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365th Fighter Group

Group

  • Lieutenant Colonel Louis Houck of the 365th Fighter Group wearing a flying helmet with devil horns in the cockpit of his P-47 Thunderbolt nicknamed

    Lieutenant Colonel Louis Houck of the 365th Fighter Group wearing a flying helmet with devil horns in the cockpit of his P-47 Thunderbolt nicknamed "Screamin' Weemie". Image stamped on reverse: 'Keystone Press.' [stamp]. Printed caption on reverse: 'AMERICAN FLYER WEARS "DEVIL'S HELMET" Lieutenant Colonel Louis Houck, 27, commander of a Ninth US Air Force fighter group, waves for contact after donning his "devil's helmet" for a mission against the Nazis. The flyer calls his plane "Screaming' Weemie". Keystone Photo no. 481512. War Pool Photo, not for use in Western Hemisphere or British Isles.'

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  • Captain Zell Smith Jr. of the 365th Fighter Group in the cockpit of his P-47D Thunderbolt. Image via DK Beaumeister, via Zell Smith.

    Captain Zell Smith Jr. of the 365th Fighter Group in the cockpit of his P-47D Thunderbolt. Image via DK Beaumeister, via Zell Smith.

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  • 1LT Francis A. Roman Fighter Pilot 365th FG WIA - 12 December 1944

    1LT Francis A. Roman Fighter Pilot 365th FG WIA - 12 December 1944

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  • A-7 Azeville Airfield

    A-7 Azeville Airfield

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  • Control Tower at Fritzlar Airfield - Y-86

    Control Tower at Fritzlar Airfield - Y-86

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  • Republic P-47D-15-RE Thunderbolt, 42-76127 'Turnip Termite' B4-U, 387th Fighter Squadron, 365th Fighter Group, 9th AF.

    Republic P-47D-15-RE Thunderbolt, 42-76127 'Turnip Termite' B4-U, 387th Fighter Squadron, 365th Fighter Group, 9th AF.

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  • Republic P-47D-15-RE Thunderbolt, 42-76127 'Turnip Termite' B4-U, 387th Fighter Squadron, 365th Fighter Group, 9th AF.

    Republic P-47D-15-RE Thunderbolt, 42-76127 'Turnip Termite' B4-U, 387th Fighter Squadron, 365th Fighter Group, 9th AF.

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  • Republic P-47D-15-RE Thunderbolt, 42-76127 'Turnip Termite' B4-U, 387th Fighter Squadron, 365th Fighter Group, 9th AF. 'Turnip Termite' made an emergency landing in a minefield in San Laurent sur Mer when it ran out of fuel. It was the assigned aircraft of Captain Arlo Henry [Dearborn, Michigan].

    Republic P-47D-15-RE Thunderbolt, 42-76127 'Turnip Termite' B4-U, 387th Fighter Squadron, 365th Fighter Group, 9th AF. 'Turnip Termite' made an emergency landing in a minefield in San Laurent sur Mer when it ran out of fuel. It was the assigned aircraft of Captain Arlo Henry [Dearborn, Michigan].

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  • The burning wreck of a P-47 Thunderbolt of the 365th Fighter Group. First handwritten caption on reverse: '388th FS, 365th FG, 9th Air Force.' Second handwritten caption: 'P-47 hit by ground fire- German.'

    The burning wreck of a P-47 Thunderbolt of the 365th Fighter Group. First handwritten caption on reverse: '388th FS, 365th FG, 9th Air Force.' Second handwritten caption: 'P-47 hit by ground fire- German.'

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  • 1LT Lloyd A. Hutchins Pilot 365th FG - 386th FS

    1LT Lloyd A. Hutchins Pilot 365th FG - 386th FS

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The Group moved to England in December 1943 as part of the Ninth Air Force. Flying P-47s, the Group took part in missions over northern France designed to weaken Germany's ability to repulse the planned Allied invasion of summer 1944. After the successful beach landings, the Group supported the Allies as they fought to break out at St. Lo and push further westwards. They supported the airborne assault into Holland and during the autumn of 1944, flew to aid the seizure of Aachen. The Group received a DUC for taking out a large number of enemy aircraft over the Bonn-Dusseldorf area in Germany on 21 Oct 1944. The 365th was one of the Ninth Air Force fighter groups to win a DUC for action in southern Germany, knocking out airfields and aircraft to help speed the American advance.

Commanding officers

  • Ray Stecker

    Military | Colonel | Group Commander | 365th Fighter Group

Structure

Part of
Encompassing
Previously was
Not yet known
Became
Not yet known

Missions

  • 8th Air Force FO 250 BOMBER ESCORT

    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...

  • 8th Air Force FO 251 BOMBER ESCORT

    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....

