78th Fighter Group

Group
From left to right: Captain Walker L. Boone, Flight Officer Manuel S. Martinez and Flight Officer Gerry E. Brasher, pilots of the 82nd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, sit on the bonnet of a jeep at Duxford air base. Passed for publication 28 October 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Thunderbolts - the "Guardian Angels" of Flying Fortresses. Here are pictures of Thunderbolts P-47s, the famous American fighter planes, which escort Flying Fortresses on their daylight missions over Occupied Europe. Pho media-377526.jpg FRE 282 From left to right: Captain Walker L. Boone, Flight Officer Manuel S. Martinez and Flight Officer Gerry E. Brasher, pilots of the 82nd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, sit on the bonnet of a Dodge WC (weapons carrier) at Duxford air base. Passed for publication 28 October 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Thunderbolts - the "Guardian Angels" of Flying Fortresses. Here are pictures of Thunderbolts P-47s, the famous American fighter planes, which escort Flying Fortresses on their daylight missions over Occupied Europe. Photo shows:- All set to go: Parked on the hood of their command car which is to take them to their waiting Thunderbolts are L to R: Walker L. BOONE, Wyandotte, Oklahoma, Flight Officer Manuel S. MARTINEZ, Mount Kisco, N.Y., and Flight Officer J.E. BRASHER, Roswell, New Mexico. A few minutes after this picture was snapped they were in the air on their bomber-escort mission into Germany. U.S. Pool/SG/H. Keystone 65.' Roger Freeman Collection

Vehicle identified as a Dodge WC (weapons carrier) by Alan Dengate, via IWM's Facebook page.

Object Number - FRE 282 - From left to right: Captain Walker L. Boone, Flight Officer Manuel S. Martinez and Flight Officer Gerry E. Brasher, pilots of the 82nd Fighter...

The 78th Fighter Group was initially based at Goxhill but moved to Duxford in April 1943 and stayed there until October 1945. The 78th FG flew each of the three US built principal fighters of the AAF in the ETO. In their Thundetbolts, the 78th FG provided maximum effort air cover to the D-Day Normandy invasion fleet as it crossed the Channel. The Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations, the first for their missions in support of airborne forces in Holland, between 16-23 September 1944. The second award was for successfully ground strafing aircraft on five airfields near Prague and Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, on 16 April 1945.

Commanding Officers

Arman Peterson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (78th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-21485
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer
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

Frederic Colbert Gray

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 78th Fighter Group Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (78th Fighter Group) Headquarters (66th Fighter Wing)
  • Service Numbers: O-22327
  • Highest Rank: Brigadier General
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer
Lieutenant-Colonel Jack S. Jenkins, of the 55th Fighter Group, and James J. Stone, of the 78th Fighter Group, stand in front of P-47 Thunderbolt. A P-38 Lightning (CY-?) of the 334th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group is in the background.

James J Stone

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 66th Fighter Wing 83rd Fighter Squadron Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (78th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-403658
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer / Pilot

John D Landers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 357th Fighter Group 361st Fighter Group 55th Fighter Group 38th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-431968
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer

Melvin F McNickle

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (78th Fighter Group)
  • Highest Rank: Major General
  • Role/Job: Pilot
A P-51 Mustang aircraft - HL-A - (serial number 44-63216), named "Anne Nihilator”. This aircraft was piloted by Lieutenant Colonel Olin E. Gilbert. Whilst strafing Charleroi aerodrome on 28th August 1944, Gilbert's Mustang was struck by flak - causing a crash landing. Gilbert successfully evaded capture and escaped, with the assistance of the resistance. Handwritten on slide casing:"Anne Nihilator Mason Barnard"

Olin Edward Gilbert

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 78th Fighter Group 83rd Fighter Squadron Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (78th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-402313
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot
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."

Roy Blair Caviness

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 361st Fighter Group 376th Fighter Squadron Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (78th Fighter Group) Headquarters (361st Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: 14014820 / O-413041
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot - Group Commanding Officer

Connections

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

Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Goxhill 1 December 1942 - 3 April 1943

Based

Duxford 3 April 1943 - 10 October 1945

Previously was

Encompassing

People

Edwin Bailey Anderson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 78th Fighter Group 82nd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15325850 / O-2057517
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Arthur Napoleon Arpin

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 78th Fighter Group 84th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11044921 / O-728955
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Donald Scott Beals

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 78th Fighter Group 83rd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19075736 / O-728959
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot

Cyril Thomas Bendorf

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 55th Fighter Group 78th Fighter Group 343rd Fighter Squadron 84th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39039363 / O-829621
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot
Second Lieutenant John J. Hockery and assisstant crew chief, Corporal Carl F of the 78th Fighter Group with a P-47 Thunderbolt. Passed for publication 28 Oct 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Thunderbolts - The Fly. Thunderbolts - The "Guardian Angels" Of Flying Fortresses. Here are pictures of Thunderbolts - P-47s, the famous American fighter planes, which escort Flying Fortresses on their daylight missions over Occupied Europe. Photo Shows:- Another night shot. Cpl. Carl F. [word overwritten], Dayton,

Carl Frank Benes

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 78th Fighter Group 82nd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17024396
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Crew chief

Aircraft

41-6240

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 78th Fighter Group 84th Fighter Squadron

41-6374

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 78th Fighter Group

41-6391

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 78th Fighter Group 82nd Fighter Squadron

41-6411

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Muscle Bound
  • Unit: 78th Fighter Group 83rd Fighter Squadron

41-7576

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 78th Fighter Group 83rd Fighter Squadron

Mission

896

  • Date: 19 March 1945
  • Official Description:

Revisions

Date22 Aug 2019 13:42:28
ContributorEmily
ChangesChanges to us air force combat units of world war ii description and commanding officers associations
Sources

Air Force Combat Units of WWII

Date20 Apr 2019 02:52:06
ContributorArthurB.Richie
ChangesChanges to media associations
Sources

Courtesy of Keith Ritchie from the collection of Dora Richie Stovall

Date28 Sep 2014 15:39:09
ContributorCarl
ChangesChanges to citations, commanding officers associations, mission associations and stations
Sources

Duxford Diary, 1945 ( also available online here: http://www.ulongbeach.com/Duxford_Diary.html )

Date28 Sep 2014 11:58:20
ContributorCarl
ChangesChanges to nicknames, motto, insignia, aircraft types, mission associations and stations
Sources

Duxford Diary, 1945
Garry L Fry; Eagles of Duxford: 78th Fighter Group in World War II; (St Paul, 1991)

Date27 Sep 2014 18:42:46
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
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)

78th Fighter Group: Gallery (489 items)