31st Fighter Group
Group
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
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 31st Fighter Group
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant General
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
- 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
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 31st Fighter Group 308th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-421595
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 31st Fighter Group 309th Fighter Squadron
- Highest Rank: Private
- Role/Job: Firefighter
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 31st Fighter Group 308th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-681645
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 31st Fighter Group
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Ground Crew
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 31st Fighter Group 309th Fighter Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: Spitfire
- Unit: 31st Fighter Group 308th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: Spitfire
- Unit: 31st Fighter Group 308th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: Spitfire
- Unit: VIII Fighter Command 31st Fighter Group 309th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: Spitfire
- Unit: 31st Fighter Group 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group 107th Reconnaissance Squadron 309th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: Spitfire
- Nicknames: Mary James
- Unit: 31st Fighter Group 4th Fighter Group 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron 309th Fighter Squadron 334th Fighter Squadron No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
Mission
- Date: 6 August 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 5 August 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 26 July 1942
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).