15th (Strategic) Army Air Force

HQ : Italy

Order:  Strategical raids in Mediterranean Area

Version: 23-12-08 (D-M-Y) - 174 pics of planes on this site...;-)

 

XV Bomber Command
5th Bomb Wing 47th Bomb Wing 49th Bomb Wing 55th Bomb Wing 304th Bomb Wing
2nd BG (B-17) 98th BG (B-24) 451st BG (B-24) 460th BG (B-24) 454th BG (B-24)
97th BG (B-17) 376th BG (B-24) 461st BG (B-24) 464th BG (B-24) 455th BG (B-24)
99th BG (B-17) 449th BG (B-24) 484th BG (B-24) 465th BG (B-24) 456th BG (B-24)
301st BG (B-17) 450th BG (B-24)   4585th BG (B-24) 459th BG (B-24)
463rd BG (B-17)        
463rd BG (B-17)        

 

XV Fighter Command
306th Fighter Wing Miscellaneous
1st FG (P-38) 15th/2641st SG (Provisional)
14th FG (P-38) 154th WRS
82th FG (P-38)  
31st FG (P-51)  
42nd FG (P-51)  
325th FG (P-51)  
332rd FG (P-51)  

 

 

 

5th Bomb Wing
Boeing B-17 FLYING FORTRESS

2nd BG

97th BG

99th BG

301st BG

463rd BG

483rd BG

 

 

 

 

2nd Bombardment Group (Heavy)
Served on antisubmarine duty after the US entered World War II
1943, March   -   Moved to North Africa, assigned to the Twelfth AF.
1943, December 13   -   Assigned to Fifteenth AF
20th Bomb Squadron 49th Bomb Squadron
 (Former 166th)		 96th Bomb Squadron 429th Bomb Squadron
1943, April   -   Boeing B-17 FLYING FORTRESS   -   Arrived in Algeria
- - - -
1943  -   Boeing B-17 FLYING FORTRESS   -   Tunesia
- - - -
1943, December   -   Boeing B-17 FLYING FORTRESS   -   Foggia, Italy
- - - -

2nd Bombardment Group (Heavy)

1944   -   Boeing B-17 FLYING FORTRESS   -   Amendola, Italy
- - - -
 Served as part of the occupation force in Italy after V-E Day.
1946, February 28   -   Inactivated in Italy

 

 

 

97th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
Constituted as 97th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942.
Activated on 3 Feb 1942. Moved to England, May-Jul 1942 with Eighth AF.
Moved to the Mediterranean theater Twelfth AF Nov 1942.
1943, November   -   Assigned to Fifteenth AF
340th Bomb Squadron 341st Bomb Squadron 342nd Bomb Squadron 414th Bomb Squadron
1943, November   -   Boeing B-17F FLYING FORTRESS   -   North Africa
- - -
B-17F (41-24408) "All American"
1943
1943, December   -   Boeing B-17F FLYING FORTRESS   -   Cerignola, Italy
- - - -

97th Bombardment Group (Heavy)

1944, January   -   Boeing B-17 FLYING FORTRESS   -   Amendola, Italy
  - -
B-17F-100-BO (42-30407)

B-17G (44-45(?)597)
-
-		 - -
B17G-15-BO (44-45544)
"KWITURBITCHIN"
97th BG, 414th BS, MTO 1944
1945, October 29   -   Inactivated in Maricianise, Italy

 

 

 

 

99th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
Constituted as 99th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated 1 Jun 1942.
Moved to North Africa, Feb-May 1943, assigned to Twelfth AF.
Entered combat in Mar 1943.
1943, November   -   Assigned to Fifteenth AF
346th Bomb Squadron 347th Bomb Squadron 348th Bomb Squadron 416th Bomb Squadron
I II III IV
1944,February   -   Boeing B-17F FLYING FORTRESS   -   North Africa
-
B-17F-55-BO (42-29473)
"Yankee Doodle"
347th BS, 99th BG, 15th AF
MTO, November 1943		 - -
1943, December   -   Moved to Italy
1944, February   -   Boeing B-17F-55-BO FLYING FORTRESS   -   Tortorella (near Foggia), Italy
- - - -

99th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
1944   -   Boeing B-17G FLYING FORTRESS   -   Tortorella (near Foggia), Italy

B-17G-30-DL (42-38201)
"2nd Patches"		 - -
B-17G-35-BO (42-32023)
"Flak Happy"

