358th Fighter Group
Encyclopedia
Second Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
stationed at La Junta Army Air Field , Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the group was assigned to both Eighth
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
and Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
s in England, flying its first combat mission on 20 December 1943. It was one of the most honored Fighter Groups in the European Theater, earning three Distinguished Unit Citations for its actions in combat and also the French Croix de Guerre with Palm, for assisting in the liberation of France. It flew its last mission on 7 May 1945.
The 358th was redesignated as the 122d Fighter Group, and allotted to the Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
on 24 May 1946.
History
Trained in the Mid-Atlantic United States with P-40 Warhawks, 1943. While in training also used for air defense of Philadelphia area. Moved to England during September–October 1943 Equipped with P-47 ThunderboltP-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
s. Began operations on 20 December 1943 and served in combat with Eighth and, later, Ninth Air Forces until V-E Day.
Attached to Eighth Air Force, engaged in escort work until April 1944 to cover the operations of bombers that the AAF sent against targets on the Continent. Dive-bombed marshalling yards and airfields during Apr to help prepare for the invasion of Normandy. Continued attacks on enemy communications and flew escort missions during May. Escorted troop carriers over the Cotentin Peninsula on 6 and 7 June, and attacked bridges, rail lines and trains, vehicles, and troop concentrations during the remainder of the month.
Moved to the Continent in Jul and took part in operations that resulted in the Allied breakthrough at St Lo. Continued to fly escort, interdictory, and close-support missions during the Allied drive across France and into Germany, earning four citations before the end of the war. Reassigned to Ninth Air Force in August.
Received first DUC for operations from 24 December 1944 to 2 January 1945 when the group not only supported Seventh Army by attacking rail lines and rolling stock, vehicles, buildings, and artillery, but also destroyed numerous fighter planes during a major assault by the German Air Force against Allied airfields. Received second DUC for 19-2o March 1945, a period in which the 358th destroyed and damaged large numbers of motor transports and thus hampered the evacuation of German forces that were withdrawing from the area west of the Rhine. Received third DUC for performance between 8 and 25 April 1945 when the group attacked enemy airfields in the region of Munich and Ingolstadt, engaged the enemy in aerial combat, and supported advancing ground forces by attacking such targets as motor transports, tanks, loco¬motives, guns, and buildings. Received fourth citation, the French Croix de Guerre with Palm, for assisting in the liberation of France.
Reassigned to Second Air Force in July 1945 and programmed for deployment to Okinawa to take part in planned invasion of Japan. Equipped with long-range P-47N Thunderbolt and began training until Atomic Bomb attacks ended the Pacific War.
Inactivated on 7 November 1945.
Lineage
- Constituted as 358th Fighter Group on 20 December 1942
- Activated on 1 January 1943
- Inactivated on 7 November 1945
Assignments
- I Fighter CommandI Fighter CommandThe I Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, based at Mitchel Army Airfield, New York...
, 1 January–September 1943
- Attached to: Philadelphia Fighter WingPhiladelphia Fighter WingThe Philadelphia Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the I Fighter Command, stationed at Philadelphia Airport, Pennsylvania It was inactivated on 3 April 1946....
, 28 April–September 1943- IX Fighter CommandIX Fighter CommandThe IX Fighter Command is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Erlangen, Germany. It was inactivated on 16 November 1945....
- IX Fighter Command
- Attached to: VIII Fighter CommandVIII Fighter CommandThe VIII Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, being stationed at RAF Honington, England. It was inactivated on 20 March 1946....
, 20 October 1943- 71st Fighter Wing71st Fighter Wing (World War II)The 71st Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Missouri Air National Guard. It was inactivated on 31 October 1950.-Lineage:* Organized as 71st Fighter Wing on 11 Ocg 1943-Assignments:...
- 71st Fighter Wing
- Attached to: IX Tactical Air CommandIX Tactical Air CommandThe IX Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Camp Shanks, New York...
