USAAF P-61 Night Fighter Squadron (14 September 1944)
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Military Organization > United States > Night Fight Squadron (14 Sep 1944)

This is a summary of the organization and major equipment of a U.S. Army Air Forces Night Fighter Squadron (T/O&E 1-67, September 4, 1944), as well as Changes No. 1 (14 December 1944) and No. 2 (19 August 1945). These were U.S. Army Air Force units equipped with P-61 Black Widows. Note this only covers the T/O organization and not task organizations.
Flight A | |||
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Flight B | |||
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Flight C | |||
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Strength Summary (14 September 1944):
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1. Personnel List & Organization
Sections & Flights | Air Echelon | Ground Echelon |
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Administrative, Squadron Headquarters |
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Administrative, Supply |
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Administrative, Mess |
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Administrative, Transportation |
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Technical, Armament |
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Technical, Communications |
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Technical, Engineering |
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Technical, Ordnance |
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Technical, Radar |
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Technical, Supply |
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Tactical, Intelligence |
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Tactical, Operations |
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Tactical, Flight A, B, C each: |
*Combat Crew per Aircraft:
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Service, Medical |
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*Per Ground Echelon, Night Fighter Squadron: 20 Privates First Class and 20 Privates

The Night Fighter Squadron (4 September 1944) consisted of 3 Flights (A, B, C) each with 4 combat crews. The squadron as a whole was authorized 12 2-Engine Night Fighters (P-61 Black Widows), or 4 per Flight. According to FM 100-20, Command and Employment of Air Power (21 July 1943), “The squadron is the basic administrative and tactical unit and consists of three or four flights, depending upon the type of aviation.” Further, “The flight is the basic tactical grouping or unit of the Army Air Forces and consists of two or more airplanes.” (1)
All vehicles were authorized at the squadron-level, although the individual sub-units had members specifically authorized as Automotive Equipment Operators (footnote “m” on the personnel list). The various sections of the Squadron were split into an Air Echelon and a Ground Echelon. The Flight Echelon is an often described third element consisting of just pilots (less the logistics and staff personnel also contained in the Air Echelon) (2). For T/O purposes the Flights were part of the Air Echelon. These two echelons could be deployed overseas separately and at different times and often operate separately (3). Generally this was to allow the slower ground echelon to leave ahead of the air echelon so the whole squadron could fully arrive at roughly the same time. However, fully-split operations were more common during island hopping in the Pacific Theater, requiring the standing up of general support maintenance formations to fill the place of the Ground Echelons for forward deploying Air Echelons (4).
It should be noted that a significant portion of P-61 Black Widows were operated without their turret (5), particularly in Europe. A fixed gun installation would also be used, which did not require a gunner. In this case, the enlisted Armorer-Gunner did not fly and in some units the officer Radar-Observer would be relocated forward to the seat just behind the pilot. I did not do the definitive P-61 research to put this T/O&E summary together so whether this meant units lacked those 12 Armorer-Gunners entirely I don't know. This was never reflected in the T/O&E during the war, but the practice of operating without a turret is mentioned in an undated Pilot Training Manual for the P-61.