1945   -   Boeing B-17G FLYING FORTRESS   -   Tortorella (near Foggia), Italy

B-17G-50-VE (44-8187)
Pathfinder painted in overall Blue-Grey camouflage and fitted with
H2X radar in place of the ball turret.
This aircraft was interned in Switzerland February 27, 1945.
 Returned on September 19, 1945.		 - -  
1945, November 8   -   Inactivated in Italy

 

 

 

 

301st Bombardment Group (Heavy)
Constituted as 301st Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 3 Feb 1942.
Moved to England Jul-Aug 1942 assigned to Eighth AF.
Moved to North Africa Nov 1942 assigned to Twelfth AF.
1943, September   -   Boeing B-17F-50-BO FLYING FORTRESS   -   ?

B-17F-50-BO (42-5350)
"Skinhead"		 - - -
1943, November   -   Assigned to Fifteenth AF
1943, December   -   Moved to Italy
32nd Bomb Squadron 352nd Bomb Squadron 353rd Bomb Squadron 419th Bomb Squadron
1944   -   Boeing B-17G FLYING FORTRESS   -   Lucera, Italy
- - - -

301st Bombardment Group (Heavy)

1945   -   Boeing B-17G-50-DL FLYING FORTRESS   -   Lucera, Italy
- - -
B-17G-50-DL (44-6407)
"Miss`Behavin"
Hit by AAA over Komaron, Yugoslavia March 14th, 1945
1945, July   -   Returned to the US
1945, August   -   Redesignated 301st Bombardment Group (Very Heavy)
1945, October 15   -   Inactivated

5Sqds: +354th BS !!

 

 

 

463rd Bombardment Group (Heavy)
 1943, May 19   -   Constituted as 463rd Bombardment Group (Heavy)
 1943, August 1   -   Activated
772nd Bomb Squadron 773rd Bomb Squadron 774th Bomb Squadron 775th Bomb Squadron
1944, Februay-March   -   Moved to Italy
1944, March   -   Boeing B-17 FLYING FORTRESS   -   Celone, Italy
- - - -
1944   -   Boeing B-17G-25-BO FLYING FORTRESS   -   Foggia, Italy
-
B-17G-25-BO (42-31684) "JOKER"
Shot down July 7th, 1944
over Vicany, Germany during
 mission "Blechhammer"		 - -

463rd Bombardment Group (Heavy)

1945   -   Boeing B-17G-25-BO FLYING FORTRESS   -   Foggia, Italy
- - - -
1945, August   -   Inactivated in Italy

 

 

483rd Bombardment Group (Heavy)
 1943, September 14   -   Constituted as 483rd Bombardment Group (Heavy)
 1943, September 20   -   Activated. Trained with B-17's.
815th Bomb Squadron 816th Bomb Squadron 817th Bomb Squadron 840th Bomb Squadron
 (Former 818th )
1945, March-April   -   Moved to Italy
1944, September   -   Boeing B-17 FLYING FORTRESS   -   Tortorella (near Foggia), Italy
- - - -
1944   -   Boeing B-17 FLYING FORTRESS   -   Sterparone, Italy

B-17G-35-BO (42-32044)
"Good Deal"		 - - -

483rd Bombardment Group (Heavy)

1945   -   Boeing B-17 FLYING FORTRESS   -   Sterparone, Italy
- - - -
1945, September 25   -   Inactivated in Italy

 

 

 

"The Pyramidiers"

47th Bomb Wing
Consolidated B-24 LIBERATOR

98th BG

376th BG

449th BG

450th BG

98th BG

376th BG

449th BG

450th BG

 

 

 

 

'Force For Freedom'

98th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
Constituted as the 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 January 1942 at Barksdale Field, LA.  Activated on 3 February 1942 at McDill Field, FL with B-24 Liberator Bombers, the 98th continued training at Ft. Myers and Drane Field, FL.

The 98th was initially manned by a cadre of men from the 44th Bombardment Group.  At least two b-24s were wrecked during phase training in the U.S.  The two planes were 41-1131, Pilot, Joe Kilgore on 6-4-1942 and 41-1137, Pilot, Francis Menge on 6-24-1942.  All the aircraft used in phase training were transferred to another group.

343rd Bomb Squadron

?

344th Bomb Squadron

?

345th Bomb Squadron

?

