350th Fighter Group
The 350th Fighter Group was a United States Army Air Forces combat aviation unit that served in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and Italy during World War II.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The 350th Fighter Group was a United States Army Air Forces fighter formation created in England in October 1942 for operations connected with the Allied invasion of North Africa. It was organized into the 345th, 346th, and 347th Fighter Squadrons and initially operated Bell P-39 Airacobra and P-400 Airacobra fighters. The group was unusual in that its initial personnel combined experienced United States Army Air Forces pilots with American volunteers transferred from the Royal Air Force. Its aircraft had originally been ordered for France and were diverted to Britain after the fall of France. The group was activated at RAF Duxford under Eighth Air Force and experienced severe preparation and deployment difficulties. Its aircraft remained crated for an extended period because the supporting depot lacked capacity to assemble them quickly. As a result, many pilots had limited experience on the type before flying long over-water routes to French Morocco. Between January and February 1943, the group's air echelon moved from southwest England to North Africa. The transfer involved substantial hazards, including forced landings in Portugal, Spain, Ireland, and the loss of one pilot over the Bay of Biscay. From early 1943, the 350th Fighter Group served with Twelfth Air Force. In North Africa it flew patrol, interception, convoy-protection, escort, reconnaissance, interdiction, and close-support missions during the Tunisia campaign. It subsequently defended the Algerian coast and supported Allied operations in the Mediterranean. Temporary detachments of P-38 Lightning aircraft were used to counter high-altitude German reconnaissance missions observing preparations for the invasion of Sicily. The group moved through Mediterranean bases, including Sardinia and Corsica, and later operated from Italy. After converting primarily to the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, it concentrated on fighter-bomber work against rail facilities, bridges, shipping, vehicles, power infrastructure, radar and warning installations, and other military targets. It supported the Allied landings on Elba, the invasion of southern France, and the continuing campaign in Italy. On 6 April 1944, it received a Distinguished Unit Citation for a series of missions in western Italy conducted despite heavy anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighter opposition. The 350th also became associated with the Brazilian 1st Fighter Group, which joined it as an additional squadron-sized component in October 1944. One of the unit's best-known members, First Lieutenant Raymond L. Knight, received the Medal of Honor posthumously for actions on 24 and 25 April 1945. Knight led attacks against German airfields and aircraft in northern Italy through intense anti-aircraft fire and died while attempting to return in a heavily damaged aircraft. After the defeat of Germany, the group was moved to Naples and began transportation toward the Pacific. Japan's surrender ended the planned redeployment, and the unit returned to the United States. The 350th Fighter Group was inactivated at Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina, on 7 November 1945. In May 1946 it was redesignated the 350th Fighter Group and allotted to the Pennsylvania Air National Guard; its lineage was subsequently connected with the 112th Fighter Group and later air-refueling organizations. The wartime group itself is therefore defunct, although elements of its lineage continued in postwar Air National Guard service.
History
The 350th Fighter Group was constituted in 1942 and activated in England on 1 October of that year under special authority granted to Eighth Air Force. Its three original squadrons were the 345th, 346th, and 347th Fighter Squadrons. The formation was assembled from pilots drawn from existing USAAF fighter groups and American personnel who had been serving with the Royal Air Force. This combination supplied trained aircrew for a new unit, while aircraft availability remained a major constraint. The group's first aircraft were P-39 Airacobras and P-400 variants originally associated with French orders and diverted to Britain after France's defeat. The aircraft remained in storage for some time, and the group's preparation for the North African invasion was compressed. During the winter of 1942–43, approximately 75 pilots attempted the long flight from England to French Morocco. Most reached North Africa, but others were forced to land in Portugal, Spain, or Ireland, and one pilot was lost over the Bay of Biscay. The ground echelon had arrived with the Operation Torch invasion force, and the two elements subsequently joined at Oujda. The group entered combat with Twelfth Air Force in January 1943. Its missions in North Africa included patrols, interception, convoy protection, escort, reconnaissance, interdiction, and close support. It operated against Axis forces in Tunisia through the conclusion of that campaign and later performed coastal defense duties in Algeria. From June through September 1943, each of its squadrons had a small P-38 Lightning detachment for interception of German high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft monitoring Allied preparations for Sicily. The group later moved to Mediterranean islands and then to Italy. Its principal aircraft became the P-47 Thunderbolt, which was well suited to fighter-bomber operations. From Italian bases, the 350th attacked transportation networks, bridges, docks, rail facilities, vehicles, power lines, radar installations, barracks, and other military targets. It also provided direct support to Allied armies, covered the landing on Elba in June 1944, and assisted the invasion of southern France in August. The group's performance on 6 April 1944 in western Italy earned it a Distinguished Unit Citation after missions were completed despite heavy flak and enemy interception. The Brazilian 1st Fighter Group joined the 350th as a fourth component in October 1944 and operated with it until May 1945. During the final Italian operations, First Lieutenant Raymond L. Knight led attacks on German airfields on 24 and 25 April 1945. He destroyed or helped eliminate aircraft intended for attacks on Allied forces and died when his damaged aircraft crashed in the Apennines while he attempted to return to base. He was later awarded the Medal of Honor. After the European war ended, the group moved to Naples on 14 July 1945 and sailed toward a planned Pacific assignment on 1 August. The surrender of Japan ended that deployment while the vessel was moving through the Panama Canal Zone. The group returned to the United States and was inactivated on 7 November 1945 at Seymour Johnson Field. On 24 May 1946, it was redesignated and allotted to the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. Its squadrons were also redesignated, and the postwar lineage continued through the 112th Fighter Group and later Air National Guard organizations.
