408th Fighter Group (USAAF)

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History

The 408th Fighter Group (USAAF) was a home based training unit that was active from October 1943 to April 1944.

The group was activated as the 408th Bombardment Group (Dive) on 5 April 1943 and assigned to the Third Air Force (in the US South-East). It was based in Mississippi and later in FLorida.

In October 1943 the group received a mix of aircraft, including the A-24 Banshee (the Air Force version of the SBD Dauntless), the A-26 Invader, the P-40 Warhawk and the P-47 Thunderbolt. It began a short period as a training unit.

In November 1943 the group was moved to the Second Air Force, and a new base in Texas.

In February 1944 the group moved back to the Third Air Force and to Louisiana. It ended the war in Oklahoma.

On 1 April 1944 the group was disbanded (along with a large number of other training units).

Books

Pending

Aircraft

October 1943-April 1944: Douglas A-24 Banshee (SBD Dauntless ), Douglas A-26 Invader , Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, Republic P-47 Thunderbolt

Timeline

23 March 1943 Constituted as 408th Bombardment Group (Dive)
5 April 1943 Activated with Third Air Force
August 1943 Redesignated as 408th Fighter-Bomber Group
November 1943 To Second Air Force
February 1944 To Third Air Force
1 April 1944 Disbanded

Commanders (with date of appointment)

1st Lt Reynold H Ulick: 7 Apr 1943
Maj John R Reynolds: 22 Jun 1943
Maj Wyatt P Exum: 22 Sep 1943
Lt Col Thomas Hitchcock: 26 Dec 1943
Maj Wyatt P Exum: 1 Feb 1944
Lt Col Harry L Galusha: 18 Mar-1 Apr 1944.

Main Bases

Key Field, Miss: 5 Apr 1943
Drew Field, Fla: 22 Sep 1943
Abilene AAFld, Tex: 10 Nov 1943
DeRidder AAB, La: 12 Feb 1944
Woodward AAFld. Okla: 26 Mar-1 Apr 1944

Component Units

455th: 1944
518th (636th): 1943-1944
519th (637th): 1943-1944
520th (638th): 1943-1944
639th: 1943

Assigned To

1943-44: 72nd Fighter Wing (training organisation)
1944: 301st Fighter Wing

How to cite this article: Rickard, J (3 July 2018), 408th Fighter Group , http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/USAAF/408th_Fighter_Group.html

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