8th Fighter Group War Diaries.

[Ben Rawlings]

Hey all,

I am looking for the day to day squadron reports for Eighth Air Force Fighter Groups and any encounter reports to go with this.

I am particularly interested in the 78th, 352nd and 355th diaries. Jay A. Stout's Fighter Group book on the 352nd gives the micro film numbers and I have inquired with the Air Force Historical Research Agency who seem to have them and I am waiting to hear back. I have no idea about the cost but I am assuming it will be expensive. I am a UK resident so I sadly can't get over to look at them in person at this time.

I have a more or less complete set for the 4th Fighter Group and I am interested in finding them for other groups. Any advice, help etc is appreciated.

This is to help a little project of mine chronicling a general history of the Fighter Groups of the Eighth.

Many thanks

Ben.

[RSwank]

Have you tried searching on the site airforcehistoryindex.org ?

It is an index of the Air Force Historical Research Agency holdings. For those reels that have been moved to CD, the cost is $30 per CD.

It includes some links to search tips and ordering information.


Searching is done something like this. For the 355th FG, which consisted of the 354th, 357th and 358th FS, you could search as follows:
Starting on this page: http://airforcehistoryindex.org/search.php

Using search terms: Group/0355/Fighter and between say 01/01/1940 and 12/31/1945


http://airforcehistoryindex.org/sear...12%2F31%2F1945

Gives 32 "hits" not all relevant. If you click on the blue number in the left hand column you get details of the item, in particular look at the Reel Number and IRISREF Number. Note that many items will have the same numbers so will/should appear on the same $30 CD (if available).

A 358th Squadron search example might be this, again not all items found are relevant:

http://airforcehistoryindex.org/sear...0&L=12/31/1945

You could do similar searches for the other squadrons.


Hope this gives you somewhere to start and some ideas on what is available.

[Ben Rawlings]

Thank you for taking the time to show and explain that to me.

I had not seen that resource before. I have a lot to search through and hopefully acquire!