| 394th Fighter Squadron | |
|---|---|
Emblem of the 394th Fighter Squadron |
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| Active | 1943-1945 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Fighter |
The 394th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 367th Fighter Group, IX Fighter Command, stationed at Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945.
Organized and trained in California during 1943 on P-51 Mustangs. Moved to England in April 1944, being assigned to IX Fighter Command, but were assigned P-38 Lightnings upon arrival. Entered combat in May 1944, flying fighter sweeps, bomber escorts and dive bombing missions over Occupied France.
Supported the invasion of Normandy during June 1944 by maintaining low aerial cover over the invasion troops. Moved to France in late July, engaging enemy aircraft over France and supporting ground forces as they advanced, attacking the German Seventh Army which, to prevent being surrounded, was withdrawing eastward through the gap between Falaise and Argentan. Five convoys and 100 Tiger Tanks were destroyed on one day.
Continued combat operations until the German capitulation in May 1945. On July 1 it was announced the squadron was to go to the Pacific Theater of Operations, and returned to the United Staters to be re-equipped with long range P-47N Thunderbolts. Japanese Capitulation in August led to the unit becoming excess to requirements, and was demobilzed at Seymour Johnson field, North Carolina. Was inactivated as a paper unit in November 1945
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.