Although the museum is currently closed, there is plenty to explore in our online archive.
The American Air Museum is a charity - Find out how you can support us
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 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.'
First Lieutenant Earl L. Stier of the 84th Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, surveys the damage to his aircraft at Duxford air base. Half the rudder was shot away when he was hit by flak on the recent mission. 1945.
First Lieutenant Quince L. Brown of the 84th Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, with P-47 Thunderbolt (WZ-J, serial number 42-74753) probably at Duxford air base. 1943-1944. Printed caption on reverse of print: '50203 USAF - Europe - First man in the European theatre to destroy four German planes on one day while flying a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter is 1/Lt. Quince L. Brown, Jr. of Bristow, Okla. He is pictured here with his dog, right next to his plane insignia "OKIE". For 19 long months a flight instructor at Randolph and Kelly Fields, in Texas, Brown has now shot down 10 Jerries since beginning his combat tour in England, five of them in the past two days. On Thursday, 16 March, he destroyed two Messerschmitt 109s and a Focke-Wulf 190 in a terrific air battle, and set a JU 88 blazing on the ground. The previous day he had "warmed up" his guns by destroying a Me 109. On Thursday's mission he also damaged two unidentified planes on the ground. Also to his combat credit are a locomotive and a flak tower. He holds the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and the DFC with one cluster.'
Line up of P-47 Thunderbolts of the 82nd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, at Duxford air base. September 1944. Printed caption on reverse of print: '55432 AC - War Birds Home To Rest - Republic P-47 Thunderbolts lined up on an 8th Air Force field in England after a daylight sweep over Germany. Crews have finished inspections and refueling.'
Left to right: Crew Chief Staff Sergeant James O. Tolleson and pilot Second Lieutenant Louis De Anda, of the 78th Fighter Group, inspect the damage to their P-51 Mustang at Duxford air base. February 1945. Printed caption on reverse of print: 'EA 52913 PRO-HQ'45 Flak Holed Fighter Hit Over German Rail Yards - "That's where they hit my plane", Second Lieutenant Louis De Anda, (right) of East Bakerfield, Calif. is saying as he points out where flak tore through the side of his U.S. Eighth Air Force P-51 Mustang to Staff Sergeant James O. Tolleson, maintenance crew chief from Inman, S. Carolina. Lt. De Anda had just blown up an oil car on a train believed to be carrying V-2 parts when flak put up by German ground defenses crashed through the tail of his plane fuselage. The 78th Fighter Group, Lt. De Anda's group, escorted heavy bombers on the second day of the all-out onslaught against German transportation on February 23rd.'
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 343rd Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group is in the background.
No. 183 Mobile Training Unit of the Army Air Force Western Technical Training Command, part of the U.S. Army Air Forces Training Command, parked up in the snow in front of one of the hangars at Duxford air base. Men of the 78th Fighter Group stand beside the vehicle. 1943-1945.
Ground crew make repairs to P-51 Mustang marked with squadron code 'WZ', of the 84th Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, which flew Mustangs in combat from January 1945 onwards.
Left to right: Captain Foy E. Higginbottom, Lieutenant Hubert "Bill" Davis and Lieutenant John A. Kirk, all pilots of the 83rd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, drink Coca-Cola outside a Nissen hut at Duxford air base. 1943-1945.
Baseball team made up of members of the 78th Fighter Group at Duxford air base. Taken 8 August 1944.
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.
Constituted as 78th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 13 Jan 1942. Activated on 9 Feb 1942. Redesignated 78th Fighter Group in May 1942. Trained for combat with P-38’s and served as part of the air defence organization. Moved to England, Nov-Dec 1942. Assigned to Eighth AF. Lost its P-38’s and most of its pilots in Feb 1943 when they were assigned to Twelfth AF for service in North Africa. Began operations from England with P-47’s in Apr 1943, converted to P-51’s in Dec 1944, and continued combat until Apr 1945. Flew many missions to escort bombers that attached industries, submarine yards and docks, V-weapon sites and other targets on the Continent. Also engaged in counter-air activities and on numerous occasions strafed and dive-bombed airfields, trains, vehicles, barges, tugs, canal locks, barracks and troops. In addition to other operations, participated in the intensive campaign against the German Air Force and aircraft industry during Big Week 20-25 Feb 1944; helped to prepare the way for the invasion of France; supported landings in Normandy in Jun 1944; contributed to the breakthrough at St Lo in Jul 1944; participated in the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944- Jan 1945; and supported the airborne assault across the Rhine in Mar 1945. Received a DUC for activities connected with the airborne attack on Holland in Sep 1944 when the group covered troop carrier and bombardment operations and carried out strafing and dive-bombing missions. Received second DUC for destroying numerous aircraft on five airfields near Prague and Pilsen on 16 Apr 1945. Returned to the US in Oct. Inactivated on 18 Oct 1945.
