371st Fighter Group
Encyclopedia
The 371st Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Army Service Forces
stationed at Camp Shanks
, New Jersey
. It was inactivated on 10 November 1945.
The 371st was redesignated as the 142d Fighter Group, and allotted to the Oregon
Air National Guard
on 24 May 1946.
Formed and trained in mid-Atlantic area. Moved to the European theater during February–March 1944 and served in combat with Ninth AF from April 1944 to May 1945.
Began operations, using P-47's, by making a fighter sweep over France. Flew fighter- sweep, dive-bombing, and escort missions prior to the invasion of the Continent. Attacked railroads, trains, vehicles, gun emplacements, and buildings in France during the invasion of 6 June 1944. Patrolled beachhead areas and continued its assaults against the enemy during the remainder of the Normandy campaign. Participated in the aerial barrage that prepared the way for the Allied breakthrough at St Lo on 25 July, and supported the subsequent drive across northern France.
Operated in the area of northeastern France and southwestern Germany during the fall and winter of 1944–1945, attacking such targets as storage dumps, trains, rail lines, marshalling yards, buildings, factories, bridges, roads, vehicles, and strong points. Conducted operations that supported Allied ground action in the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944– January 1945. Launched a series of attacks against vehicles, factories, buildings, railroad cars, tanks, and gun emplacements during the period 15–21 March 1945, being awarded a DUC for this six-day action that contributed to the defeat of the enemy in southern Germany.
Continued operations until May 1945. Returned to the US, October– November 1945 and inactivated
Army Service Forces
The Army Service Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Ground Forces. They were created on February 28, 1942 by Executive Order Number 9082 "Reorganizing the Army and the War Department"...
stationed at Camp Shanks
Camp Shanks
Camp Shanks, named after Major General David Carey Shanks was a United States Army installation in and around Orangeburg in the Town of Orangetown, New York. Situated near the juncture of the Erie Railroad and the Hudson River, it served as a point of embarkation for troops departing overseas...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. It was inactivated on 10 November 1945.
The 371st was redesignated as the 142d Fighter Group, and allotted to the Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
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.
Lineage
- Constituted as 371st Fighter Group on 25 May 1943
- Activated on 15 July 1943
- Inactivated on 10 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...
, 15 July 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....
, 30 September 1943 – 14 February 1944- 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....
, April 1944 - 100th Fighter Wing, 1 August 1944
- IX Fighter Command
- Attached to: 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...
, 1 August 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...
, 29 September 1944 - 1st Tactical Air Force (Provisional), 1 November 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 February 1945 – October 1945 - Army Service ForcesArmy Service ForcesThe Army Service Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Ground Forces. They were created on February 28, 1942 by Executive Order Number 9082 "Reorganizing the Army and the War Department"...
(for inactivation), 9–10 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...
, 15 July 1943 - Camp Springs AAF, MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, 30 September 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...
, 18 January – 14 February 1944 - RAF BisterneRAF BisterneRAF Bisterne is a former World War II airfield in Hampshire, England. The airfield is located approximately south of Ringwood; about southwest of London...
(AAF-415), England, March 1944 - Beuzeville AirfieldBeuzeville AirfieldBeuzeville Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Beuzeville-la-Bastille in the Basse-Normandie region of northern France....
(A-6), France, June 1944 - Perthes AirfieldPerthes AirfieldPerthes Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Perthes in the Champagne-Ardenne department of northern France....
(A-65), France, 18 September 1944 - Dole/Tavaux Airfield (Y-7), France, 1 October 1944
- Tantonville AirfieldTantonville AirfieldTantonville Airfield is an abandoned World War II United States Army Air Forces military airfield in France, which was located in the Département de Meurthe-et-Moselle approximately north of Mirecourt and south-southeast of Neuves-Maisons.-History:...
(Y-1), France, 20 December 1944 - Metz Airfield (Y-34), France, 15 February 1945
- Frankfurt/Eschborn Airfield (Y-74), Germany, 7 April 1945
- Furth AirfieldFürth AirfieldFürth Airfield is a former military airfield located in Germany about 2 miles north-northeast of Fürth ; approximately 200 miles south-southwest of Berlin.The airffield was used during World War II by the German Luftwaffe as a combat airfield...
(R-28), Germany, 5 May 1945 - AAF Station Hoersching, Austria, 16 August 1945
- Strasbourg/Entzheim Airport, France, September– October 1945
- Camp ShanksCamp ShanksCamp Shanks, named after Major General David Carey Shanks was a United States Army installation in and around Orangeburg in the Town of Orangetown, New York. Situated near the juncture of the Erie Railroad and the Hudson River, it served as a point of embarkation for troops departing overseas...
, New York, 9–10 November 1945.
Components
- 404th Fighter Squadron (9Q): 15 July 1943 – 10 November 1945
- 405th Fighter Squadron (8N): 15 July 1943 – 10 November 1945
- 406th Fighter Squadron (4W): 15 July 1943 – 10 November 1945
Operations
Began operations, using P-47's, by making a fighter sweep over France. Flew fighter- sweep, dive-bombing, and escort missions prior to the invasion of the Continent. Attacked railroads, trains, vehicles, gun emplacements, and buildings in France during the invasion of 6 June 1944. Patrolled beachhead areas and continued its assaults against the enemy during the remainder of the Normandy campaign. Participated in the aerial barrage that prepared the way for the Allied breakthrough at St Lo on 25 July, and supported the subsequent drive across northern France.
Operated in the area of northeastern France and southwestern Germany during the fall and winter of 1944–1945, attacking such targets as storage dumps, trains, rail lines, marshalling yards, buildings, factories, bridges, roads, vehicles, and strong points. Conducted operations that supported Allied ground action in the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944– January 1945. Launched a series of attacks against vehicles, factories, buildings, railroad cars, tanks, and gun emplacements during the period 15–21 March 1945, being awarded a DUC for this six-day action that contributed to the defeat of the enemy in southern Germany.
Continued operations until May 1945. Returned to the US, October– November 1945 and inactivated