bigpigeon.us webarea WW II - Germany > MTO > MTO Air War, updated by RAC 7 Sep 2020.
Most USAAF units sent to North Africa in late 1942 were initially stationed in Algeria and then moved into western Tunisia as bases became available in early 1943.
After the Axis surrender of Tunisia in May 1943, bases in Libya began to be used.
Most USAAF units sent to North Africa in late 1942 were initially stationed in Algeria and then moved into western Tunisia as bases became available in early 1943.
After the Axis surrender of Tunisia in May 1943, bases in Libya began to be used.
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From 1 November 1943 until the end of World War II, most US air power in the Mediterranean Theater was under the US 15th Air Force, with headquarter first in Tunis and later in Bari, Italy. In late 1943, a complex of airfields at Foggia, Italy, east of Naples near the Adriatic Coast, became available.
From these airfields thousands of men flew to their deaths. The 15th Air Force lost over 2,000 heavy bombers, six of whom appear on the following list. The Ploiesti oil fields in Romania were a major 15th Air Force target until they were overrun by Soviet forces in August 1944. |
The Foggia Airfields
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Sources for the MTO Air War webpage:
Pottawattamie County, Iowa Area WW II Dead - The MTO Air War:
† Bogue, Clifford John, SN 37-476-332, USAAF, Pott. Co. & Shiawassee Co., MI
727th Bomb. Sqdn, 451st Bomb. Gp. 15th AF, based at Castellucia Air Field, near Foggia, Italy; B-24J #42-51409 tail gunner; KIA 7 Oct 1944, east of Vienna, Austria on mission over Vienna, plane lost from flak, 5 died, 5 survived.
† Fenn, Clifford Loren, SN 37-484-890, USAAF, Pott. Co.
513 Bomb. Sqdn., 376th Bomb. Gp., 15th AF, based at San Pancrazio Air Field, SW of Brindisi, Italy; B-24H #42-51151 ball turret gunner, KIA 2 Jul 1944, over Vecses Aerodrome, Budapest, Hungary; plane lost from flak, four died.
† Gettys, Joe Lynam Jr., SN 17-096-828, USAAF, Shelby Co.
previously radio operator with the William Bache crew, 719th Bomb Sqdn., 449th Bomb. Gp., 15th AF, based at Grottaglie, near Taranto, Italy; DNB 9 Dec 1944 near Oliveto Citra, E. of Salerno, Italy on B-24H Liberator #41-29307 Buzzer; Buzzer crashed killing all fifteen; passengers had completed their missions and were being reassigned to rear-area jobs.
† Knapp, Clyde Alfred, SN O-328819, USAAF, Los Angeles Co., CA
154th Obs. Sqdn. 68th Obs. Gp., 12th AF, based at Oujda, Morocco; Douglas Havoc A-20 pilot; KIA 7 Jan 1943 North Africa; plane w/ crew of four disappeared on a mission; BNR.
† Larsen, Lester M., SN 17-003-312, USAAF, Pott. Co.
37th Bomb. Sqdn., 17th Bomb. Gp., XII Bomber Command, based at Telergma, Algeria; Martin Marauder B-26 crew member; KIA 16 Mar 1943 North Africa; plane did not return from mission; BNR.
† Parks, George Harvey, SN O-751951, USAAF, Pott. Co.
717 Bomb. Sqdn., 449 Bomb. Gp., 15th AF, based at Grottaglie, near Taranto, Italy; B-24H #42-52136 bombardier; KIA 2 Apr 1944 over Steyr, Austria; collision with another B-24, no survivors.
† Rink, Paul Lloyd, SN O-723687, USAAF, Pott. Co.
742 Bomb. Sqdn., 455 Bomb. Gp., 15th AF, based at San Giovanni, near Foggia, Italy; B-24J #42-78500 navigator; KIA 17 Aug 1944 over Ploesti, Romania.
† Robinson, William Brigham Haight, SN O-673901, USAAF, Pott. Co.
779th Bomb. Sqdn., 464th Bomb. Gp.,15th AF, based at Pantanella, near Foggia, Italy; B-24J #44-41053 bombardier; KIA 10 Sep 1944 near Glinzendorf ten miles E of Vienna, Austria; plane hit by flak & exploded over target, eight (maybe six) died, two lived.
