365th Fighter Group

Group
Lieutenant Colonel Louis Houck of the 365th Fighter Group wearing a flying helmet with devil horns in the cockpit of his P-47 Thunderbolt nicknamed "Screamin' Weemie". Image stamped on reverse: 'Keystone Press.' [stamp]. Printed caption on reverse: 'AMERICAN FLYER WEARS "DEVIL'S HELMET" Lieutenant Colonel Louis Houck, 27, commander of a Ninth US Air Force fighter group, waves for contact after donning his "devil's helmet" for a mission against the Nazis. The flyer calls his plane "Screaming' Weemie". Keys media-456675.jpg FRE 9803 Lieutenant Colonel Louis Houck of the 365th Fighter Group wearing a flying helmet with devil horns in the cockpit of his P-47 Thunderbolt nicknamed "Screamin' Weemie". Image stamped on reverse: 'Keystone Press.' [stamp]. Printed caption on reverse: 'AMERICAN FLYER WEARS "DEVIL'S HELMET" Lieutenant Colonel Louis Houck, 27, commander of a Ninth US Air Force fighter group, waves for contact after donning his "devil's helmet" for a mission against the Nazis. The flyer calls his plane "Screaming' Weemie". Keystone Photo no. 481512. War Pool Photo, not for use in Western Hemisphere or British Isles.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 9803 - Lieutenant Colonel Louis Houck of the 365th Fighter Group wearing a flying helmet with devil horns in the cockpit of his P-47 Thunderbolt nicknamed...

The Group moved to England in December 1943 as part of the Ninth Air Force. Flying P-47s, the Group took part in missions over northern France designed to weaken Germany's ability to repulse the planned Allied invasion of summer 1944. After the successful beach landings, the Group supported the Allies as they fought to break out at St. Lo and push further westwards. They supported the airborne assault into Holland and during the autumn of 1944, flew to aid the seizure of Aachen. The Group received a DUC for taking out a large number of enemy aircraft over the Bonn-Dusseldorf area in Germany on 21 Oct 1944. The 365th was one of the Ninth Air Force fighter groups to win a DUC for action in southern Germany, knocking out airfields and aircraft to help speed the American advance.

Commanding Officers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 365th Fighter Group Headquarters (365th Fighter Group)
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Group Commander

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Gosfield 23 December 1943 - 5 March 1944

Based

Beaulieu 6 March 1944 - 27 June 1944

Based

Azeville 27 June 1944 - 15 August 1944

Based

Lignerolles 15 August 1944 - 3 September 1944

Based

Bretigny 3 September 1944 - 11 September 1944

Based

Juvincourt 11 September 1944 - 2 October 1944

Based

Chievres 4 October 1944 - 27 December 1944

Based

Metz 27 December 1944 - 30 January 1945

Based

Florennes / Juzaine 20 January 1945 - 17 March 1945

Based

Fritzlar 12 April 1945

Based

Aachen 12 April 1945

Encompassing

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 365th Fighter Group 387th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 365th Fighter Group 387th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18086673 / O-?
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Unit: 365th Fighter Group 386th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O 813107
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 365th Fighter Group 4th Fighter Group 335th Fighter Squadron 388th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-671485
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 365th Fighter Group 388th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-812742
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 365th Fighter Group
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 365th Fighter Group
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 365th Fighter Group
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 365th Fighter Group
  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 365th Fighter Group

Revisions

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

"Thunderbolts of The Hell Hawks" - Barnes, Crump and Sutherland, Page 303

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

"Thunderbolts of The Hell Hawks" - Barnes, Crump and Sutherland
page 306

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

"Thunderbolts of The Hell Hawks" - Barnes, Crump and Sutherland
page 306

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

Cleaned up stations

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Date
Changes
Sources

Stations added with details from:
- "Battle Colors Volume III - Insignia and Tactical Markings of the Ninth Air Force in World War Two' by Robert A. Watkins;
- http://www.ixengineercommand.com/airfields/physical.php

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

Thunderbolts of the Hell Hawks - Barnes/Crump/Rutherford
Page 305

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

Thunderbolts of The Hell Hawks - Barnes/Crump/Sutherland
Page 305

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

"Thunderbolts of The Hell Hawks" - Barnes/Crump/Sutherland
page306

Date
Contributorrossingtonj
Changes
Sources

Association to Gosfield.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
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)

365th Fighter Group: Gallery (141 items)