353rd Fighter Group
Group
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 352 - The lounge of the Officers Club at Raydon air base. When the 353rd Fighter Group were stationed there, it was known as "The Auger Inn".
The 353rd Fighter Group was assigned to the Eighth Air Force on 7 June 1943. The group flew P-47 Thunderbolts, and from October 1944, P-51 Mustangs, as escorts for bombing missions across occupied Europe and to strafe targets on the ground. Tactical missions included strafing and dive-bombing targets during the Allied invasion of Normandy and during the airborne assault of Holland. For these latter missions, between 17 and 23 September 1944, the Group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Unit stations
| Station | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
|
Based |
Goxhill | 7 June 1943 - 3 August 1943 |
|
Based |
Metfield | 3 August 1943 - 12 April 1944 |
|
Based |
Raydon | 12 April 1944 - 10 October 1945 |
Encompassing
- Unit Hierarchy: Platoon
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Air base
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Supply
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 350th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12087429 / O-696678
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 351st Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19033429 / O-758914
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 350th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14100766 / O-810462
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 352nd Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13169988 / O-830398
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 55th Fighter Group 338th Fighter Squadron 350th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17166368 / O-770156
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Nicknames: Alyce
- Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 351st Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 350th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 352nd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Nicknames: Mary Jayne
- Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 352nd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Nicknames: Angel Of Mercy
- Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 351st Fighter Squadron
Mission
- Date: 19 March 1945
- Official Description:
- Date: 15 September 1944
- Date: 23 August 1944
- Date: 22 May 1944
Revisions
From the Personal Collection of Lt. Billy J. Murray
From the Personal Collection of Lt. Billy J. Murray
From the Personal Collection of Lt. Billy J. Murray
From the Personal Collection of Lt. Billy J. Murray
From the Personal Collection of Lt. Billy J. Murray
personal effects of Lt. Billy J. Murray 353rd FG/ 351st FS
personal effects of Lt. Billy J. Murray 353rd FG/ 351st FS
personal effects of Lt. Billy J. Murray 353rd FG/ 351st FS
Dates for when stationed at different bases: http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/353rdfg.php
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)
![Ground personnel of the 353rd Fighter Group attend to a crashed P-51 Mustang (YJ-Z, serial number 44-14610) nicknamed "Sweet Marie", flown by Tom Pryor, 13 June 1945. Handwritten caption on reverse: '13/6/45. Tom Pryor.' On reverse: Tim L. Bivens [Stamp].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-400748.jpg.webp?itok=1O_jD8xc)
