356th Fighter Group

Squadrons of the 356th FG

359th Fighter Squadron:
360th Fighter Squadron:
361st Fighter Squadron:

Assigned 8th AAF: 25 August 1943

Wing/Command Assignment

VIII FC, 65 FW: 26 August 1943
VIII FC, 67 FW: 8 Aug. 1944
1BD, 67 FW: 15 Sep. 1943.
1AD, 67 FW: 1 Jan. 1945

Combat Aircraft:

P-47D Sep 1943 - late Nov 1944
P-51D 20 Nov 1944
P-51K December 1944

Stations

GOXHILL 27 Aug. 1943-5 Oct. 1943.
MARTLESHAM HEATH 5 Oct. 1943- 2 Nov. 1945.

Group COs

Lt Col Harold J. Rau: 9 Feb. 43-28 Nov. 43.
Col Einar A. Malstrom: 28 Nov. 43-23 Apr. 44, POW
Lt Col Philip E. Tukey Jr: 24 Apr. 44-3 Nov. 44.
Lt Col Donald A. Baccus: 3 Nov. 44-10 Jan. 45
Col Philip E. Tukey Jr 11 Jan. 45-Oct. 45.

First Mission: 15 Oct. 43
Last Mission: 7 May 45
Aircraft MIA: 122.
Total Missions: 413

Enemy Aircraft Claims: 201 air; 75 ground.

Major Awards:

Distinguished Unit Citation: 17,1 8 and 23 Sep.44: support airborne forces, Holland

Unit Claims to Fame

The 'hard luck' fighter group. Despite excellent leadership had highest ratio of losses to enemy aircraft claims of all 8AF fighter groups

Early History:

Activated 12 Dec. 42 at Westover Fd, Mass. and trained there until 12 March 1943. Moved Groton Fd, Conn. and trained in P-47s. Unit moved to Mitchel Fd, NY. on 30 May 1943, and Grenier Fd, NH. 4 Jul. 1943. Ground echelon commenced overseas movement 15 Aug. 1943 and moved to Camp Miles Standish, Mass. Sailed on Queen Elizabeth 20 Aug. 43 arriving Clyde 25 Aug. 43. Group pilots reached UK by different ship and after Ground echelon.



Subsequent History:

Aircraft to depots August September 1945. Many personnel transferred after VEday. Remainder sailed on the Queen Mary from Southampton, 4 Nov. 1945; arriving New York on the 9 Nov. 1945. Group established at Camp Kilmer, NJ. and inactivated there 10 Nov. 45.

Redesignated 118FG in 1946 and allotted to Tenn ANG. Role changed to tactical reconnaissance in 1951. In later years redesignated as air transport wing, first with C-97 and then C-124.