 INTRODUCTION
This booklet is for the information of pilots new to the squadrons of the 347th Fighter Group. It is the consensus of thought of the Group and Squadron Commanders and includes not only theory but the "way it's done in combat". This is not intended to be taken as the Bible of operations or tactics -- in fact, much more information can be gained through bull sessions in the mess or quarters with the flight and element leaders but it is an effort to orient you in the more or less standard practices used by this Group which are of necessity varied somewhat by each new combat situation.
You will be assigned to the 339th, 67th or 68th squadron. They are all old outfits in combat experience and time overseas with histories to be proud of. The replacement pilot will be assigned a wing position in a flight. Regardless of his rank or combat experience he will remain in wing position until the squadron commander is satisfied that a promotion to element or flight leader is in order.
Get to know the other members of your flight and squadron as soon as possible as you'll be fighting, bunking, and going on rest leave together. The flight is the basic fighting unit of a squadron and close coordination in combat can only be achieved by close association on the ground.
Spend a lot of your spare time in Squadron Operations and Intelligence reading the latest combat reports and performance data on enemy aircraft. The hours put in on the line shooting the breeze with your crew chief, radio and armament men will also pay off. Most of them are old timers and really know their business.
Being able to fly the aircraft in the correct position in formation is twenty-five percent of the problem -- the other seventy-five is gunnery. One of the best gunnery aids is constant perusal of all information available about gunnery; for example, a little book entitled "Shooting the Bull". In it there are striking examples of why your (and our) bullets did not strike when we were "right on his tail" or when "he flew right through my tracer". Combat situations and gunnery problems must be mulled over in the fighter pilot's mind constantly.
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