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.

[4] The Group trained with the Bell P-39 Airacobra, one of the principal fighter aircraft in service at the time.

Although the group was intended for ground attack as the P51B had the high altitude performance Merlin, the 354th was ordered to fly as escort for long-range heavy bombers of the Eighth Air Force while remaining within 9th AF command structure.

Howard was the only fighter pilot in the European Theater of Operations in World War II to receive the Medal of Honor.

The 354th received a second Distinguished Unit Citation for destroying a large number of enemy aircraft on the ground and in the air in support of the airborne attack on Holland in September 1944.