352d Fighter Group
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The 352nd Fighter Group was one of the most decorated USAAF Fighter Groups in the World War II. Headquartered in Bodney, England, the 352d and her squadrons (the 328th, 486th and 487th Fighter Squadrons) performed a number of missions for the Eighth Air Force, but predominantly served as bomber escort.
The 352nd Fighter Group was activated at Brandley Field, CT on October 1, 1942. Early on, the Group trained in the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter and left New York on July 1, 1943 for Scotland.
The first missions of the 352 FG were flown on September 9, 1943 when the Thunderbolts flew an escort mission over the North Sea protecting B-17s returning from a raid over continental Europe. Skirmishes with the Luftwaffe were frequent, but it wasn't until November 26 when Major John C. Meyer of the 487 FS scored the Group's first victory over Europe - an Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter.
In mid-1944, the 352d exchanged their radial-engined P-47s for sleek North American P-51 Mustang fighter planes. It was then that the Group adopted their unique blue nose marking. It is legend among aviation historians that the German Luftwaffe referred to the 352d as the "Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney." Whether this is true or not is irrelevant because indeed, the 352 FG was undoubtedly successful. In the end, the Group flew nearly 60,000 combat hours in 19 months, claimed 519 enemy aircraft destroyed in the air, 287 on the ground and produced 29 aerial aces for losses in combat of 118 aircraft.
After the war the unit was transferred to the Washington D.C. Air National Guard and redesignated the 113th Fighter Group.
Notable pilots of the 352d include Major George Preddy, Col. John C. Meyer, Captain Donald Bryan, Lt. Robert "Punchy" Powell, Capt. John "Smokey" Stover, Capt. John Thornell, and Capt. William T. Whisner.
One of the 352nd's greatest accomplishments was its huge victory over the Luftwaffe on January 1, 1945. Based at a forward Belgian aifield designated "Y-29," the 487th Fighter Squadron of the 352d was awaiting take-off for morning patrol when their airfield was overrun with Luftwaffe fighters.
This New Year's Day attack is was designated "Operation Bodenplatte" by the Luftwaffe and involved virtually every available Luftwaffe fighter on the Western Front. The concept was simple - a mass attack on newly won continental bases to destroy as many Allied aircraft on the ground. However, many of the Luftwaffe pilots were poorly trained and did not have the experience necessary to battle seasoned Allied pilots.
Nevertheless, when a group of 60+ Bodenplatte aircraft showed up over Y-29, the 12 blue-nosed Mustangs of the 487 FS were cueing for take-off. While accelerating down the snow-packed runway, Col. Meyer was able to open the account by shooting down a German fighter as it crossed the runway. Though surrounded by strafing fighters, every one of the 487 FS got off the ground to meet their attackers.
In the battle that followed, nearly 30 Luftwaffe fighters were claimed downed without loss (due to enemy action) to the Lufwaffe! However, one pilot - Lt. Dean Huston - was forced to belly his P-51 after its cooling system was holed from the fire of zealous British anti-aircraft gunners.
