100th Fighter Wing
Wing
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Group
Equipped with P-51s, the Group entered combat from England in February 1944, flying bomber escort and ground-strafing missions. They took part in the invasion of Normandy, protecting gliders and troop carriers on 6 and 7 June. In September 1944, now based at Le Mans, France, the group was redesignated as the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance. Flying F-5 and F-6 aircraft, the group collected photographic evidence of the location and strength of enemy positions in support of both air and ground operations. They were particularly involved in supporting the Battleof the Bulge in the winter of 1944-1945 and in Allied efforts to break through the Siegfried line in the early part of 1945.
Constituted as 363rd Fighter Group on 11 Feb 1943. Activated on 1 Mar 1943. Trained with P-39’s and served as part of the air defense force. Moved to England in Dec 1943 for duty with Ninth AF. Equipped with P-51’s in Jan 1944 and entered combat in Feb. Escorted bombers and fighter-bombers to targets in France, Germany, and the Low Countries; strafed and dive-bombed trains, marshalling yards, bridges, vehicles, airfields, troops, gun positions, and other targets on the Continent. Supported the invasion of Normandy in Jun 1944 by escorting troop carriers and gliders and by attacking enemy positions near the front lines, and moved to the Continent at the end of Jun to take part in the Allied drive to the German border. Redesignated 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group in Sep 1944.
Wing
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
Headquarters
24 February 1944
A combined force of 767 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 and P-51 are despatched to provide escort to the heavy bombers attacking the German aircraft industries at Gotha, Germany and the ball bearing plants at Schweinfurt, Germany as part of Day 5 of BIG...
25 February 1944
A combined force of 899 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 and P-51 are despatched to provide escort to heavy bombers attacking the German aircraft industries at Regensberg, Augsburg, Stuttgart and Furth, Germany in the final Day 6 operation of BIG WEEK....
29 February 1944
A combined force of 554 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 and P-51 are despacthed to provide fighter escort for heavy bombers attacking at Brunswick, Germany. The 357FG begins its transition from P-47s to P-51s. Mission Summary follows:
...
4 March 1944
A combined force of 770 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 and P-51 are despatched to heavy bombers attacking at Berlin. The weather is terrible and many of the bomber formations either abort of seek Targets of Opportunity in the Ruhr valley. The P-38...
5 March 1944
A combined force of 307 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 and P-51 are despatched to provide escort to heavy bombers attacking German airfields in France. Mission Summary follows:
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8 March 1944
A combined force of 891 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 and P-51 are despatched to provide escort to heavy bombers attacking the VKF ball bearing factories at Berlin/Erkner. Mission summary follows:
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9 March 1944
A combined force of fighters of types: P-38s; P-47s and P-51s are despatched to provide escort to heavy bombers attacking at Berlin, Hannover, Brunswick and Nienburg, Germany. Mission summary follows:
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20 March 1944
A force of 594 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 and P-51 are despatched to escort heavy bombers attacking at Frankfurt and Mannheim, Germany. Dispatch summary follows:
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22 March 1944
A combined force of 540 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 and P-51 are despatched to escort heave bombers attacking ad Berlin and surrounding areas. 275 of these aircraft are contributed by IX Fighter Command units. Despatch summary follows:
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24 March 1944
A force of 540 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 and P-51 are despatched to provide escort to heavy bombers attacking at Schweinfurt, Germany and St. Dizier, France airfield. 266 of the 540 aircraft (both P-47 and P-51) are supplied by IX Fighter Command...
Station | Location | Date |
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Based | Keevil | 23 December 1943 – January 1944 |
Based | Rivenhall | January 1944 – April 1944 |
Based | Staplehurst | April 1944 – 4 July 1944 |
Based | Maupertus | 4 July 1944 – August 1944 |
Based | Azeville | August 1944 – September 1944 |
Based | Le Mans | September 1944 – 1 October 1944 |
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 363rd Fighter Group
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Fighter Pilot-1055 single engine | 354th Fighter Group
1st tour Wingman/Element leader 382nd FS 363rd FG Aug. 1943 - Aug. 1944.
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 363rd Fighter Group
Daren L. Benbenek was a Pilot in the 363rd Fighter Group/381st Fighter Squadron. He was Killed In Action (KIA) on the Bomber Escort mission to Frankfurt, 20 March 1944. Last seen during an engagement with German fighters above Koblenz, Germany, his P...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 363rd Fighter Group
Prisoner of War (POW)
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot | 363rd Fighter Group
Evaded capyure. Plane was hit by enemy fire and he bailed out over Europe. He escaped over the Pyrenees Mtns into Spain, arriving 1 day before D Day.
Military | Captain | Pilot | 363rd Fighter Group
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 363rd Fighter Group
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 363rd Fighter Group
Military | Second Lieutenant | Fighter pilot | 363rd Fighter Group
Assigned to 380FS, 363FG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) escort mission to Dessau shot down Gardelegen, Germany Prisoner of War (POW). 28-May-44 MACR 5136.
Awards: POW,WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Colonel | Fighter Pilot 1055 single engine/Squadron Commander | 354th Fighter Group
Col USAF retired
CO 380th FS 363rd FG
CO 355th FS 354th FG
2 air kills
P-51 Mustang
Last seen between Ostend and Ghent, Belgium on the bomber support mission to Frankfurt, Germany, 20 March 1944. Pilot Robert E. Spencer's body was found near the crash location, near Sart-Saint-Laurent, Belgium. Missing Air Crew Report - MACR 3076.
P-51 Mustang
Assigned to 380FS, 363FG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) escort mission to Dessau shot down Gardelegen, Germany pilot 2Lt Feodor Clemovitz Prisoner of War (POW). 28-May-44 MACR 5136.
P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
None
Date | Contributor | Update |
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31 July 2019 08:37:42 | Emily | Changes to us air force combat units of world war ii description |
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Air Force Combat Units of WWII |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
10 August 2017 21:24:30 | WD-C Mustang | Changes to media associations |
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Key image |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
01 February 2017 13:41:55 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to stations |
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Stations added with details from: |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
13 March 2015 15:33:15 | rossingtonj | Changes to type and mission associations |
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Type added. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
27 September 2014 18:42:45 | AAM | AAM ingest |
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) |