Citations:
2. Weapons
# | Item | Basis of Distribution and Remarks |
206 | Carbines, cal. .30, M1A2* | 1 per individual not otherwise armed, except medical |
23 | Guns, submachine, cal. .45, M3 | 1 per 10 Enlisted Men or major fraction thereof, except medical |
41 | Pistols, automatic, cal. .45, M1911A1 | 1 per Field Grade Officer, Officer and Enlisted Airplane Crew Member except Flight Surgeon |
12 | Pistols, pyrotechnic, AN-M8, w/mount | 1 per Airplane |
4 | Guns, machine, heavy barrel, cal. .50, M2, flexible | 4 per Squadron. 2 were mounted on a ¾-ton Weapons Carrier via a M24A2 pedestal truck mount. 1 was mounted on a ¼-ton Truck (Jeep) via an M31 Truck Mount. 1 was mounted on a 2½-ton Cargo Truck w/winch via a ring mount. |
As required to equip aircraft as determined by CG AAF***
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**Actually the M1 Carbine in reality. The M1A2 was the initial designation for the M1 Carbine variant with the T21 adjustable rear sight. It technically became the “standard” carbine on 11 February 1943 with the M1 Carbine being the substitute standard. However, the M1A2 Carbine was not actually issued in numbers due to the modification requiring a modified receiver and was cancelled in November 1943. Generally, the M1A2 starts trickling into T/Es around March 1943, but goes back to the M1 Carbine in early/mid-1944, and progresses to the M2 Carbine in late-1944 and 1945. Being this is an Army Air Forces T/O&E where the ground armaments are not that critical, it’s likely this is just a case of being behind on reporting the standard. Similarly, the Night Fighter Squadron’s 24 May 1943 T/O&E still listed the M1 Carbine even though the M1A2 was technically the standard.
***Generally, P-61 Black Widows were armed with 4× 20mm Automatic Aircraft Guns (AN-M2) in fixed positions in the bottom of the crew nacelle and 4× caliber .50 Aircraft Machine Guns (AN-M2) in a remotely controlled turret on top of the crew nacelle. As stated previously though, many P-61s operated without the machine gun turret. Two hundred rounds were carried for each 20mm cannon and 500 rounds for each cal. .50 machine gun.
3. Aircraft & Motor Transport
# | Item | Basis of Distribution and Remarks |
12 | Airplanes, Night Fighter, Two-Engine (P-61 Black Widows) | |
2 | Tractors, track laying, high speed medium duty | |
3 | Trailers, fuel servicing, type A-3 | |
1 | Truck, fuel servicing, type F-3 | |
1 | Truck, oil servicing, type F-3 | |
8 | Trucks, Bomb Lift, M1 | 8 per Night Fighter Squadron |
2 | Truck, Bomb Service, M6 | 2 per Night Fighter Squadron |
4 | Trailers, Bomb, M5 | |
11 | Trucks, ¼-ton, 4×4 (Jeep) | 10 per Night Fighter Squadron; 1 per Radio Set AN/VRC-1-( ), 11th Jeep is not authorized if AN/VRC-1-( ) is issued |
6 | Trailers, ¼-ton, 2-wheel cargo | |
1 | Truck, ¾-ton, 4×4, Ambulance, KD | |
6 | Trucks, ¾-ton, 4×4, Weapon Carrier without Winch | 3 per Night Fighter Squadron, 1 per Ordnance Section, Medical Section and Radar Section |
2 | Trucks, 2½-ton, 6×6, Cargo with winch | 1 with ring mount |
1 | Truck, 2½-ton, 6×6, Cargo without winch | 1 per Squadron |
2 | Trailers, 1-ton, 2-wheel cargo | |
1 | Trailer, 1-ton, 2-wheel, water tank, 250-gal |
4. Enlisted Cadre
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5. Augmentations
Not included in Squadron total
Ground Control Intercept (GCI) Control Team (b)
*All armed with Carbines (b) GCI control teams will be authorized by the War Department as required by the strategic air defense area, due consideration being given those provided by T/O & E 1-47, 26 June 1943, AAF fighter control squadron. Not included in summary. |
Additional Combat Crew (c)
*All armed with Pistols (c) Additional crews will be authorized by the War Department for squadrons under intense combat activity. Not included in summary. This personnel will be int he air echelon. For each 4 additional crews or major fraction, 1 captain (pilot), 1 first lieutenant (pilot) and 1 first lieutenant (radar observer, night fighter) will be authorized in lieu of 2 second lieutenants (pilots) and 1 second lieutenant (radar observer, night fighter) Example of 4 Additional Combat Crews (equivalent to a Flight):
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6. Changes No. 1, 14 December 1944
This is a minor change not involving any changes in total strength or equipment.
