339th Fighter Group
339th Fighter Group
66th Fighter Wing, 8th USAAF.
339th Fighter Group was composed by
503rd, 504th and 505th Squadron.
The Group was assigned to the 66th Fighter Wing of the Third Air Division, 8th USAAF on April 4, 1944, arriving at Station 378 Fowlmere, Cambs on April 5, 1944 where they remained until October 10th 1945. Throughout this period the Group flew P-51Bs and Cs until they were equipped with P-51Ds.264 missions were flown from Fowlmere and the Group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for it's actions on September 10th and 11th, 1944.
On 11th September 1944, only the 503rd FS, lead by major Aitken was directly involved in the air battle. The other two Fighter Squadrons were diverted to a ground attack mission. As the fighters of JG 4 attacked the bomber stream the 503rd FS turned to intercept. Two 339th FG aircraft were Missing In Action by the end of the day, both from the 505th FS, which was not directly involved in the battle over the Ore Mountains.
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On September 11th, 1944, 1st Lt. Frank R. Gerard´s P-51D #44-13808 D7-U "Yi-Yi" was credited with four Luftwaffe fighters on September 11, 1944. |
Claimed victories by the pilots of the 339th FG on 11th of September 1944
| Lt. John Aitken | 1 Me 109 destroyed, 1 Fw 190 damaged |
| Lt. Francis Gerard | 3 Me 109 destroyed, 1 Fw 190 destroyed, 1 Me 109 damaged |
| Lt. Ray Mayer | 2 Me 109 destroyed |
| Lt. E. M. Graham | 1 Me 109 destroyed, 2 Fw 190 destroyed |
| Lt. Charles Coe | 2 Fw 190 destroyed |
| Lt. Donald E. McClish | 2 Fw 190 destroyed, 1 Me 109 destroyed |
| Lt. J. C. Robinson | 1 Fw 190 destroyed |
| Lt. Carl E. Cloud | 1 Me 109 destroyed |
| Lt. W. D. Stockton | 1 Fw 190 damaged |
| Lt. Jack B Price | 1 Fw 190 destroyed |
| Lt. Earl E. Erickson | 1 Fw 190 destroyed, 1 Fw 190 probably destroyed |
All of the victories are claimed at about 12:15 PM
over Annaberg (Ore Mountains / Erzgebirge) Area
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Code letters, call signs, and colors of squadrons of the Group
| Squadron | Sqn code letters | rudder color |
Call sign |
| 503rd | D7 | Červená | Beefteak |
| 504th | 5Q | Zelená | Cockshy |
| 505th | 6N | Žlutá | Upper |
339th Fighter Group today
Memorial of the 339th FG at their former base - Fowlmere, England
The original T2 Hangar at the Fowlmere airfield
once used by 339th FG, is now a private airfield
The Reunion of 339th FG at Milwaukee, Wisconsin in September 1997. One of the top aces of the 339th FG Major General Francis R. Gerard was not present at this Reunion as he was attending the opening ceremony at the Museum in Kovarska.
The donation of a "Nature's Classroom" to a school at Fowlmere by the 339th FG Association in appreciation of the support of the village during the war. This school was attended by Miss Amy Chetwyn, one of our guests at the Museum opening ceremony in September 1997.
Living memory of the 339th FG - a P-51D warbird
flying in 339th FG colours