page_title: 354th Fighter Group
section_title: Notable pilots
hierarchical_section_title: 354th Fighter Group / Notable pilots
caption_attribution_description: English: 2nd Lt. Wah Kau Kong. Press release photo.
context_page_description: The 354th Fighter Group was an element of the United States Army Air Forces Ninth Air Force during World War II. The unit was known as the Pioneer Mustang Group and was the first to fly the P-51B Mustang in combat. The group served as bomber escort in the European theater of operations until D-Day, then moved to France to support the drive to Germany.
context_section_description: Glenn T. Eagleston was the leading ace of the 354th Fighter Group and a commander of the 353rd Fighter Squadron. Eagleston was credited with 18.5 aerial victories, two probable, seven damaged, and five aircraft destroyed on the ground.
  Don M. Beerbower was the second leading ace with 15.5 victories. He was shot down and killed on August 9, 1944. near Reims, France.
  Jack T. Bradley was a commanding officer of the 353rd Fighter Squadron and the third leading ace in the 354th Fighter Group.
  Kenneth H. Dahlberg of the 353rd Fighter Squadron was credited with 14 aerial victories. Dahlberg was shot down three times and was able to return to the 354th twice. On February 14, 1945, Dahlberg was downed for the third time, near Bitburg, and became a prisoner of war until May 1945.
  Wah Kau Kong was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and was America's first Chinese American fighter pilot. He was killed in action over Blomberg, Germany on February 22, 1944.
  Charles F. Gumm Jr. was a pilot with 355th Fighter Sqaudron. He became the first pilot to shoot down an enemy plane in the P-51 Mustang and was the first flying ace of the 354th Fighter Group.
  Mike Rogers was a pilot with the 353d Fighter Squadron, with claims of 12 enemy aircraft destroyed.  He remained in the Air Force and retired in 1978 in the grade of General and commander of Air Force Logistics Command.
caption: Wau Kau Kong of the 353rd Fighter Squadron was the first Chinese American fighter pilot
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