370th Fighter Group

Last updated
370th Fighter Group
370th Fighter Group P-38 Texas Jewell II.jpg
370th Fighter Group P-38 Lightning Texas Jewell II
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Branch United States Army Air Forces
Motto(s)Militat quasi tigris quisque
EngagementsAir Offensive, Europe
Normandy
Northern France
Rhineland
Ardennes-Alsace
Central Europe
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation
Belgian fourragère
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Seth J. McKee
Insignia
401st Fighter Squadron 401st Fighter Squadron - Emblem - World War II.png
402nd Fighter Squadron 402d Fighter Squadron - Emblem - World War II.png
485th Fighter Squadron 485th Fighter Squadron - Emblem - World War II.png
Aircraft flown
Fighter P-38 Lightning 1943-45
P-51 Mustang 1945

The 370th Fighter Group was a unit of the Ninth Air Force that was located in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. [1] [2]

Contents

Activation and training

The group was constituted as 370th Fighter Group on 25 May 1943 and activated on 1 Jul 1943. The group trained with Republic P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft at Westover Field, Massachusetts. They moved to Groton Army Air Field, Connecticut in October 1943 and then to Bradley Field in January 1944.

Move to England

The group moved to RAF Aldermaston in England in January and February 1944 and were assigned to the Ninth Air Force. They moved to RAF Andover at the end of February and remained there until July 1944

They were equipped with Lockheed P-38 Lightning aircraft in February and trained until May 1944 when the group entered combat.

Their missions consisted of dive-bombing radar installations and flak towers, and escorted bombers for attacks on bridges and marshalling yards in France as the Allies prepared for the invasion of Normandy. [3]

D-Day invasion

P-38s of the 370th Fighter Group at RAF Andover, June 1944 P-38s-370fg.jpg
P-38s of the 370th Fighter Group at RAF Andover, June 1944

The group provided cover for Allied forces that crossed the Channel on 6 Jun 1944 for the Normandy landings. They flew armed reconnaissance missions over the Cotentin Peninsula until the end of the month.

The group moved to the Cardonville, France, on 24 Jul 1944 to support the drive of ground forces across France and into Germany.

They attacked gun emplacements, troops, supply dumps, and tanks during the Battle of Saint-Lô in July 1944 and the Falaise Pocket in the Falaise-Argentan area in August 1944. The group moved to La Vieille Airfield, France, on 15 August 1944.

Airborne assault on Holland

The group sent planes and pilots to England to provide cover for the Operation Market Garden airborne assault on Holland in September 1944. The group struck pillboxes and troops early in October 1944 to support the First Army during the Battle of Aachen, and afterward struck railroads, bridges, viaducts, and tunnels in that area.

The group moved to Lonrai, France, 6 September 1944; Roye-Amy Airfield on 11 September 1944 and Florennes Air Base, Belgium, 26 September 1944.

A Distinguished Unit Citation was awarded to the group for a mission in support of ground forces in the Hurtgen Forest area on 2 Dec 1944. Despite bad weather and barrages of antiaircraft and small-arms fire, the group dropped napalm bombs on a heavily defended position in Bergstein, setting fire to the village and inflicting heavy casualties on enemy troops defending the area.

Battle of the Bulge

The group flew armed reconnaissance during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944-January 1945, attacking warehouses, highways, railroads, motor transports, and other targets. The group converted to North American P-51 Mustang aircraft starting in February 1945. The group moved to Zwartberg, Belgium, 27 January 1945.

Crossing of the Rhine

P-51D Mustang of the 485th Fighter Squadron P-51D landing on airfield in WEurope 1945.jpg
P-51D Mustang of the 485th Fighter Squadron

The group bombed bridges and docks in the vicinity of Wesel to prepare for the crossing of the Rhine, and patrolled the area as paratroops were dropped on the east bank on 24 March 1945. They supported operations of 2nd Armored Division in the Ruhr Valley in April 1945.

The group was stationed in Gutersloh, Germany, 20 April 1945. Their last mission was a sweep over Dessau and Wittenberg on 4 May 1945.

After Victory in Europe Day, the group moved to Sandhofen, Germany, 27 June 1945 and Fritzlar, Germany, from 6 August until September 1945.

Return to the United States

The group returned to Camp Myles Standish in the United States between September and November 1945. The 370th Fighter Group was inactivated on 7 Nov 1945.

The group was allotted to Colorado Air National Guard and redesignated the 140th Fighter Group on 24 May 1945.

Related Research Articles

RAF Aldermaston

Royal Air Force Aldermaston or more simply RAF Aldermaston is a former Royal Air Force station located 8 miles (13 km) east of Newbury, Berkshire and 9.8 miles (15.8 km) southwest of Reading, Berkshire, England.