† Thies, Melvin Chris, SN 17-063-991, USAAF, Pott. Co.
345th Bomb. Sqdn., 98th Bomb. Gp., 15th AF, based at Lecce Airfield, SE of Brindisi, Italy; B-24H #42-95463 tail gunner; KIA 15 Jul 1944, over Ploesti, Romania; plane hit by flak; at least six dead.
- The Foggia Airfields map is courtesy of Charles Atkins at pinterest.com
Pottawattamie County, Iowa Area WW II Dead - The MTO Air War:
- Taken from the bigpigeon.us WW II Dead webarea.
† Bogue, Clifford John, SN 37-476-332, USAAF, Pott. Co. & Shiawassee Co., MI
727th Bomb. Sqdn, 451st Bomb. Gp. 15th AF, based at Castellucia Air Field, near Foggia, Italy; B-24J #42-51409 tail gunner; KIA 7 Oct 1944, east of Vienna, Austria on mission over Vienna, plane lost from flak, 5 died, 5 survived.
† Fenn, Clifford Loren, SN 37-484-890, USAAF, Pott. Co.
513 Bomb. Sqdn., 376th Bomb. Gp., 15th AF, based at San Pancrazio Air Field, SW of Brindisi, Italy; B-24H #42-51151 ball turret gunner, KIA 2 Jul 1944, over Vecses Aerodrome, Budapest, Hungary; plane lost from flak, four died.
† Gettys, Joe Lynam Jr., SN 17-096-828, USAAF, Shelby Co.
previously radio operator with the William Bache crew, 719th Bomb Sqdn., 449th Bomb. Gp., 15th AF, based at Grottaglie, near Taranto, Italy; DNB 9 Dec 1944 near Oliveto Citra, E. of Salerno, Italy on B-24H Liberator #41-29307 Buzzer; Buzzer crashed killing all fifteen; passengers had completed their missions and were being reassigned to rear-area jobs.
† Knapp, Clyde Alfred, SN O-328819, USAAF, Los Angeles Co., CA
154th Obs. Sqdn. 68th Obs. Gp., 12th AF, based at Oujda, Morocco; Douglas Havoc A-20 pilot; KIA 7 Jan 1943 North Africa; plane w/ crew of four disappeared on a mission; BNR.
† Larsen, Lester M., SN 17-003-312, USAAF, Pott. Co.
37th Bomb. Sqdn., 17th Bomb. Gp., XII Bomber Command, based at Telergma, Algeria; Martin Marauder B-26 crew member; KIA 16 Mar 1943 North Africa; plane did not return from mission; BNR.
† Parks, George Harvey, SN O-751951, USAAF, Pott. Co.
717 Bomb. Sqdn., 449 Bomb. Gp., 15th AF, based at Grottaglie, near Taranto, Italy; B-24H #42-52136 bombardier; KIA 2 Apr 1944 over Steyr, Austria; collision with another B-24, no survivors.
† Rink, Paul Lloyd, SN O-723687, USAAF, Pott. Co.
742 Bomb. Sqdn., 455 Bomb. Gp., 15th AF, based at San Giovanni, near Foggia, Italy; B-24J #42-78500 navigator; KIA 17 Aug 1944 over Ploesti, Romania.
† Robinson, William Brigham Haight, SN O-673901, USAAF, Pott. Co.
779th Bomb. Sqdn., 464th Bomb. Gp.,15th AF, based at Pantanella, near Foggia, Italy; B-24J #44-41053 bombardier; KIA 10 Sep 1944 near Glinzendorf ten miles E of Vienna, Austria; plane hit by flak & exploded over target, eight (maybe six) died, two lived.
† Thies, Melvin Chris, SN 17-063-991, USAAF, Pott. Co.
345th Bomb. Sqdn., 98th Bomb. Gp., 15th AF, based at Lecce Airfield, SE of Brindisi, Italy; B-24H #42-95463 tail gunner; KIA 15 Jul 1944, over Ploesti, Romania; plane hit by flak; at least six dead.