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332nd Fighter Group Founded :
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332nd Fighter Group
332nd Fighter Group Artwork Collection |
  Clipped Signature - Howard Baugh. |   Clipped Signature - Charles Lane. |   Clipped Signature - William Wheeler. |
  Clipped Signature - James Sheppard. |   Fighting Red Tails by Robert Taylor. |   Red Tail Escort by Richard Taylor. |
 The Red Tails Never Lost a Bomber by Clyde Heron. |   A Perfect Record by Stan Stokes. |
| Aircraft for : 332nd Fighter Group | |||
| A list of all aircraft known to have been flown by 332nd Fighter Group. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name. | |||
| Squadron | Info | ||
Manufacturer : Lockheed | Lightning Designed by Kelly Johnson the P38 made its maiden flight on the 27th January 1939 and introduced into service in 1941. they cost $134,284 at the time each and a total of 10,037 were built. The Lockheed P-38 was introduced as a inceptor fighter but soon proved a valuable long range bomber escort for the 8thUS Air Force's B-17 and-24 bombers as they bombed targets further into Germany. | ||
Manufacturer : North American | Mustang The ubiquitous North American P-51 Mustang, which many consider to be the best all-around fighter of WW II, owes its origins to the British Air Ministry. Following Britains entry into WW II in 1939, the RAF was interested in purchasing additional fighter aircraft from American sources, particularly the Curtiss P-40. Curtiss, which was busy, was unable to guarantee timely delivery so the British approached North American Aviation as a possible second source for the P-40. North American chose to propose its own fighter design which would use the same Allison engine as the P-40. Utilizing new laminar flow wings, the North American fighter was expected to have performance better than the P-40. Developed in record time the new aircraft was designated as a Mustang I by the Brits, whereas the USAAF ordered two for evaluation which were designated XP-51 Apaches. Intrigued with the possibility of using this aircraft also as a dive bomber, North American proposed this to the USAAF which decided to order 500 of the P-51 aircraft to be modified for dive bombing use. Designated as the A-36 Invader, this version of the Mustang utilized dive flaps, and bomb racks under each wing. Some reinforcing of the structural members was also required because of the G-forces to be encountered in dive bombing. A-36s entered combat service with the USAAF prior to any P-51s. In early 1943 the 86th and 27th Fighter Bomber Groups of the 12th Air Force began flying A-36s out of Northern Africa. Despite some early problems with instability caused by the dive flaps, the A-36 was effective in light bombing and strafing roles. It was not, however, capable of dog fighting with German fighters, especially at higher altitudes. Despite these drawbacks one USAAF pilot, Captain Michael T. Russo, who served with the 16th Bomb Squadron of the 27th Fighter Bomber Group, was credited with five confirmed aerial victories in the A-36, thereby becoming the first mustang ace. | ||
Production Began : 1943 Number Built : 15683 | Thunderbolt Alexander Kartveli was a engineer with Seversky Aircraft who designed the P-35, which first flew in 1937. With Republic Aviation Kartveli supervised the development of the P-43 Lancer. Neither of these aircraft were produced in large numbers, and neither was quite successful. However, the Republic Aviation P-47 Thunderbolt, also nicknamed the Jug, was quite a different story. The Jug was the jewel in Kartvelis design crown, and went on to become one of the most produced fighter aircraft of all time with 15,683 being manufactured. The P-47 was the largest and heaviest single seat fighter of WW II. The P-47 immediately demonstrated its excellent combat qualities, including speed, rate of climb, maneuverability, heavy fire power, and the ability to take a lot of punishment. With a wingspan of more than 40 feet and a weight of 19,400 pounds, this large aircraft was designed around the powerful 2000 HP Pratt and Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial engine. The first P-47 prototype flew in May of 1941, and the primary variant the P-47D went into service in 1943 with units of the U.S. Armys Eighth Air Force. The Jug had a maximum speed in excess of 400 MPH, a service ceiling in excess of 42,000 feet, and was heavily armed with either six or eight heavy caliber machine guns. With its ability to carry up to a 2,500 pound bomb load, the Jug saw lots of use in ground attack roles. Until the introduction of the N model, the P-47 lacked the long range required for fighter escort missions which were most often relegated to P-51 Mustangs or P-38 Lightnings. In his outstanding painting entitled Bridge Busting Jugs, noted aviation artist Stan Stokes depicts Eighth Air Force Jugs in a ground attack mission in the Alps in June of 1944. The top P-47 ace was Francis Gabreski who had flown with the 56th Fighter Group, the first unit to be equipped with the P-47. In August of 1943 Gabreski attained his first aerial combat victory (over an Fw-190) and by years end he had reached ace status with 8 confirmed victories. As Commander of the 61st Squadron, Gabreski continued to chalk up victory after victory, and on seven different occasions he achieved two victories during the same mission. However, in July of 1944 Gabreski damaged the prop on his Jug during a low level attack on an airfield near Coblenz. Forced to make a crash landing, he was captured and remained a prisoner of war until Wars end in 1945. Following the War Gabreski returned to military service with the Air Forces 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing in Korea. Flying the F-86 Sabre Jet, Gabreski attained 6.5 more aerial victories in 1951 and 1952 becoming an ace in two different wars | ||
