332d Expeditionary Operations Group

332d Fighter Group
Emblem of the 332d Fighter Group
Active	1942-1945; 1947-1948; 1948-1949
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Engagements	World War II European Campaign (1944–1945)
Commanders
Notable commanders	Colonel Benjamin O Davis Jr., 8 October 1943-3 November 1944; 24 December 1944-9 June 1945

The 332d Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 332d Fighter Wing, being assigned to Lockbourne AFB, Ohio. It was inactivated on 1 July 1949.

The group was also known as the Tuskegee Airmen. It was the first combat group of African American pilots who flew with distinction during World War II.

History

Lineage

• Constituted as 332d Fighter Group on 4 July 1942

Activated on 13 October 1942

Inactivated on 19 October 1945

• Activated on 1 July 1947

Inactivated on 26 August 1948

• Activated on 28 August 1948

Inactivated on 1 July 1949

Assignments

• Third Air Force, 13 October 1942
• First Air Force, 29 March 1943
• XII Fighter Command, 3 February 1944
• 306th Fighter Wing, 28 May 1944
• Army Service Forces (for inactivation), 17-19 October 1945
• 332d Fighter Wing, 1 July 1947-26 August 1948; 26 August 1948-1 July 1949

Components

• 99th Fighter Squadron: 1 May 1944-22 June 1945; 1 June 1947-1 July 1949

Attached to 86th Fighter Group, 11-30 June 1944

• 100th Fighter Squadron: 13 October 1942-19 October 1945; 1 June 1947-1 July 1949
• 301st Fighter Squadron: 13 October 1942-19 October 1945; 1 June 1947-1 July 1949
• 302d Fighter Squadron: 13 October 1942-6 March 1945

Stations

• Tuskegee Airfield, Alabama, 13 October 1942
• Selfridge Field, Michigan, 29 March 1943
• Oscoda Army Air Field, Michigan, 12 April 1943
• Selfridge Field, Michigan, 9 July-22 December 1943
• Montecorvino Airfield, Italy, 3 February 1944
• Capodichino Airfield, Italy, 15 April 1944

• Ramitelli Airfield, Italy, 28 May 1944
• Cattolica Airfield, Italy, c. 4 May 1945
• Lucera Airfield, Italy, c. 18 July-September 1945
• Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 17-19 October 1945
• Lockbourne Army Air Base (later AFB), Ohio, 1 July 1947-1 July 1949.

Aircraft assigned

• P-39 Aircobra, 1942–1944
• P-40 Warhawk, 1942–1944
• P-47 Thunderbolt, 1944
• P-51 Mustang, 1944–1945

Operational history

See also: Tuskegee Airmen

Pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group, "Tuskegee Airmen," the elite, all-African American 332nd Fighter Group at Ramitelli Airfield, Italy. From left to right, Lt. Dempsey W. Morgran, Lt. Carroll S. Woods, Lt. Robert H. Nelron, Jr., Capt. Andrew D. Turner, and Lt. Clarence P. Lester.

Formed with great controversy in October 1942 as first African American USAAF fighter group. Equipped and trained with P-39 and P-40 aircraft for extended period beginning in late 1942. Moved to Italy, arriving early in February 1944. Began operations with Twelfth Air Force on 5 February Used P-39's to escort convoys, protect harbors, and fly armed reconnaissance missions. Converted to P-47's during April-May and changed to P-51's in Jun.

Operated with Fifteenth Fifteenth Air Force from May 1944 to April 1945, being engaged primarily in protecting bombers that struck such objectives as oil refineries, factories, airfields, and marshalling yards in Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Rumania, Bulgaria, and Greece. Also made strafing attacks on airdromes, railroads, highways, bridges, river traffic, troop concentrations, radar facilities, power stations, and other targets with success

Received a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission on 24 March 1945 when the group escorted B-17's during a raid on a tank factory at Berlin, fought the interceptors that attacked the formation, and strafed transportation facilities while flying back to the base in Italy.

Returned to the US in October 1945. Inactivated on 19 October 1945.

Activated 1947 as operational component of 332d Fighter Wing. Inactivated in 1949 when operational squadrons assigned directly to wing as part of Air Force Tri-Deputate unit reorganization.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.