479th Fighter Group
GroupIWM, Roger Freeman Collection
The 479th was the last Fighter Group to join the Eighth Air Force, which they did on 14 May 1944. Known as "Riddle's Raiders", after their first Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Kyle L. Riddle, the Group flew escort and fighter sweep missions before D-Day. On D-Day itself, the Group patrolled the beachheads and in the months that followed the pilots conducted area patrols across northern France. The Group won a Distinguished Unit Citation for destroying numerous aircraft whilst strafing airfields on 18 August and 5 September, and whilst engaging in air combat near Munster 26 September 1944.
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Commanding Officers
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 479th Fighter Group 56th Fighter Group Headquarters (479th Fighter Group) Headquarters (56th Fighter Group)
- Service Numbers: O-022353
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot / Commander
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 479th Fighter Group Headquarters (479th Fighter Group)
- Service Numbers: O-356174
- Highest Rank: Brigadier General
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot/Group Commander
Connections
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Unit stations
Station | Location | Date |
---|---|---|
Based |
Wattisham | 15 May 1944 - 22 November 1945 |
Encompassing
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 479th Fighter Group 435th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-757970
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot, Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 479th Fighter Group
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 479th Fighter Group
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 479th Fighter Group
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 479th Fighter Group
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Nicknames: Rabble Rouser
- Unit: 479th Fighter Group 436th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Unit: 479th Fighter Group 434th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Unit: 479th Fighter Group 434th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Unit: 479th Fighter Group 434th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Nicknames: Little Edris
- Unit: 479th Fighter Group 434th Fighter Squadron
Mission
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / The Mighty Eighth. A History of the Units, Men and Machines of the US 8th Air Force.' by Roger A. Freeman (1989). 'Air Force Combat Units of World War II' compiled by the Department of the US Air Force, edited by Maurice Maurer (1983). / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)