20th Fighter Group
GroupIWM, Roger Freeman Collection
In August 1943, the 20th Fighter Group arrived in Clyde, Scotland, before travelling to Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire, which was to be their base for the rest of the war. The Group flew 312 missions before their last mission on 25 April 1945. The pilots escorted bombers and strafed ground targets as well as engaging enemy aircraft. The success with which the Group hit locomotive targets earned them the nickname of the "Loco Busters".
Commanding Officers
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 77th Fighter Squadron Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (20th Fighter Group)
- Service Numbers: O-357600
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot 1056 multi-engine. Group Commander
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron 77th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-21538
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot Squadron/Group Commander
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 65th Fighter Wing 4th Fighter Group Headquarters (4th Fighter Group) Headquarters (65th Fighter Wing)
- Service Numbers: O-17932
- Highest Rank: Brigadier General
- Role/Job: Commanding General
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 65th Fighter Wing 20th Fighter Group 356th Fighter Group Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (20th Fighter Group)
- Service Numbers: O-22623
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot 1056 multi-engine/Group Commander
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 77th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-421109
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot 1056 twin engine deputy group commander
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron 84th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-429947
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 65th Fighter Wing Headquarters (65th Fighter Wing)
- Service Numbers: O-17938
- Highest Rank: Brigadier General
- Role/Job: Commanding General
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group Headquarters (20th Fighter Group)
- Service Numbers: O-393137
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot 1056 twin engine group commander
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 77th Fighter Squadron Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (20th Fighter Group) Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (VIII Fighter Command)
- Service Numbers: O-396297
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot/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 |
Kings Cliffe | 26 August 1943 - 11 October 1945 |
Encompassing
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Communications Section
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
- Highest Rank: Corporal
- Role/Job: Driver
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 79th Fighter Squadron
- Highest Rank: Corporal
- Role/Job: Ground Crew
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 554th Fighter Training Squadron 79th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-754486
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot, Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Group Medical Section
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 77th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 79th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 77th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 79th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 77th Fighter Squadron
Mission
- Date: 1 May 1944
- Date: 30 April 1944
- Date: 30 April 1944
- Date: 29 April 1944
- Date: 28 April 1944
Revisions
https://www.americanairmuseum.com/unit/229 - Corrected to emblem text
Nicknames and aircraft type added. Nickname amended in description. Citations moved to citation section.
Sources:
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/20thfg.php
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)