415th Bomb Squadron
The 98th was alerted and departed for the Middle East on 15 July 1942, arriving in Palestine in late July 1942.
They flew their first mission to Mersa Metruh on 1 August 1942,
with the aircraft being serviced by RAF personnel until 98th maintenance personnel arrived about 19 August 1942.
1942, November  -   Under the command of USMEAF (United States  Middle East Air Force)
1942, July   -   Consolidated B-24D-25-CO LIBERATOR   -   Palestine, Middle East
-
B-24D-1-CO   V  (41-23659)
''Blonde Bomber II''
Sqn ??
(First B-24 to fall into Axis hands when the pilot accidentaly landed at Pachino, Sicily)		 - -
-
B-24D-1-CO   V  (41-11825) ''HailColumbia''		 - -
1942, November 12  -   Under the command of the 9th Air Force (USMEAF was dissolved)
1943, August 1   -   Consolidated B-24D-25-CO LIBERATOR   -   Operation Tidal Wave (Ploesti Raid) [9AF]
1943, August 1   -   Operation Tidal Wave (Ploesti Raid) [9AF]

 Ploesti was a massive complex consisting of seven major refineries, storage tanks and related structures covering 19 square miles. It supplied Germany with 1/3rd of its entire fuel oil needs.

Probably their most famous mission was the Low Level raid to Ploesti on 1 August 1943, exactly one year after the first mission was flown.
On this raid, of 47 B-24s launched, only 21 returned safely.  One crashed on takeoff with the loss of all crewmembers except two.
Six aborted before reaching the target.  Seventeen went down in enemy territory.  Two went down at sea.
The Group Commander, Col. John R. (Killer) Kane was awarded the Medal of Honor for his leadership.
- -
B-24D-55-CO   W  (42-40402)
''The Sandman''
B-24D-1-CO   D  (41-11825)
''Hail Columbia''
1943, September and October   -   Under the command of the 12th Air Force
1943, September and October   -   Consolidated B-24D-20-CO LIBERATOR   -   Brindisi, Italy

B-24D-20-CO   R  ''The Squaw''
On War Bond Tour through USA
Winter 1943		 - - -
1943, November 1   -   Finally under the command of the 15th Air Force
1943, November  -   Consolidated B-24J-1-NT LIBERATOR

B-24D-120-CO  R  (42-40991)
''Kate Smith''		 - - -

98th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
1944   -   Consolidated B-24 LIBERATOR   -   San Pancrazio, Italy

B-24H-10-DT  A  (41-28702)
-
-
-
-
-		 - - -

98th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
1945   -   Consolidated B-24J-1-NT LIBERATOR

B-24J-1-NT  AL  (42-78600)
''Delectable Doris''
(Shot down by AAA on 8th April 1945 over North Africa)
Sqn ?
-
-
-
B-24J-1-NT  P  (42-51176)
-
-
-		 -
1945, April-May   -   Returned to the U.S. and was re-designated the 98th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy).
The 98th was deactivated as a group on 10 November 1945.

 

 

 

 

376th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
 'Liberandos'

512th Bomb Squadron

513th Bomb Squadron

514th Bomb Squadron

515th Bomb Squadron
1943   -    Tunisia (Serving with the Ninth and Twelfth Air Forces)
1943, Early   -    Consolidated B-24D-85-CO LIBERATOR   -   Soluch Air Base near Benghazi, Cirenaica, Libya
''Lady Be Good''-Story
On April 4, 1943 another 514th crew consisting of Ist Lt. William J. Hatton, pilot; 2nd Lt. Robert F. Toner, co-pilot; 2nd Lt. Dp. Hays , navigator; 2nd Lt . John S. Woravka , bombardier; T/ Sgt . Harold J. Ripslinger, engineer; T/Sgt. Robert E. LaMotte, radio operator; S/Sgt. Guy E. Shelley, asst. engineer; S/Sgt. Vernon L. Moore, asst. radio operator and S/ Sgt . Samuel E. Adams, tail gunner, departed from Soluch in the "Lady Be Good" on a high altitude attack on the harbor at Naples, Italy.

Of the twenty-four B-24s participating in the mission only the "Lady Be Good" failed to return to Soluch or be accounted for.
The only contact with the lost crew was a terse radio distress call shortly after midnight on April 5th.

In February 1959, a British Petroleum oil exploration team discovered the nearly intact "Lady Be Good" 448 miles southeast of Soluch in the untravelled Libyan Desert. Investigation at the crash site confirmed that the crew had bailed out after exhausting their fuel.


