133d Fighter-Interceptor Group

The 133rd Operations Group is the flying component of the Minnesota Air National Guard's 133rd Airlift Wing, stationed at Minneapolis–Saint Paul Joint Air Reserve Station, Minnesota. If activated to federal service, the group is gained by Air Mobility Command of the United States Air Force.

The group was first activated as the 367th Fighter Group, an Army Air Forces unit. The group trained in the western United States with Bell P-39 Airacobras. The 367th moved to England in the spring of 1944, where it became part of IX Fighter Command (later XIX Tactical Air Command) and converted to Lockheed P-38 Lightnings. The group engaged in combat with Lightnings, and later with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, in the European Theater of Operations until VE Day, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations and the Belgian Fourragere for its actions. It returned to the United States in the fall of 1945 and was inactivated on 7 November 1945.

In May 1946, the group was allotted to the National Guard and renumbered as the 133d Fighter Group.United States National Guard units are traditionally numbered between 101 and 300. It trained with North American P-51 Mustangs. In 1951 it was mobilized for the Korean War and served in an air defense role until inactivating in February 1952 in a reorganization of Air Defense Command.

The group was returned to the Minnesota Air National Guard in December 1952. It was an air defense fighter unit until 1960, when it converted to the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter and the airlift mission. It was called to active duty during the Berlin Crisis of 1961. The 133d replaced its C-97s with Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft in 1971. It was inactivated in early 1975, when its component units were assigned directly to its parent 133d Tactical Airlift Wing. It was reactivated in 1994 and resumed its role as the operational component of the 133d Wing.

Mission

The group commands units that support federal and state requirements for the airlift of troops, cargo, and medical patients anywhere in the world. It performs missions tasked by other headquarters within its capabilities. It monitors standardization of all flying and support unit operating procedures and insures units maintain an environment conducive to safe training activities.

History

World War II

Training in the United States

The 367th Fighter Group was first activated at Hamilton Field, California on 15 July 1943 with the 392d, 393d and 394th Fighter Squadrons as its initial components.Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 481–482 (392d Fighter Squadron)Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 483 (393d Fighter Squadron)Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 484–485 (394th Fighter Squadron) Several members of its initial cadre were former Flying Tigers with prior combat experience. It was not until late August, however, that the group received its first Bell P-39 Airacobra. After building up its strength, the group moved in October to Santa Rosa Army Air Field, California. In December the group moved to Oakland Municipal Airport, while its squadrons moved to separate fields in northern California.The 392d was at Sacramento Municipal Airport, the 394th at Hayward Army Air Field, while the 393d was with the group in Oakland. Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 481–485. The squadrons moved temporarily in sequence to Tonopah Army Air Field, Nevada, where they performed dive bombing and gunnery training. Training accidents with the Airacobra cost eight pilots their lives. In January 1944, as it prepared for overseas movement, the 367th was beefed up with personnel from the 328th and 368th Fighter Groups.Chickering, p. 78 The group staged through Camp Shanks, and sailed for England aboard the . The "Drunken Duchess"Nicknamed for its unusual rolling motion in heavy weather. Groh, p. 23. docked at Greenock, Scotland on 3 April and the group was transported by train to its airfield at RAF Stoney Cross, England.

P-38 transition and combat operations from England

Having trained on single engine aircraft, the group's pilots were surprised to find Lockheed P-38 Lightnings sitting on Stoney Cross's dispersal pads.Chickering, p. 79 Only four group pilots, members of the advance party, had any experience flying the Lightning. These pilots had flown combat sorties with the 55th Fighter Group. The change from single engine to twin engine aircraft required considerable retraining for both pilots and ground crew. Although some pilots entered combat with as little as eight hours of flying time on the P-38, in late April the group was reinforced by fourteen pilots who had trained on the Lightning in the States and were more experienced on the type. However, the lack of instrument training in the P-38 took its toll on the group as weather, not enemy action, caused the loss of pilots and airplanes.

On 9 May, the group flew its first combat mission, a fighter sweep over Alençon. For the remainder of the month, the group flew fighter sweeps, bomber escort and dive bombing, missions and suffered its first combat losses.

On D-Day and the next three days the group flew nine missions maintaining air cover over shipping carrying invasion troops. These missions continued for the next three days. The 367th and other P-38 groups stationed in England were selected for these missions with the expectation that the distinctive silhouette of the Lightning would prevent potential friendly fire incidents by anti-aircraft gunners mistaking them for enemy fighters. Shortly after the Normandy invasion, on 12 June, the group was selected to test the ability of the P-38 to carry a 2,000 lb bomb under each wing. The selected target was a railroad yard, and results were mixed. However, on this mission, the group scored its first air-to-air victory when Lts James Pinkerton and James Mason teamed up to shoot down a Messerschmitt Me 410 flying near the assigned target.

By mid June German ground forces had withdrawn to defend a perimeter around Cherbourg, a major port whose capture had become more important to the allies with the destruction of Mulberry A, one of the artificial harbors constructed near the Normandy beachhead. An attack by VII Corps on 22 June was to be preceded by low level bombing and strafing attack by IX Fighter Command. Briefed by intelligence to expect a "milk run" The 367th flew at low altitude through what turned out to be a heavily defended area. Within two to three minutes after beginning the attack the 394th Squadron lost five pilots. Seven group pilots were killed in action. Nearly all surviving group aircraft received battle damage and the 367th was out of action for several days.

Ninth Air Force moved its medium bomber forces to bases closer to the Continent in July, so they would be able to strike targets near the expanding front in France. The 387th Bombardment Group was moved to Stoney Cross, forcing the 367th to vacate their station and move the short distance to RAF Ibsley. From Ibsley the group struck railroads, marshaling yards, and trains to prevent enemy reinforcements from reaching the front during the Allied breakthrough at Saint Lo in July 1944.

Operations on the European Continent

Starting on 19 July the group's forward echelon crossed the English Channel to take up stations in Normandy. Group headquarters and the 394th shared Beuzeville Airfield with the 371st Fighter Group, while the 392d Squadron was at Carentan Airfield, and the 393d at Cricqueville Airfield, advanced landing grounds made from pierced steel planking.Maurer gives the location of the 394th as Sainte-Mère-Église, but this is the same airfield (A-6) called Beuzeville elsewhere. Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 484–485, Groh, p. 59. After the breakout of ground forces in the Saint-Lô

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