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95th, 96th & 97th Fighter Squadrons | 82nd Fighter Group | 12th & 15th AAF | theater-made patches


walika
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82nd Fighter Group | 12th & 15th AAF

 

Constituted as 82d Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 13 Jan 1942. Activated on 9 Feb 1942. Redesignated 82d Fighter Group in May 1942. Trained with P-38's.

Moved to Northern Ireland during Sep-Oct 1942 for further training. Moved to North Africa in Dec 1942 and served with Twelfth AF until Nov 1943. Took part in the defeat of Axis forces in Tunisia, the reduction of Pantelleria, the conquest of Sicily and the invasion of Italy. Operated against the enemy’s air transports; flew dive-bombing and strafing missions; escorted medium bombers in their attacks on enemy shipping and their raids on Naples and Rome; and gave direct support to the ground forces during the invasion of Italy. Received a DUC for a low-level strafing raid against enemy aircraft concentrations at Foggia on 25 Aug 1943. Received second DUC for performance on 2 Sep 1943 when the group protected a formation of bombers that encountered strong opposition from enemy interceptors during an attack on marshalling yards near Naples.

Moved to Italy in Oct 1943. Assigned to Fifteenth AF in November. Continued to function occasionally as a fighter-bomber organization, supporting Allied armies, flying interdictory missions, and attacking strategic targets. Received third DUC for performance on 10 Jun 1944 when the 82d Group braved head-on attacks by hostile fighters to dive-bomb an oil refinery at Ploesti and then strafed targets of opportunity while returning to base. Engaged primarily in escort work, however, from Oct 1943 to May 1945, covering the operations of heavy bombers that attacked aircraft industries, oil refineries, and other targets in France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Rumania, and Bulgaria. Inactivated in Italy on 9 Sep 1945.

SQUADRONS. 95th: 1942-1945. 96th: 1942-1945. 97th: 1942-1945.

STATIONS. Harding Field, La, 9 Feb 1942; Muroc, Calif (today Edwards AFB), 30 Apr 1942; Los Angeles, Calif, May 1942; Glendale, Calif, c. 16 Aug-16 Sep 1942; Northern Ireland, Oct 1942; Telergma, Algeria, Jan 1943; Berteaux, Algeria, 28 Mar 1943; Souk-el-Arba, Algeria, 13 Jun 1943; Grombalia, Tunisia, 3 Aug 1943; San Pancrazio, Italy, c. 3 Oct 1943; Lecce, Italy, 10 Oct 1943; Vincenzo Airfield, Italy, 11 Jan 1944; Lesina, Italy, c. 30 Aug-g Sep 1945.

CAMPAIGNS. Air Combat, EAME Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley.

 

95th Fighter Squadron | 82nd Fighter Group | 12th & 15th AAF

 

EMBLEM. On a blue disc with wide yellow border a white skull with black eye sockets, nose, teeth, etc., wearing a high black silk hat and a monocle with black ribbon. All above a white bow tie and within a "V" formed on the left by hand in white glove holding a black cane with yellow head and on the right by a yellow lightning flash, both terminating in a white cloud issuing from the base.

Theater-made. Italian embroidery.

95fs82fg12-15aaf-2-600.jpg

Theater-made. Italian embroidery on silk with bullion.

95fs82fg12-15aaf-600.jpg

 

 

 

96th Fighter Squadron | 82nd Fighter Group | 12th & 15th AAF

The Slugging Jackrabbits | Callsign - Cowtail

EMBLEM. On and over a blue disc edged in gray a brown and white fighting jack-rabbit wearing white boxing gloves, springing in belligerent attitude over a yellow mound charged with a three-pronged green cactus. (Approved 18 Aug 1942.)

 

Theater-made. Hand-painted on canvas.

96s82fg12aaf-600.jpg

 

Grouping of 1st Lt. Robert D. Cutting, a 50 mission, P-38 fighter pilot with the 96th Fighter Squadron, 82nd Fighter Group, 12th Air Force, here.

 

Officers Club of the 96th Fighter Squadron. Note Squadron's insignia on the wall behind the bar.

Cutting_Grouping_0042-706x563.jpg

 

 

97th Fighter Squadron | 82nd Fighter Group | 12th & 15th AAF

 

EMBLEM. On a blue rectangle, long axis vertical, the face of a stylized yellow Devil-Cat (Gerenvetso-Satana) affronte, trimmed red and black, tusks white, eyes green. (Approved 30 Oct 1942.)

Theater-made. Hand-painted on leather.

97fs82fg12aaf-600.jpg

 

A related post, here.

post-123-0-27804700-1374622065.jpg

 

 

P-38 Lightnings of the 82nd Fighter Group over Italy, 1944

1024px-82d_Fighter_Group_-_P-38_Lightnin

 

 

 

 

Sources:
Maurer. Air Force Combat Squadrons of World War II.

Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II.

 

95fs82fg12-15aaf
96fs82fg12-15aaf

97fs82fg12-15aaf

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  • 2 years later...

Just noticed that apparently a Forum software update lost my images from this post. Here they are, plus an addition of an incised leather to the 96th.

 

95th Fighter Squadron | 82nd Fighter Group | 12th & 15th AAF

 

EMBLEM. On a blue disc with wide yellow border a white skull with black eye sockets, nose, teeth, etc., wearing a high black silk hat and a monocle with black ribbon. All above a white bow tie and within a "V" formed on the left by hand in white glove holding a black cane with yellow head and on the right by a yellow lightning flash, both terminating in a white cloud issuing from the base.

 

Theater-made. Italian embroidery.

 

95fs82fg15aaf-1-700.jpg.67dcfad450245b017c604b78cac67faa.jpg

 

 

Theater-made. Italian embroidery on silk with bullion.

 

95fs82fg15aaf-2-700.jpg.5c4f5e945a8d6e3dd7a52ec590b6b769.jpg

 

 

96th Fighter Squadron | 82nd Fighter Group | 12th & 15th AAF

 

The Slugging Jackrabbits | Callsign - Cowtail

 

EMBLEM. On and over a blue disc edged in gray a brown and white fighting jack-rabbit wearing white boxing gloves, springing in belligerent attitude over a yellow mound charged with a three-pronged green cactus. (Approved 18 Aug 1942.)

 

Theater-made. Hand-painted on canvas.

 

96s82fg12aaf-600.jpg.eef8e94bee9ce1498db365c6683671f1.jpg

 

 

Theater-made. Incised leather, hand-painted. (Capri)

 

96fs82fg12-15aaf-700.jpg.2cf9780670b7f69b8ce2390649aad83e.jpg

 

 

Grouping of 1st Lt. Robert D. Cutting, a 50 mission, P-38 fighter pilot with the 96th Fighter Squadron, 82nd Fighter Group, 12th Air Force, here.

 

2025905054_96fsCutting_Grouping_0042-706x563.jpg.ab2ddfb65d9d228d5aea0b17a865871b.jpg

 

 

97th Fighter Squadron | 82nd Fighter Group | 12th & 15th AAF

 

EMBLEM. On a blue rectangle, long axis vertical, the face of a stylized yellow Devil-Cat (Gerenvetso-Satana) affronte, trimmed red and black, tusks white, eyes green. (Approved 30 Oct 1942.)

 

Theater-made. Hand-painted on leather.

 

97fs82fg12aaf-600.jpg.77117cc0ba1b479e6fc82a87c2b773f9.jpg

 

 

P-38 Lightnings of the 82nd Fighter Group over Italy, 1944

 

1024px-82d_Fighter_Group_-_P-38_Lightnings.jpg.efd9d05c6850b1deb99c7939e5ec17b3.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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