B-24D-85-CO  23  (42-4...)
-
-
-		 -
B-24D-85-CO  64  (41-24301)
''Lady Be Good''
A fresh delivered plane, no RAF finflash yet applied when lost		 -
1943, August 1   -   Operation Tidal Wave (Ploesti Raid) [9AF]

 Ploesti was a massive complex consisting of seven major refineries, storage tanks and related structures covering 19 square miles. It supplied Germany with 1/3rd of its entire fuel oil needs.

Probably their most famous mission was the Low Level raid to Ploesti on 1 August 1943.
1943, August   -    Consolidated B-24D-85-CO LIBERATOR   -   Tunisia

B-24D-70-CO  28  (42-40563)
''Mongo Wongo''
Lt. Brian W. Flavelle
Berca 2, Benghazi, Libya
1943, August 1		 -
B-24D-85-CO  74  (42-....)
''?''
-
-
-
B-24D-85-CO  100  (42-40664) "Teggie Ann"
Leading plane 47BW Ploesti Raid
Berca 2, Benghazi, Libya
1943, August 1

376th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
1943, September   -    Consolidated B-24D-85-CO LIBERATOR   -   Enfidaville, Tunisia

B-24D-160-CO  24  (42-72843)
 ''Strawberry Bitch''		 - - -
1943, November   -    Assigned to 15th Air Force   -    Enfidaville, Tunisia
1943, November - end of war   -   Consolidated B-24 LIBERATOR   -   San Pancrazio, Italy

B-24D  ??  (..-..)
-
-
-
-
-
B-24D-155-CO  42  (42-72767)
"FLAME McGOON"
lost Jul 31, 1944, Bulgaria.
MACR 7210. The target that day was the oil storage dumps at Targoviste, Romania		 - -

B-24J  39  (..-..)
-
-
-
-
-		 - -
B-24H-10-FO  82  (42-52200)
Piloted by Edward H. Belyea
515th Squadron. Shot down by fighters during Mission 216 to Steyr, Austria. The plane crashed at Wels, Austria on Feb 23, 1944. MACR 2583

376th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
       
1946, August    -   Inactivated in Italy

 

 

 

 

449th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
Constituted as 449th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 6 Apr 1943.
Activated on 1 May 1943. Prepared for combat with B-24's. Moved to Italy, Dec 1943-Jan 1944, and assigned to Fifteenth AF.
Operated primarily as a strategic bombardment organization, attacking such targets as oil refineries, communications centers, aircraft factories, and industrial areas in Italy, Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Greece.
Received a DUC for a mission on 4 Apr 1944 when the group, flying without escort, raided marshalling yards in Bucharest; although heavily outnumbered by German fighters, the group succeeded not only in bombing the target but also in destroying many of the enemy interceptors. Received another DUC for action on 9 Jul 1944 when the group flew through heavy smoke and intense enemy fire to attack an oil refinery at Ploesti. Other operations of the group included bombing gun emplacements in southern France in preparation for the invasion in Aug 1944, and attacking troop concentrations, bridges, and viaducts in Apr 1945 to assist Allied forces in northern Italy. Returned to the US in May 1945. Redesignated 449th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy). Trained with B-17, B-25, and B-29 aircraft. Assigned to Strategic Air Command on 21 Mar 1946. Inactivated on 4 Aug 1946.
716th Bomb Squadron 717th Bomb Squadron 718th Bomb Squadron 719th Bomb Squadron
1943, May   -    Activated at Davis-Monthan AB, Arizona

449th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
1944, April - end of war   -   Consolidated B-24H-5-FO LIBERATOR   -   Deployed to Grottaglie, Italy
- - -
B-24H-5-FO  5  (42-52106)
 ''Sunshine''
Captured by Luftwaffe at Venegono, Italy March 29, 1944

449th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
1945   -   Consolidated B-24J LIBERATOR   -   Italy
-
B-24J  35  (4.-..)
''My Achin' Back''
Italy 1945, Sqn?
B-24J  43  (4.-.0570)
''?''
Italy 1945, Sqn?		 -
1946, August    -   Inactivated in Italy

 

 

 

 

450th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
720th Bomb Squadron 721st Bomb Squadron 722nd Bomb Squadron 723rd Bomb Squadron
1943, April   -   Formed at Gowen AB, Idaho

