508th Fighter Group

Constituted as 508th Fighter Group on 5 Oct 1944 and activated on 12 Oct. Trained with P-47 aircraft to provide very-long-range escort for bombardment units. Moved to Hawaii in Jan 1945 and served as part of the defense force for the islands. Also trained replacement pilots for other organizations, repaired P-47's and P-51's received from combat units, and ferried aircraft to forward areas. Inactivated in Hawaii on 25 Nov 1945.

Squadrons. 466th: 1944-1945. 467th: 1944-1945. 468th: 1944-1945.

Stations. Peterson Field, Colo, 12 Oct 1944; Pocatello AAFld, Idaho, 25 Oct 1944; Bruning AAFld, Neb, 15 Nov-18 Dec 1944; Kahuku, TH, 6 Jan 1945; Mokuleia, TH, 25 Feb 1945; Bellows Field, TH, 16 Sep-25 Nov 1945.

Commanders. Col Henry G Thorne Jr, 9 Nov 1944; Col Frank H Mears, 27 Nov 1944; Col Oswald W Lunde, 4 May-25 Nov 1945.

Campaigns. Asiatic-Pacific Theater.

Decorations. None.

Insigne. Shield: Per bend engrailed azure and gules, in bend a chain or and in chief an atomic cloud argent issuing from a base gray, over-all three figures representing the "Spirit of '76" sable fimbriated of the fourth. Motto: Knowledge And Courage. (Approved 14 Sep 1953.)

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