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1st Brazilian Fighter Group, Brazilian Air Force

Força Aérea Brasileira

image by Rudnei Dias da Cunha, 28 April 2009

1st Brazilian Fighter Group Standard

1st Brazilian Fighter Group Standard

This is a rendition of the standard of the 1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron (1º Grupo de Aviação de Caça). The dates at the top of the standard refer to the creation of the Group (16 Dezembro 1943 - 16 December 1943) and that which has become known as the Brazilian Fighter Arm Day, because on 22 April 1945, the 1st BFS was heavily engaged in the Allied Spring Offensive in the Italian Front and inflicted heavy casualties on the retreating Axis forces.

Note also, though it was known as a "Group" in the then current Brazilian Air Force designation system, the Unit was actually a Squadron, which operated under the command of the 350th Fighter Group USAAF, alongside its component squadrons, 345th, 346th and 347th FS.

Rudnei Dias da Cunha, 28 April 2009

The 1º Grupo de Aviação de Caça (1st Fighter Aviation Group) was a Brazilian Fighter Group, part of the much larger FEB (Força Expedicionária Brasileira, Brazilian Expeditionary Force), "a 25,300-man force that the Brazilian Navy, Army and Air Force formed to fight alongside the Allied forces in the World War II. Brazil was the only South American country to participate in the war." Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_Expeditionary_Force_(FEB)

The 1ºGpAvCa "became part of the 350th Fighter Group of the USAAF, which in turn was part of the 62nd Fighter Wing, XXII Tactical Air Command, of the 12th Air Force" Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_Expeditionary_Force_(FEB)#The_Air_Force

This unit's flag can be seen in Rudnei Dias da Cunha's website, here: http://www.rudnei.cunha.nom.br/FAB/br/gavca1_2agm.html. The flag displayed is commemorating the April 22nd, 1945 arrival in the U.S. for training on the P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft. The picture was taken on Base Aérea de Santa Cruz (BASC). The flag is the Estandarte de Guerra do 1ºGpAvCa (War Standard of the 1º Grupo de Aviação de Caça.

"The work of the pilots and support personnel was recognized by a (U.S.) Presidential Unit Citation issued on April 26th, 1986--one of only four non-US squadrons to receive such a citation". Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_Air_Force

Esteban Rivera, 26 April 2009