354th Fighter Group

Group
media-16270.jpeg UPL 16270 P-51B 43-12375 FT*E Bonnie B. 353rd Fighter Squadron, 354th FG, 8th AF.

USAAF Photo.

Object Number - UPL 16270 - P-51B 43-12375 FT*E Bonnie B. 353rd Fighter Squadron, 354th FG, 8th AF.

The Group moved to England in the autumn of 1943 and was assigned to the Ninth Air Force in December 1943. The Group were the first to fly P-51 Mustangs operationally and in their bomber escort missions pushed to find the long-range limits of the aircraft. The Group escorted gliders on D-Day on 6 June 1944 and in the course of that month continued to strike targets like railways lines and German gun positions in support of Allied troop positions in northern France. The Group was awarded two DUC, the first for their work escorting bombers in the first half of 1944 and the second for a series of successful fighter-sweeps that destroyed numerous enemy aircraft in the air and on the ground on 25 August 1944. The Group support the Battle of the Bulge that winter and Allied troops fighting at the Rhine river in early 1945.

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Greenham Common 4 November 1943

Based

Cricqueville 22 June 1944

Based

Gael 13 August 1944 - 17 September 1944

Based

Rosieres en Haye 1 December 1944 - 8 April 1945

Based

Boxted

Based

Lashenden

Based

Orconte

Based

Ansbach

Encompassing

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 353rd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-730523
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 355th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 353rd Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 356th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-721447
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 363rd Fighter Group
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Rigor Mortis
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 353rd Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 359th Fighter Group 356th Fighter Squadron 370th Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

Chris Brassfield

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

Chris Brassfield

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

Battle Colors - Volume III

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

"Battle Colors - Volume III" - Robert A. Watkins

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
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)

354th Fighter Group: Gallery (128 items)