8th Air Force The 339th FTR Grp

Inscription.
In Memory Of Our Comrades Killed In
Action And Those From The Group And
Support Units Who Have Followed
Them In The Years Since VE-Day

Commanders: Col John B Henry, Col William C Clark
First Combat Mission: 30 April 1944 - Last Combat Mission: 21 April 1945
Total Combat Missions: 264 - Enemy Aircraft Destroyed: 657
Group Pilots KIA: 61 - Group Pilots MIA/POW 40 - Group Aces: 48

The plaque below is a reproduction of the 339th memorial
standing on the site of the airfield at Fowlmere, Cambs.
England.

(Below)
The 339th FTR Grp, 8th A.F.
From April 1944 Until October 1945
flew off the grass of Manor Farm to join our Allies in victory over Hitler's forces in Europe. To the American men and women of this unit the village of Fowlmere gave the hospitality and support that made of those trying times a fond memory. Here was our Haven in that war.

This plaque is dedicated to all who
served in the 339th Fighter Group
and its supporting units and to their
tireless providing of the Mustang
sorties launched from here in the
allied cause of freedom. God
bless all who knew those times
and this place.
339 FTR. GRP. ASSN 1985
Station

339th Fighter Group

HISTORY: Constituted as 339th Bombardment Group (Dive) on 3 Aug 1942 and activated on 10 Aug. Equipped with A-24's and A-25's; converted to P-39's in Jul 1943. Redesignated 339th Fighter-Bomber Group in Aug 1943. Trained and participated in maneuvers. Moved to England, Mar-Apr 1944. Assigned to Eighth AF and equipped with P-51's. Began operations with a fighter sweep on 30 Apr. Redesignated 339th Fighter Group in May 1944. Engaged primarily in escort duties during its first five weeks of operations, and afterwards flew many escort missions to cover the operations of medium and heavy bombers that struck strategic objectives, interdicted the enemy's communications, or supported operations on the ground. Frequently strafed airdromes and other targets of opportunity while on escort missions. Received a DUC for operations on 10 and 11 Sep 1944. On the first of those days, when it escorted bombers to a target in Germany and then attacked an airdrome near Erding, the group destroyed or damaged many enemy planes despite the intense fire it encountered from antiaircraft guns and small arms. The following day the bomber formation being escorted to Munich was attacked by enemy fighters, but members of the 339th group destroyed a number of the interceptors and drove off the others; at the same time, other members of the 339th were attacking an airdrome near Karlsruhe, where they encountered heavy fire but were able to destroy or damage many of the aircraft parked on the field. The group provided fighter cover over the Channel and the coast of Normandy during the invasion of France in Jun 1944. Strafed and dive-bombed vehicles, locomotives, marshalling yards, antiaircraft batteries, and troops while Allied forces fought to break out of the beachhead in France. Attacked transportation targets as Allied armies drove across France after the breakthrough at St Lo in Jul. Flew area patrols during the airborne attack on Holland in Sep. Escorted bombers to, and flew patrols over the battle area during the German counterattack in the Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge), Dec 1944-Jan 1945. Provided area patrols during the assault across the Rhine in Mar 1945. Among all these varied activities, the outstanding feature of this group's combat record is the large number of enemy aircraft it destroyed in the air or on the ground during its one year of operations. Returned to the US in Oct. Inactivated on 18 Oct 1945. Redesignated 107th Fighter Group. Allotted to ANG (NY) on 24 May 1946. Extended federal recognition on 8 Dec 1948. Redesignated 107th Fighter-Interceptor Group in Sep 1952. SQUADRONS: 485th: 1942-1943. 503d (formerly 482d): 1942-1945. 504th (formerly 483d): 1942-1945. 505th (formerly 484th): 1942-1945. STATIONS: Hunter Field, Ga, 10 Aug 1942 Drew Field, Fla, Feb 1943 Walterboro AAFld, SC, Jul 1943 Rice AAFld, Calif, Sep 1943-Mar 1944 Fowlmere, England, 4 Apr 1944-Oct 1945 Camp Kilmer, NJ, c. 16-18 Oct 1945. COMMANDERS: 2d Lt Harold Garret, c. 18 Aug 1942-unkn Lt Col Marvin S Zipp, Feb 1943 Maj Harry L Galusha, 19 Feb 1943 Col John B Henry Jr, Aug 1943 Lt Col Harold W Scruggs, c. 1 Oct 1944 Lt Col Carl T Goldenberg, 24 Dec 1944 Col John B Henry Jr, 29 Dec 1944 Lt Col William C Clark, 14 Apr 1945-unkn. CAMPAIGNS: American Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe. DECORATIONS: Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 1-11 Sep 1944. INSIGNE: Shield: Per fess enhanced embattled light blue and azure (dark blue) fimbriated argent in sinister base a mailed fist proper grasping a lance bendwise or, enfiling a cockatrice proper (light green) armed, combed, wattled, and scaled or, all between two clouds of the third. Crest: A dexter hand proper, grasping a winged torch or, flamed proper, above a wreath of the colors, argent and arzure. Motto: Strength Through Alertness. (Approved 30 Jul 1954.)