THE 479TH FIGTHER GROUP IN WORLD WAR II – in Action over Europe with the P-38 and P-51

This book is the result of nearly six years of research, gathering materials, and conducting interviews. It presents a chronological listing of the 479th Fighter Group's activities during the World War II era, from its beginnings until its deactivation. 

Based on a summation of the group's historical records, the account also contains personal anecdotes provided by many of the group's former members, as well as over 650 photos that serve to illustrate the narration. 

Hopefully, through the assemblage of this information, the memory of the group and the men who comprised the living lifeblood of the 479th will be better known and remembered by future generations.

The Author : 

Terry A. Fairfield and his wife Bonnie live in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Terry is a Vietnam veteran. He holds a degree in supervision from Purdue University and practiced that discipline for over twenty years in the manufacturing sector.

Currently retired from that field, he works in real estate investment and home repair. His involvement in the subject of this book began when a small aviation museum, the Wings of Freedom Museum, was first started by the Shuttleworth family in Huntington, Indiana.

Located near his home, the author became a volunteer worker there. The museum provided a connection to his interest in World War II aircraft, as it focused on the 434th Fighter Squadron, a part of the 479th Fighter Group. That interest was piqued when he began to research the fighter group to learn more about it. Finding little written about the group and its component squadrons, he set out to fill the void with a comprehensive body of knowledge.

Also from the Publisher : 

The 370th Fighter Group in World War II: In Action over Europe with the P-38 and P-51
Jay Jones

This is a history of the 370th Fighter Group in World War II, conveyed through the words and photos of the veterans. The 370th was organized in 1943 to fly the P-47 Thunderbolt. When the group arrived in England in early 1944, they were assigned to the 9th Air Force and converted to fly P-38 Lightnings. They were involved in every major Allied offensive from D-Day onward. The group supported Operation Cobra, flew missions over the Falaise Gap, and provided cover for Operation Market Garden. On missions after the weather cleared, the men could actually watch from the base as their planes made dive-bombing runs on German armored columns. The group converted to P-51 Mustangs in March 1945, just in time for cover missions during Operation Varsity, the Rhine River crossing.

This is one of the most thorough and comprehensive group histories written, and is a must for veterans, their families, and enthusiasts.

Source: Publisher's summary printed on cover