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The 473rd Fighter Group (USAAF) was a home based training unit that operated in 1943-44.
The group was constituted on 12 October 1943 and activated on 1 November 1943. It was assigned to the Fourth Air Force, in the US south west and was based at the Grand Central Air Terminal for most of its existence.
The group was used as a Replacement Training Unit for P-38 Lighting pilots, preparing pilots to fill gaps in existing units.
At the end of March 1944 the group was moved to Ephrata AAB, Washington State, where it was disbanded on 31 March 1944. This was part of a general reorganisation of training, in which the existing groups and squadrons were disbanded and new Base units were formed. In this case that was probably the 355th Army Air Force Base Unit, which was based at Ephrata.
Pending
1943-1944: Lockheed P-38 Lightning
12 October 1943 | Constituted as 473rd Fighter Group |
1 November 1943 | Activated with Fourth Air Force |
31 March 1944 | Disbanded |
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
Grand Central Air Terminal,
Calif: 1 Nov 1943
Ephrata AAB, Wash:
28-31 Mar 1944.
451st: 1943-1944
482nd: 1943-1944
483rd: 1943-1944
484th: 1943-1944
1943-44: Los Angeles Fighter Wing; IV Fighter Command; Fourth Air Force