479th Fighter Group

8th Air Force 479th FG

Riddle's Raiders

Squadrons of the 479th FG

434th Fighter Squadron:
435th Fighter Squadron:
436th Fighter Squadron:

Assigned 8th AAF: 14 May 1944

Wing/Command Assignment

VIII FC, 65 FW: 15 May 1944.
2 BD, 65 FW: 15 Sep. 1944.
2 AD, 65 FW: 1 Jan. 1945.

Combat Aircraft:

P-38J May 1944 to 27 Sep. 1944.
P-51D 13 Sep. 1944 to Sep. 1945

Stations

WATTISHAM 15 May 1944 to 22 Nov. 1945.

Group COs

Lt Col Kyle L. Riddle: 25 Dec. 1943 - 10 Aug. 1944 MIA-evaded
Col. Hubert Zemke: 12 Aug. 1944 - 30 Oct. 1944, POW.
Col. Kvle L. Riddle: 1 Nov. 1944 - late 1945.

First Mission: 26 May 1944
Last Mission: 25 Apr. 1945
Total missions: 351
Aircraft MIA: 69

Claims: 155 air; 279 ground

Major Awards:

Distinguished Unit Citation:
18 Aug., 5 and 26 Sep. 1944; strafing airfields and air combat, near Munster.

Unit Claims to Fame

Last fighter group to join 8AF
First combat with 'jet' enemy aircraft - Captain Jeffrey, 29 Jul. 1944
Last enemy aircraft claimed by 8AF on the 25 Apr. 1945, Lt Hilton Thompson.

Early History:

Activated 15 Oct. 1943 at Glendale GCAT CA. Trained there with P-38s until 6 Feb. 1944. Moved to Lomita Flight Strip, CA. and on 7 Mar. 1944 to Santa Maria AAField, CA. Commenced overseas movement on April arriving Camp Kilmer, NJ. 20 Apr. 1944. Sailed on the USS Argentina, 2 May 1944 and arrived Clyde 14 May 1944.

Subsequent History:

Many personnel transferred after VE-day. Aircraft transfered to depots on Sep. 1945. Unit was the last fighter group to return to US, sailing from UK on the 23 Nov. 1944 and arriving in New York on the 29 of Nov. 1945. Group established at Camp Kilmer, NJ for inactivation there on 1 Dec. 1945.