311th Fighter Squadron (311th FS)
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 5th Air Force (5th AF), 58th Fighter Group (58th FG)

Background
On January 21, 1942 constituted as the 311th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) in the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC). On February 9, 1942 activated in the 58th Pursuit Group (58th PG) at Harding Field in Louisiana. On March 4, 1942 moves to Dale Mabry Field in Florida.

Wartime History
On May 15, 1942 redesignated 311th Fighter Squadron (311th FS) in the 58th Fighter Group (58th FG). On October 16, 1942 moves to Richmond Army Airfield. On October 23, 1942 moves to Bolling Field, DC. On March 1, 1943 moves to Bradley Field in CT. On May 1, 1943 moves to Hillsgrove Airfield in Rhode Island. On September 15, 1943 moves to Grenier Field in New Hampshire. On October 22, 1943 begins a movement overseas to Australia. On November 21, 1943 arrives Brisbane.

On December 28, 1943 moves to Doboudra No. 7 in New Guinea.

On February 2, 1944 the squadron flies their first combat mission.

On April 5, 1944 moves to Saidor Airfield.

On April 11, 1944 sixteen P-47s took off on a mission to escorted B-25 Mitchells over Wewak. Over the target, the American formation was intercepted by six Ki-68 Tonys from 68th Sentai and four Ki-43 Oscars from 77th Sentai. Three P-47s failed to return from the mission including P-47D 42-22953 pilot 2nd Lt William B. Graham (MIA), P-47D "Fascinatin' Phil" 42-75291 pilot 2nd Lt Marvin B. Rothman (MIA) and P-47D "Cowtown Cyclone" 42-75289  pilot 2nd Lt. Thomas E. Bullington, Jr. (MIA).

On August 28, 1944 the squadron flew a mission over Sumup on the north coast of New Guinea. Lost in an aerial collision are P-47D "Louisville Lady II" 43-25487 pilot Ritter and P-47D "Billy Boy" 42-75901 pilot 2nd Lt Anthony J. Kupferer. Both pilots managed to bail out and were later rescued by an Australian destroyer.

On September 6, 1944 moves to Noemfoor Island.

On October 21, 1944 seven P-47s "Tubby Flight" took off on a strike mission against Haroekoe near Ceram. They remained over the target too long and returning, they encountered bad weather and ditched at sea ditched in a wide area around Wai Island. Lost is P-47D "Santa Maria" 43-25642  pilot Major Harry M. Odren (rescued).

On November 18, 1944 moves to San Pablo Airfield on Leyte in the Philippines.

On December 21, 1944 moves to San Jose Airfield on Mindoro. The squadron also used area airfields including Elmore Airfield.

On January 3, 1945 the squadron flew a fighter sweep over over Clark Field on Luzon. Lost is P-47D 42-25419  pilot Col. Gwen G. Atkinson (rescued).

On April 7, 1945 moves to Mangaldan Airfield on Luzon.

On April 17, 1945 moves to Porac Airfield.

On July 8, 1945 moves to Okinawa until the end of the Pacific War.

Postwar
On February 20, 1946 inactivated.

References
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II (1982) pages 378-379 [PDF pages 390-391]
No Glamour... No Glory! The Story of the 58th Fighter Group of World War II (1989) by Anthony J. Kupferer