Military | Colonel | Commanding Officer
78th FG 84FS. Col Arman Peterson, came from Flagstaff, Arizona, and called his Thunderbolt “Flagari”. He was the first CO of 78th Fighter Group at Duxford and was killed in action 1st July 1943 on the day the group had destroyed four FW 190s, and...
Military | Brigadier General | Commanding Officer | 78th Fighter Group
Frederic C. Gray was born in 1911 near Palestine, Texas. He attended Rising Star High School and graduated in 1931 from Abilene Christian College with a bachelor of arts degree.
...
Military | Colonel | Commanding Officer / Pilot
See page 132, Fry's book - 'Eagles of Duxford'
Military | Colonel | Commanding Officer | 357th Fighter Group
Cmdr Officer of 78th FG, flew 90 missions in the Pacific Theater; served also with the 55th FG and 357th FG/ Had over 1039 hrs in flying time and 174 total missions.
...
Military | Major General | Pilot
Prisoner of War (POW) in Stalag Luft III. Mid air collision, crashed near Winterswijk on 30 July 43 in P-47 42-7961.
Military | Colonel | Pilot | 78th Fighter Group
78th FG. Lt Col Gilbert was the 78th Fighter Group’s fifth Commanding Officer taking office on 29th January 1945.
...
Military | Colonel | Pilot - Group Commanding Officer | 361st Fighter Group
Assigned to 376FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. Re-assigned to HQ Sqn, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. Ended Tour Duty (ETD). Transferred to HQ Sqn, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited 14 x kills.
Awards: WWII Victory, EAME, UN and Korean medals.
Wing
Browse 65th Fighter Wing photographs and other documents in the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library digital archive here: www.2ndair.org.uk/digitalarchive/Dashboard/Index/51
Wing
Group
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
8 April 1943
23 P-47s fly a Rodeo (offensive fighter sweep over enemy territory) between Dunkirk, France and Sangatte, France. 4FG (7); 56FG (4); and 78FG (12). There are no losses or claims. While the 4FG has been flying operations since 2-Oct-43, this is the...
13 April 1943
A combined force of 36 P-47s are depatched on a diversion for RAF Ramrod 50. A "Ramrod" is a short range (medium) bomber mission against ground targets. 4FG (20); 56FG (4); 78FG (12). Even though 78FG had participated in a Rodeo on 8-Apr-43, this...
13 April 1943
A combined force of 36 P-47s are depatched on a diversion for RAF Ramrod 50. A "Ramrod" is a short range (medium) bomber mission against ground targets. 4FG (20); 56FG (4); 78FG (12). Even though 78FG had participated in a Rodeo on 8-Apr-43, this...
15 April 1943
A combined fighter force of 59 P-47s despatched from 4FG, 56FG and 78FG participate in RAF Rodeo 204, a sweep of the Furnes/St.Omer area of France. Number contributed by each Fighter Group was not recorded in the source data. 4FG has 3 aircraft MIA,...
17 April 1943
Two fighter operations are conducted on this date: a combined force of 81 P-47s is despatched from 4FG, 56FG and 78FG to perform sweeps in the Blankenburge/Bruges/Flushing area in support of RAF Rodeo 205. There are no losses or claims; 59 P-47s are...
17 April 1943
Two fighter operations are conducted on this date: a combined force of 81 P-47s is despatched from 4FG, 56FG and 78FG to perform sweeps in the Blankenburge/Bruges/Flushing area in support of RAF Rodeo 205. There are no losses or claims; 59 P-47s are...
21 April 1943
A combined force of 82 P-47s from 4FG, 56FG & 78FG fly high altitude sweeps over the Westhoofd/Noordwijk/The Hague area. No losses or claims. These operations are not drawing up the Luftwaffe.
