355th
Fighter
Group

 

Air Forced Assigned To:    8th (July '43 - end WWII)
   
Stations Flown From:   Steeple Morden, England (July '43 -end WWII)
   
Campaigns Flown in:   Air Offensive, Europe
  Normandy
Northern France
Rhineland
Ardennes-Alsace
Central Europe
 
Awards Won:   Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 5 April '44
   
Claims against aircraft in Air:   Destroyed   Probable   Damaged
339   23   124
 

Aces Were:
(Some Aces may have scored other victories while flying for other groups and/or squadrons)

   HQ: E.W. Stewart (7)  
    C.H. Kinnard (6)
 
 354th FS: H.W. Brown (14.2) 357th FS: J.L. Elder (8) 358th FS: W.J. Hovde (10.5)
  G.M. Graham (7)   H.S. Bille (6) J.N. McElroy (5)
R.E. Woody (7) F.R. Haviland (6) R.B. Meyers (5)
B.W. Marshall (7) N.E. Olson (6)
N.J. Fortier (5.833) W.J. Cullerton (5)
   C.W. Lenfest (5.5) L.D. Minchew (4.5)
J.E. Duffy (5.2)  
C.D. Hauver (5)
R.W. Priest (5)
W.J. Koraleski (5.533)
C.H. Kinnard (1)
L.D. Minchew (1)
 
Squadron Insignia and Codes:
354th FS   357th FS   358th FS
  WR OS YF
Planes Flown:  P47
 P51

 

355-00.jpg (150956 bytes)

Lt. Ervin Nelson. 354th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-73156 WR-B "Wolverine"

Photo - Ervin Nelson via Ray Shewfelt and Peter Randall
355-01.jpg (137569 bytes)

354th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-72896 WR-S "Betty"

Photo - Ervin Nelson via Ray Shewfelt and Peter Randall
355-03.jpg (121608 bytes)

358th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-11630 YF-W "Little Plug"

Photo - Ervin Nelson via Ray Shewfelt and Peter Randall
355-04.jpg (131846 bytes)

Maj. William J "Billy" Hovde. 357th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-73294 OS-I "Ole VIII" 358th FS deactivated post war and Maj. Hovde became C.O. of 357th FS

Photo - Ervin Nelson via Ray Shewfelt and Peter Randall
355-05.jpg (136527 bytes)

Col. Claiborne H "Zoot" Kinnard Jr. Headquarters Squadron. P-51D 44-11200. Post war markings.

Photo - Ervin Nelson via Ray Shewfelt and Peter Randall
355-06.jpg (95660 bytes)

358th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-72420 YF-E Photographed whilst still based at Steeple Morden.

Photo - Ervin Nelson via Ray Shewfelt and Peter Randall
355-07.jpg (114621 bytes)

357th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-15189 OS-F Photographed at Steeple Morden.

Photo - Ervin Nelson via Ray Shewfelt and Peter Randall
355-08.jpg (114794 bytes)

354th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-63228 WR-F "Q's Blitz Buggy" Photographed at Augsburg as part of occupation forces.

Photo - Ervin Nelson via Ray Shewfelt and Peter Randall
355-09.jpg (126019 bytes)

354th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-63227 WR-E at Schweinfurt after moving from Augsburg.

Photo - Ervin Nelson via Ray Shewfelt and Peter Randall
355-10.jpg (114667 bytes)

354th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-73041 WR-Z "Mr Lucky". Photographed at Augsburg as part of occupation forces.

Photo - Ervin Nelson via Ray Shewfelt and Peter Randall
355-11.jpg (91925 bytes)

Lt. Kenneth J Miller. 357th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-14786 OS-U "The Melba J"

Photo - Lt. Miller via Peter Randall
355-13.jpg (73617 bytes)

Lt. Kenneth J Miller. 357th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-14786 OS-U "The Melba J"

Photo - Lt. Miller via Peter Randall
355-12.jpg (112952 bytes)

Lt. Kenneth J Miller. 357th Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-14786 OS-U "The Melba J"

Photo - Lt. Miller via Peter Randall
355-02.jpg (69115 bytes)

354th Squadron leading Ace Col. Henry Brown, with 14.2 victories

Photo -  Col. Henry Brown
355-14.jpg (111845 bytes)

357th Squadron Ace Lt. William Cullerton

Photo - Capt. William Cullerton
355-15.jpg (121718 bytes)

354th Squadron second leading ace,  Maj Gordon Graham, with 7 air victories and 9.5 ground

Photo - LtGen. Gordon Graham
355-16.jpg (105198 bytes)

This aircraft was a training aircraft used by the group

USAF Museum photo
355-17.jpg (80481 bytes)

WR-E piloted by Capt. James Duffy, Jr

USAF Museum photo
355-18.jpg (92396 bytes)

P47D of Capt. Walter H. Kossack that was 42-8477 coded "YF-X". He and five other pilots were lost on November 7, 1943 after becoming disoriented in horrible weather over the continent. This flight consisted of the following aircraft and pilots: P-47D, serial # 42-8477, designation YF-X, piloted by Capt. Walter H. Kossack (squadron flight leader); “On The Ball”, P-47D, serial #42-7984, designation OS-Q, piloted by Lt. Edwin O. Carlson; P-47D, serial # 42-8629, designation YF-Z, piloted by F/O Chester W. Watson; and P-47D, serial #42-75045, designation YF-Y, piloted by Lt. Woertz; “Alabama Bound”, P-47D, serial #42-8370, designation OS-L piloted by Lt. James E. Westphall and P-47F "Beetle", serial #42-22490, piloted by 1st Lt. William E, Roach. The aircraft of Lts Roach, Westphall and Carlson were rebuilt by the Luftwaffe.

USAF Museum photo

unknown in front of "Miss Steve", OS-X, piloted by Bill Cullerton's .

photo courtesy of John Webster

John Weidmann

photo courtesy of John Weidmann, Jr.

Lt. Charles Rodebaugh

photo courtesy of J.K. Sharp

Thomas W Harris, crew chief in the 355th with pilot

photo courtesy of Thomas W Harris Jr

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