366th Fighter Squadron

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366th Fighter Squadron
Distinguished Unit Citation
French Croix de Guerre with Palm
Insignia
366th Fighter Squadron emblem (approved 6 September 1943)[1]
Fuselage code[2]IP

The 366th Fighter Squadron is an inactive

La Junta Army Airfield
, Colorado, where it was inactivated on 7 November 1945.

The squadron was first activated at the beginning of 1943. After training in the United States, it moved to England and entered combat in the

VE Day
, the squadron returned to the United States, where it was inactivated on 7 November 1945.

History

The 366th Fighter Squadron was activated on 1 January 1943 at

358th Fighter Group. The squadron initially began training with the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. Later that year, the unit replaced its Warhawks with the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, which it flew for the remainder of the war. The squadron left the United States in September 1943.[1][3]

The 366th arrived in England during October 1943, where it began operations with

airfields and attacked Axis communications during April and May from its new station, an advanced landing ground[4] at RAF High Halden, to help prepare for the invasion of Normandy.[3]

The squadron escorted troop carrier formations on

St Lo. The squadron continued to fly escort, interdiction and close air support missions during the Allied drive across France and into Germany throughout 1944–45.[3]

The squadron received a

Rhine River, destroying motor transport and hampering the withdrawal efforts, earning a second Distinguished Unit Citation. The following month, the squadron attacked German airfields near Munich and Ingolstadt, engaging aircraft and supporting the advance of Allied ground forces in the area, earning a third award of the Distinguished Unit Citation. The squadron was also awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Palm by the Government of France for its assistance in the liberation of France.[3] The squadron was credited with the destruction of 29.5 enemy aircraft during the war.[5]

The squadron remained in Germany after

VE Day until July 1945, when it returned to the United States, where it was inactivated on 7 November 1945.[3]

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 366th Fighter Squadron (Single Engine) on 20 December 1942
Activated on 1 January 1943
Inactivated on 7 November 1945[1]

Assignments

  • 358th Fighter Group: 1 February 1943 – 7 November 1945[1]

Stations

Aircraft

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 453–454
  2. ^ Watkins, pp. 28–29
  3. ^ a b c d e Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 240–241
  4. ^ Rust, p. 69
  5. ^ Newton and Senning, p. 634
  6. ^ a b c d Station number in Anderson.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Station number in Johnson.

Bibliography

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  • Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  • Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  • Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.
    LCCN 61060979
    .
  • Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.
    OCLC 72556
    .
  • Rust, Kenn C. (1967). The 9th Air Force in World War II. Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers, Inc.
    LCCN 67-16454
    .
  • Newton, Wesely P. Jr.; Senning, Calvin F. (1963). "USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II, USAF Historical Study No. 85" (PDF). Research Studies Institute, USAF Historical Division, Air University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  • Watkins, Robert (2008). Battle Colors. Vol. III Insignia and Markings of the Ninth Air Force in World War II. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd.
    ISBN 978-0-7643-2938-8
    .

External links
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