474th Fighter Group

Special Thanks to Bill Capron for his reseach assistance

Squadrons of the 474th FG

428th FS- Black Square - F5 - Geyser
430th FS -Yellow Circle - K6 - Backdoor
429th FS - Red Triangle - 7Y - Retail

Assigned 9th AAF: April 1944

Wing/Command Assignment

70th Fighter Wing of the IX Tactical Air Command of the 9th AF

Combat Aircraft:

Lockheed Lightning P-38J-10-LO
Lockheed Lightning P-38J-15-LO
Lockheed Lightning P-38L-5-LO

Stations

RAF Warmwell March 13, 1944 to August 11th, 1944
A-11 Neuilly-la-Forte, France August 12, 1944 to Sept. 2, 1944
A-43 St Marceau, France Sept. 3, 1944 to Sept. 9, 1944
A-72 Peronne, France Sept. 10.1944 to Oct. 1, 1944
A-78 Florennes, Belgium Oct. 2, 1944 to March 3, 1945
Y-59 Strassfeld, Germany March 4, 1945 to April 22, 1945
R-2 Langensalza, Germany April 23. 1945 to VE Day

Group COs

Clinton C. Wassem 1 Aug. 1943 - 17 Feb. 1945
Earl C. Hedlund 17 Feb. 1945 - 18 Apr. 1945
David L. Lewis 18 Apr. 1945 - 29 Sept. 1945

First Mission: 25 April 1944
Last Mission: 8 May 1945

Sorties 13,000
Missions flown 822
Enemy Aircraft Claims: Aerial Victories 113 Damaged 239
MIA: XXX

Tons of Bombs 3,920

50 Cal. Expended 242,000 Rds.

20mm Expended 36,656 Rds.

Major Awards

6 Distinguished Service Crosses.
18 Silver Stars
106 Distinguished Flying Crosses
1853 Air Medals and Oak Leaf Clusters
15 Soldier's Medals
8 French Croix de Guerre Unit Citations
Distinguished Unit Citation for Action on August 23, 1944 Belgian Fourragere

Ground Victories

90 Enemy Equip. Destroyed;
10,000 (Includes Trucks, Tanks, Rail Cars, Locomotives, Armored Vehicles, River Barges, etc.)

Early History:

In early 1943 there were formed, at Eglin Field, Florida, two new experimental units called the 1st Minimum Altitude Bomber-Torpedo Unit (MABTU) and the 2nd Minimum Altitude Bomber-Fighter Unit (MABFU). The MABFU was equipped with the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. From this Unit the Cadre was drawn to form the 474th Fighter Group which was activated at the Army Airdrome (Grand Central Air Terminal) at Glendale, California on August 1st 1943. The three Squadrons trained, although not always on the same airfield, in Southern California and on the Central Coastal area of California. In January of 1944 they began preparations for overseas deployment. The Group entrained on February 15th, 1944 and traversed the country to Camp Myles Standish at Taunton, Mass., arriving on February 21st. By the 28th of February they were aboard the SS Uruguay troopship and on their way to Europe. The crossing, in convoy, required 11 days and ended with debarkation at Liverpool, England. On March 12th they moved, by train, to their first Station at Warmwell, Dorest, on the Southern Coast of England. They shared the grass field with an RAF Typhoon Squadron and an Air Sea Rescue Unit. In April of 1944 the 474th FG became the first P-38 equipped Group to join the 70th Fighter Wing of the IX Tactical Air Command of the 9th Air Force. Intense training and orientation followed and the Group was declared "Operational" on April 24th, 1944. They flew their first Combat Mission on April 25th, 1944. The 474th considered itself fortunate in that they flew the Lockheed P-38 Lightning throughout the war. They were the only Group in Northern Europe flying the P-38 at war's end.

Subsequent History:

XXX

Note: XXX states that information is not yet available.