Station | Location | Date |
---|---|---|
Based |
Goxhill | 27 August 1943 - 5 October 1943 |
Based |
Martlesham Heath | 5 October 1943 - 2 November 1945 |
Encompassing
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 356th Fighter Group 361st Fighter Squadron
- Highest Rank: Private First Class
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 356th Fighter Group 360th Fighter Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineering
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 356th Fighter Group 360th Fighter Squadron
- Highest Rank: Corporal
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 356th Fighter Group 495th Fighter Training Group 360th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-798340
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 356th Fighter Group 361st Fighter Squadron
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 356th Fighter Group 360th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 356th Fighter Group 361st Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Nicknames: Little Fifi
- Unit: 356th Fighter Group 359th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 356th Fighter Group 361st Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 356th Fighter Group 359th Fighter Squadron
Mission
- Date: 18 April 1944
- Date: 15 April 1944
- Date: 13 April 1944
- Date: 12 April 1944
- Date: 11 April 1944
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / The Mighty Eighth. A History of the Units, Men and Machines of the US 8th Air Force.' by Roger A. Freeman (1989). 'Air Force Combat Units of World War II' compiled by the Department of the US Air Force, edited by Maurice Maurer (1983). / 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)