362d Fighter Group

362d Fighter Group
Emblem of the 362nd Fighter Group
Active	1943-1946
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Force
Type	Fighter

The 362d Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, stationed at Biggs Field , Texas. It was inactivated on 3 August 1946.

During World War II, the unit was assigned to Eighth and Ninth Air Forces, entering combat on 8 February 1944. The group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission against the harbor at Brest, France on 25 August 1944 when, in spite of heavy overcast and intense enemy fire, the group attacked at low altitude, hitting naval installations, cruisers, troop transports, merchant vessels, and other objectives. It flew its last combat mission on 30 April 1945.

The 362d was one of the original groups of the postwar Tactical Air Command when the command was activated on 21 March 1946, however the unit was inactivated as an active Air Force unit on 1 August due to budget restrictions. It was immediately reassigned to the reconstituted Air National Guard, being allocated to the Wisconson ANG on 2 August 1946 and was redesignated as the 128th Fighter Group.

History

Lineage

• Constituted as 362d Fighter Group on 11 Feb 1943

Activated on 1 Mar 1943

Inactivated on 1 Aug 1946

Assignments

• I Fighter Command, 1 Mar 1943

Attached to: Boston Air Defense Wing, 22 Jun-19 Oct 1943

• 66th Fighter Wing, 30 Nov 1943
• 70th Fighter Wing

Attached to: IX Air Support Command, 13 April 1944

• 100th Fighter Wing

Attached to: XIX Tactical Air Command, 1 Aug 1944, Aug 1945

• First Air Force, 5 Sep 1945
• Second Air Force, 3 Dec 1945
• Tactical Air Command, 21 Mar-2 Aug 1946

Stations

• Westover Field, Massachusetts, 1 Mar 1943
• Bradley Field, Connecticut, 22 Jun 1943
• Groton Field, Connecticut, 2 Aug 1943
• Mitchel Field, New York, 19 Oct-12 Nov 1943
• RAF Wormingford (USAAF Station 159), England, 30 Nov 1943
• RAF Headcorn (USAAF Station 412), England, 13 Apr 1944
• Lignerolles Airfield (A-12), France, 2 Jul 1944
• Rennes Airfield (A-27), France, 10 Aug 1944

• Prosnes Airfield (A-79), France, 19 Sep 1944
• Verdun Airfield (A-82), France, 5 Nov 1944
• Fliegerhorst Frankfurt/Rhein-Main (Y-73), Germany, 8 Apr 1945
• Fliegerhorst Furth (R-28), Germany, 30 Apr 1945
• Fliegerhorst Illesheim (R-10), Germany, 3 May 1945
• Fliegerhorst Straubing (R-68), Germany, 12 May-Aug 1945
• Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina, 5 Sep 1945
• Biggs Field, Texas, 3 Dec 1945-1 Aug 1946.

Components

• 374th Fighter Squadron (E4): 10 Feb 1943-1 Aug 1946
• 375th Fighter Squadron (G8): 10 Feb 1943-1 Aug 1946
• 376th Fighter Squadron (B8): 10 Feb 1943-1 Aug 1946

Aircraft

• P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943-1945
• P-51 Mustang, 1945-1946

Operations

Trained for combat with P-47's. Moved to England in Nov 1943. Assigned to Eighth Air Force. flew first mission, escorting B-24's that attacked V-weapon launching sites near Pas de Calais, on 8 Feb 1944. Until Apr 1944, engaged chiefly in escorting bombers that struck factories, railroads, airfields, and other targets on the Continent.

Reassigned to Ninth Air Force on 13 Apr 1944 and repeatedly attacked communications in northern France and in Belgium during Apr and May, in preparation for the invasion of Normandy.

Escorted C-47's that dropped paratroops over Normandy on 6 and 7 Jun. Afterward, engaged primarily in interdictory and close-support activities, flying strafing and dive-bombing missions designed to assist the operations of ground forces. Moved to the Continent early in Jul 1944 and bombed enemy troops to aid the Allied breakthrough at St Lo later that month. Supported the subsequent advance of ground forces toward the Rhine by attacking railroads, trucks, bridges, power stations, fuel dumps, and other facilities.

Received a DUC for a mission against the harbor at Brest on 25 Aug 1944 when, in spite of heavy overcast and intense enemy fire, the group attacked at low altitude, hitting naval installations, cruisers, troop transports, merchant vessels, and other objectives. Bombed and strafed such targets as flak positions, armored vehicles, and troop concentrations during the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944- Jan 1945.

Received second DUC for action over the Moselle-Rhine River triangle despite the intense antiaircraft fire encountered while flying armed reconnaissance in close cooperation with infantry forces in that area on 16 Mar 1945, the group hit enemy forces, equipment, and facilities, its targets including motor transports, armored vehicles, railroads, railway cars, and gun emplacements. Continued operations until May 1945 then was assigned to occupation duty.

The group was reassigned back to the United States in August-September 1945, and assigned to First Air Force at Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina, being programmed for deployment to Okinawa to take part in the planned Invasion of Japan. As a result of the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the sudden end of the Pacific War, the deployment plans were canceled, however the unit was retained as part of the Second Air Force under Continental Air Forces and reassigned to Biggs Field, Texas, being equipped with P-51 Mustangs.

The 362d became one of the original groups of the postwar Tactical Air Command when the command was activated on 21 March 1946, however was inactivated on 1 August due to postwar budget restrictions. It was immediately allocated to the reconstituted Air National Guard, being allocated to the Wisconson ANG and was redesignated as the 128th Fighter Group.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
• Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.