World War Photos

P-51D Mustangs of the 361st Fighter Group – color photo

The 361st Fighter Group – overview

Assignments:

• Eighth Air Force: Assigned on 30 November 1943.
• VIII Fighter Command (VIII FC): From 30 November 1943.
• VIII FC, 66th Fighter Wing: From 12 December 1943.
• VIII FC, 67th Fighter Wing: From 11 March 1944.
• VIII FC, 65th Fighter Wing: From 8 August 1944.
• 2nd Bomb Division (2 BD), 65th Fighter Wing: From 15 September 1944.
• Ninth Air Force, XIX Tactical Air Command (TAC): Temporary assignment for echelon operational control on 24 December 1944.
• VIII Fighter Command: Reassigned on 1 February 1945.
• 2nd Air Division (2 AD), 65th Fighter Wing: From 10 April 1945.

Component Squadrons:

• 374th Fighter Squadron
• 375th Fighter Squadron
• 376th Fighter Squadron

Combat Aircraft:

• P-47D Thunderbolt (Blocks 10 to 21): December 1943 – 15 May 1944.
• P-51B (from Block 10) and P-51C (from Block 5): From 12 May 1944.
• P-51D and P-51K Mustangs.

Stations:

• Bottisham, England: Main base of operations.
• Little Walden, England
• St. Dizier, France
• Chievres, Belgium
• Little Walden, England (returned).

Group Commanding Officers (COs):

• Col Thomas J. J. Christian Jr: 30 November 1943 – 26 September 1944.
• Col Ronald F. Fallows: 26 September 1944 – approximately 4 February 1945.
• Lt Col Roy B. Caviness: 25 December 1944 – 15 February 1945 (Air echelon only).
• Lt Col Joseph J. Kruzel: 15 February 1945 – 9 April 1945 (Ground echelon in early February 1945).
• Col Junius W. Dennison Jr: 9 April 1945 – 3 November 1945.
• Lt Col Roy B. Caviness: Interim CO during August and November 1944.

Mission History:

• First Mission: 21 January 1944.
• Last Mission: 20 April 1945.
• Total Missions: 441.
• Aircraft Missing in Action (MIA): 81.
• Enemy Aircraft Claims: 226 in air combat; 105 on the ground.

Claims to Fame:

• The 361st was notable as the last P-47 group to join the Eighth Air Force.

History:

• Activated: 10 February 1943 at Richmond Army Air Base (AAB), Virginia.
• Training: Conducted at several air bases in the eastern United States during the spring and summer of 1943:
  • Langley Field, Virginia: From 26 May 1943.
  • Millville Army Air Field, New Jersey: From 20 July 1943.
  • Camp Springs Army Air Field, Maryland: From 28 August 1943.
  • Returned to Richmond AAB: On 20 September 1943.
• Equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts during training.
• Overseas Deployment: Moved to Camp Shanks, New York on 12 November 1943 to prepare for overseas duty. The group sailed on the Queen Elizabeth on 23 November 1943, arriving in Clyde, Scotland, on 29 November 1943.
• The 361st Fighter Group remained in the UK until November 1945. During September and October 1945, many personnel and aircraft were transferred to depots. The remaining personnel sailed on the Queen Mary from Southampton on 4 November 1945, arriving in New York on 9 November 1945. The group was established at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, and inactivated there on 10 November 1945.