RAF Nuthampstead

Royal Air Force Station Nuthampstead or more simply RAF Nuthampstead is a former Royal Air Force station in England. The airfield is located mostly in Hertfordshire between the villages of Nuthampstead and Anstey and the hamlet of Morrice Green in Hertfordshire and Langley, Lower Green and Clavering Park Wood in Essex. The eastern part of the airfield including part of the East-West Runway, the Fuel Store, the dispersal areas of 600 and 601 Squadrons and the northeastern perimeter track were all in Essex. RAF Nuthampstead is located four miles to the east of the A10 Hertford to Royston road.

RAF Kings Cliffe Former Royal Air Force station

Royal Air Force Kings Cliffe or more simply RAF Kings Cliffe is a former Royal Air Force station located near Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire, 12 miles (19 km) west of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. The airfield was built with hard-surfaced runways and a perimeter track, these were extended early in 1943.

RAF East Wretham

Royal Air Force East Wretham or more simply RAF East Wretham is a former Royal Air Force station located 6 miles (9.7 km) northeast of Thetford, Norfolk, England.

RAF Wormingford

Royal Air Force Station Wormingford is a former Royal Air Force station located 6 miles (9.7 km) northwest of Colchester, Essex, England.

RAF Shipdham

Royal Air Force Shipdham or more simply RAF Shipdham is a former Royal Air Force station located 3 miles south of Dereham, Norfolk, England.

RAF Andrews Field

Royal Air Force Andrews Field or more simply RAF Andrews Field is a former Royal Air Force station located 4 miles (6.4 km) east-northeast of Great Dunmow Essex, England.

386th Air Expeditionary Wing American military unit

The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to United States Air Forces Central. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time. It is currently stationed at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait in Southwest Asia. During World War II, the group's predecessor unit, the 386th Bombardment Group (Medium) was a B-26 Marauder bombardment group assigned to the Eighth and later Ninth Air Force. During the Battle of Normandy, it supported Allied forces at Caen, and participated in the massive blows against the enemy at Saint-Lô on 25 July 1944. Knocked out targets to help clear the Falaise pocket of German forces in August 1944 and hit strong points at Brest during September.

387th Air Expeditionary Group Military unit

The 387th Air Expeditionary Group(387 AEG) is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait under United States Air Forces Central Command (USAFCENT). As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time. In 2016, the groups mission was to provide support for base operations, coordination with host nation partners, and administration of the Joint Expeditionary Tasked individual augmentees in the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) area of responsibility.

474th Air Expeditionary Group Military unit

The 474th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command. It may be activated or inactivated at any time.

70th Fighter Wing Military unit

The 70th Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, based at Neubiberg Air Base, Germany. It was inactivated on 25 September 1947.

71st Fighter Wing Military unit

The 71st Fighter Wing is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Lambert Field, St. Louis, Missouri. It was withdrawn from the Missouri Air National Guard and inactivated on 31 October 1950.

373rd Fighter Group Military unit

The 373rd Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with First Air Force stationed at Mitchel Field, New York. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945.

339th Fighter Group Military unit

The 339th Fighter Group was a unit of the United States Air Forces during World War II. It comprised the 503rd, 504th, and 505th Fighter Squadrons.

Deux Jumeaux Airfield

Deux Jumeaux Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Deux Jumeaux in the Normandy region of northern France.

596th Bomb Squadron Military unit

The 596th Bomb Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 2d Operations Group at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana on 1 October 1993.

599th Bombardment Squadron Military unit

The 599th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was activated at MacDill Field, Florida in April 1943. After training in the United States, it transferred to the European Theater of Operations, where it was a component of IX Bomber Command. The squadron served in combat from April 1944 until the end of World War II, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation for an attack on Ediger-Eller, Germany in December 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. Following V-E Day the squadron remained in France until December 1945, when it returned to the United States and was inactivated at Camp Kilmer in December 1945.

598th Range Squadron Range management unit of the United States Air Force

The 598th Range Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 23d Fighter Group and is stationed at Avon Park Air Force Range, Florida where it replaced Detachment 1, 23d Fighter Group on 22 September 2015. The 598 RANS also operates the Deployed Unit Complex (DUC) at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

597th Bombardment Squadron Military unit

The 597th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was activated at MacDill Field, Florida in April 1943. After training in the United States, it transferred to the European Theater of Operations, where it was a component of IX Bomber Command. The squadron served in combat from April 1944 until the end of World War II, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation for an attack on Ediger-Eller, Germany in December 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. Following V-E Day the squadron remained in France until December 1945, when it returned to the United States and was inactivated at Camp Shanks in January 1946.

140th Operations Group Military unit

The 140th Operations Group is a unit of the Colorado Air National Guard, stationed at Buckley Space Force Base, Aurora, Colorado. If activated to federal service, the group is gained by Air Combat Command of the United States Air Force.

References

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates  public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/ .

  1. ↑ Jay Jones (2003). The 370th Fighter Group in World War II: In Action Over Europe with the P-38 and P-51. Schiffer Military History. ISBN   978-0-7643-1779-8.
  2. ↑ Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN   0-89201-092-4.
  3. ↑ Florian Ion Petrescu (2011). Near the Flying Time. Lulu.com. pp. 274–. ISBN   978-1-4477-5281-3.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.