31st Fighter Group

Group

media-394882.jpg FRE 7551 A P-51 Mustang (MX-A, serial number 44-13464), flown by Major Sam Brown of the 31st Fighter Group, 15th Air Force. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 7551 - A P-51 Mustang (MX-A, serial number 44-13464), flown by Major Sam Brown of the 31st Fighter Group, 15th Air Force.

The 31st Fighter Group only flew missions from England between June and September 1942 but during this period they supported the Dieppe raid, the assault on occupied Europe, predominantly by the Canadian army. The attack was forced into early retreat by very high casualty rates. The Allies would not land on the north coast of France again until 6 June 1944. As part of the Twelfth Air Force, the 31st Fighter Group took part in the North African and Italian campaigns and flew P-51 Mustangs as escorts to the 15th AF from May 1944 until the war's end.

Commanding Officers

Fred Murray Dean

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 31st Fighter Group
Highest Rank: Lieutenant General
Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Frank Ackerman Hill

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 31st Fighter Group 308th Fighter Squadron 309th Fighter Squadron
Service Numbers: 32047878 / ?
Highest Rank: Colonel
Role/Job: Fighter pilot

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Unit stations

Station	Location	Date
Based	Atcham	11 June 1942 - 1 August 1942
Based	High Ercall	11 June 1942 - 4 August 1842
Based	Westhampnett	1 August 1942 - 21 October 1942
Based	Merston	24 August 1942
Based	Youks-les-Bains	21 February 1943 - 1 March 1943
Based	Korba	15 May 1943 - 30 June 1943
Based	Termini	2 August 1943 - 2 September 1943
Based	San Severo	2 April 1944 - 3 March 1945
Other Assigned 8th Air Force
Other Assigned 12th Air Force
Other Assigned 15th Air Force

Encompassing

307th Fighter Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron

308th Fighter Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron

309th Fighter Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron

People

Donald Earl Adams

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 31st Fighter Group 55th Fighter Group 56th Fighter Group 343rd Fighter Squadron 62nd Fighter Squadron
Service Numbers: 32473483 / O-811298
Highest Rank: Major
Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Wallace E Anderson

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 31st Fighter Group 308th Fighter Squadron
Service Numbers: 7031427
Highest Rank: Master Sergeant
Role/Job: Armament Non-Commissioned Officer

Gerhard Ausborn

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 31st Fighter Group
Role/Job: Armaments

Harry L Barr

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 31st Fighter Group 350th Fighter Group 309th Fighter Squadron 345th Fighter Squadron
Service Numbers: O-421583
Highest Rank: Captain
Role/Job: Fighter Pilot/Squadron Operations Officer/Assistant Group Ops Officer

Robert E Bell

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 31st Fighter Group 308th Fighter Squadron
Service Numbers: 15095728
Highest Rank: Private First Class
Role/Job: Radio Operator

Aircraft

40-2994

Aircraft Type: P-39 Airacobra
Nicknames: Skipper
Unit: 31st Fighter Group

42-106538

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
Nicknames: Little Luke
Unit: 31st Fighter Group 361st Fighter Group 307th Fighter Squadron 376th Fighter Squadron

43-6753

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
Unit: 31st Fighter Group 4th Fighter Group 307th Fighter Squadron 335th Fighter Squadron

43-7020

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
Unit: 31st Fighter Group 309th Fighter Squadron

44-13500

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
Nicknames: The Flying Dutchman
Unit: 31st Fighter Group 308th Fighter Squadron

Mission

VIII Fighter Command

Date: 2 October 1942

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24361) of the 301st Bomb Group prepares for take off. Handwritten caption on reverse: '2-10-42. Chelveston, 301BG.' Printed caption on reverse: 'Flying Fortress Raid French Factory. Associated Press Photo Shows:- A Flying Fortresses takes off for the raid on Meaulte. AP 252181. 5-10-42-N.' On reverse: Associated Press, US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau and US Army Press Censor ETO [Stamps].

VIII Fighter Command

Date: 30 September 1942

VIII Fighter Command

Date: 26 September 1942

VIII Fighter Command

Date: 22 September 1942

VIII Fighter Command

Date: 6 September 1942
Official Description:

Revisions

Date21 Jun 2021 00:06:52

ContributorRED HORSE

ChangesChanges to media associations

Sources

Private Papers of Lt Col Harry L. Barr

Date12 Dec 2018 15:05:52

Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter

ChangesChanges to insignia, us air force combat units of world war ii description, citations and commanding officers associations

Sources

https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044…

Date6 Dec 2016 03:29:40

Contributor466thHistorian

ChangesChanges to stations

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korba_Airfield

Date24 Nov 2016 00:03:36

Contributor466thHistorian

ChangesChanges to stations

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Severo

Date23 Nov 2016 23:42:29

Contributor466thHistorian

ChangesChanges to motto, air forces and stations

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/31st_Operations_Group

Date19 Mar 2015 11:07:53

Contributorrossingtonj

ChangesChanges to aircraft types and mission associations

Sources

Aircraft associations indicate Spitfires were used

Date19 Mar 2015 11:06:51

Contributorrossingtonj

ChangesChanges to air forces, aircraft types and mission associations

Sources

Airforce and aircraft type added.

Date13 Mar 2015 15:12:10

Contributorrossingtonj

ChangesChanges to type and mission associations

Sources

Type added.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:42:45

ContributorAAM

ChangesAAM 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).

31st Fighter Group: Gallery (25 items)

Object number: UPL 49614 -

A P-51 Mustang (MX-A, serial number 44-1346) of the 31st Fighter Group. Handwritten on slide casing: '78th F.G.[sic]'

Object number: FRE 10766 -

Object number: FRE 7551 -

P-51 Mustangs of the 31st Fighter Group, 325th Fighter Group and 332nd Fighter Group, 15th Air Force fly in formation during a mission. Associated caption: 'Flight of P-51s from each of the four 15AF groups.'

Object number: FRE 7553 -

A P-51 Mustang (HL-B, serial number 44-15459) nicknamed "American Beauty" of the 31st Fighter Group, 15th Air Force in flight.

Object number: FRE 7554 -

Major Sam Brown of the 31st Fighter Group, 15th Air Force, in the cockpit of his P-51 Mustang (MX-A, serial number 44-13464). Written on slide casing: 'Maj Brown, 31 FG.'

Object number: FRE 7555 -

A Spitfire (MX-F) of the 31st Fighter Group, 15th Air Force.

Object number: FRE 8675 -

A P-51 Mustang (HL-H) nicknamed "Tempus Fugit" of the 31st Fighter Group, 15th Air Force. Image via R Jones. Handwritten caption on reverse: '308 FS, 31 FG, 15 AF, Col Wm Daniels Group Co.'

Object number: FRE 8676 -

P-51 Mustangs of the 322nd Fighter Group, 52nd Fighter Group and 31st Fighter Group, 15th Air Force in Italy. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'L to R 322 FG, 52 FG, 31 FG- Italy.'

Object number: FRE 8677 -

A P-51 Mustang (HL-H) nicknamed "Tempus Fugit" of the 31st Fighter Group, 15th Air Force.

Object number: FRE 8678 -

Object number: FRE 8679 -

Object number: FRE 8680 -