373d Fighter Group

373d Fighter Group
373d Fighter Group Republic P-47D-28-RA Thunderbolt 42-28473, 410th Fighter Squadron at RAF Woodchurch, England.
Active	1943–1945
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Force
Type	Fighter

The 373d Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with First Air Force stationed at Mitchel Field, New York. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945.

During World War II the group was assigned to Ninth Air Force in Western Europe. It was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission on 20 March 1945, that greatly facilitated the crossing of the Rhine River by Allied ground forces: without losing any planes, the group repeatedly dived through barrages of antiaircraft fire to bomb vital airfields east of the river; also attacked rail lines and highways leading to the Rhine, hitting rolling stock, motor transports, and other objectives.

The 373d was redesignated as the 146th Fighter Group, and allotted to the California Air National Guard on 24 May 1946.

During World War II the 373d Fighter Group participated in the aerial operations which made possible the establishment of the Normandy beachhead and the rapid advance of the Allied ground forces into Germany. Although in combat only 12 months, the Group took part in 6 campaigns and was awarded 1 Distinguished Unit Citation for outstanding performance of duty in action.

The unit was constituted as the 373d Fighter Group on 25 May 1943. The unit, consisting of the 410th, 411th, and 412th Fighter Squadrons, was activated at Westover Field, Massachusetts, on 15 August 1943. The original personnel for the 373d were supplied by the 326th Fighter Group. Training for the 373d Fighter Group began at Westover Field in September 1943 and was continued at Norfolk Army Airfield, Virginia, where the unit moved on 22 October.

On 12 February 1944 the Group's training was brought to a halt and the organization prepared for its departure overseas. The Group moved to Camp Shanks, New York, on 15 March. One week later the unit's personnel moved to the New York Port of Embarkation, boarded the HMS Duchess of Bedford, and on the following day sailed for Great Britain. The ship reached Greenock, Scotland, on 3 April, and the men disembarked and moved to their new station at RAF Woodchurch, Kent, England. During the remainder of the month the Group prepared for combat operations by flying training missions. Some of the pilots, in order to gain experience, participated in missions with the 358th Fighter Group.