361st Fighter Group
Group
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 5272 - The insignia of the 361st Fighter Group.
The 361st Fighter Group was the last P-47 Thunderbolt Group to join the Eighth Air Force. Between 21 January 1944 and 20 April 1945, the Group flew 441 missions, the majority in an escort role in support of bombers flying over occupied Europe. The Group also carried out dive-bombing missions of strategic targets in support of the Normandy invasion and battles being fought by ground forces moving eastwards. The Group also sent a detachment to France to support the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944 to January 1945).
Commanding Officers
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 361st Fighter Group 376th Fighter Squadron Headquarters (361st Fighter Group)
- Service Numbers: O-401183
- Highest Rank: Major General
- Role/Job: Pilot / Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 361st Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron Headquarters (361st Fighter Group)
- Service Numbers: O-21782
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot / Commanding Officer 361st
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Unit stations
| Station | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
|
Based |
Bottisham | 30 November 1943 - 26 September 1944 |
|
Based |
Little Walden | 26 September 1944 - 3 November 1945 |
Encompassing
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Supply
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 361st Fighter Group 50th Service Group
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Ground crew
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 361st Fighter Group 376th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 31180559 / O-886452
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Assistant Engineering Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 361st Fighter Group 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 22nd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron 376th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-859501
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 361st Fighter Group 374th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18025782 / O-380538
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 361st Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15119106 / T-064159
- Highest Rank: Flight Officer
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 361st Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 361st Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 361st Fighter Group 374th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 361st Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Germicide
- Unit: 361st Fighter Group 376th Fighter Squadron
Mission
- Date: 19 March 1945
- Official Description:
- Date: 18 September 1944
- Official Description:
- Date: 2 July 1944
- Date: 8 June 1944
- Date: 23 May 1944
Related videos and documents
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 34560
- Description: Portrait of Lt David Callaway, 361st Fighter Group, and a poem found in his Army locker
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 34915
- Description: Major Roswell Freedman, Fighter Pilot, 361st Fighter Group. Page 1 of a letter from Roswell to his father, dated 25 June 1944.
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 34916
- Description: Major Roswell Freedman, Fighter Pilot, 361st Fighter Group. Page 2 of a letter from Roswell to his father, dated 25 June 1944.
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 34917
- Description: Major Roswell Freedman, Fighter Pilot, 361st Fighter Group. A letter from Roswell to his Aunt Gert and Uncle Abe, dated 11 June 1944.
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 41632
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 41633
- Description: 361st FG , 8th AF P-51D Formation Flight B7-0 ;B7 Z; B7 L; B7 B. DARLIN DORA 44-14957
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). / 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 and air crew stand on a 361st Fighter Group, 8th Air Force P-51 Mustang nicknamed "Lady Luck". caption on image: "8th AF, 361 Fighter Group." On reverse: John E. Bode Sep. 18 1964 [Stamp].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-457975.jpg.webp?itok=F5AlgsDP)
![Lieutenant Colonel Roy Caviness, of the 376th Fighter Squadron, 361st Fighter Group in the cockpit of his P-51D Mustang. Handwritten caption on reverse: '13/3/44. Roy Caviness.' On reverse: Associated Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps]. Caption attached to reverse: Photo ref.no. 311282. "Pilots of P-47s in the ETO. Associated Press photo shows: Maj. Roy B. Caviness, Oil City, La, has shared in bringing down a FW.190 and has damaged three locos."](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-455550.jpg.webp?itok=NcYikMec)
