The
385th Fighter Squadron was activated on 1 June 1943 at
Grand Central Airport (California), California as one of the three original squadrons of the
364th Fighter Group, The
squadron trained with
Lockheed P-38 Lightnings at various bases in California through 1943, and departed for the
European Theater of Operations in January 1944. It arrived at its combat station,
RAF Honington, England in February 1944, where it became part of
VIII Fighter Command. However, during that month, engine problems plagued the group's P-38s, with 16 of them failing to return from missions during the month, including the group commander, Colonel Frederick C. Grambo, while he was flying an orientation mission with the
20th Fighter Group. While the squadron flew
dive bombing,
strafing and patrol missions in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, it initially operated primarily as an escort for
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and
Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers. In the summer of 1944, and from then until the end of the war flew many long-range missions with its Mustangs, escorting heavy bombers that attacked oil refineries, industries and other strategic objectives in
Berlin,
Regensburg,
Merseburg,
Stuttgart,
Brussels and elsewhere. During a raid on
Frankfurt on 27 December 1944, the squadron dispersed a large group of
Luftwaffe interceptors attacking the
Martin B-26 Marauder formation the group was escorting. For this action, the unit was awarded the
Distinguished Unit Citation. In addition to its escort duties, the squadron also flew
air sea rescue missions and carried out patrols. It continued to support ground forces as the battle line moved through France and into Germany. It participated in
Operation Market Garden, the effort to secure a bridgehead across the
Rhine, in September 1944, the
Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945, and
Operation Lumberjack, the assault across the Rhine in Germany in March 1945. The squadron flew its last combat mission on 25 April 1945. Following
V-E Day, the squadron remained at Honington, although many squadron members transferred to other units. In September, its remaining aircraft were transferred to depots. Its remaining personnel sailed for the United States on the , departing on 4 November. It arrived at the port of embarkation,
Camp Kilmer, New Jersey on 9 November 1945 and was inactivated the following day. England, 10 February 1944-4 November 1945 • Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 9–10 November 1945
Aircraft • Lockheed P-38 Lightning, 1943–1944 • North American P-51D Mustang, 1944–1945
Awards and campaigns ==References==