359th Fighter Group | American Air Museum in Britain

Three P-51 Mustangs of the 369th Fighter Squadron, 359th Fighter Group fly together in formation. The aircraft foreground to background are: (IV-P, serial number 44-14543) nicknamed "Precious Pat", piloted by Lieutenant Ralston; (IV-Z, serial number 44-15007) piloted by Lieutenant Klem; and (IV-D, serial number 44-15394) piloted by Captain René L Burtner Jr. (This was the first of Capt. Burtner's three P-51Ds and is seen here before the application of the "Hubert" noseart) First handwritten caption on reverse: 'November 15 1944- 369th FS Lts. Ralston (P), Klem (Z), [illegible] (D).' Second handwritten caption on reverse: '15/11/44 369th Fighter Squadron, 359th Fighter Group. P-51Ds returning from mission.'

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A P-47D Thunderbolt (IV-F, serial number 42-8695) nicknamed "Oily Boid" of the 359th Fighter Group. First handwritten caption on reverse: 'Oily Boid 42-8695 IV:F. Pilot Robert Booth' Second handwritten caption on reverse: ' Unit-? Source- Dick Kill from Hardie. Keep I have a neg, maybe 4-F is a joke??'

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A P-51 Mustang (CV-X, serial number 42-106702) of the 368th Fighter Squadron, 359th Fighter Group, flies over countryside. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Roger- methinks you have already captured this bird in TME [The Mighty Eighth]- in color yet.'

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Captain Thomas P. Smith of the 370th Fighter Squadron, 359th Fighter Group practices archery at East Wretham. Printed Caption on reverse: '359th FG Photos Source: T.P. Smith, via Char Baldridge, Historian Description: #2 T.P. Smith practicing archery.'

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P-51 Mustangs (VF-4) [42-106894] of the 4th Fighter Group, (CV-Q) of the 359th Fighter Group, (LC-D) of the 20th Fighter Group, (LH-V) of the 353rd Fighter group and (C5-Q) of the 357th Fighter Group, with a F-5E (P-38 Lightning) at Debden. Taken on 23 March 1945 by Edward Richie. Information from Mark Richie: "The 65th Fighter Wing had a meeting of all Group COs at Debden about the up coming Rhine River crossing operations. Pretty neat shots. Roger [Freeman] and I puzzled over the NMF C model with the Malcolm hood. D models were in all groups by then so finding a "new" C model with and Malcolm hood is kind of odd. No serial numbers show in rear view. Possible it is a photo recon kite. Tower logs for the day do not inventory individual a/c that attended. Pretty day . . ." And "FRE 5305 also shows another two seat P-51 converted by the shops. Back seat has a Malcolm Hood. The P-38 at the end is actually an F-5E of the 7th Photo Recon Group. It would be the mount of group CO at the time. Note the red stripe on the side of the engine - identifier for the 7th PRG." Handwritten on slide:" Line of P51s E. Richie"

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P-51 Mustangs (CV-Q) of the 359th Fighter Group, (LC-D) of the 20th Fighter Group, (LH-V) of the 353rd Fighter group and (C5-Q) of the 357th Fighter Group, with a P-38 Lightning at Debden, home of the 4th Fighter Group. Taken on 23 March 45 by Edward Richie. Information from Mark Richie: "The 65th Fighter Wing had a meeting of all Group COs at Debden about the up coming Rhine River crossing operations. Pretty neat shots. Roger [Freeman] and I puzzled over the NMF C model with the Malcolm hood. D models were in all groups by then so finding a "new" C model with and Malcolm hood is kind of odd. No serial numbers show in rear view. Possible it is a photo recon kite. Tower logs for the day do not inventory individual a/c that attended. Pretty day . . ." Handwritten on slide case:"line-up Debden Ed Richie"

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Captain Thomas P Smith (right) of the 359th Fighter Group and his brothers at home in the USA. Associated caption: '3 Smith brothers (TP Smith on right) at home in the USA.'

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A P-51 Mustang (CV-I) of the 359th Fighter Group flies over East Wretham. Caption on reverse: '359th FG Photos Source: T.P. Smith via Char Baldridge, Historian Description: #45 368th FS P-51 in flight.'