| Signatures for : 332nd Fighter Group | ||
| A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking their name. | ||
| Name | Info | |
 Capt Howard Baugh Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Capt Howard Baugh | Capt Howard Baugh Flew with the 332nd Fighter Group, the Tuskegee Airmen. Captain Howard L. Baugh was born in Petersburg, Virginia. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in March of 1942. He was with the 99th Fighter Squadron in Sicily in July 1943 and flew 135 operational sorties in P-40s and P-51s. He struck artillery batteries, truck convoys and radar installations. Other duties were escorting B-17 and B-24 formations. He shared a Fw190 victory and retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. | |
 Captain Roscoe Brown Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Captain Roscoe Brown | Captain Roscoe Brown After graduating for pilot training from the Tuskegee Army Air base in March 1944, he was deployed to Italy to join the 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group - the Tuskegee Airmen - flying their famous red tailed P-51 Mustangs on bomber escort duties. On 24th March 1945 whilst escorting B-17s on a bombing mission to Berlin he shot down an Me262 after the formation was attacked by the German jets and a week later also shot down an Me109. Promoted to command the 100th Fighter Squadron, he flew 68 combat missions. | |
 Lieutenant Colonel Leo R Gray Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Lieutenant Colonel Leo R Gray | Lieutenant Colonel Leo R Gray Leo Gray graduated as a pilot in one of the final classes from Tuskegee and was immediately posted to fly in combat with the Red Tails in the 100th Fighter Squadron. Arriving in Ramitelli, Italy, on March 14th 1945 he very quickly has a close encounter with two Me262s while escorting home a damaged P38. Flying on long range escort missions in the P51, he also flew P40s and P47s in combat. Gray flew 15 combat missions in P-51s for a total of 750 hours flying time. He left active duty in 1946, but remained in the USAF Reserves until 1984. During his 41 years of military service, Lieutenant Colonel Gray earned a Coveted Air Medal with one Oak Leaf cluster and a Presidential Unit Citation. | |
Lieutenant Colonel George E Hardy Click the name above to see prints signed by Lieutenant Colonel George E Hardy | Lieutenant Colonel George E Hardy After graduating from Tuskegee Army Air Field, George joined the 99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group at Ramitelli, Italy in 1945, and flew 21 combat missions in the P51 Mustang on bomber escort missions in B29s, and during the Vietnam War flew 70 combat missions in AC-119K gunships. | |
Lieutenant Colonel William H Holloman III Click the name above to see prints signed by Lieutenant Colonel William H Holloman III | Lieutenant Colonel William H Holloman III Flew P51s with 99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group during World War II, and after the war he flew P-47 Thunderbolts with the 301st Fighter Squadron. During the Korean War he was a Military Air Transport pilot picking up wounded soldiers for return to the US, and became the first black helicopter pilot in the US Air Force. After leaving the Air Force he became an airline pilot but was recalled to active duty in 1966, serving in Vietnam, Europe, and later returned to the Western Pacific. | |
Second Lieutenant Elbert Hudson Click the name above to see prints signed by Second Lieutenant Elbert Hudson | Second Lieutenant Elbert Hudson In September 1942 elbert Hudson joined up and went for pilot training at the Tuskegee flight school, graduating as a fighter pilot on P51Bs. He soon found himself posted to the 332nd fighter Group in Europe, where he undertook the first of many combat missions in June 1944. Elbert flew combat with the 332nd right through until the end of hostilities in May 1945. | |
Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jefferson Click the name above to see prints signed by Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jefferson | Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jefferson Alexander joined the Red Tails 332nd Fighter Group at Ramitelli, Italy, flying long range escort missions for B17 and B24 bombers. On August 12th 1944, three days prior to the invasion of Southern France. he was shot down by ground fire while strafing coastal radar installations, spending the rest of the war as a PoW, and was liberated by General Pattons 3rd Army. On his return to the USA he became an instructor at Tuskegee Field. | |
 Lt Col Charles Lane Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Lt Col Charles Lane | Lt Col Charles Lane Flew with the 332nd Fighter Group, the Tuskegee Airmen. Flight Officer Charles A. Lane Jr. was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He attended the Harriett Beecher Stowe Teachers College, but studies were interrupted in 1943 when he entered the forces. He flew 26 combat missions in P-47s and P-51s with The Tuskegee, in the 99th Squadron. He was in the forces for 27 years, flying fighters, transports and the B-52. He has The Air Medal with 3 O.L.C.s, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. | |
