Air Force Combat Units of WWII

346 AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR I1COMMANDERS. Lt Col Robert L Johnston,Nov 1943; Col Romulus W Puryear,27 Nov 1943; Lt Col Milton H Ashkins,20 Dec 1943-31 Mar 1944. Lt Col RobertL Brocklehurst, 1956.CAMPAIGNS. None.DECORATIONS. None.INSIGNE. None.474th FIGHTER GROUPConstituted as 474th Fighter Group on26 May 1943. Activated on I Aug 1943.Trained for combat with P-38’s. Movedto England, Feb-Mar 1944. Assigned toNinth AF. Flew first combat mission, anarea patrol along the coast of France, on25 Apr 1944. Attacked bridges and railroadsin France in preparation for theNormandy invasion. Provided cover forthe invasion force that was crossing theChannel on the night of 5/6 Jun and flewbombing missions to support the landingson the following day. Began armed re-connaissance missions after D-Day to assistground forces, and attacked highwaysand troops to aid the Allied breakthroughat St Lo, 25 Jul. Moved to the Continentin Aug 1944 for continued operations insupport of ground forces. Bombed andstrafed such targets as airfields, hangars,railroads, bridges, highways, barges, fueldumps, ammunition depots, gun emplacements,and troop concentrations until theend of the war; also escorted bombers thatstruck marshalling yards, factories, cities,and other objectives. Received a DUC fora mission in France on 23 Aug 1944: participatingin a joint air-ground attackagainst retreating enemy forces in theFalaise-Argentan area, the group discoveredan immense quantity of enemyequipment massed along the Seine River;despite severe fire from small arms andfrom antiaircraft guns that the Germanshad placed at two bridges to protect themateriel and cover the retreat, the grouprepeatedly bombed and strafed the enemy,knocking out motor transports, barges,bridges, and other objectives, thereby disruptingthe evacuation and enabling Alliedground forces to capture German troopsand equipment. Other operations includedbombardment of flak positions nearEindhoven in advance of British I AirborneDivision during the attack on Hollandin Sep 1944; participation in theBattle of the Bulge, Dec 1g44-Jan 1945;and patrols along the route of the airborneassault across the Rhine in Mar 1945.Continued operations until V-E Day.