World War II 128th Air Refueling Wing

362d fighter group - p-47 thunderbolts 1945

received duc mission against harbor @ brest on 25 august 1944 when, in spite of heavy overcast , intense enemy fire, group attacked @ low altitude, hitting naval installations, cruisers, troop transports, merchant vessels, , other objectives. bombed , strafed such targets flak positions, armored vehicles, , troop concentrations during battle of bulge, december 1944– january 1945.

received second duc action on moselle-rhine river triangle despite intense antiaircraft fire encountered while flying armed reconnaissance in close cooperation infantry forces in area on 16 march 1945, group hit enemy forces, equipment, , facilities, targets including motor transports, armored vehicles, railroads, railway cars, , gun emplacements. continued operations until may 1945 assigned occupation duty.

the group reassigned united states in august–september 1945, , assigned first air force @ seymour johnson field, north carolina, being programmed deployment okinawa take part in planned invasion of japan. result of atomic bombings of hiroshima , nagasaki , sudden end of pacific war, deployment plans canceled, unit retained part of second air force under continental air forces , reassigned biggs field, texas, being equipped p-51 mustangs.

the 362nd became 1 of original groups of postwar tactical air command when command activated on 21 march 1946, inactivated on 1 august due postwar budget restrictions.