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The 59th Fighter Group went through two incarnations during the Second World War, first as an observation group and then as a training group.
The group was constituted for the first time as the 59th Observation Group on 21 August 1941 and activated on 1 September 1941. It joined the First Air Force, and before US entry into the Second World War war took part in a series of manoeuvres. After Pearl Harbor the group was used to patrol the US East Coast, before being inactivated on 18 October 1942.
The group was reactivated on 1 March 1943 and joined the Third Air Force, in the US South-East. It became the 59th Reconnaissance Group in April 1943 and the 59th Fighter Group in August 1943. It was used as a pilot training group, originally with just the P-39 Airacobra, but from April 1944 with the P-40 as well. This was short-lived as the group was disbanded on 1 May 1944, as were all four of its fighter squadrons at that period.
Pending
1941-1942: BC-1A (North American T-6 Texan), L-59, Douglas O-46, North American O-47, Stinson O-49 Vigilant (later L-1) , Curtiss O-52 Owl
1943-1944: Bell P-39 Airacobra
1944: P-39 and Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
21 August 1941 | Constituted as 59th Observation Group |
1 September 1941 | Activated |
18 October 1942 | Inactivated |
1 March 1943 | Activated |
April 1943 | Redesignated 59th Reconnaissance Group |
August 1943 | Redesignated 59th Fighter Group |
1 May 1944 | Disbanded |
L . Col Victor Dallin:
1941
Lt Col Chester A Charles: Jan 1942-
unkn
Maj Leland S McGowan: c. 24
Mar 1943
Lt Col William R Clingerman
Jr: 14 Apr 1943
Col James B League Jr:
Oct 1943
Lt Col James Van G Wilson: 11
Mar-c. 1 May 1944.
Newark, NJ: 1 Sep 1941
Pope Field, NC: c. Oct 1941
Ft Dix, NJ:
Dec 1941-18 Oct 1942
Ft Myers, Fla: 1
Mar 1943
Thomasville AAFld, Ga: c. 30
Mar 1943-1 May 1944
34th (formerly 126th): 1941-1942, 1943
103rd: 1941-1942
447th: 1943-1944
488th (formerly 9th): 1942, 1943-1944
489th (formerly 104th): 1941-1942; 1943-1944
490th (formerly 119th): 1942, 1943-1944
September 1941-October 1942: First Air Force
March 1943-May 1944: Third Air Force