356th Fighter Group

Group
Ground crew of the 356th Fighter Group congratulate the pilot of a P-47 Thunderbolt nicknamed "Zombie" at Martlesham Heath air base. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'ZOMBIE yellow, black outline. [illegible text] black white common practice of 361st FS.' media-377162.jpg FRE 464 Ground crew of the 356th Fighter Group congratulate the pilot of a P-47 Thunderbolt nicknamed "Zombie" at Martlesham Heath air base. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'ZOMBIE yellow, black outline. [illegible text] black white common practice of 361st FS.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 464 - Ground crew of the 356th Fighter Group congratulate the pilot of a P-47 Thunderbolt nicknamed "Zombie" at Martlesham Heath air base. Handwritten...

The 356th Fighter Group flew 413 missions between 15 October 1943 and 7 May 1945 and suffered the highest ratio of losses to enemy aircraft claims of any Eighth Air Force Group. This gave the Group the reputation of being the 'hard luck' outfit. The Group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for its support of the airborne invasion of Holland in mid September 1944.

Commanding Officers

Captain Francis S Gabreski, Lieutenant Colonel Loren McCollon and Lieutenant Colonel Phil Tuckey of the 56th Fighter Group share a joke. Colonel Hubert Zemke (56th Fighter Group) has handwritten on the reverse: 'L to R: (1) Capt. Francis S. Gabreski; (2) Lt.Col. Loren G. McCollom; (3) Lt.Col. Phil Tuckey, CO 63rd FS. They are exchanging a joke at the promotion of McCollom.'
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: VIII Fighter Command 356th Fighter Group 56th Fighter Group 63rd Fighter Squadron Headquarters (356th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-393591
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Group Commander

Connections

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

Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Goxhill 27 August 1943 - 5 October 1943

Based

Martlesham Heath 5 October 1943 - 2 November 1945

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group 361st Fighter Squadron
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group Headquarters (356th Fighter Group)
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 3rd Strategic Air Depot 466th Bomb Group 356th Fighter Group 361st Fighter Squadron
  • Role/Job: Mobile Repair Unit
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group 359th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Photographic
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group 361st Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18219438
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Role/Job: Ground Crew

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group 361st Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group 360th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group 359th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 356th Fighter Group

Revisions

Date
ContributorPEP.1956
Changes
Sources

littlefriends.co.uk and several other sources

Date
Contributorrossingtonj
Changes
Sources

Type added.

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)

356th Fighter Group: Gallery (147 items)