, 1 August 1944- 70th Fighter Wing70th Fighter Wing (World War II)The 70th Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with thr United States Air Forces in Europe, based at Neubiberg Air Base, Germany...
- 70th Fighter Wing
- Attached to: IX Tactical Air CommandIX Tactical Air CommandThe IX Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Camp Shanks, New York...
, 1 October 1944- XIX Tactical Air CommandXIX Tactical Air CommandThe XIX Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. The unit's last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force based at Biggs Field, Texas...
, 16 January–July 1945 - Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, 3 August – 7 November 1945
- XIX Tactical Air Command
Stations
- Richmond Army Air Base, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, 1 January 1943 - Baltimore Municipal AirportBaltimore Municipal AirportBaltimore Municipal Airport is a former airport and United States Air Force military airfield located about 6 miles southeast of Baltimore, Maryland on an artificial peninsula. Construction began in 1929 and was completed in 1941. It was closed on 30 December 1960...
, MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, 28 April 1943 - Camp Springs AAF, MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, 28 May 1943 - Philadelphia Airport, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, 16 June 1943 - Richmond Army Air Base, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, 13 August – 25 September—1943 - RAF GoxhillRAF GoxhillRAF Goxhill is a former Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force station in England. It is located just to the east of the village of Goxhill, on the south bank of the Humber estuary, opposite the city of Kingston upon Hull, in north Lincolnshire....
(AAF-345), England, 20 October 1943 - RAF LeistonRAF LeistonRAF Leiston is a former airfield in the United Kingdom. The airfield is located northwest of Leiston and south of Theberton in Suffolk.-USAAF use:...
(AAF-373), England, 29 November 1943 - RAF RaydonRAF RaydonRAF Raydon is a former United States Army Air Force station in England. It is located just to the northeast of the village of Raydon, about 6 miles from Ipswich on the B1070 in Suffolk.-Origins:...
(AAF-157), England, 31 January 1944 - RAF High HaldenRAF High Haldenthumb|Republic P-47D-28-RE Thunderbolt Serial 44-20244 of the 367th Fighter SquadronRAF Station High Halden is a former World War II airfield in Kent, England...
(AAF-411), England, 13 April 1944
- Cretteville AirfieldCretteville AirfieldCretteville Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Cretteville in the Basse-Normandie region of northern France....
(A-14), France, 3 July 1944 - Pontorson AirfieldPontorson AirfieldPontorson Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Pontorson in the Basse-Normandie region of northern France....
(A-28), France, 14 August 1944 - Vitry Airfield (A-67), France, 14 September 1944
- Mourmelon-le-Grand AirfieldMourmelon-le-Grand AirfieldMourmelon-le-Grand Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in France. It lies approximately 1 mile east-southeast of Mourmelon-le-Grand and 93 miles northeast of Paris....
(A-80), France, 16 October 1944 - Toul-Croix De Metz AirfieldToul-Croix De Metz AirfieldToul-Croix De Metz Airfield is a former military airfield which is located approximately 1 mile northeast of Toul ; 160 miles east of Paris....
(A-90), France, 9 November 1944 - Mannheim/Sandhofen Airfield (Y-79), Germany, 2 April 1945
- Reims/Champagne Airfield, France, c. 23 June–July 1945
- La Junta Army Air Field, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 3 August – 7 November 1945
Components
- 365th Fighter Squadron: 1 January 1943 – 7 November 1945
- 366th Fighter Squadron366th Fighter SquadronThe 366th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 358th Fighter Group, IX Fighter Command, stationed at La Junta Army Airfield, Colorado. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945-History:...
: 1 January 1943 – 7 November 1945 - 367th Fighter Squadron367th Fighter SquadronThe 367th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 358th Fighter Group, IX Fighter Command, stationed at La Junta Army Airfield, Colorado. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945-History:...
: 1 January 1943 – 7 November 1945