421st Night Fighter Squadron | 5th Fighter Command | 5th AAF | Theater-made Bugs Bunny patches

[walika]

421st Night Fighter Squadron | 5th Fighter Command | 5th AAF

Lineage. Constituted 421st Night Fighter Squadron on 30 Apr 1943. Activated on 1 May 1943. Inactivated on 20 Feb 1947. Redesignated 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron, and activated, on 13 Apr 1962. Organized on 8 Jul 1962. Redesignated 421st Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991.

Assignments. Air Defense Department, AAF School of Applied Tactics, 1 May 1943 (attached to 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 17 Jul-7 Nov 1943); Fifth Air Force, 23 Dec 1943; V Fighter Command, 29 Dec 1943 (apparently attached to other organizations for operations); 86th Fighter Wing, c. 1 Feb 1945; V Fighter Command, Apr 1945.

Stations. Orlando, FL, 1 May 1943; Kissimmee AAFld, FL, 4 Oct-7 Nov 1943; Milne Bay, New Guinea, 4 Jan 1944; Nadzab, New Guinea, c. 1 Feb 1944 (detachment operated from Wakde, 28 May-21 Sep 1944); Owi, Schouten Islands, 28 Jun 1944; Tacloban, Leyte, 25 Oct 1944; San Marcelino, Luzon, 8 Feb 1945 (detachment operated from Tacloban, Leyte, 9 Feb-23 Mar 1945); Clark Field, Luzon, 26 Apr 1945; Ie Shima, 24 Jul 1945).

Aircraft. P-70, 1943-1944; P-38, 1944-1946; P-61, 1944-1947.

Operations. Combat in Southwest and Western Pacific, 29 Feb 1944-14 Aug 1945.

Campaigns. World War II: Air Offensive, Japan; New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines.

Emblem. Over and through a medium blue disc, border yellow orange, edged black, BUGS BUNNY proper, wearing brown aviator’s helmet and gray and white goggles, seated in cockpit of caricatured tan aircraft, and holding aloft a carrot proper in the right forepaw, focusing a gray spotlight with white beam with the left forepaw; two gray machine guns emitting fire from muzzle proper in nose of aircraft. (Approved 13 Dec 1943.)

 

 

Theater-made, Australia. Embroidered on wool, muslin back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Theater-made, Australia. Embroidered on wool.

 

 

 

 

As one of seventeen night fighter squadrons established during the course of World War II, the 421st Night Fighter Squadron carried the war into the night skies over the battlefields of the Southwest Pacific when most other fighter squadrons remained on the ground. The squadron was activated May 1, 1943, as the 421st Night-Fighter Squadron, in Orlando, Fla. Following six months of flight training, the squadron arrived at Milne Bay, New Guinea, and assumed duty with the 5th Fighter Command, 5th Air Force, in the southwest Pacific. For the next 14 months, the squadron and its detachments moved several times throughout New Guinea providing cover for U.S. Army assault landings and shipping reconnaissance; flying patrols; and engaging in bombing and strafing while protecting the various new air bases.

However, it was found that the P-70 was not very successful in actual combat interception of Japanese fighters at night. It was issued P-38H Lightnings stock day fighters with no radar or any other equipment for finding the enemy at night. The Lightning pilots would wait until the enemy was over a target and, hopefully, illuminated by the defender's searchlights. They would then try to pick out the outline of the enemy aircraft and intercept. This method had its dangers since the P-38 was subjecting itself to antiaircraft fire from defenders as well as gunners aboard the Japanese bombers. The squadron received the P-61 Black Widow to replace the P-38s/P-70s in June 1944. The squadron and its detachments moved several times throughout New Guinea providing cover for U.S. Army assault landings, shipping reconnaissance while protecting the various new air bases.

By the end of November 1944, squadron pilots had victories flying the P-38 Lightning, P-70 Havoc and P-61 Black Widow. The 421st received P-61s, the first fighter designed for night fighting, in June 1944. In October 1944, squadron members moved to the Philippines and after bitter fighting, established a camp at San Marcelino in February 1945. Throughout this six-month period, the squadron's activity was intense as aerial combat, bombing and strafing missions became an everyday occurrence.

In October 1944, squadron personnel moved to the Philippines, and after bitter fighting, established a camp at San Marcelino in February 1945. During the next 6 months, the squadron's activity was intense aerial combat and bombing missions became an everyday occurrence.

Following the Japanese surrender, the squadron became part of the occupation forces at Itazuke Air Base, Japan. On 20 February 1947, the squadron was inactivated, with 16 victories to its credit.

During its existence, the squadron was based in a number of places ranging from New Guinea, Leyte, and finally ending up as an “Occupational” squadron in Japan after the war. The 421st NFS would be credited with thirteen kills, three damaged, one probable, and a number they simply never received credit for. On February 2, 1945 the 421st NFS would finally be deactivated and overnight become the 68th Fighter Squadron (All Weather).

 

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Might be my favorite of yours yet! Very cool!

[jpstout]

No doubt, always one of my favorites. Great stuff, Rick,

 

pat

[mortaydc60]

Just a note to forum members there is one available on ebay but looks newly made.

[River Patrol]

Great patch design!!!

[Johnny Signor]

Here's a variation and I'm sure even more rare I don't have the patch , but it's an image of an original showing a P-61 in place of the P-70 enjoy