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P-51 Mustangs of the 359th Fighter Group, 20th Fighter Group, 353rd Fighter Group and 357th Fighter Group with a P-38 Lightning at Debden. Taken by Edward Richie Written on slide casing: 'CV:Q at Debden.'

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Pilots of the 359th Fighter Group wait in a crew truck before take off. Written on slide casing: 'Ft Grps before take off.'

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The 359th Fighter Group flew 346 missions from East Wretham between December 1943 and April 1945. In the main these missions were escorting bombers flying over occupied Europe. The Group, soon after converting from Thunderbolts to Mustangs, were awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for defending heavy bombers against enemy fighters in a mission over Merseberg, Germany on 11 September 1944.

Structure

Part of

1st Air Division

Division
In December 1944, the 1st Bomb Division was redesginated the 1st Air Division.
66th Fighter Wing

Wing
67th Fighter Wing

Wing

Encompassing

85th Service Group

Group
368th Fighter Squadron

Squadron
Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 11 September 1944.
369th Fighter Squadron

Squadron
370th Fighter Squadron

Squadron
Headquarters (359th Fighter Group)

Headquarters

Previously was

Not yet known

Became

Not yet known

Missions

VIII Fighter Command FO-200 FIGHTER SWEEP

13 December 1943
This is the first combat mission for 359th Fighter Group. A force of 36 P-47s is despatched to fly a fighter sweep in the Pas-de-Calaise area of France. No German aircarft are encountered and there are no losses or claims.
VIII Fighter Command FO-204 BOMBER ESCORT

20 December 1943
This mission is a combined force of 491 fighter aircraft despatched to escort bombers attacking at Bremen, Germany. NOTE: Fighter claims of 16-3-6 on enemy aircraft were not allocated in source data, so they have been bundled with P-47 statistics. The...
VIII Fighter Command FO-206 BOMBER ESCORT

21 December 1943
A force of 208 P-47s from: 78FG; 356FG; 358FG; and 359FG is despatched to provide escort to B-26 bombers of 9th Air Force attacking in the Pas-de-Calaise area. 1 aircraft with battle damage makes a crash landing at Manston, UK on return. The aircraft...
VIII Fighter Command FO-207 BOMBER ESCORT

22 December 1943
This fighter mission is composed of three elements despatched to provide escort to bombers attacking as Osnabruck and Munster Germany. It is composed of three elements. The first element is a forcr of 40 P-38s from 55FG. 2 aircraft Failed to Return ...
VIII Fighter Command FO-209 BOMBER ESCORT

24 December 1943
This fighter mission is despatched to provide escort to bombers that are attacking V-Weapon sites near the Pase-de-Calaise, France. The operation has three elements. The first element is a force of 40 P-38s from 55FG. There are no losses or claims. ...
VIII Fighter Command FO-210 BOMBER ESCORT

30 December 1943
A force of 583 fighter aircraft are despatched to provide escort to bombers attacking at Ludwigshafen, Germany. The force is composed of three elements. The first element is a force of 79 P-38s from 20FG and 55FG. There are no losses or claims in this...
VIII Fighter Command FO-211 BOMBER ESCORT

31 December 1943
This is the last fighter operation of 1943. It is composed of three elements despatched to escort bomber formations attacking German airfield in France. The first element is a forc of 74 P-38s from 20FG and 55FG. 2 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR)1POW...
VIII Fighter Command FO 213 BOMBER ESCORT

5 January 1944
This is a VIII Fighter Command operation of the despatch of fighter elements to escort bombers attacking targets in Germany and France. The operation consists of four elements. The first element is a despatch of 70 P-38s from 20FG and 55FG. These are...
VIII Fighter Command FO 215

7 January 1944
A combined fighter force of 571 aircraft are despatched to provide escort for the bombers attacking at Ludwigshaven, Germany. Three elements of fighters are despatched. ...
VIII Fighter Command FO 216

11 January 1944
This is a large fighter operation composed of a total of 592 aircraft. This operation is divided into two fighter elements with a combined force of 221 aircraft (P-47s and P-51s) providing escort for the Oshersleben - Halberstat B-17 bomber formations...

