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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= 369th Fighter Group
| image=Bell P-39Q Airacobra USAF.jpg
| image_size = 290
|caption= A [[Bell P-39 Airacobra]] as flown by the group
|dates=1943–1945
|country={{flag|United States|23px}}
|allegiance=
|branch=[[United States Army Air Forces]]
|type= [[fighter aircraft|Fighter]]
|role=
|size=
|command_structure=
|current_commander=
|garrison=
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|nickname=
|patron=
|motto=
|colors=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=
|notable_commanders=
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
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|disbanded=1992
}}
The '''369th Fighter Group''' is a disbanded [[United States Air Force]] unit. Its last assignment was with [[Third Air Force]], stationed at [[Stuttgart Army Airfield (Arkansas)|Stuttgart Army Air Field]], Arkansas. It was inactivated on 10 August 1945.

The 369th was initially a training group in California during [[World War II]] as part of [[Fourth Air Force]]. It moved to Louisiana in the spring of 1944 and became part of [[Third Air Force]] in March 1944. There, it took part in air-ground [[military exercise|maneuvers]] and demonstrations until inactivating in August 1945. The group was redesignated in inactive status as the '''369th Tactical Fighter Group''' in 1985, but was disbanded in 1992.

==History==
===World War II===
The '''369th Fighter Group''' was activated at [[Hamilton Army Airfield|Hamilton Field]], California on 1 August 1943. The [[398th Fighter Squadron|398th]], [[399th Fighter Squadron|399th]] and [[400th Fighter Squadron]]s, flying [[Bell P-39 Airacobra]]s were assigned to the group. The [[group (military aviation unit)|group]] moved to [[Marysville Army Air Field]], California in November and began operations as a [[fighter aircraft|fighter]] Replacement Training Unit (RTU).<ref name=Maurer369FG>Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 255–256</ref><ref name=Maurer398FS>Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 489</ref><ref name=Maurer57RS>Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 229</ref><ref name=Maurer58RS>Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 231–232</ref> RTUs were oversized units that trained individual [[aviators|pilots]] or [[aircrew]]s.<ref>Craven & Cate, Introduction, p. xxxvi</ref>

Like most RTUs, the group began a split operation, with group [[headquarters]] and the 398th Squadron at Marysville, while the 399th Squadron was at [[Redding Army Air Field]], and the 400th moved to [[Oroville Army Air Field]]. In January the group and 398th Squadron joined the 400th at Oroville, but the 399th remained at Redding.<ref name=Maurer369FG/><ref name=Maurer398FS/><ref name=Maurer57RS/><ref name=Maurer58RS/>

In March 1944, as [[Army Air Forces]] training requirements were reduced, the group and its squadrons all returned to Hamilton Field. A few days later, the group was transferred to [[Third Air Force]] and moved to [[DeRidder Army Air Base]], Louisiana.<ref name=Maurer369FG/>

At DeRidder, the group took part in air-ground [[military exercise|maneuvers]] and demonstrations, participating in the Louisiana Maneuvers in the summer of 1944 and in similar activities. In July 1945, its 399th and 400th Squadrons were reorganized as [[aerial reconnaissance|reconnaissance]] squadrons and reassigned from the group, moving to [[Will Rogers Field]], Oklahoma.<ref name=Maurer57RS/><ref name=Maurer58RS/> On 10 August, the group's sole remaining squadron, the 398th, was reassigned and the group was inactivated.<ref name=Maurer369FG/><ref name=Maurer398FS/>

===Subsequent history===
Although each of its squadrons later served in the [[United States Air Force]] after [[World War II]],<ref name=Maurer398FS/><ref name=Maurer57RS/><ref name=Maurer58RS/> the group was never again active. It was redesignated as a [[fighter bomber|tactical fighter]] unit in 1985, but disbanded in September 1992.<ref name=DAFMPM648q>Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 648q, 31 July 1985, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Organizations</ref>

==Lineage==
* Constituted as '''369th Fighter Group''' on 26 May 1943
: Activated on 1 August 1943
: Redesignated '''369th Fighter-Bomber Group''' on 5 April 1944
: Redesignated '''369th Fighter Group''' on 5 June 1944
: Inactivated on 10 August 1945<ref name=Maurer369FG/>
* Redesignated '''369th Tactical Fighter Group''' on 31 July 1985 (remained inactive)<ref name=DAFMPM648q/>
* Disbanded on 9 September 1992

===Assignments===
* [[San Francisco Fighter Wing]], 1 August 1943<ref>Maurer, ''Combat Units'', p. 429</ref>
* [[III Fighter Command]], c. 28 March 1944 – 10 August 1945

===Stations===
* Hamilton Field, California, 1 August 1943
* Marysville Army Air Field, California, c. 5 November 1943
* Oroville Army Air Field, California, 28 January 1944
* Hamilton Field, California, 16 March 1944
* DeRidder Army Air Base, Louisiana, 28 March 1944
* [[Stuttgart Army Airfield (Arkansas)|Stuttgart Army Air Field]], Arkansas, 8 February – 10 August 1945<ref name=Maurer369FG/>

===Components===
* [[398th Fighter Squadron]]: 1 August 1943 – 10 August 1945<ref name=Maurer398FS/>
* [[399th Fighter Squadron]]: 1 August 1943 – 7 July 1945<ref name=Maurer57RS/>
* [[400th Fighter Squadron]]: 1 August 1943 – 7 July 1945<ref name=Maurer58RS/>

===Aircraft===
* Bell P-39 Airacobra, 1943–1944
* [[North American A-36 Apache]], 1944
* [[Curtiss P-40 Warhawk]] 1944–1945
* [[North American P-51 Mustang]], 1945<ref name=Maurer398FS/>

===Campaigns===
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#efefef;"
! Campaign Streamer
! Campaign
! Dates
! Notes
|-
|[[Image:Streamer AC.PNG|200px]] ||American Theater without inscription||1 August 1943 – 10 August 1945||<ref name=Maurer369FG/>
|}

==References==
; Notes
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}
* {{cite book|editor=Craven, Wesley F |editor2=Cate, James L|title=The Army Air Forces in World War II|volume=VI, Men & Planes|year=1955|publisher=University of Chicago Press|location=Chicago, Illinois|oclc=704158| lccn=48003657}}
* {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II|orig-year= 1961|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220180735/http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 20 December 2016 |edition=reprint|year=1983|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-02-1|lccn=61060979}}
* {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II|orig-year=1969|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230820144531/https://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf|url-status= dead|archive-date= 20 August 2023|edition= reprint|year=1982|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-405-12194-6|oclc=72556|lccn=70605402}}

==External links==
{{USAAF 3d Air Force World War II}}
{{USAAF 4th Air Force World War II}}

[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1943]]
[[Category:Fighter groups of the United States Army Air Forces]]

369th Fighter Group - Revision history

imported>GreenC bot: Rescued 2 archive links. Wayback Medic 2.5 per WP:URLREQ#defense.gov