![1st Lt George L Bauer, P-47 pilot of XIX Tactical Air Command, gun camera footage of Me109 kill in the Ardennes Salient. Belly tank equipped Me109 is hit initially in the engine cowling [ flying off above cockpit ] and fuselage.](https://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/media/media-27674.jpeg?itok=Pobn6SVb)
71st Fighter Wing
Wing
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368th Fighter Group
Group
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Republic P-47D Thunderbolt 43-25570 "Kwit-Cher-Bitchin" [Right of frame] assigned to Major Randall W. Hendricks of the 397th Ftr Sq, 368th FG (coded D3-H). He was officially credited with five confirmed aerial victories. Avanced airfield at St Pierre Du Mont, Normandy.
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"The first group of American planes to land on an American Airfield in France." - P-47's of the 397th Fighter Squadron, likely at Advanced Landing Ground A-1 (St. Pierre Du Mont) on or about 13 June 1944. Serials are obscured, but they are possibly P-47D D3-B 42-75844 and P-47D D3-D 42-76327, 397th FS, 368FG, 9AF.
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"Here, Maj. Gen. E.R. Quesada, commanding, 9th Fighter Command, is seen helping refuelling a plane after landing on the emergency strip in Cherbourg Peninsula. With him is Lt. Col. Frank S. Perego of Canandaigua, N.Y., who was among the first on the strip to refuel." - LTC Frank S. Perego, deputy commander of the 368th FG, is assisted by Maj Gen Elwood R. "Pete" Quesada in refuelling Perego's P-47D upon arrival at one of the first forward landing fields near the Normandy coast, mid-June 1944. Perego would take command of the 368th in November 1944, and remain at the helm through the cessation of hostilities.
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"Maj Gen E R Quesada congratulates Capt Richard E Leary Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter bomber pilot of the 9th AF fighter command as he returned from a successful mission and then landed to refuel on an American emergency landing strip in Normandy." - Major Richard E. Leary of the 397th Ftr Sq, 368th FG is congratulated by Maj Gen Elwood R. "Pete" Quesada on landing at one of the newly-won forward operating fields near the Normandy coast. The 368th moved to Cardonville (A-3) on 20 June 1944 and remained there for about two months.
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1st Lt George L Bauer 397FS, 368FG, 9AF.
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1st Lt George L Bauer, P-47 pilot of XIX Tactical Air Command, gun camera footage of Me109 kill in the Ardennes Salient. Belly tank equipped Me109 is hit initially in the engine cowling and fuselage.
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![1st Lt George L Bauer, P-47 pilot of XIX Tactical Air Command, gun camera footage of Me109 kill in the Ardennes Salient. Belly tank equipped Me109 is hit initially in the engine cowling [ flying off above cockpit ] and fuselage.](https://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/media/media-27674.jpeg?itok=VXCpwZrd)
1st Lt George L Bauer, P-47 pilot of XIX Tactical Air Command, gun camera footage of Me109 kill in the Ardennes Salient. Belly tank equipped Me109 is hit initially in the engine cowling [ flying off above cockpit ] and fuselage.
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1st Lt George L Bauer, P-47 pilot of XIX Tactical Air Command, gun camera footage of Me109 kill in the Ardennes Salient. Belly tank equipped Me109 is hit initially in the engine cowling and fuselage.
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2nd Lt Joseph S Busenbark 396FS, 368FG, 9AF USAAF.
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Captain Thomas N Montag, West Bend, IIowa, 395th Fighter Squadron, 368th Fighter Group.
The 368th Fighter Group flew P-47s in combat from England from March 1944. In the days after D-Day the Group supported Allied ground troops fighting in the Cherbourg penisula and then around St. Lo. The Group received a DUC for flying seven missions in a single day on 3 September 1944 to the Mons area, destroying enemy troops and means of transport. The Group continued to fly in support of ground forces throughout the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944 - January 945) and into 1945. They stayed in Europe after the war's end, becoming part of the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE).
