347th Fighter Group

Constituted as 347th Fighter Group on 29 Sep 1942. Activated in New Caledonia on 3 Oct 1942. Detachments of the group, which was assigned to Thirteenth AF in Jan 1943, were sent to Guadalcanal, where they used P-39 and P-400 aircraft to fly protective patrols, support ground forces, and attack Japanese shipping. When the Allied campaign to recover the central and northern Solomons began in Feb 1943, the detachments, still operating from Guadalcanal and using P-38 and P-39 aircraft, escorted bombers and attacked enemy bases on New Georgia, the Russell Islands and Bougainville. Headquarters moved up from New Caledonia at the end of 1943; and the following month the group moved from Guadalcanal to Stirling Island to support ground forces on Bougainville, assist in neutralizing enemy bases at Rabaul, and fly patrol and search missions in the northern Solomons. Moved to New Guinea in Aug 1944. Equipped completely with P-38's. Escorted bombers to oil refineries on Borneo; bombed and strafed airfields and installations on Ceram, Amboina, Boeroe, Celebes, and Halmahera. Received a DUC for a series of long-range bombing and strafing raids, conducted through intense flak and fighter defense, on the airfield and shipping at Makassar, Celebes, in Nov 1944. Moved to the Philippines in Feb 1945. Supported landings on Mindanao in Mar 1945: bombed and strafed enemy installations and supported Australian forces on Borneo, attacked Japanese positions in northern Luzon, and flew escort missions to the Asiatic mainland. Moved to the US in Dec 1945. Inactivated on 1 Jan 1946.

Redesignated 347th Fighter Group (All Weather). Activated in Japan on 20 Feb 1947. Assigned to Far East Air Forces. Equipped with F-61's and later with F-82's. Inactivated on 24 Jun 1950.

Squadrons. 4th: 1947-1950. 67th: 1942-1945. 68th: 1942-1945; 1947-1950. 70th: 1942-1943, 1945. 339th: 1942-1946; 1947-1950.

Stations. New Caledonia, 3 Oct 1942; Guadalcanal, 29 Dec 1943; Stirling, Treasury Islands, 15 Jan 1944; Sansapor, New Guinea, 15 Aug 1944; Middleburg, New Guinea, 19 Sep 1944; San Jose, Mindoro, 22 Feb 1945; Puerto Princesa, Palawan, 6 Mar-Dec 1945; Camp Stoneman, Calif, 30 Dec 1945-1 Jan 1946. Nagoya, Japan, 20 Feb 1947; Itazuke, Japan, 25 Sep 1947; Bofu, Japan, 15 Oct 1948; Ashiya, Japan, 6 May 1949; Nagoya, Japan, 1 Apr-24 Jun 1950.

Commanders. Lt Col George M McNeese, 3 Oct 1942; Col Leo F Dusard Jr, Jan 1944; Lt Col Leonard Shapiro, 25 Jun 1945-unkn. Unkn, Feb 1947-Aug 1948; Maj Elmer G DaRosa, Aug 1948; Maj Alden E West, Sep 1948; Lt Col John L McGinn, Oct 1948-unkn; Lt Col Clyde A Thompson, unkn-Jun 1950.

Campaigns. China Defensive; Guadalcanal; New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; China Offensive.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Netherlands East Indies, 7, 20, and 22 Nov 1944. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986