Original Subunit Effected | Change |
Tactical, Flights A-C (Air Echelon) | Redesignate 12 Airplane Armorer-Gunners (SSgt, SSN 612) as Remote Control Turret Mechanic-Gunners (SSN 580). This is also reflected in remark about Combat Crews (1 Remote Control Turret-Mechanic Gunner per aircraft). |
Administrative, Supply (Ground Echelon) and Technical, Supply (Ground Echelon) | Redesignate 2 Clerks (Pfc/Pvt, SSN 055) as Supply Clerks (SSN 835). Also moved from the General Group to the Supply Group of professions. Additional qualification as automotive equipment operator (345) is retained. |
Technical, Supply (Ground Echelon) | Redesignate 1 Clerk-Typist (Cpl, SSN 405) as Supply Clerk (SSN 835). Also moved from the General Group to the Supply Group of professions. |
Technical, Engineering (Ground Echelon) | Transfer 1 Parachute Rigger and Repairman (Cpl, SSN 620) from Technical - Engineering (Ground Echelon) to Tactical - Operations (Air Echelon). Additional note added: (s) Assistant to personal equipment officer |
7. Changes No. 2, 19 August 1945
Original Subunit Effected | Change |
Technical, Armament (Air and Ground Echelon) | Remove entire Chemical group, including 1 Decontaminating Equipment Operator (Sgt, SSN 809) and 1 Decontaminating Equipment Operator (809) |
Technical, Armament (Air and Ground Echelon) | Redesignate all Power Turret and Gunsight Specialists (SSN 678) as Remote Control Turret Mechanics (SSN 960) |
Technical, Engineering (Air Echelon) | Add 1 Remote Control Turret Mechanic (SSgt, SSN 960) and 1 Remote Control Turret Mechanic (Cpl, SSN 960) to Technical - Engineering (Air Echelon) |
Service, Medical (Ground Echelon) | Change note "(r) One qualified to drive ambulance" to "(r) Qualified as automotive equipment operator (345)". Aside from changing the terminology, this also implies the 2 Medical Corpsmen (Pfc/Pvt) in Service - Medical (Ground Echelon) are qualified instead of just 1. |
Squadron Total | Redesignate "Trailer, fuel servicing, type A-3" to "Trailer, fuel servicing, type A-1A" |
Squadron Total | Add 1 "Truck, 2½-ton-ton, Signal Corps repair M30" |
Squadron Total | Redesignate M1A2 Carbine to M2 Carbine. Redesignate M3 Submachine Gun to M3A1. Quantity unaffected. |
Squadron Total | 12 Projectors, pyrotechnic, hand, M9 added. 1 per multiple place type pneumatic raft |
8. Where to Get the Full T/O&E
This article is based on T/O & E 1-67, AAF, Night Fighter Squadron (September 4, 1944) hosted by the War Department Archives. This is also the source of Changes No. 1 and No. 2. This is a paid subscription, although at the time of writing the price is pretty affordable for what is provided in my opinion (US$10/mo). As of June 2026 they have over 1,600 U.S. Army T/O&Es, T/Os, T/Es and T/BAs from World War II and thousands of other types of records. which is probably the cheapest this information has ever been.
This article is intended to be a quick reference that is easily searchable and more readable than a T/O&E (especially the Army Air Forces ones which are very large and have much more complicated split-page formatting). My rationale is the primary source archive barely gets any traffic when compared to the more readable and SEO-friendly transcriptions. As I did not pay for this T/O&E individually and the business model of the service hosting it relies on subscriptions, hosting the actual document myself was not an option anyway.
However, there is always the chance there are transcription errors. Further, this article only includes the T/O and the Weapons and Motor Transport portions of the T/E. If you are creating your own content or need to reference this unit's full organization and equipment in an academic setting I always recommend you cite the primary source.
This is not a paid endorsement.

























