P-38 Units at March airfield Riverside Ca.

[esc201faem]

Good evening to all
Trying to confirm a story circulating down in Mexico. That a Mexican pilot in 1942 after graduation flight training in Texas, was sent to March army air field at Riverside California and reportedly flew the P-38 before he was sent home. This pilot would later fly combat operations with the Mexican expeditionary air force in the Philippines flying the P-47 and in 1945.

My question what P-38 units were stationed at March airfield after August 1942, that when the Mexican pilot graduated flight school in Texas reportedly class 42G.

Any help will be welcomed
cheers
Santiago

[Revi16]

https://p38assn.org/museum/dioramas/...rama-march.htm

http://militarymuseum.org/MarchAFB.html


1 June 1943
Army Air Forces: Army Air Forces Weather Station (Type A) Engineer Camouflage School, Aviation No. 1 Finance Detachment Detachment 2, Fourth Air Force Replacement Depot Medical Detachment Veterinary Detachment Detachment, 1st Airways Communications Squadron Detachment, 1st Weather Squadron, Regional 4th Engineer Aviation Unit Training Center 4th Photographic Mapping Squadron (less Flight A) 6th Antisubmarine Communications Squadron (to be activated) 7th Target Tow Squadron (plus Flight B and Radio Control Flight R) 20th Fighter Group (Two Engines) Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron 55th, 77th and 79th Fighter Squadrons 21st Altitude Training Unit 30th Bombardment Group Heavy Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron 27th and 38th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) 31st Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron 57th Aviation Squadron (Colored) 360th Fighter Group (Two Engines) Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron 371st, 372nd, 373rd Fighter Squadrons 438th Army Air Forces Band 829th Guard Squadron Detachment 2, 854th Signal Service Company, Aviation 855th, 856th, 1887th Aviation Engineer Battalions (Colored) 860th,1876th, 1885th, 1886th, 1890th, 1900th, 1901st Engineer Aviation Battalions Detachment 9, 904th Quartermaster Service Company, Aviation 907th Engineer Headquarters Company, Air Force 922nd Quartermaster Truck Platoon, Air Base (Colored) 2 Sections, Operations Platoon, 923rd Quartermaster Company, Boat (Aviation) 929th and 930th Air Base Security Battalions (Colored) 938th Engineer Camouflage Battalion, Aviation 1308th Guard Squadron (Colored) (to be activated) 1907th, 1912th Engineer Aviation Battalions (to be activated) 1909th, 1917th Engineer Aviation Battalion (Colored) (to be activated) 2028th Quartermaster Truck Company (Colored) Detachment 1, 2066th Ordnance Service COmpany, Aviation

[esc201faem]

Good Afternoon
Thanks for the Info Revi16

Santiago

[Buckeye30]

Class 42-G used 3 fields in Texas, Ellington, Kelly and Lubbock; graduates were warranted as Staff Sergeants on completion on 5 Aug. 1942 then most were graded as Flight Officers. The enlisted pilots from 42-G went to Tac. Recon., Photo Mapping, ATC, Tow Target and a few to medium bombers.

If he flew P-38s at March it must have been with the 20FG which moved to March in Jan. 1943, as Revi's list.
These are the 300 or so men who served with the 201st in the Pacific including 30+ pilots. It would be interesting to know his name if possible.

Nick


https://www.hmdb.org/Photos3/376/Photo376116o.jpg

[esc201faem]

Good Morning
Buckeye 30

He is Carlos Garduño Nunez , who is the only pilot alive,( I think 102 years old) he was B flight leader in the P.I. Before he join the army as a apprentice and later was accepted to the Heroico Colegio Militar graduation in 1940 as a SubTeniente in the Infantry after a time in two battalions requested aviation training and was sent to the US where he graduated on 28 September 1942 after finishing his basic Instructor course. (with twin engine time)

It was here he requested more advance training in dive bombing aircraft that he reportedly sent to March army airfield and reportedly flew the P-38 either the D o E model. He returned to Mexico in October 1942 and was put in charge of training fellow pilots on the AT-6, after that he was sent to the Gulf coast to fly antisubmarine patrols.

He was selected to be part of the group of pilots that went to NAS North Island Coronado en 1944 to fly the Douglas SBD Dauntless for until July 1944 and selected to be part of the 201. During his service in the P.I. he was involved in take off accident survive with some burns. after his return to Mexico he was promoted and served in the Mexican Air Force, Banco de Mexico and was presidential pilot. he retired around 1973 as a full Colonel.
Lives in Mexico City he is one of the seven surviving members of the MEAF.

Cheers
Santiago

[Buckeye30]

Thank you very much. I see Santander's name is on a plaque above the 201st names, killed June 1 1945 practicing dive-bombing. Maybe they had some training in SBDs for those missions in the PI.
Regards
Nick