Stations

Station	Location	Date
Based	East Wretham	19 October 1943 – 2 November 1945

Connections

People

Robert Addleman

Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 359th Fighter Group
Assigned to 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. Flew over 60 x combat missions for 270 hours, from April 1944 through November 1944. Ended Tour Duty (ETD). ...
Boyd Adkins

Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 359th Fighter Group
Assigned to 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF, and earning two aerial victories, Lt. Boyd N. Adkins Jr. of Stiltner, WV, flew 69 combat missions with the 368th FS, 359th FG, from September 1944 through April 1945. Ended Tour of Duty (ETD). ...
Benjamin Albertson

Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Fighter Pilot | 359th Fighter Group
Assigned to 369FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 370FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bomber escort Fredrickshafen; crashed near Abbeville on 18-Mar-44 in P-47D 42-75136 after being hit on starboard wing [3ft hole] by flak. Baled out....
Robert Alexander

Military | Flight Officer | Fighter Pilot | 356th Fighter Group
Assigned to 495FTG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 361FS, 356FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 3rd Gunnery & Tow Target Flight. Transferred to 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. Ended Tour of Duty (ETD). Awards: AM (OLC), PH, WWII Victory, EAME.
John Allen

Military | Second Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 359th Fighter Group
Assigned to 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) ramrod to Lisieux, section bounced 25 Fw190's, during melee strayed behind formation and was picked off by Fw190, ...
Vincent Ambrose

Military | Captain | Fighter Pilot | 359th Fighter Group
Assigned to 370FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. 92 missions, 325 hours. Completed (End) Tour of Duty (ETD). Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (4OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (1 x Battle Star).
Carl Anderson

Military | Second Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 359th Fighter Group
Assigned to 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bomber escort mission to Merseburg, dropped out of formation with engine difficulties, abandoned P-51D 44-14444 when oil pressure hit zero, A/C crashed near Harleshausen 22-Nov-44. Prisoner of...
David Archibald

Military | Captain | Fighter Pilot | 359th Fighter Group
Assigned to 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) escort to Kassel, left formation as ailerons were freezing, reduced his altitude accompanied by wingman. Overflying a crashed B-17 the pair made ready to destroy it by dropping fuel tanks and...
Joseph Ashenmacher

Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 359th Fighter Group
Assigned to 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. Completed (End) Tour Duty (ETD).
Merle Aunspaugh

Military | Second Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 359th Fighter Group
Assigned to 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. Killed in flying accident carrying out mock strafing attack during gunnery practice in P-51C 42-103793, flew into tree, ripping off a wing and crashed. Killed in Flying Accident (KIFA). Polebrook. 2-Mar-45. ...

Aircraft

42-103318

P-51 Mustang
42-103329

P-51 Mustang
42-103339

P-51 Mustang
42-103343

P-51 Mustang
42-103354

P-51 Mustang
Assigned to 369FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) ramrod Mulhouse, Germany hit by flak in coolant system baled out Sarrebourg, France pilot Capt Charles C Ettlesen Evaded (EVD) 25-May-44 MACR 5114.
42-103743

P-51 Mustang
42-103785

P-51 Mustang
42-103799

P-51 Mustang
42-106443 Poison

P-51 Mustang
Shot down 17 July 1944 by Fw 190A-8 flown by Ofhr Gunther Bersau of the 1st Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1. The pilot 2Lt Tom Cannon evaded capture. MACR 7164.
42-106469

P-51 Mustang

Citations

Received a DUC for operations over Germany on 11 September 1944 when the group protected a formation of heavy bombers against large numbers of enemy fighters

Date	Contributor	Update
24 June 2015 19:33:50	Lucy May	Changes to mission associations and stations
Sources
Added dates to the 'based' event - from information in the unit history field.
Date	Contributor	Update
13 March 2015 15:14:38	rossingtonj	Changes to type and mission associations
Sources
Type added.
Date	Contributor	Update
27 September 2014 18:42:45	AAM	AAM 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)