Structure
- Part of
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- Encompassing
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395th Fighter Squadron
Squadron
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396th Fighter Squadron
Squadron
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397th Fighter Squadron
Squadron
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Headquarters (368th Fighter Group)
Headquarters
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- Previously was
- Not yet known
- Became
- Not yet known
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8th Air Force FO 247 BOMBER ESCORT
22 February 1944
A combined force of 659 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 and P-51 are desdpatched to provide escort to the heavy bomber attacking the GErman aircraft industry on Day of of BIG WEEK. Mission Summary follows: ... -
8th Air Force FO 277 BOMBER ESCORT
22 March 1944
A combined force of 540 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 and P-51 are despatched to escort heave bombers attacking ad Berlin and surrounding areas. 275 of these aircraft are contributed by IX Fighter Command units. Despatch summary follows: ... -
8th Air Force 282 BOMBER ESCORT
27 March 1944
A combined force of 960 fighters of types: P-38; P-47 ad P-51 are despatched to provide escort to heavy bombers attacking 11 German airfields and air depots in France. 243 of the 960 are frunished by IX Fighter Command. The P-51 element also attacks... -
8th Air Force Field Order 296
12 April 1944
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8th Air Force Field Order 305
19 April 1944
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8th Air Force Field Order 309
22 April 1944
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Clarence Allen
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 368th Fighter Group
Clarence E Allen was declared missing in action on 12 October 1944, aged 23. Allen was taking part in a dive-bombing mission over Aachen, when his squadron engaged enemy fighters over Dusseldorf. All aircraft except Allen's returned to base, and... -
Robert Andrus
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | fighter pilot | 368th Fighter Group
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Norvin Averett
Military | Second Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 368th Fighter Group
Assigned to 365FS, 358FG, 8AF USAAF. Abandoned P-47D 42-76525 out of fuel over English channel, baled and picked up by ASR, WIA, RTD. Awards: PH, WWII Victory, EAME. -
Robert Bechtold
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 368th Fighter Group
Forced to bail out on a mission on 14 June 1944. Either Returned to Duty (RTD) or became a Prisoner of War (POW). MACR not clear on this point. ... -
Joseph Busenbark
Military | Second Lieutenant | Fighter pilot | 368th Fighter Group
Assigned to 396FS, 368FG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) dive bombing mission to Trier, Germany. Having shot down 1 x Fw190 engine started running roughly missing badly, set course for home crash landed near Lissendorf, Germany. Killed in Action ... -
Charles Earls
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 368th Fighter Group
Charles R Earls was born on April 9, 1924 in Ogden, Utah. He had enlisted in the Army Air Forces and he had the rank of Second Lieutenant. Occupation or specialty was Pilot. Service number was O-767163. Served with 395th Fighter Squadron, 368th Fighter... -
James Goodwin
Military | Captain | Pilot | 368th Fighter Group
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Thurman Mauldin
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 356th Fighter Group
Primary training in Union City, TN, Basic in Newport, Ark, Advanced at Spence Field in Moultrie, GA Class of 44F; instrument flying at Spence Field for 3 months; went to England w/ 368th FG 12/44-1/45; w/ 356th 2/45 to VE Day; left England 9/45 to go... -
Thomas Montag
Military | Captain | Fighter Pilot | 368th Fighter Group
Killed in Action on 14th August 1944, 5 miles East of Domfront, France/Foret d'Andaine. -
Vernon Murphy
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 368th Fighter Group
Assigned to 397FS, 368FG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) armed recon to Aachen in P-47 ... -
42-25752
P-47 Thunderbolt
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42-25881
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt 42-25881, assigned to the 397th FS, 368th FG, 9th AF, 9-3-44. Whilst on dive bombing mission, collided with a Fw190 near Campeau that had emerged from the overcast directly in front of him. 7-7-44 A/C crashed near Campeau,... -
42-26037
P-47 Thunderbolt
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42-26130
P-47 Thunderbolt
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42-26262
P-47 Thunderbolt
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42-26263
P-47 Thunderbolt
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42-26279
P-47 Thunderbolt
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42-26325
P-47 Thunderbolt
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42-26387 Miss Behave
P-47 Thunderbolt
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42-26393
P-47 Thunderbolt
Missions
Stations
| Station | Location | Date |
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| Based | Greenham Common | 13 January 1944 – 15 March 1944 |
| Based | Chilbolton | 15 March 1944 – 20 June 1944 |
| Based | Cardonville | 20 June 1944 – 23 August 1944 |
| Based | 23 August 1944 – 11 September 1944 | |
| Based | Chartres | 24 August 1944 – 11 September 1944 |
| Based | Laon/Athies | 11 September 1944 – 2 October 1944 |
| Based | Chievres | 2 October 1944 – 27 December 1944 |
| Based | Juvincourt | 27 December 1944 – 5 January 1945 |
| Based | Metz | 5 January 1945 – 15 April 1945 |
Connections
People
Aircraft
Citations
None
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
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| 01 February 2017 14:19:50 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to stations |
| Sources | ||
Stations added with details from: |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 13 March 2015 15:34:07 | rossingtonj | Changes to type and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
Type added. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:42:45 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
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) |
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