55th Fighter Group

Group
The insignia of the 55th Fighter Group. media-395178.jpg FRE 5235 The insignia of the 55th Fighter Group. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5235 - The insignia of the 55th Fighter Group.

The 55th Fighter Group were the first P-38 Lightning Group to go fully operational from England. The pilots flew long-range escort missions for bombers flying over occupied Europe and racked up 'kills' of their own by destroying enemy aircraft in aerial combat or by strafing them on the ground. After converting to the P-51 Mustang in July 1944, the Group went on to win two Distinguished Unit Citations. The first was awarded for the destruction of 106 enemy aircraft over eight missions between 3-13 September 1944 and the second was awarded for ground strafing achievements on targets in Germany on 19 February 1945.

Commanding Officers

Colonel Glenn E. Duncan, Commanding Officer of the 353rd Fighter Group from 25 November 1943 until 7 July 1944, when he was reported MIA. He evaded and resumed his command on 22 April 1945. Colonel Ben Rimerman, the officer on the right, was the 353rd Fighter Group's Commanding Officer in Col. Duncan's absence. May - August 1945. Colonel Rimerman was killed when the P-51 Mustang he was a passenger in crashed near Great Dunmow, Essex, on 11 August 1945. The pilot Captain William J. Maguire, who had flown w

Benjamin Rimerman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 55th Fighter Group 350th Fighter Squadron Headquarters (353rd Fighter Group) Headquarters (55th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: 17011259 / O-346830
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot / Commanding Officer
Lieutenant-Colonel Elwyn G. Righetti, a pilot of the 338th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group.

Elwyn Guido Righetti

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group Headquarters Squadron (55th Fighter Group) 338th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-396312
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot
Lieutenant-Colonel Frank B. James, a pilot with the 55th Fighter Group, at Nuthampstead air base. Passed for publication 12 November 1943. Printed caption attached to print: 'Lt. Col. Frank B. James, a Lightning P-38 Group Commander, of Huntington Park, Calif., about to set out on an operational flight.'

Frank B James

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: VIII Fighter Command 55th Fighter Group Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (VIII Fighter Command) Headquarters (55th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-22529
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot / Director of Operations
Pilots of the 55th Fighter Group meet the Mayor of Colchester, 1944 - 1945. Left to right they are: Lieutenant-Colonel Elwyn G. Righetti; Colonel George T. Crowell; Mr. Arthur W. Piper, Mayor of Colchester; unknown; Colonel Joe Huddleston.

George T Crowell

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group Headquarters (55th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-398631
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot
Colonel Jack S. Jenkins of the 55th Fighter Group by the nose of his P-38 Lightning, named "Texas Ranger". Handwritten on slide:"K 1167"

Jack Simmons Jenkins

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group Headquarters Squadron (55th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-022606
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Jack W Hayes

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group 96th Bomb Group Headquarters (357th Fighter Group) Headquarters (55th Fighter Group)
  • Highest Rank: Brigadier General
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Nuthampstead 16 September 1943 - 16 April 1944

Based

Wormingford 16 April 1944 - 21 July 1945

Encompassing

People

Albert A Albino

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group 38th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19081219 / O-743300
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Alex Aleknavicus

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group 1601st Ordnance Supply & Maintenance Company
  • Service Numbers: 3267513?
  • Highest Rank: Private

Alex Alexis

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group 343rd Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant

Albert F Ambrose

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group 1601st Ordnance Supply & Maintenance Company
  • Service Numbers: 37240717
  • Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade

Albert S Barsky

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group 97th Service Group 315th Service Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13044784
  • Highest Rank: Corporal

Aircraft

42-103507

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group 343rd Fighter Squadron

42-104250

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group 343rd Fighter Squadron

42-104280

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group 338th Fighter Squadron

42-104284

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group 38th Fighter Squadron

42-104396

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group

Mission

896

  • Date: 19 March 1945
  • Official Description:

Related videos and documents

Download File

Document 15754

  • Media Type: Document
  • Collection Name: William L Beigel Collection
  • Object Number: Document 15754
  • Description: Extract from Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for Second Lieutenant Bradford R Wikholm of the 55th Fighter Group researched by historian Bill...
Download File

Document 51197

  • Media Type: Document
  • Collection Name: Unit histories
  • Object Number: Document 51197
  • Description: 20th Fighter Group Unit History, complete copy. Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record...

