World War Photos

P-51D Mustang 44-11564 356th FG 359th Fighter Squadron Martlesham Heath England 1945, code OC-W, color photo

356th Fighter Group – overview of the group’s key details:

Assignments:

• Eighth Air Force: Assigned on 25 August 1943.
• 65th Fighter Wing (VIII Fighter Command): From 26 August 1943.
• 67th Fighter Wing (VIII Fighter Command): From 8 August 1944.
• 67th Fighter Wing (1st Bombardment Division): From 15 September 1944.
• 67th Fighter Wing (1st Air Division): From 1 January 1945.

Component Squadrons:

• 359th Fighter Squadron
• 360th Fighter Squadron
• 361st Fighter Squadron

Combat Aircraft:

• P-47D Thunderbolt: Served from September 1943 to late November 1944.
• P-51D Mustang: Entered combat from around 20 November 1944.
• P-51K Mustang: In service starting from December 1944.

Stations:

• Goxhill: 27 August 1943 – 5 October 1943.
• Martlesham Heath: 5 October 1943 – around 2 November 1945 (most air echelon arrived by 9 October 1943).

Group Commanding Officers (COs):

• Lt Col Harold J. Rau: 9 February 1943 – 28 November 1943.
• Col Einar A. Malmstrom: 28 November 1943 – 23 April 1944 (POW).
• Lt Col Philip E. Tukey Jr.: 24 April 1944 – 3 November 1944.
• Lt Col Donald A. Baccus: 3 November 1944 – 10 January 1945.
• Col Philip E. Tukey Jr.: 11 January 1945 – October 1945.

Mission History:

• First Mission: 15 October 1943.
• Last Mission: 7 May 1945.
• Total Missions: 413.
• Aircraft Missing in Action (MIA): 122.
• Enemy Aircraft Claims: 201 in air combat; 75 on the ground.

Major Awards:

• Distinguished Unit Citation: 17, 18, and 23 September 1944 for supporting airborne operations in Holland.

Claims to Fame:

• Known as the “hard luck” fighter group due to its high loss ratio compared to enemy aircraft claims, despite excellent leadership.

History:

• Activated: 12 December 1942 at Westover Field, Massachusetts.
• Trained in P-47s at various locations including Groton Field, Connecticut, and Mitchel Field, New York.
• Overseas Deployment: Ground echelon sailed on the Queen Elizabeth on 20 August 1943, arriving in Clyde on 25 August 1943. Pilots and aircraft followed via different routes.
• Aircraft were sent to depots in August/September 1945.
• Most personnel transferred after VE-Day, with the remaining group sailing on the Queen Mary from Southampton on 4 November 1945, arriving in New York on 9 November 1945.
• Inactivated: 10 November 1945 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.

Aircraft Markings:

P-47D Thunderbolts (September 1943 – November 1944):

• Initially finished in Dark Olive Drab and Neutral Gray with white type identity stripes.
• Squadron codes: OC (359th), PI (360th), QI (361st).
• Later received bare metal finishes and field-applied dark green camouflage.
• “No color” nose markings were applied in late March 1944, and D-Day stripes were added as needed.

P-51D/K Mustangs (October 1944 – September 1945):

• Maintained bare metal finishes with minimal unit markings.
• Unique markings included a blue and red spinner with alternating stripes and a red nose band with blue diamonds.
• Squadron colors were added to rudders and canopy frames, and propeller spinners were color-coded by squadron (yellow, red, blue).