450th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
1943, December - end of war   -   Consolidated B-24H-5-CF LIBERATOR   -   Deployed at Manduria, Italy
-
B-24H-5-CF (42-64449)
''Wolf Wagon''
salvaged on 16th August 1945.
Sqn?		 - -

450th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
1945   -   Consolidated B-24J LIBERATOR   -   Italy
-
B-24J (..-....)
Italy 1945, Sqn?		 - -
1945, October   -   Inactivated in Italy

 

 

 

 

49th Bomb Wing
Consolidated B-24 LIBERATOR

451st BG

461st BG

484th BG

 

 

 

451st Bombardment Group (Heavy)
724th Bomb Squadron 725th Bomb Squadron 726th Bomb Squadron 727th Bomb Squadron
1943, April   -   Formed at Davis-Monthan AB, Arizona
1944, January   -   Consolidated B-24H LIBERATOR   -   Arrived at Gioia del Colle, Italy
- - - -
1944, March   -   Consolidated B-24H-1-FO LIBERATOR   -   San Pancrazio, Italy
- -
B-24H-1-FO  48  (42-7697?)
''The Stork''
lost on 17th March 1944, MACR 3261		 -
1944, April   -   Consolidated B-24H/J LIBERATOR   -   Castellucio, Italy
-
B-24H-30-FO  35   P  (42-95379)
''Extra Joker''
451st BG, 725th BS,
shot down by FW 190s over Turnitz, Austria Aug 23, 1944.
10 KIA. MACR 7956		 - -

B-24M-15-FO  19  (42-50906)
''Minnesota Mauler''
451st BG, 724th BS-
to RFC Kingman AAF, Az Dec 13, 1945
-
-
-
-
B-24H-20-DT  40   Y  (42-51090)
''Hey Moe''
 Castelluccia, Italy
It flew 67 combat missions, before crashing on takeoff during a training
 flight, Nov 14, 1944 when wing
broke. All 11 on board killed.
For more information, please visit this external LINK		 -
B-24J-195-CO  17   J  (44-41056)
''42-Kay''
451st BG, lost Oct 13, 1944, Austria. MACR 9088-
-
Sqn.?
-
-
-

B-24L-10-FO  21  (44-49647)
''?''
to RFC Walnut Ridge Jan 3, 1946
 
B-24  61   F  (42-50466)
''?''
 Castelluccia, Italy		 -

-
-
-
-
-
-
1945, September   -   Inactivated in Italy

 

 

 

 

461st Bombardment Group (Heavy)
764th Bomb Squadron 765th Bomb Squadron 766th Bomb Squadron 767th Bomb Squadron
1943, May   -   Formed at Wendover AB, Utah
1944   -   Consolidated B-24G/J/L/M LIBERATOR   -   Torretta, Italy

B-24G-10-NT  10  (42-78226)
''?''
(450th BG?) MIA over Austria May 24, 1944. MACR 5640
-
Sqn. ?
-
-
B-24L-1-FO  30  (44-49038)
"Billie K."
A 'Radar-Mickey' plane
Italy 1944-45
to RFC Walnut Ridge Jan 17, 1946
-
Sqn. ?
-
B-24J-10-DT  24  (42-51430)
"Tulsaamerican"
Ditched in Adriatic Sea off coast of Vis Island (near Croatia)
Dec 17, 1944 after raid on Odertal.
3 crew KIA. Rest of crew picked up by fishing vessel.
Sqn. ?		 -

B-24J-210-CO  14  (44-41355)
''?''
764th Sqn.
-
-
B-24M-10-FO  39  (44-50816)
''?''
Italy 1944-45
Italy 1944-45; Sqn. ?
to RFC Kingman AAF, Az Nov 1, 1945		 - -
1945, August    -   Inactivated in Italy

 

 

 

 

484th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
824th Bomb Squadron 825th Bomb Squadron 826th Bomb Squadron 827th Bomb Squadron
1943, September   -   Formed at Harvard AB, Nebraska
1944, April - end of war   -   Consolidated B-24 LIBERATOR   -   Torretta, Italy

B-24J-5-NT  7  (44-28276)
''Hurry Home''
to RFC at Kingman AAF, AZ Dec 17, 1945
824th BS/484 BG
B-24M-1-FO  41  (44-50378)
''?''
to RFC Walnut Ridge Jan 3, 1946

Sqn. ?		 - -
1945, September   -   Inactivated in Italy