World War Photos

P-38J Lightning 42-67811 code CG-H of the 38th FS 55th Fighter Group

55th Fighter Group – overview

Command Assignments

• Assigned to Eighth Air Force: 16 September 1943
• Wing & Command Assignments:
  • VIII Fighter Command (VIII FC): 16 September 1943
  • VIII FC, 66th Fighter Wing (FW): 5 October 1943
  • 3rd Bomb Division (BD), 66th FW: 15 September 1944
  • 3rd Air Division (AD), 66th FW: 1 January 1945

Component Squadrons

• 38th Fighter Squadron (FS)
• 338th Fighter Squadron (FS)
• 343rd Fighter Squadron (FS)
• (3rd Scouting Force also associated)

Combat Aircraft

• P-38H: 20 September 1943 – End of December 1943
• P-38J: Mid-December 1943 – 21 July 1944
• P-51D: From July 1944 (Combat from 19 July 1944)
• P-51K: From December 1944

Stations

• Nuthampstead
• Wormingford

Group Commanders

• Lt Col Frank B. James: 16 September 1943 – 16 April 1944
• Col Jack S. Jenkins: 16 April 1944 – 21 July 1945
• Col George T. Crowell: 15 May 1943 – 3 February 1944
• Lt Col Elwyn C. Righetti: 6 February 1944 – 10 April 1944 (POW)
• Col Ben Rimerman: 10 April 1944 – 22 February 1945
• Lt Col Jack W. Hayes Jr: 22 February 1945 – 17 April 1945 (MIA)
• Col Ben Rimerman: 22 April 1945 – 20 May 1945 (KIA)
• Lt Col Jack W. Hayes Jr: 21 May 1945 – Unknown

Key Missions

• First Mission: 15 October 1943
• Last Mission: 21 April 1945
• Aircraft MIA: 181
• Enemy Aircraft Claims:
  • Air: 316
  • Ground: 268

Major Awards

• Distinguished Unit Citations:
  • 3-13 September 1944: For destroying 106 enemy aircraft during a mission.
  • 19 February 1945: For ground strafing achievements.

Claims to Fame

• First P-38 group in combat with 8th Air Force.
• First 8th Air Force aircraft over Berlin on 3 March 1944.
• Destroyed more locomotives by strafing than any other group.
• Lt Col Righetti was known as the “King of 8th Air Force strafers.”

Historical Summary

• Activation and Early History:

  • Activated on 15 January 1941 at Hamilton Field, California.
  • Initially equipped with P-43s and later P-38s after moving to McChord Field, Washington, on 22 July 1942.
  • The group underwent several changes in its squadron composition, with units being reassigned to other theaters.
  • Departed McChord for Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, on 23 August 1943, and sailed to the UK on 5 September 1943, arriving on 14 September 1943.

• Combat Operations:

  • The group was the first to use P-38 Lightnings in combat within the 8th Air Force.
  • Transitioned to P-51 Mustangs in July 1944, which marked a significant increase in its operational capabilities.
  • Participated in a wide range of missions, including bomber escort, air superiority, and ground attack, contributing significantly to the Allied air campaign.

• Post-War Activities:

  • Selected for duty with occupational air forces in Germany in July 1945.
  • Re-equipped with P-80 jets in July 1946 but was inactivated on 20 August 1946 and effectively re-designated as the 31st Fighter Group.

Aircraft Markings and Color Schemes

P-38H/J Lightnings (August 1943 – July 1944)

• Camouflage:
  • Dark Olive Drab and Neutral Gray.
• Squadron Codes (Applied from early October 1943):
  • 38th FS: “CG”
  • 338th FS: “CL”
  • 343rd FS: “CY”
  • Markings:
    • Codes were painted white, 18 inches high, and located aft of the radiator housing on each fuselage boom.
    • Geometric devices introduced in January 1944 for squadron recognition:
      • 38th FS: Triangle
      • 338th FS: Circle
      • 343rd FS: Square
    • These were painted in white on the outward-facing sides of the vertical tail surfaces.
  • Additional Markings:
    • Black replaced white in unit markings when bare metal P-38Js were received in February 1944.
    • “Droopsnoot” decoy band (8 inches wide, white) was added to the noses in April 1944.

P-51D/K Mustangs (July 1944 – July 1945)

• Camouflage and Markings:
  • Early P-51Ds had fins and rudders sprayed in dark green, with 30-inch diameter squadron symbols in white.
  • Squadron Colors:
    • Green/yellow/green spinner stripes with a 12-inch wide cowling band of green and yellow squares.
    • The geometric symbols on tails were abandoned in favor of these markings.
  • Rudder Colors:
    • 338th FS: Green rudder
    • 343rd FS: Yellow rudder
    • 38th FS: Red rudder (from mid-March 1945)
  • Decorative Schemes:
    • Some P-51Ds had dark green camouflage applied “in the field” for decorative purposes, with a red line marking the border between the green and bare metal.