Organization and training

The group was activated in January 1943 at Westover Field, Massachusetts, with the 368th,^[2] 369th^[3] and 370th Fighter Squadrons assigned,^[4] although it apparently did not begin to receive personnel until March.^[1] After training with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts at Grenier Field, New Hampshire and Republic Field, New York, returning to Westover in August 1943. The group's personnel proceeded to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey on 2 October, where most of the group embarked on the USAT Argentina on 8 October, although the 369th Squadron sailed on the USS Thurston and SS Sloterdyjk, arriving at Liverpool and Clyde on 19 October.^[1][5]

Combat in Europe

359th Fighter Group P-47 Thunderbolts^{[note 3]}

The 359th entered combat in mid-December 1943 after five 359th pilots flew combat missions with the 78th Fighter Group. At first, the group engaged primarily in escort missions to cover Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers that attacked airfields in France. It also flew patrol, strafing, dive bombing and weather reconnaissance missions.^[1]

368th Fighter Squadron P-51 Mustang^{[note 4]}

In April 1944, the group began converting to the North American P-51 Mustang, whose extended range permitted it to provide escort for bombers that struck rail centers in Germany and oil targets in Poland. With the Mustang, the group supported Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, by patrolling the English Channel, escorting bomber formations to the French coast, and dive bombing and strafing bridges, locomotives, and rail lines near the battle area.^[1]

From July 1944 until February 1945, the group engaged chiefly in escorting bombers to oil refineries, marshalling yards, and other targets in such cities as Berlin, Brux, Frankfurt am Main, Ludwigshafen, Merseburg and Stuttgart. The group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for operations over Germany on 11 September 1944 when the group protected a formation of heavy bombers against large numbers of enemy fighters.^[1]

In addition to its escort duties, the 359th supported campaigns in France during July and August 1944, bombed enemy positions to support Operation Market Garden, the airborne attempt to size a bridgehead across the Rhine near Nijmegen in September, and participated in the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945. The group flew missions to support Operation Varsity, the airborne attack to seize a bridgehead across the Rhine at Wesel in March 1945. It also escorted medium bombers attacking German lines of communication from February 1945 through April.^[1]

Following V-E Day, the 359th Fighter Group remained in England until November 1945, although most of its personnel were transferred to other unit, and its aircraft shipped to depots. It sailed on the RMS Queen Mary on 4 November. It arrived at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, where it was inactivated on 10 November 1945.^[1][5]

Notable pilots

Major Ray Wetmore of the 370th Fighter Squadron

Ray Wetmore was credited with 21.25 victories in aerial combat and ended the war as a 21-year-old major. His last victory was on March 15, 1945, near Wittenberg, destroying a Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet rocket fighter.^[6]

Avelin P. Tacon Jr. was commander of the 359th Fighter Group and went on to become a major general in the US Air force.^[7]

Howard L. Fogg, an American artist specializing in railroad art, flew 76 combat missions with the 359th Fighter Group and was awarded the Air Medal with three clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross with one cluster.^[8]

George A. "Pop" Doersch. was the 359th Fighter Group's second highest ranking ace with 10.5 victories in aerial combat (according to USAAF and Imperial Air Museum records) and other sources. Major Doersch flew 78 missions between April 1943 (many in his personal P-51B named "Mis Pop") and July 1944, when returned to the Zone of the Interior. Returning to combat on 20 September 1944, he flew another 69 missions, most in a Mustang P-51D (a replica "OLE GOAT" hangs in the Wisconsin State Museum in Madison). Doersch flew over 500 hours in the ETO, which __ Most of his victories were German Bf-109 and Fw 190 fighters. After World War II he went on to serve in the Strategic Air Command until 1967, retiring from the USAF as a full Colonel.

Claude J. Crenshaw was the 359th Fighter Group's fourth highest ranking ace with seven victories in aerial combat. Crenshaw flew 270 combat hours between April 1944 and December 1944 in ETO, and his personal P-51 was named 'Louisiana Heatwave'. After World War II, he continued served in the USAF until 1965, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.^[9]

Korean War mobilization

After the surprise invasion of South Korea on 25 June 1950, the group was mobilized into federal active duty on 10 October 1950. The group and 165th Squadron moved to Godman Air Force Base, Kentucky at Fort Knox, where they were joined by the 156th and 167th Fighter Squadrons. A few days later, the group was assigned to the newly organized 123d Fighter-Bomber Wing, which combined the group's operational elements and the 223d Air Service Group's support elements under the wing base organization of the regular Air Force. In December 1951, the group deployed with the wing to RAF Manston, England to replace a Strategic Air Command unit on temporary duty there. At Manston, the group transitioned into the Republic F-84E Thunderjet. On 20 July 1952, the group's federalization period expired and it was inactivated, transferring its personnel and equipment to the 406th Fighter-Bomber Group.

Return to state control

Group Martin B-57B Canberra, about 1963

The group was activated the same day in the Guard and returned to its familiar Mustangs. It again replaced them, this time with North American F-86 Sabres. In 1957, it transitioned into the reconnaissance role, initially with Martin RB-57A Canberras, but in 1965, with McDonnell RF-101 Voodoos.

In connection with the Pueblo Crisis, the group was again called to active duty in 1968. It was released to state control the following year. The group continued to operate Voodoos until 1974, when it was inactivated as the Air National Guard eliminated group headquarters that were located on the same stations as their parent wings, assigning their operational squadrons directly to the wings.

The group was activated again as the 123d Operations Group when the Guard reorganized under the Objective Wing model in 1993. It now operates Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft.