4th Fighter Group Almanac


USAAF Station F-356    Debden, Essex    29 September 1942 - 27 July 1945

Location:    1 mile N of Debden village
                     2 miles SSE Saffron Walden
Occupied:   29 September 42
                    Transferred to US 3 May 43
Runways:   Concrete, 4800' and 3950'
                    Completed 1941
Hangars:    3 C Type; 1 Bellman at                             the technical site; 11 blisters
Control Tower:  Fort type 1959/34
                           (level added 1943)
A/C stands:    14 twin blast pens,
                        64 temporary stands   
                        of PSP steel matting
                        later replaced by wood.
Structures:     Permanent buildings for                         a  complement of 2,000.
Station Call Sign:  Carman (to 22 APR 44)
                                 Dicton

4 FG Call Sign:        Upper (to 22 APR 44)
                                  Horseback  (A Group)
                                  Amber  (B Group)
                                  Mascot (C Group) 

USAAF Station F-122    Steeple Morden, Cambridgeshire   27 July 1945 - 1 November 1945

Location:    Between Steeple Morden and
                     Litlington; 3.5m W of Royston
Occupied:   27 July 45. Previously 
                     occupied by the 355th Fighter
                     Group.  Last personnel                                 depart on or about 1 NOV 45
Runways:   concrete, 4800', 3330' and   
                    3325'.
Hangars:    1 T2,  9 blisters
Control Tower:  Watch office for 
                             bomber satellites and
                             OTU's 13726/41
A/C stands:  21 square pads,  4
                       large pans, 30 small
                       pans and 16 steel mat
Structures:  Utility buildings for a
                       complement of 1,959
Station Call Sign:  Tworoom

The 4th Fighter Group Record

The first group to engage enemy aircraft over Paris
The first group to use drop tanks
The first group to penetrate German airspace
The first group to engage enemy aircraft over Berlin
The first group to escort bombers over Berlin
The first squadron to destroy 300 enemy aircraft (334)
Chosen to provide fighter escort for the first England-to-Russia Shuttle bombing mission
Flew 416 operational missions (293 in Mustangs)
Received the Distinguished Unit Citation for operations from 5 March - 24 April 1944 in which it is credited with destroying 323 enemy a/c  (189 air, 134 ground)
Destroyed 1,016 enemy aircraft - the highest total by any US fighter group
Eighty-one pilots achieved "ace" status (using 8th AF standard) 

                   334th Fighter Squadron

Squadron Code: XR (Spits Only)   
                             QP
 Call Signs:  Pectin (to 16 APR 44)
                     Cobweb  (A Group)
                     Tiffin        (B Group)
Total Victories:   200.17 Air
                             185.25 Ground
Leading Aces:  Hofer  29
                           Beeson  17.33 (A)
                           Montgomery 14.5 (G)

                   335th Fighter Squadron

Squadron Code:  AV  (Spits only)  
                              WD
 Call Signs: Greenbelt   (to 22 APR 44)
                      Caboose   (A Group)
                      Supreme   (B Group)
Total Victories:   162.17 Air
                              97.33 Ground
Leading Aces:   McKennon  20.68   
                            Carpenter 13.83 (A)
                            McKennon  9.68 (G)

                   336th Fighter Squadron

Squadron Code:  MD  (Spits only)
                              VF
 Call Signs:    Shirtblue (to 22 APR 44)
                        Becky   (A Group)
                        Ronnie   (B Group)
Total Victories:  161.66  Air
                             183.42 Ground
Leading Aces:   Godfrey/Goodson 29
                            Gentile  21.83 (A)
                            Goodson  15  (G)