78th Fighter Group
Honor
Roll MTO
Squadron
Insignia:
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82nd
Fighter Squadron
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83rd
Fighter Squadron
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84rd
Fighter Squadron
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Call Sign
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Stedman
(A Group)
Churchtime
(B Group)
to 22 April '44 then:
Surtax (A Group)
Rainbow (B Group)
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Lockyear
(A Group)
Cleveland
(B Group)
to 22 April '44 then:
Cargo (A Group)
Turquoise (B Group)
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Bayland
(A Group)
Clinton (B Group) to 22 April '44 then:
Shampoo (A Group)
Spotlight (B Group)
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Plane Identification codes:
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MX
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HL
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WZ
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The 78th Pursuit Group was activated on February 9, 1942 at Baer
Field, Indiana. It was redesignated the 78th Fighter Group, expanded and moved
to Hamilton Field, California in May of 1942 for training. It was selected as
one of the first Groups to fly the P-38 "Lightning". The Group was
made part of the 8th Army Air Force and left for the European Theater of
Operations (ETO) in November of 1942. They sailed to England from New York on
the "Queen Elizabeth" on November 24, 1942. In February, 1943, most of
the pilots and P-38 aircraft were transferred to the 12th Air Force to support
Allied operations in North Africa. The 78th returned and remained in England
until October, 1945. All the Group aircraft were moved to depots for disposal on
September, 1945. All personnel sailed from Southampton, U.K. on the Queen Mary
on October 11, 1945 and arrived in New York on November 16, 1945. They were
officially de-activated as a Unit at Camp Kilmer, N.J., on November 18, 1945.
The Unit was reactivated on August 20, 1946, and re-numbered as the 368th
Fighter Group. It was sent to Straubing, Germany as part of the U.S. Occupation
Force, flying P-47's. By June of 1947, the Group was disbanded and transferred
to Mitchell Field, N.Y. It remained inactive until November 1948, when it was
re-built as the 78th Fighter Wing and assigned to Hamilton Air Force Base,
California flying F-84 "Thunderjets".The unit eventually became part
of the American Defense Command (ADC) and flew F-106 "Delta Darts" in
a long range interceptor role.
Aircraft Flown: |
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P-38G, December, 1942 - February, 1943 |
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P-47C, from late January, 1943 |
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P-47D from June, 1943 - January, 1945 |
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P-51 D (from block 20), P-51 K, from December, 1944 |
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