29 April 1943
A combined force of 112 P-47s are despatched from 4FG, 56FG and 78FG to arry out high altitude sweeps of the Pas-de-Calaise/Hague area in support of RAF Rodeo 211. This is the first time that fighters from 56FG have encountered enemy fighters. 56FG has...
3 May 1943
A combined force of 118 P-47s are despatched from 4FG, 56FG and 78FG to make a fighter sweep of the Walcheren Island/Knokke/Ostend/Nieuport area. No enemy aircraft are sighted and there are no losses of claims. The Luftwaffe is simply not taking the bait.
4 May 1943
A combined force of 117 P-47s is despatched from 4FG, 56FG and 78FG to perform a sweep along the Belgium coast in support of the bomber mission. 1 P-47 is lost due to engine failure. The pilot is seen to bale out over the sea, but his parachute fails...
| Station | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Based | Goxhill | 1 December 1942 – 3 April 1943 |
| Based | Duxford | 3 April 1943 – 10 October 1945 |
Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 495th Fighter Training Group
Assigned to 84FS, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 552FTS, 495FTG 8AF USAAF as instructor. P-47C 41-6234 lost engine on local training flight on 9 Jan 1944. A/C broke out of undercast too low and crashed into a plowed field near Loughborough,...
Military | Flight Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 78th Fighter Group
Assigned to 82FS, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Ended Tour of Duty (ETD).
Awards: DFC, AM (7OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Crew Chief | 78th Fighter Group
Henry (Dusty) Bauer was my Dad's Crew Chief on P-47 42-25871, WZ-Y "Roger the Lodger" stationed at Duxford
Military | Captain | Fighter pilot | 495th Fighter Training Group
Assigned to 84FS, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Completed Tour of Duty (ETD). Transferred to 495FTG, 8AF USAAF.
Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Fighter pilot | 78th Fighter Group
Assigned to 82FS, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 83FS, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Baled out after engine failure near Bernay, France, in P-47 42-75610. The Pierre-Rose family provided cover for him at their country home, Chalet de Franc Boaisier, Tourville la...
Military | Captain | Fighter pilot | 78th Fighter Group
Assigned to 83FS, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to HQ Sqn, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Ended Tour Duty (ETD).
Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Staff Sergeant | 55th Fighter Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | 78th Fighter Group
Military | Captain | Fighter pilot | 496th Fighter Training Group
Assigned to 84FS, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited with 2 x kills. Transferred to 496FTG, 8AF USAAF. Returned to 84FS, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Ended Tour of Duty (ETD).
Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter pilot | 78th Fighter Group
Assigned to 84FS, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited 1 x Kill. ETD.
Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47C-2-RE 41-6240 [WZ:E] was assigned to the 78FG/84FS at Duxford, UK. On 18-Oct-43 the aircraft, piloted by 2LT Frankin B. Resseguie, was despatched with other fighters from his group to provide escort to B-17 bombers planned to attack at Duren,...
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47C-5-RE 41-6411 [HL:N], was assigned to 78FG/83FS at Duxford, UK.
...
P-38 Lightning
P-38F 41-7566 78FG/83FS was being transferred to Tafaroui, Algeria from Portreath, UK on 26-Jan-43 by 2Lt Donald S. Beals. He was flying with a flight of 8 others. The flight was to make a stop at Gibraltar but only 6 arrived. No traces of Lt. Beals'...
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Lost 4 July 44 - Lt. Lonnie L Moseley evaded capture.
Distinguished Unit Citations for Operation Market Garden and ground attacks in Czechoslovakia.
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 22 August 2019 13:42:28 | Emily | Changes to us air force combat units of world war ii description and commanding officers associations |
| Sources | ||
Air Force Combat Units of WWII |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 April 2019 02:52:06 | ArthurB.Richie | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Courtesy of Keith Ritchie from the collection of Dora Richie Stovall |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 28 September 2014 15:39:09 | Carl | Changes to citations, commanding officers associations, mission associations and stations |
| Sources | ||
Duxford Diary, 1945 ( also available online here: http://www.ulongbeach.com/Duxford_Diary.html ) |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 28 September 2014 11:58:20 | Carl | Changes to nicknames, motto, insignia, aircraft types, mission associations and stations |
| Sources | ||
Duxford Diary, 1945 |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:42:46 | 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) |
||
