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485 Fighter Squadron

Discussion in 'Information Requests' started by SgtGonzo, Jun 21, 2010.

  1. SgtGonzo

    SgtGonzo recruit

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    My father served in WW11 with the 485th Fighter Squadron. His MOS was electrician 078. My father was an American serving in the American AAF but I cannot find anything online pertaining to the 485th. Does anyone have any information regarding this unit? I would greatly appreciate any help.
     
  2. mcoffee

    mcoffee Son-of-a-Gun(ner)

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    Google 370th Fighter Group, and you'll find a bit more information. There is a history of the 370th Fighter Group available via Amazon.

    From Mauer Mauer's "Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, WWII":
    485th Fighter Squadron
    LINEAGE. Constituted 485th Fighter Squadron on 22 Jul 1943, Activated on 25 Jul 1943. Inactivated on 10 Nov 1945.
    ASSIGNMENTS. 370th Fighter Group, 25 Ju1 1943-7 Nov 1945.
    STATIONS. Westover Field, Mass, 25 Jul 1943; Groton AAFld, Conn, 17 Oct 1943; Suffolk AAFld, NY, 25 Nov 1943; Bradley Field, Conn, 4-19 Jan 1944; Aldermaston, England, 12 Feb 1944; Andover, England, 1 Mar-21 Jul 1944; Cardonville, France, c. 31 Jul 1944; La Vielle, France, 15 Aug 1944; Lonray, France, 6 Sep 1944; Roye/Amy, France, 11 Sep 1944; Florennes/Juxaine, Belgium, 26 Sep 1944; Zwartberg, Belgium, 27 Jan 1945; Gutersloh, Germany, 22 Apr 1945; Sandhofen, Germany, 27 Jun 1945; Fritzlar, Germany, 6 Aug-Sep 194.5; Camp Shanks, NY, c. g-10 Nov 1945.
    AIRCRAFT. P-47, 1943-1944; P-38, 1944-1945; p-51, 1945. 1944-4 May 1945.
    OPERATIONS. Combat in ETO, 1 May 1944-4 May 1945.
    SERVICE STREAMERS None.
    CAMPAIGNS Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.
    DECORATIONS Distinguished Unit Citation: Hurtgen Forest, Germany, 2 Dec 1944. Cited in the Order of the Day, Belgian Army: 6 Jun-30 Sep 1944; 16 Dec 1944-25 Jan 1945. Belgian Fourragere.
    EMBLEM. On a disc light turquoise blue, wide border red, a small, caricatured
    lightning bug wearing red-and white-striped jersey, light turquoise blue trousers and aviator's helmet, red boots and goggles, and yellow gloves, standing on two, jagged, yellow lightning bolts striking toward sinister base, pilewise, and holding a large gray aerial bomb under the right arm, and a gray automatic revolver in the left hand, while facing toward sinister, all in front of a large white cloud formation. (Approved 20 Mar 1945.)
     
  3. SgtGonzo

    SgtGonzo recruit

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    Mcoffee,
    I thank you very much for the information. Do you know if the airfields had ever come under attack or if the ground crewmen had ever been used as infantry. My father was wounded but never received the Purple Heart and I am trying to find out why. He always told us that he suffered his injuries from flying shrapnel. Any information you can provide or any leads regarding where to search would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.
    Sgt Gonzo
     
  4. theblackalchemist

    theblackalchemist Member

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    http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_can_you_find_information_on_the_370th_Fighter_Group_Ninth_Air_Force

    more formal info here
    http://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/370th_Fighter_Group.cfm

    If you can give us more details of your father (name etc.. )
    we can help you more easily

    Welcome to the forums :)

    Regards,
    TBA
     
  5. mcoffee

    mcoffee Son-of-a-Gun(ner)

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    Your best bet for information will probably be to acquire the 370th unit history book. You might also try to contact the author via the publisher. I would assume he pulled all the unit history files from NARA and Maxwell and might have unpublished information relative to your father in his files.

    The 370th was based in Belgium on 1 January 45 when Operation BODENPLATTE occured, so its possible their field was attacked then (or otherwise). None of my sources have more than a passing mention of the 370th FG. The tactical units tend to get 'short changed' in coverage relative to the "glamour" heavy bomber and escort units.
     
  6. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    Sgt it would be worth your time in picking up a copy of the 370th fg by Schiffer pubs. amazon.com has the book selling roughly at US $ 44.00. good price, you may find what you are looking for within those pages. First flying P-38's and then one of the very few 9th AF units to convert to the P-51
     
  7. SgtGonzo

    SgtGonzo recruit

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    I am trying to make a memorial box for my father, a WW11 veteran. I am trying to find the 485th fighter squadron patch(I believe it was part of the 9th AAF) in order to complete the memorial box. Does anyone have any idea where I might be able to find it. I don't mind if all I can get is a replica. Thanks in advance
     
  8. Jabos

    Jabos recruit

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    I wrote the history of the 370th and would love to chat with you. I have images of the 485th patch for you. The book has a lot of photos and stories from the vets and I hope you can pick up a copy. The Luftwaffe didn't attack the 370th base (Florennes) during BODENPLATTE but there were a few other events that could have caused his injuries. You can contact me for further discussion at jonesj@wwhwlaw.com

    I wholly agree that the 9th af got little attention but had the dirty work on the deck. Most 370th pilots greatly resented the 8th af pilots, feeling they got rank faster, more medals, and slept at a cozy English bases while (at that time of the war) they were shooting down green Luftwaffe pilots to become aces. I know both sets of pilots deserve their place in history as "Heros" but the 8th has definitely received the lion's share of the attention.
    Jay Jones
     
  9. Trud3r

    Trud3r Member

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    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    From "Battle Colors Volume II - insignia and tactical markings of the ninth air force in WW2" by Robert A Watkins.

    And for the 370th Insignia ...
    [​IMG]

    They had one ;)
     
  10. Jabos

    Jabos recruit

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    Thanks for posting that Trud3r. Those authors of Battle Colors got it right. For years 370th FG info out there about aircraft markings was perpetually wrong, based on the incomplete material in Ken Rust's great 9th AF book.

    I think the 370th Group Insignia was created by a post WW2 unit after the WW2 outfit was deactivated in the Fall of '45. In my 12 years of research and review of thousands of photos of the 370th in WW2, I never saw that insignia. The 370th HQ pilots (gp cmdr and deputy gp cmdr) flew aircraft with 485th Squadron markings. Pilots had one of the four squadron patches in that Battle Colors material on their A-2 jackets, but never that 370th crest.

    FYI, if anyone cares, the 401st patch was created stateside when the outfit was formed, the 402nd was redone after the outfit converted to 38s from 47s, and the 485th was created as a result of a "contest" held in November '44. Pilot Lt. Jack Jarrell's design won. Sadly, he was shot down in December '44 and is to this day listed as MIA.
     

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