 1st Lt Robert Martin Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by 1st Lt Robert Martin | 1st Lt Robert Martin Flew with the 332nd Fighter Group, the Tuskegee Airmen. 1st Lieutenant Robert L. Martin was born in Dubuque, Iowa. He flew with 100 Fighter Squadron and has 631/2 missions to his credit. On March 3rd, 1945, he was shot down by ground fire over Zagreb aerodrome (Yugoslavia) and parachuted from the burning airplane. He was rescued by Yugoslav partisans but was not captured by the Germans. He spent five weeks in Yugoslavia and then returned to Italy by truck and plane. Decorations include DFC, Purple Heart and Air Medal with 6 OLC’s. | |
 Colonel Charles McGee Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Colonel Charles McGee | Colonel Charles McGee Charles McGee graduated from flight school and shipped out to Italy in December 1943 as a flight Lieutenant in the 302nd fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group. He flew missions in North Africa, Italy and Germany, and got his first victory on 24th August flying escort in the Ploesti oil field raid. After the war this outstanding flyer commanded fighter squadrons throughout the United States, Italy, the Philippines and Germany, logging up more than 6,100 hours in 409 combat missions spanning World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Serving in the armed forces for 30 years he holds the record of flying more combat missions than any other USAF pilot in history. Born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1919, Charles MeGee, who was to become a Command Aviator who would fly combat missions in three different military conflicts, spent his childhood in Ohio, Illinois, and Iowa. Following two years attending the University of Illinois, WW 11 began, and McGee was sworn into the US Army enlisted reserves on October 26, 1942. He was accepted for pilot training in November and entered the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Training Program. McGee earned his wings and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in June 1943, as a member of Class 43-F at Tuskegee Army Air Field. He was assigned along with many of the other black pilots who had earned their wings at Tuskegee to the 332 nd Fighter Group in Italy. With the 302nd Fighter Squadron McGee trained in the P-40 and would later fly more than 82 tactical missions in the P-39. His fighter group was then transferred into the Fifteenth Air Force and he first flew the P-47 and several weeks later the P-51 Mustang. In this duty, along with other Tuskegee Airmen, McGee performed admirably surmounting many of the unfortunate hurdles placed in their path. The Tuskegee Ainnen became known for their superlative effort at protecting allied bombers from attacking German fighters. McGee is credited with downing one Fw- 190, and the destruction or damage of many others on the ground. He became a flight leader, was promoted to Captain, and after flying 54 more combat missions, returned to Alabama as a twin engine flight instructor. In 1950 McGee flew 100 more combat missions with the 67th Fighter Bomber Squadron of the 18th Fighter Group. He was then made Commander of the 44th Bomber Squadron flying out of Clark Field in the Philippines. Later he would serve with an F-89 Interceptor Squadron, and following a number of interesting operational and staff assignments he would serve as Commander of the 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron deployed in Vietnam. In his year in Vietnam, McGee would fly another 173 missions. Later assignments included Air Liason Officer for USAEUR and 7th Army, Chief of Maintenance for the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, Director of Maintenance Engineering for AF Communication Service, and Commander of Richards-Gebaur AFB, and the 1840 Air Base Wing. He retired from the USAF in 1973 with 6,300 flying hours, including 1,100 hours flown on fighter combat missions. Col. McGee earned a BA Degree in Business Administration and worked for many years in the real estate business with ISC Financial Corporation. He also served as Director of Administration forthe city of Prairie Village, Kanasas, and as Manager of the downtown Kansas City Airport. Now fully retired Charles lives with his wife, the former Frances Nelson of Champaign, Illinois. The McGees have three children, ten grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. His numerous decorations include the Legion of Merit with one cluster, the Distinguished Flying Cross with two clusters, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal with 25 clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal with one cluster, a Presidential Unit Citation, and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, to name only a few. | |
Second Lieutenant Lowell Steward Click the name above to see prints signed by Second Lieutenant Lowell Steward | Second Lieutenant Lowell Steward Entering the Tuskegee flight school for training in july 1942, Lowell steward graduated as a fighter and was posted to Europe to join the 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd fighter Group flying P51s. During his service Lowell flew 143 combat missions with the 100th FS, and remained in the service until July 1946. | |
Lt Col William Wheeler Click the name above to see prints signed by Lt Col William Wheeler | Lt Col William Wheeler Flew with the 332nd Fighter Group, the Tuskegee Airmen. | |
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