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    357th Fighter Group in WWII

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    357th Fighter Group in WWII, Squadron Signal publication

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    357th Fighter Group in WWII

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    Killer_R
    602 views66 pages
    357th Fighter Group in WWII, Squadron Signal publication

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    357th Fighter Group in WWII, Squadron Signal publication

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as pdf
    602 views66 pages

    357th Fighter Group in WWII

    Uploaded by

    Killer_R
    357th Fighter Group in WWII, Squadron Signal publication

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    6178 by James Roeder A squadron/signal publications 357th Fighter Group By James Roeder Color by Don Greer Illustrated by Ernesto Cumpian ~~ §quadron/signal publications 1 “Two P-510 Mustangs assigned to the 382nd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group escort 8-17 Flying Fortresses of the 38st Bomb Group on a mission to Germany in the fall of 1944. Captain Leonard K. ‘Kit’ Carson (18.5 victories) flew NOOKY BOOKY il (4413916), while Captain John B. England (17.5 victories) plloled MISSOURI ARMADA (44-1478). MISSOURI ARMADA was renamed SAD SACK ‘when this Mustang was later assigned to 2/Lt Oscar T. Ri Acknowledgements Ie would have been impossible to write this book without the help of the {ollowing people: Merle Olmsted, who generously loaned nearly all the photos for this ‘book from his collection, and kindly answered my many (some dumb) ‘questions. ‘And especially, Denise Rocder, my wife and best friend, who transla ced my handwriten pages into text on the computer, often late at night, & ‘ew times under duress (Sometimes hers, sometimes mine), but always offering her encouragement and support. ‘The following Former pilots of the 357th Fighter Group: Clarence E Anderson Edward D. Hyman Myron A. Becraft Dr, Jerome Iaeobs Donald H. Bochkay Harvey F. Mace Leonard K. Carson William R, O'Brien Raymond T. Conlin Henry Pheitfor ‘Andrew J. Evans John F. Pugh [Notbert Fisher ‘Arval J. Roberson, Frank L. Gailer John Salsman James A. Gasser Sohn Skara “Thomas L. Hayes, Jr John Howell Charles E. Yeager Vincent V. Zetler And the following individuals: Carl “Pop” Demele Corey W. Roeder Jeff Esha ob Sands Lloyd 8. Jones AlTrendle Walter L- Rickson Gene Stafford 2 (COPYRIGHT 2000 SQUADRONSIGNAL PUBLICATIONS, INC IIS CROWLEY DRIVE. CARROLLTON, TEXAS 75011-5010 All righs reserved. No pat of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a reieval systom oe wansmited in any form by means cloves, mechanical ot fiero, witht writen permission of the pb ISBN 0.89747-380:9 A you have any wor, soldiers oF ships of any nation, particularly wartime snapshots, why not share them with us and help uals hooks al the more interesting and complete in the future. Any photograph sent to us will be copied and the origi returned, The donor wil be fully eredited for any photos used. Please send them o: Carrolion, TX 75011-501010 Ecuu y bac ects doTorpadum camomeToR, BOOpy KeHIIA Kopa6ile mo60mt crpane, ocoGeHHo, cHHMKH BPEMEH Hoxenureck ¢ HAMM H MOMOTHTe cleaaTs HOBEIe KHMT 3ckaxpox/Curnan ete miTepeckee. Ma mepectiment oTOrpagii H BepHem opurmianm. Mena mpmeraput Gy YT conponoxsaTs Rce onyGnuKoRaHAMe ¢oTOr pad Noxaaymcra, npucumanre goTor papain mo axpecy: ‘Squadrow/Signal Publications, Ie. ILS Crowley Drive. Carrollon, TX 75011-501010 A, ARI Ke MS ORR MAL TESA AALS LA LOTERATT. MMCRB SAR LOBHEAVDTT, Squadon/Sip BWC, Cod Se FAUNA L OUEC TC ETE ET Fi, WFORBMLOALET. UR ERLE REL AD ALL, 2 SUCHEST. BFRUTRECEN HEH, ‘Squadron/Signal Publications, Ie. 1115 Crawley Drive. Carrotton, FX 7S011-801010 Dedication: ‘To my father, Franklin W. Roeder, who began the whole thing by get ting me interested in airplanes at the tender age of 1, To four men who have greatly influenced my life: Demele, Lloyd S. Jones, Walter L. Rickson, and Al Trendle Andi to the memory of Leonard K. “Kit” Carson, a good friend who i, and will be, greatly missed. Cael “Pop” {(Overieaf) Five North American P-51 Mustangs of the 962nd Fighter ‘Squadron (FS), 357th Fighter Group (FG) fly in formation late in ‘World War Il. The lead aircraft is Cooter (G4-W, serial number 44- 14153), which was painted RAF Dark Green (FS34079) on the upper surfaces and Neutral Gray (FS95173) on the under surfaces. First Lieutenant William W. Gruber, Cooter’s pilot, scored his only air ‘combat victory on 24 March 1845. The four natural metal P-Sis flying with Gruber’ sireraft are (ront-back): Ticket to Lorraine (GA-S, 44 15607), an unnamed aircraft (G4-G, 4411683), Marymae (G4-K, 44- 63188), and Tooun’ Foous’ Revence (G4-X, 44-69199). All ive ‘Mustangs are decorated with propeller spinners and nose checker- ‘boards in red and yellow, the Groups colors. (Merle Olmsted) Introduction ‘The 357th Fighter Group (FG) downed 595 enemy aircraft daring World War Il, ranking this unit tied in victories among US Army Air Forces (USAAF) fighter groups in the European Theater of Operations (ETO). The 9th Air Force's 354th FG — the first P'S] Mustang unit in the ETO — led in air victories over Burope with 701. The 56th FG led Sth Air Force fighter groups with 664.5 kills, followed by the 357th's 595, the 4th FG's 550, and the 352nd PG's 504.5. The 357th FG led the Sth Air Force in the number of fighter aces scoring most or all of their victories while flying with one group with 42, The 56th FG was second with 41 aces and the 4th EG was third with 39. ‘The 3571 was in combat for just over one year ~ far less time than either the 4th or the 56th Fighter Groups ~ yet ther pilots shot down more enemy aireraft in one day (55.5 on 14 January 1945) than any’ other ETO fighter unit, The 18.3 Me 262s downed by the 357th were also the largest number ofthese German jet fighters shot down by fh er groups in the ETO. The 106.5 enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground ‘brought the 357th's total score to 701.5 ~ fourth highest in the Sta Air Force Unless otherwise noted, the pilots’ accounts of air-to-air combat are

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