- 1946
Pennsylvania Air National Guard redesignation
[1]The group was redesignated and allotted to the Pennsylvania Air National Guard.
- 1945
End of combat operations in Europe
[1]The group supported final Allied operations in Italy before preparing for a planned transfer to the Pacific.
- 1945
Inactivation
[1]The group was inactivated at Seymour Johnson Field after Japan's surrender ended its planned Pacific deployment.
- 1944
Distinguished Unit Citation action
[1]The group conducted a demanding series of missions in western Italy and received a Distinguished Unit Citation.
- 1944
Brazilian component added
[1]The Brazilian 1st Fighter Group joined the formation during the Italian campaign.
- 1943
Arrival in North Africa
[1]The group deployed its aircraft and personnel from England to French Morocco and began operations with Twelfth Air Force.
- 1942
Activation in England
[1]The 350th Fighter Group was activated at RAF Duxford with three fighter squadrons.
Products and positioning
A wartime fighter group focused on flexible tactical air operations, including air defense, escort, reconnaissance, interdiction, and direct support of Allied ground forces.
Fighter aircraft · 1942
Bell P-39 Airacobra
The group's initial principal fighter. P-39 variants equipped the formation during its creation in England and its first combat operations in North Africa. The aircraft were diverted from French orders after the fall of France and required rapid preparation before the group's overseas deployment.
Fighter aircraft · 1942
P-400 Airacobra
An export-related Airacobra variant used by the 345th and 347th Fighter Squadrons during the group's early wartime period.
Interceptor aircraft · 1943
Lockheed P-38 Lightning
Small P-38 detachments were assigned to the group's squadrons during 1943 to intercept German high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft observing Allied preparations for the invasion of Sicily.
Fighter-bomber aircraft · 1944
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
The group's principal later-war aircraft. P-47s supported fighter-bomber missions in Italy, striking transportation facilities, bridges, shipping, communications infrastructure, military installations, and ground targets.
Marketing campaigns
- 1944Italian campaign
Italy · Sardinia · Corsica
Operating chiefly with P-47 Thunderbolts, the group conducted fighter-bomber and close-support missions against transport, industrial, communications, and military targets.
Outcome. The unit supported Allied advances in Italy and received a Distinguished Unit Citation for operations in western Italy.
- 1944Elba and southern France operations
Elba · Southern France
The group provided air support for the Allied landing on Elba and for the invasion of southern France.
Outcome. The operations extended the group's support role across the Mediterranean theater.
- 1943North African Campaign
French Morocco · Algeria · Tunisia
The group flew patrol, interception, escort, reconnaissance, interdiction, convoy-protection, and close-support missions during the Allied campaign in North Africa.
Outcome. The group continued operations through the end of the Tunisian campaign and subsequently helped defend the Algerian coast.
- 1943Sicily invasion support
Mediterranean
P-38 detachments helped counter German reconnaissance flights monitoring Allied preparations for the invasion of Sicily.
Outcome. The group continued Mediterranean operations and later moved toward bases supporting the Italian campaign.
Brand decisions
1945
Planned redeployment to the PacificStrategyBackground
After the European war ended, eligible personnel and replacement troops were reorganized while the group prepared for further combat service.
Action taken
The group departed Naples for a planned Pacific assignment, but the deployment was cancelled after Japan surrendered.
Aftermath
The group returned to the United States and was inactivated in November 1945.
1944
Transition to P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bomber operationsGeneration changeBackground
The group's mission evolved from early fighter patrol and interception work toward sustained tactical support for Allied ground forces in Italy.
Action taken
The group primarily employed P-47 Thunderbolts for bombing, strafing, interdiction, and close-support missions.
Aftermath
The transition supported intensive attacks on transportation networks, military installations, and battlefield targets during the Italian campaign.
1942
Formation around Airacobra assets and mixed pilot sourcesStrategyBackground
Allied planners needed additional fighter capacity for the North African invasion while American pilots and French-ordered P-39 aircraft were already available in Britain.
Action taken
The USAAF combined pilots from existing American fighter groups with American RAF volunteers and organized them into a new three-squadron fighter group.
Aftermath
The group deployed to North Africa despite limited time to assemble its aircraft and train many pilots on the type.
Sources1 sources
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