Revisions

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ContributorEmily
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Air Force Combat Units of WWII

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Contributorrossingtonj
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Key image chosen

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http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/55thfg.php?action=list_records&recs=50&s…

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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)

55th Fighter Group: Gallery (388 items)

Commanding officers of Fighter Groups of the 8th Air Force, 1944. Printed caption on reverse: 'FORMAL PORTRAIT: They are, left to right, front row: Hub Zemke, 479th Grp, Roy Caviness, 361st Grp, Dave Schilling, 56th Grp, Everett Stewart, 355th Grp, Ben Rimermann, 353rd Grp, John Henry, 339th Grp, GT Crowell, Unk. REAR: James Maydon, 352nd Grp, WH Swanson, Unk, Joe McManus, 364th Grp, Calirborn Kinnard, 4th Grp, Philip Tukey, 356th Grp. Fred Gray, 78th Grp, Don Graham, 357th Grp. Date is unknown but it has

Object number: FRE 10014 - Commanding officers of Fighter Groups of the 8th...

Colonel Jack Jenkins and a comrade of the 55th Fighter Group with a P-38 Lightning (CG-J, serial number 42-67074) nicknamed Texas Ranger".

Object number: FRE 10078 - Colonel Jack Jenkins and a comrade of the 55th...

The top of a cockpit of a P-38 Lightning of the 55th Fighter Group. Image stamped on reverse: 'Flight.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 28 Oct 1943.' [stamp] and 290162.' [censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'FLIGHT PHOTO NO.LI.14. At the top of the cockpit in front of the pilot's head is the handle for operating the escape panel release.'

Object number: FRE 10120 - The top of a cockpit of a P-38 Lightning of the...

The cockpit of a P-38 Lightning of the 55th Fighter Group. Image stamped on reverse: 'Flight.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 28 Oct 1943.' [stamp] and 290163.' [censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'FLIGHT PHOTO NO.LI.13. It is more usual for fighters to have 'Joy sticks; but the Lightning has a wheel and a girder which pivots on the starboard side of the fueselage. The disc with an arrow at the bottom left of the instrument board is for selected cocking of the guns.'

Object number: FRE 10121 - The cockpit of a P-38 Lightning of the 55th...

The front wheel of a P-38 Lightning of the 55th Fighter Group. Image stamped on reverse: 'Flight.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 28 Oct 1943.' [stamp] and 290163.' [censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'FLIGHT PHOTO NO.LI.6. The front wheel which retracts upwards and backwards.'

Object number: FRE 10122 - The front wheel of a P-38 Lightning of the 55th...

Air intakes on the fuselage of P-38 Lightning of the 55th Fighter Group. Image stamped on reverse: 'Flight.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 28 Oct 1943.' [stamp] and 290169.' [censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'FLIGHT PHOTO NO.LI.5. Looking along the starboard tail boom showing the air-intakes for the engine and radiator.'

Object number: FRE 10123 - Air intakes on the fuselage of P-38 Lightning of...

The armaments on a P-38 Lightning of the 55th Fighter Group. Image stamped on reverse: 'Flight.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 28 Oct 1943.' [stamp] and 290163.' [censor no.] A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed. Handwritten caption on reverse: '38 FS/ 55 FG CG:C, P-38 H, 267064 11/43.'

Object number: FRE 10124 - The armaments on a P-38 Lightning of the 55th...

A turbo supercharger on the fuselage of a P-38 Lightning of the 55th Fighter Group. Image stamped on reverse: 'The Aeroplane.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 11 Nov 1943.' [stamp]. A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed. Handwritten caption on reverse: '55th Fighter Group/ CG:C, P-38H-1-LO, November 1943.'

Object number: FRE 10125 - A turbo supercharger on the fuselage of a P-38...

Interior of The Fighting Cock pub in St Albans. Image by Robert Sand, 55th Fighter Group. Written on slide casing: '4-66, The Fighting Cock, St Albans.'

Object number: FRE 10502 - Interior of The Fighting Cock pub in St Albans...

Flatford Mill. Image by Robert Sand, 55th Fighter Group. Written on slide casing: 'Flatford Mills, John Constable.'

Object number: FRE 10503 - The farm house at Flatford Mill. Image by Robert...

Flatford Mill. Image by Robert Sand, 55th Fighter Group. Written on slide casing: 'Flatford Mills, John Constable.'

Object number: FRE 10504 - Farm house at Flatford Mill. Image by Robert Sand...

An airman with a frieght train at Colchester railway yard. Image by Robert Sand, 55th Fighter Group. Written on slide casing: 'Herb Heichelbeck, Colchester Freight Yards.'

Object number: FRE 10508 - An airman with a frieght train at Colchester...