Finding aid for the 81st Fighter Squadron Scrapbooks, 1942-45

History of Biography or History

The 81st Fighter Squadron "the Panthers" boasts a proud record of more than 70 years of distinguished flying in defense of America's interests abroad. The squadron was created as the 81st Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on January 6th, 1942 and first activated on January 15th, 1942 flying the P-40 Warhawk. Due to the transfer of the 11th Pursuit Squadron to Alaska following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the 81st was assigned to the 50th Fighter Group. The 50th was assigned to the Fighter Command School of the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics in May 1942, and the 81st became the 81st Fighter Squadron on May 15th, 1942 and the 81st Fighter Squadron (Special) on May 28th, 1942. After being designated the 81st Fighter Squadron (Single Engine) on January 21st, 1944 and the 81st Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on February 28th, 1944, it was finally deactivated on November 7th, 1945 at La Junta Army Air Field, Colorado. However, the squadron was reactivated in July 1947 at McChord Field, Washington and continues to be in use to this day. With the beginning of night fighter combat in British airspace, the Army Air Forces became aware of the need for night air defense training and tactics development. The 81st Fighter Squadron became responsible for night fighter training through use of the Douglas P-70 Havocs. Their task involved the training of sufficient crews to man 17 night fighter squadrons within 12 months without the help of trained instructor pilots, radar operators, radar, aircraft, or communications equipment. The original night fighter crews, all of which were composed of 27 pilots from the 50th Group who were qualified to fly twin-engine aircraft, attended transition training school at Williams Field, Arizona. The 81st Squadron moved to Orlando Army Air Field (AAF), Florida in October 1942, where it formed part of the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics. During this time, the personnel and equipment of the 81st squadron provided the manpower and equipment for the newly-formed 348th and 349th Night Fighter Squadrons, and the 81st squadron was re-manned. It was at Orlando AAF that the 81st tested procedures and equipment, seeking better ways to manage the huge efforts required to supply troops and maintain aircraft fighting overseas. Due to the need to prepare for conditions in combat, pilots often flew from airfields with little or no infrastructure. The 81st moved to Cross City Army Air Field, Florida in 1943, while the 50th Fighter Group remained headquartered at Orlando. However, each of the 50th Fighter Group's detached squadrons (including the 81st) returned to Orlando AAF in January 1944, where the 81st continued to train and teach while preparing to ship out to England. In March 1944, the 81st Squadron received a new aircraft, the P-47 Thunderbolt, and shipped to England with the 9th Air Force. Between April 1944 and Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day) on May 9th, 1945, the unit flew hundreds of fighter escort, close air support, and interdiction. More specifically, the unit took part in the D-Day invasion on 6 June 1944 and operated from numerous advanced landing bases in Europe while covering the Allied advance, with air offensives across Normandy and the whole of northern France, the Rhineland, the Ardennes-Alsace, and other parts of central Europe. While being stationed in Lymington, England beginning on April 5th, 1944, the 81st Squadron would eventually be stationed in various locations throughout western Europe until the end of the war, including Carentan, France (June 25th, 1944), Meautis, France (August 16th, 1944), Orly, France (September 5th, 1944), Laon, France (September 15th, 1944), Lyons/Bron, France (September 29th, 1944), Toul/Ochey, France (November 3rd, 1944), Giebelstadt, Germany (April 20th, 1945), Mannheim, Germany (May 21st, 1945). In addition to receiving two Distinguished Unit Citations for combat, the squadron was credited with 47 aerial victories and produced the 50th Fighter Group's only ace, Major Robert D. Johnston.

Scope and Content

The 81st Fighter Squadron Scrapbooks of the Ninth Air Force Association Archives consist entirely of photographs, postcards, and several forms of documentation created and collected by members of the 81st Squadron. These materials were originally housed in scrapbooks but were removed by the squadron member before donation to the archives. The archives have maintained the original scrapbooks part of the collection in order to preserve the original housing as well as the captions and descriptions written in them by the squadron members. The photographs were maintained in original order by the processing archivist, while the folder and envelope titles provided by the squadron members were also maintained and are reflected below in the container lists. Titles added by the processing archivist were added in brackets. The photographs (which constitute the overwhelming majority of the collection) depict the aircraft and aircrews of the 81st Fighter Squadron as well as numerous domestic and foreign locations during the war, the overwhelming majority of which are precisely labeled in regard to the individuals and locations in question. The photographs depict numerous members of the 81st Fighter Squadron and various aircraft as well as civilians both in the United States and in Europe. With a few exceptions, precise labels are provided in regard to the identities of the individuals in the photographs along with the locations in which they were taken. In addition to formal portraits, the photographs in this collection show members of the 81st Fighter Squadron engaged in different activities related to their service. The postcards featured in this collection depict various international locations in the vicinity of the stations where the 81st Fighter Squadron was stationed. The additional forms of documentation include written descriptions of the events in the photographs as well as blank checks from two different companies and an application for the purchase of property with notes written on it. The collection contains written descriptions of the events captured in some of the photographs (particularly in regard to actions in France, Austria, and Germany) . In addition to these, several blank professional documents and blank checks belonging to both Nunez and Nunez Insurance and Silks, Inc. have been collected and maintained with the collection due to notes that have been written on them in regard to military personnel in the photographs.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Use

No restrictions on access; except not available through interlibrary loan. Copyright restrictions may apply. Permission to reproduce or publish materials in this collection must be secured in writing from Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron.

Restrictions on Access

No restrictions on access; except not available through interlibrary loan. Copyright restrictions may apply. Permission to reproduce or publish materials in this collection must be secured in writing from Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron.

Archives of the Ninth Air Force Association, 1932-2012

B-26 Marauder Archives collections

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

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Preferred Citation

[Identification of Item], Archives of the Ninth Air Force Association, 81st Fighter Squadron Scrapbooks, Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio.

Detailed Description of The Collection