341st Fighter Squadron (341st FS) "Black Jack"
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 5th Air Force (5th AF), 348th Fighter Group (348th FG)

Background
On September 24, 1942 constituted as the 341st Fighter Squadron (341st BS) in the 348th Fighter Group (348th FG). Nicknamed "Black Jack" for the squadron's love of playing the card game of the same name. On September 30, 1942 activated at Mitchell Field in New York and the same day moved to Bradley Field in Bradley, CT. On October 30, 1942 moved to Westover Field in MA. On January 11, 1943 moves to Hillsgrove, Rhode Island. On April 26, 1943 returns to Westover Field, MA. On May 9, 1943 departs overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA).

Wartime History
On June 23, 1943 arrives 5 Mile Drome (Wards) near Port Moresby equipped with the P-47D Thunderbolt.

On October 10, 1943 lost is P-47D "Hi Topper" 42-8081 pilot 1st Lt. John S. Lolos ditched off Redscar Bay on the south coast of New Guinea.

On October 22, 1943 the squadron escorts B-25 Mitchells over Wewak. Returning, lost is P-47D Thunderbolt 42-8117  pilot 1st Lt. Harold Jacoby (MIA) near the mouth of the Fly River on the south coast of New Guinea.

On November 7, 1943 lost is P-47D "Frankie" 42-8130  pilot Captain Samuel V. Blair force landed at Hula Airfield on the south coast of New Guinea.

On December 17, 1943 the squadron moves to Finschafen Airfield on the north coast of New Guinea.

On December 27, 1943 sixteen P-47D Thunderbolts took off from Finschafen Airfield on a patrol mission over Cape Gloucester area. At 9:00am the formation arrived over Arawe and encountered roughly forty Japanese planes above and below them. Intercepting the Japanese formation of dive bombers and fighters. Previously, they were attacking PT-190 and PT-191. The Japanese formation included fifteen D3A2 Val dive bombers and thirty-eight A6M Zeros. Intercepting the Japanese planes, the P-47 pilots reported the Japanese were the most skilled and aggressive ever encountered and claimed sixteen shot down. Lost is P-47D Thunderbolt 42-22702 pilot 1st Lt. James E. Lynch, Jr. (rescued by PT 190) and P-47D Thunderbolt 42-8099 pilot 1st Lt Wilburn S. Henderson (MIA).

On March 27, 1944 the squadron moves to Saidor Airfield on the north coast of New Guinea.

On May 22, 1944 the squadron moves to Wakde Airfield on Wakde Island off the north coast of New Guinea.

On August 24, 1944 the squadron moves to Noemfoor Island off the north coast of New Guinea.

On November 30, 1944 the squadron moves to Tacloban Airfield on Leyte in the Philippines.

On December 15, 1944 the squadron moves to Tanauan Airfield on Leyte in the Philippines.

On February 7, 1945 the squadron moves to San Marcelino Airfield on Luzon in the Philippines.

On May 15, 1945 the squadron moves to Floridablanca Airfield on Luzon in the Philippines.

On July 12, 1945 the squadron moves to Ie Shima Airfield off Okinawa in Japan until the end of the Pacific War.

On September 9, 1945 the squadron moves to Kanoya Airfield in Japan.

On October 20, 1945 the squadron moves to Itami Airfield in Japan.

Postwar
On May 10, 1946 inactivated. On May 24, 1946 redesignated as 141st Fighter Squadron allocated to the Air National Guard (ANG).

Awards
Distinguished Unit Citation New Britain December 16-31, 1943
Distinguished Unit Citation Philippines December 24, 1944
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

References
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II (1982) pages 423 [PDF pages 435]
Kearby's Thunderbolts The 348th Fighter Group in World War II (1992) details the 348th FG
Kearby's Thunderbolts The 348th Fighter Group in World War II (1997) details the 348th FG
Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 26 Mustang and Thunderbolt Aces of the Pacific and CBI (1999) includes profiles of 348th FG pilots