361st Fighter Group

Group
The insignia of the 361st Fighter Group. media-395215.jpg FRE 5272 The insignia of the 361st Fighter Group. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5272 - The insignia of the 361st Fighter Group.

The 361st Fighter Group was the last P-47 Thunderbolt Group to join the Eighth Air Force. Between 21 January 1944 and 20 April 1945, the Group flew 441 missions, the majority in an escort role in support of bombers flying over occupied Europe. The Group also carried out dive-bombing missions of strategic targets in support of the Normandy invasion and battles being fought by ground forces moving eastwards. The Group also sent a detachment to France to support the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944 to January 1945).

Commanding Officers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 376th Fighter Squadron Headquarters (361st Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-401183
  • Highest Rank: Major General
  • Role/Job: Pilot / Commanding Officer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron Headquarters (361st Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-21782
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot / Commanding Officer 361st

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Bottisham 30 November 1943 - 26 September 1944

Based

Little Walden 26 September 1944 - 3 November 1945

Encompassing

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 50th Service Group
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Ground crew
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 376th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31180559 / O-886452
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Assistant Engineering Officer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 22nd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron 376th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-859501
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 374th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18025782 / O-380538
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15119106 / T-064159
  • Highest Rank: Flight Officer
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 374th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Germicide
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 376th Fighter Squadron

Mission

  • Date: 19 March 1945
  • Official Description:

Revisions

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Date
ContributorLWiart
Changes
Sources

LWiart

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

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)

361st Fighter Group: Gallery (191 items)