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397th Fighter Squadron

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397th Fighter Squadron
Squadron P-47D Thunderbolt on an escort mission over the German Alps[note 1]
Active1943-1946
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Rolefighter-bomber
Part ofNinth Air Force
Nickname(s)Jabo Angels[note 2]
EngagementsEuropean Theater of Operations[1]
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation
Belgian Fourragère[1]
Insignia
397th Fighter Squadron emblem (approved 13 April 1944)[1]

The 397th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was activated in June 1943 as part of the 368th Fighter Group. After training in the United States, it moved to the European Theater of Operations, where it served in combat until the spring of 1945 with Ninth Air Force, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation and a Belgian Fourragère for its actions. Following V-E Day, the squadron served in the army of occupation at AAF Station Straubing, Germany until was inactivated on 20 August 1946.

History

The 397th Fighter Squadron was first organized at Westover Field, Massachusetts in June 1943 as one of the original squadrons of the 368th Fighter Group. In August, it moved to Mitchel Field, New York, where it trained with Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighters until joining its parent group at Farmingdale Army Air Field, New York in November. The group and its squadrons left for Europe in late December 1943.[1][2]

The squadron arrived in England in January 1944. It began operations on 14 March, when it flew a fighter sweep over the English Channel coast of France.[2] The squadron received its first credit for destroying an enemy aircraft on this mission.[3] The squadron made strafing and bombing attacks on airfields, rail and highway bridges, trains, vehicles, and flak positions to help prepare for Operation Overlord, the invasion of France. The squadron also participated in Operation Crossbow, attacking V-weapons launch sites near the coast.[2]

The squadron supported the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944. Ten days after the landings, it moved to Cardonville Airfield, an advanced landing ground in northern France and began operations from the Continent as an element of IX Tactical Air Command.[1][4] Shortly after the move, Major Randall Hendricks became the squadron's first ace.[3] The squadron provided close air support for forces in the Battle of Cherbourg, which secured a vital port for further operations in France. It participated in the air operations that prepared the way for Operation Cobra, the Allied breakthrough at St Lo on 25 July, and supported ground forces during their drive across France. The squadron received a Distinguished Unit Citation[1] for operations near Mons (Bergen), Belgium on 3 September 1944, when it organized seven separate missions attacking enemy forces blocking the Allied advance, destroying transport and troop positions.[2] In the face of heavy antiaircraft fire, the 368th Group had destroyed over 262 motorized vehicles and an additional 230 horse-drawn vehicles.[5] It was cited in the order of the day by the Belgian Army for the period from D-Day through the end of September.[1]

The squadron continued its support of allied ground forces, participated in the assault against the Siegfried Line, and took part in the Battle of the Bulge from December 1944 through January 1945 by attacking rail lines and trains, marshalling yards, roads and vehicles, armored columns, and gun positions. During these operations, on 17 December, Lt William Kerr destroyed three enemy aircraft in a single engagement.[3][note 3] It was cited in the order of the day for a second time by the Belgian Army for this support and awarded the Belgian Fourragère.[1] The squadron continued operations with the Allied forces that pushed across the Rhine and into Germany until the end of the war.[2] The last combat mission flown by the 368th Group was a fighter sweep near Prague on 5 May 1945.[6] The squadron ended the war credited with the destruction of 44 enemy aircraft.[3][note 4]

After V-E Day, the unit served with the army of occupation, at AAF Station Straubing. On 20 August 1946, the 368th Group and its elements were inactivated and replaced at Straubing by the 78th Fighter Group. The squadron transferred it personnel and equipment to the 84th Fighter Squadron, which was simultaneously activated. Although 368th Group headquarters and the other two operational squadron of the group were transferred to the National Guard the following day, the 397th has remained inactive.[1][2][7][8]

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 397th Fighter Squadron on 24 May 1943
Activated on 1 June 1943
Inactivated on 20 Auguast 1946[1]

Assignments

  • 368th Fighter Group, 1 June 1943 – 20 August 1946[1]

Stations

Aircraft

Awards and campaigns

Award streamer Award Dates Notes
Distinguished Unit Citation Mons, Belgium 3 September 1944[1] [1]
Belgian Fourragère 6 June 1944-30 September 1944, 16 December 1944-25 January 1945[note 5] [1]
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
Air Offensive, Europe 13 January 1944 – 5 June 1944 [1]
Air Combat, EAME Theater 13 January 1944 – 11 May 1945 [1]
Northern France 25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 [1]
Rhineland 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 [1]
Ardennes-Alsace 16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 [1]
Central Europe 22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945 [1]
World War II Army of Occupation (Germany) 9 May 1945 – 20 August 1946 [1]

References

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. ^ Aircraft is Republic P-47D-30-RE Thunderbolt, serial 44-20456.
  2. ^ Jabo is short for Jagdbomber, German for fighter-bomber. This nickname was carried by all units of the 368th Group.
  3. ^ These were Kerr's only victories of the entire war. Newton & Senning, p. 647.
  4. ^ The official total is 43.99 because three pilots who shared in the destruction of a single enemy aircraft received credit for .33 victory each. Newton & Senning, p. 647.
  5. ^ The Belgian Fourragère is awarded to units cited twice in the Order of the Day. These are the two periods for which the squadron was cited.
Citations
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 487-488
  2. ^ a b c d e f Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 254-255
  3. ^ a b c d Newton & Senning, p. 647
  4. ^ Rust, p. 98
  5. ^ Rust, pp. 111-112
  6. ^ Rust, p. 173
  7. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 292-293, 485-486
  8. ^ Maurer, Combat Units, p. 143
  9. ^ a b Station number in Anderson.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i Station number in Johnson.

Bibliography

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

  • Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL yes: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  • Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2017. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  • Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  • Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
  • Newton, Wesely P., Jr.; Senning, Calvin F. (1963). "USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II, USAF Historical Study No. 85" (PDF). Research Studies Institute, USAF Historical Division, Air University. Retrieved 26 June 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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