Constituted as 370th Fighter Group on 25 May 1943. Activated on 1 Jul
1943. Trained with P-47's. Moved to England, Jan-Feb 1944. Assigned to
Ninth AF. Equipped with P-38's in Feb and trained until 1 May 1944 when
the group entered combat. Dive-bombed radar installations and flak towers,
and escorted bombers that attacked bridges and marshalling yards in France
as the Allies prepared for the invasion of the Continent. Provided cover
for Allied forces that crossed the Channel on 6 Jun 1944, and flew armed
reconnaissance missions over the Cotentin Peninsula until the end of the
month. Moved to the Continent in Jul 1944 to support the drive of ground
forces across France and into Germany. Hit gun emplacements, troops,
supply dumps, and tanks near St Lo in Jul and in the Falaise-Argentan area
in Aug 1944. Sent planes and pilots to England to provide cover for the
airborne assault on Holland in Sep 1944. Struck pillboxes and troops early
in Oct to aid First Army's capture of Aachen, and afterward struck
railroads, bridges, viaducts, and tunnels in that area. Received a DUC for
a mission in support of ground forces in the Hurtgen Forest area on 2 Dec
1944 when, despite bad weather and barrages of antiaircraft and small-arms
fire, the group dropped napalm bombs on a heavily defended position in
Bergstein, setting fire to the village and inflicting heavy casualties on
enemy troops defending the area. Flew armed reconnaissance during the
Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945, attacking warehouses, highways,
railroads, motor transports, and other targets. Converted to P-51's,
Feb-Mar 1945. Bombed bridges and docks in the vicinity of Wesel to prepare
for the crossing of the Rhine, and patrolled the area as paratroops were
dropped on the east bank on 24 Mar. Supported operations Of 2d Armored
Division in the Ruhr Valley in Apr. Flew last mission, a sweep over Dessau
and Wittenberg, on 4 May 1945. Returned to the US, Sep-Nov 1945.
Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945.
Redesignated 140th Fighter Group. Allotted to ANG (Colo) on 24 May
1946. Extended federal recognition on 1 Oct 1946. Ordered to active duty
on 1 Apr 1951. Assigned to Tactical Air Command. Redesignated 140th
Fighter-Bomber Group in May 1951. Trained with F-51's. Relieved from
active service and returned, less personnel and equipment, to ANG (Colo),
on 1 Jan 1953.
Squadrons. 120th: 1951-1953. 191st: 1951-1953. 401st: 1943-1945. 402d
(later 187th): 1943-1945; 1951-1953. 485th: 1943-1945.
Stations. Westover Field, Mass, 1 Jul 1943; Groton AAFld, Conn, 19 Oct
1943; Bradley Field, Conn, 5-20 Jan 1944; Aldermaston, England, 12 Feb
1944; Andover, England, 29 Feb-19 Jul 1944; Cardonville, France, 24 Jul
1944; La Vielle, France, 15 Aug 1944; Lonray, France, 6 Sep 1944;
Roye/Amy, France, 11 Sep 1944; Florennes/Juzaine, Belgium, 26 Sep 1944;
Zwartberg, Belgium, 27 Jan 1945; Gutersloh, Germany, 20 Apr 1945;
Sandhofen, Germany, 27 Jun 1945; Fritzlar, Germany, 6 Aug-Sep 1945; Camp
Myles Standish, Mass, c. 6-7 Nov 1945. Buckley Field, Colo, 1 Apr 1951;
Clovis AFB, NM, 5 Dec 1951-1 Jan 1953.
Commanders. Col Howard F Nichols, 1 Jul 1954; Lt Col Seth McKee, 6 Nov
1944; Lt Col Morgan A Giffin, 22 Feb 1945; Col Seth McKee, 10 May
1945-unkn. Col John H Lowell, 1 Apr 1951; Col Gerald Dix, Dec 1952-1 Jan
1953.
Campaigns. Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland;
Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Hurtgen Forest, Germany, 2
Dec 1944. Cited in the Order of the Day, Belgian Army: 6 Jun-30 Sep 1944;
1 Oct 1944-; 16 Dec 1944-25 Jan 1945. Belgian Fourragere.
Insigne. Shield: Per bend, argent and checky, sable and argent, over
all a bend white. Motto: Militat Quasi Tigris Quisque - Each Fights Like a
Tiger. (Approved 4 Jun 1952.) Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986
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