Actual History of the 49th
In the Aftermath of December 7th 1941, the American public responded. Thousands upon thousands of young men flocked to their local recruiting office, these fresh faced young men were about to embark on an enormous quest.A quest for glory,a quest for revenge. A quest many of them will never return from.The history of the 49th fighter wing is one of distinction. Organized as the 49th Pursuit Group (interceptor) in 1940, the unit was among the first to deploy from the United States to the Pacific Theater of operations during World War II.
Redesignated the 49th Fighter Group, the unit played an important role in halting Japenese advances in the Southwest Pacific. During four years of World War II combat, the group was successful in providing air defense from Australia to the Phillipines. By wars end, the groups pilots destroyed 678 enemy aircraft, a record surpassing that of any other fighter group in the Pacific Theater. The group's world War II activities merited two Phillipine Republic Presidential Unit Citations, three Distinguished Unit Citations, and 10 battle Honors. Among the units 43 Aces were Lt.Colonel Boyd D. "Buzz" Wagner, the first world War II ace in the Pacific Theatre, and Major Richard I. Bong, whose 40 kills made him America's number one ace (a record that still stands). The49th soon became endeared to the American people through the nickname, "FIGHTING 49ERS".
Redesignated the 49th Fighter Group, the unit played an important role in halting Japenese advances in the Southwest Pacific. During four years of World War II combat, the group was successful in providing air defense from Australia to the Phillipines. By wars end, the groups pilots destroyed 678 enemy aircraft, a record surpassing that of any other fighter group in the Pacific Theater. The group's world War II activities merited two Phillipine Republic Presidential Unit Citations, three Distinguished Unit Citations, and 10 battle Honors. Among the units 43 Aces were Lt.Colonel Boyd D. "Buzz" Wagner, the first world War II ace in the Pacific Theatre, and Major Richard I. Bong, whose 40 kills made him America's number one ace (a record that still stands). The49th soon became endeared to the American people through the nickname, "FIGHTING 49ERS".