356th Fighter Group

356th Fighter Group
Unit name	356th Fighter Group
Caption	Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and North American P-51 Mustang of the 356th Fighter Group
Dates	1942–1946; 1946–1949; 1957–1959; 1991–present (various activations)
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Forces; United States Air Force
Type	Fighter group
Role	Air superiority; bomber escort; ground attack
Garrison	Steeple Morden; Myrtle Beach; Portland (various)
Nickname	"Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney" (associated fighter squadrons)
Notable commanders	[See Commanders and Personnel]

356th Fighter Group

The 356th Fighter Group was a United States Army Air Forces and later United States Air Force combat formation that participated prominently in the European Theater of World War II and in postwar service periods. The group operated escort fighters and fighter-bombers in concert with strategic and tactical formations, supporting operations linked to major campaigns such as the Combined Bomber Offensive, Operation Overlord, and the Normandy landings. Its personnel, aircraft, and stations intersected with numerous units, leaders, and airfields across United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Germany, and the United States.

History

Activated in late 1942 under Third Air Force, the group trained with aircraft models and doctrines originating from Eighth Air Force requirements and Army Air Forces Flying Training Command. After stateside preparation at bases including Mitchel Field and Bradley Field, the unit deployed to the United Kingdom and was assigned to VIII Fighter Command and later to Tactical Air Command-related structures during troop carrier and occupation activities. Postwar drawdown placed the group on inactive status intermittently; it was reconstituted during the early Cold War under Air Defense Command and later assigned to continental operations connected with Strategic Air Command and Tactical Air Command missions. Cold War reorganizations under Air Force Reserve Command and later USAF structure preserved lineage through detachments at installations such as Myrtle Beach Air Force Base and Portland International Airport.

World War II Operations

Deployed to RAF Bodney and operating within Eighth Air Force frameworks, the group provided long-range escort for bombers from RAF Bassingbourn, RAF Horsham St Faith, and RAF Hethel. It escorted forces during raids on strategic targets including Regensburg, Berlin, Stuttgart, and Leipzig, often coordinating with formations from 91st Bomb Group, 100th Bomb Group, 390th Bombardment Group, and 3rd Bomb Division. The 356th engaged Luftwaffe units such as Jagdgeschwader 26, Jagdgeschwader 3, and I./JG 11 during large-scale air battles that coincided with operations like Big Week and the air support phase of Operation Market Garden. During the Normandy campaign, the group provided close escort and ground-attack sorties in concert with formations from IX Tactical Air Command and supported Allied advances during the Battle of the Bulge, striking transport bridges at Remagen and interdiction targets near Antwerp to disrupt V-weapon supply routes. The unit transitioned roles between bomber escort and fighter-bomber tactics, coordinating with units including 56th Fighter Group, 4th Fighter Group, and 352nd Fighter Group.

Aircraft and Equipment

Initially equipped with the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, the group later transitioned to the North American P-51 Mustang for extended range escort missions. Modifications and sub-variants included the P-51D equipped with Allison V-1710 derivatives and Packard V-1650 engines, self-sealing fuel tanks, and six .50 caliber Browning M2 machine guns. Maintenance and logistics tied the group to supply chains via depots such as Air Technical Service Command facilities and Lend-Lease support corridors from United States Army Air Forces Materiel Command. Field adaptations included underwing ordnance for ground-attack sorties and radio navigation gear compatible with GEE and Lorenz aids in coordination with bomber streams. Later postwar aircraft allocations in reserve and air defense eras included early jet fighters under Air Defense Command direction and trainer types under Air Training Command.

Organization and Units

The group's core flying squadrons were the 359th, 360th, and 361st Fighter Squadrons, each tracing squadron lineage intertwined with higher headquarters such as VIII Fighter Command and 1st Air Division. Ground echelon elements worked alongside support units from Signal Corps communications detachments, Medical Corps flight surgeons, and Quartermaster Corps supply sections. The organizational chart reflected USAF tables of organization and equipment, with attached elements for reconnaissance, maintenance, and intelligence—often coordinating with units like Eighth Air Force Composite Command and 67th Reconnaissance Group for mission planning and photographic debriefing.

Commanders and Personnel

Command leadership rotated among officers who served within the broader career paths of United States Army Air Forces commanders and postwar United States Air Force leaders. Notable pilots and aces who served with or alongside the group included individuals cited in connection with aerial victories and leadership in theaters overlapping with figures from James Doolittle's era, cross-referenced with aces from the Eighth Air Force community. Ground and air personnel interacted with organizations such as the Civil Air Patrol for stateside recruitment and with veteran associations that later coordinated reunions at locations like Myrtle Beach and Washington, D.C. museums including National Air and Space Museum exhibits.

Honors and Awards

The group and its squadrons received campaign streamers for operations in the European Theater of Operations and were recognized by decorations issued under United States military awards and decorations protocols. Individual pilots earned distinctions such as the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States), Silver Star, and Air Medal, while unit-level commendations reflected performance during campaigns like Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Ardennes-Alsace. Postwar citations and veteran recognitions included mentions in unit histories compiled by Air Force Historical Research Agency and commemorative listings in publications from Smithsonian Institution research programs.

Legacy and Commemoration

The 356th Fighter Group's legacy endures through preserved aircraft displays at institutions like the National Museum of the United States Air Force, veteran memoirs archived by The Library of Congress Veterans History Project, and memorials at former bases such as RAF Bodney and Steeple Morden. Reunion associations and scholarly works in military aviation historiography reference the group's role in shaping long-range escort doctrine that influenced postwar policies at Air Force Doctrine Development centers and United States Air Force Academy curricula. Contemporary commemorations include airshow tributes, restoration projects coordinated with organizations like the Commemorative Air Force and documentation in periodicals such as Aviation Week & Space Technology and Air & Space/Smithsonian.

Category:Fighter groups of the United States Army Air Forces Category:Military units and formations established in 1942