80th Fighter Group
88th, 89th, 90th and 459th Fighter Squadrons
is included in the Night Gang Website with the permission and the courtesy of Robin
Adair. I encourage you to visit Robin's website (http://www.burmabanshee.com) to
learn more of his father and the 89th Fighter Squadron and the 80th Fighter Group.
Robin offers framed and matted reprints of certain images. While these image may be
copied, Robin requests that they are not used for commercial/profitable purposes.
Constituted as 80th Pursuit Group (Interceptor)
on 13 January 1942.
Activated on 9 February 1942.
Redesignated 80th Fighter Group in May 1942.
The 80th Fighter Group used P-47’s to train for
combat and to serve as part of the defense
force for the northeastern US. The group sailed
for India, via Brazil, Cape of Good Hope, and
Ceylon, in May 1943.
Assigned to Tenth AF. Began operations in
September 1943 with P-38 and P-40 aircraft;
later used P-47’s. Supported Allied ground
forces during the battle for northern Burma and
the push southward to Rangoon, bombing and
strafing troop concentrations, supply dumps,
lines of communication, artillery positions, and
other objectives. Defended the Indian terminus
of the Hump route by striking Japanese
airfields and by patrolling Allied airfields to
safeguard them from attack.
Awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation for
intercepting a formation of enemy planes and
preventing its attack on a large oil refinery in
Assam, India, on 27 March 1944.
Returned to the US in October 1945.
Inactivated on 3 November 1945.
SQUADRONS: 88th: 1942-1945. 89th:
1942-1945. 90th: 1942-1945. 459th: 1943-
1944.
STATIONS: Selfridge Field, Mich, 9 February
1942; Farmingdale, NY, 5 July 1942; Mitchel
Field, NY, 9 March - 30 April 1943; Karachi,
India, 28 June 1943; Nagaghuli, India, October
1943; Tingkawk Sakan, Burma, 29 August
1944; Myitkyina, Burma, 20 January 1945;
Dudhkundi, India, 24 May - 4 October 1945;
Camp Kilmer, NJ, 1-3 November 1945.
COMMANDERS: Unknown, February - May
1942; Col John C Crosthwaite, c. 20 May 1942;
Maj Albert L Evans Jr, 1 July 1942; Col Ivan W
McElroy, 14 July 1943; Col Albert L Evans Jr, 13
April 1944; Col Sydney D Grubbs Jr, 1 February
1945; Col Hiette S Williams Jr, c. 29 April 1945 -
unknown.
