352nd Fighter Group

8th Air Force 352 FG

Squadrons of the 352th FG

328th Fighter Squadron:
486th Fighter Squadron:
487th Fighter Squadron:

Assigned 8th AAF: 6 July 1943

Wing/Command Assignment

VIII FC: 6 Jul. 1943
VIII FC, 67 FW: 6 Oct. 1943
1 BD, 67 FW: 15 Sep. 1944
9 AF, IX TAC: 23 Dec. 1944 (Temp. assignment).
1 AD, 67 FW: 13 Apr. 1945

Combat Aircraft:

P-47D (blocks 5 to 16), c. 13 Jul. 1943-20 Apr. 1944.
P-51B (from blocks 5) in combat from 8 Apr. 1944
P-51C
P-51D
P-51K

Stations

BODNEY 8 Jul. 1943 to 7 Feb. 1945
ASCHE 23 Dec. 1944 to 27 Jan. 1945
CHIEVRES 27 Jan. 1945 to 13 Apr. 1945
BODNEY 13 Apr. 1945 to 3 Nov. 1945.

Group COs

Col Joseph L. Mason: 18 May 1943 - 15 Nov. 1944.
Col Mayden acting CO 24 Jul. 1944 - 1 Sep. 1944
Col James D. Mayden: 16 Nov. 1944 - Sep. 1945.
Lt Col William T. Halton: Sep. 1945 - Nov. 1945.

First Mission: 9 Sep. 1943
Last Mission: 3 May 1945
Total sorties:420
Aircraft MIA: 118

Claims: Air 519 air; 287 ground.

Major Awards:

Two Distinguished Unit Citations: 8 May 1944: Brunswick escort.
1 Jan. 1945, 487FS only: destruction 23 enemy aircraft

Unit Claims to Fame

George Preddy, highest scoring Mustang ace in 8AF.
487FS only 8AF squadron to be independently awarded a DUC. Destroyed 38 enemy aircraft in 2 Nov. 1944 battle, second highest record for single day's kill

Early History:

Activated 1 Oct. 1943 at Mitchel Field, NY. Actual formation at Bradley Field, Conn. in Oct. 1942, with 486 and 487FS unit was redesignated as 21 and 34 FS. Early training at Westover Field, Mass. and Trumbull Field, Conn. On 9 Mar. 1943 moved to Farmingdale AAField, NY. and commenced traininq on P-47 aircraft. Moved Westover Field, 24 May 1943, and. operated there until 16 Jun. 1943 when overseas movement began with a move to Camp Kilmer, NJ. Then the unit sailed on the Queen Elizabeth on 1 Jul. 1943 and arrived in Clyde on 6 Jul. 1943

Subsequent History:

Many personnel transferred for early return to US after VE-day. aircraft to went to depots in Aug. 1945. Remaining personnel returned to the US on Nov. 1945, sailing on the Queen Mary on 4 Nov. 1945 and arriving in New York on 9 Nov. 1945. Group established at Camp Kilmer, NJ. and inactivated on the 10 Nov. 1945. Redesignated the 113 FG and allotted to DC ANG in 1946, and activated as an Air Defence Unit. Equipped with various fighter aircraft. Later as 113 Tactical Fighter Wing was flying F-100 super saber jet aircraft.