  • 8th Air Force FO 256 BOMBER ESCORT

    29 February 1944
    A combined force of 79 P-47s from 78FG and IX Fighter Command 365FG are despatched to provide escort from heavy bombers attacking the V-Weapon site at Lottinghen, France. There are no losses, claims or casualties.

  • 8th Air Force FO 257 BOMBER ESCORT

    2 March 1944
    Two separate fighter operations are utilized to escort the two heavy bomber operations attacking at Frankfurt, Germany and Chartres, France. ...

  • 8th Air Force FO 257 BOMBER ESCORT

    2 March 1944
    Two separate fighter operations are utilized to escort the two heavy bomber operations attacking at Frankfurt, Germany and Chartres, France. ...

  • 8th Air Force FO 260 BOMBER ESCORT

    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...

  • 8th Air Force FO 262 BOMBER ESCORT

    6 March 1944
    A combined figther force of 801 figthers of types: P-38; P-47 and P-51 are despatched to provide escort for heavy bombers attacking at Berlin, Germany. Mission Summary follows: ...

  • 8th Air Force 282 BOMBER ESCORT

    27 March 1944
    A combined force of 960 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 ad P-51 are despatched to provide escort to heavy bombers attacking 11 German airfields and air depots in France. 243 of the 960 are frunished by IX Fighter Command. The P-51 element also attacks...

  • 8th Air Force Field Order 295

    11 April 1944

  • 8th Air Force Field Order 296

    12 April 1944

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Stations

Station Location Date
Based Gosfield 23 December 1943 – 5 March 1944
Based Beaulieu 5 March 1944 – 27 June 1944
Based Azeville 27 June 1944 – 15 August 1944
Based Bretigny 3 September 1944 – 11 September 1944
Based Juvincourt 11 September 1944 – 2 October 1944
Based Chievres 4 October 1944 – 27 December 1944
Based Metz 27 December 1944 – 30 January 1945

Connections

People

  • James Allen

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 365th Fighter Group
    Killed April 20, 1944 near Selsey Bill, England

  • Julius Almond

    Military | Captain | 365th Fighter Group
    Assigned to 387FS, 365FG, 9AF USAAF. Flew 94 missions over France, Belgium, and Germany. Completed Tour Duty (ETD). ...

  • Coburn Arledge

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 365th Fighter Group
    Retired from the USAF with the rank of Major.

  • David Baumeister

    Military | Captain | Pilot | 365th Fighter Group
    On DS (detached service) for operational training. Flew four missions with the 335th Fighter Squadron.

  • John Cave

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 365th Fighter Group

  • Peter Corson

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter pilot | 365th Fighter Group
    Assigned to 388FS, 365FG, 9AF USAAF. Awards: Defense, WWII Victory, EAME.

  • Oliven Cowan

    Military | Captain | Fighter Pilot | 365th Fighter Group
    a P-47 Thunderbolt Pilot, he flew 88 combat missions over Europe

  • Marcel DuPont

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 365th Fighter Group

  • Rockford Gray

    Military | Major | Fighter Pilot | 359th Fighter Group
    March-Oct. 1943, to HQ, later to 9th AF and Killed in Action (KIA)

  • Allen Guest

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter pilot | 365th Fighter Group
    On detached service for operational training. Flew three missions with the 336th Fighter Squadron. Served with the 365th Fighter Group, 388th Fighter Squadron 9AF USAAF. Involved in mid-air collision, leg struck tail of his P-47 as he bailed out over...

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Aircraft

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Citations

None

Air Force
9th
Type
Combat
Type category
Fighter
Nicknames

Hell Hawks

Motto
Not yet known
Insignia
Not yet known
Aircraft used
  • P-47 Thunderbolt

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
01 February 2017 13:51:13 general ira snapsorter Changes to stations
Sources

Stations added with details from:
- "Battle Colors Volume III - Insignia and Tactical Markings of the Ninth Air Force in World War Two' by Robert A. Watkins;
- http://www.ixengineercommand.com/airfields/physical.php
Date Contributor Update
21 July 2016 01:45:59 466thHistorian Changes to stations
Sources

Thunderbolts of the Hell Hawks - Barnes/Crump/Rutherford
Page 305
Date Contributor Update
21 July 2016 01:33:58 466thHistorian Changes to commanding officers associations
Sources

Thunderbolts of The Hell Hawks - Barnes/Crump/Sutherland
Page 305
Date Contributor Update
21 July 2016 00:03:21 466thHistorian Changes to nicknames, aircraft types and stations
Sources

"Thunderbolts of The Hell Hawks" - Barnes/Crump/Sutherland
page306
Date Contributor Update
25 February 2015 17:11:13 rossingtonj Changes to type, mission associations and stations
Sources

Association to Gosfield.
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)

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