CHRONICAL HISTORY
HEAVY BOMBER GROUPS of the 15th AIR FORCE
WWII ITALY 1943/1945


Constituted as Fifteenth AIR FORCE on 30 Oct 1943.
Activated in the Mediterranean Theater on 1 Nov 1943.
Began operations on 2 Nov 1943 engaged primarily in strategic bombardment
of targets in Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary
and the Balkans until the end of the war.
Inactivated in Italy on 15 Sep 1945.
Major General Doolittle took command of the
15th Air Force in the Mediterranean Theater
November 1943 with 6 Combat Ready Heavy Bomb Groups.
(21 Groups on Paper)
Major General Nathan F Twining, assumed command
of the 15th Air Force in Italy in November 1943,
and two months later 3 Jan 1944;
with 13 Combat Ready Heavy Bomb Groups became commander of the Mediterranean Allied Strategic Air Forces.
Full Strength (21 Combat Ready Bomb Groups)
was achieved April"44

THE BOMBARDMENT GROUPS (HEAVY)
2nd Bombardment Group
B-17 Flying Fortress
Served on antisubmarine duty after the US entered World War II.
Moved to North Africa Mar 1943, assigned to the Twelfth AF.
Moved to Fifteenth AF Dec 1943.
Served as part of the occupation
force in Italy after V-E Day. Inactivated in Italy on 28 Feb 1946.
20th BS
49th BS (Former 166th)
96th BS
429th BS

97th Bombardment Group
B-17 Flying Fortress
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. .
Moved to Fifteenth AF Nov 1943. Inactivated in Italy on 29 Oct 1945.
340th BS
341st BS
342nd BS
414th BS

99th Bombardment Group
B-17 Flying Fortress
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. Assigned to Fifteenth AF Nov 1943
and moved to Italy in Dec 1943.
Inactivated in Italy on 8 Nov 1945.
346th BS
347th BS
348th BS
416th BS

301st Bombardment Group
B-17 Flying Fortress
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.
Assigned to Fifteenth AF in Nov 1943, moved to Italy in Dec 1943.
Returned to the US in July 1945. Redesignated 301st Bombardment
Group (Very Heavy) Aug. 1945. Inactivated on 15 Oct 1945.
32nd BS
352nd BS
353rd BS
354th BS
419th BS

463rd Bombardment Group
B-17 Flying Fortress
Constituted as 463rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943.
Activated 1 Aug 1943.Moved to Italy, Feb-Mar 1944.
Inactivated in Italy on 25 Sep 1945.
772nd BS
773rd BS
774th BS
775th BS

483rd Bombardment Group
B-17 Flying Fortress
Constituted as 483rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 14 Sep 1943.
Activated 20 Sep 1945. Trained with B-17's.
Moved to Italy, Mar-Apr 1944.
Inactivated in Italy on 25 Sep 1945.
815th BS
816th BS
817th BS
840th BS (Former 818th )

98th Bombardment Group
Previously served with both the Ninth and Twelfth Air Forces before
being assigned to the Fifteenth Air Force in 11/43.
Based at Herglia, Tunisia from 9/43 to 11/43.
Moved to Brindisi, Italy from 11/43 to12/43.
Moved to Manduria, Italy 12/43 to 1/44.
Moved to Lecee Italy 1/44 until end of the war. Inactivated 11/45.
343rd BS
344th BS
345th BS
415th BS

376th Bombardment Group
Located at Enfidaville, Tunisia from September 1943.
Serving with the Ninth and Twelfth Air Forces before being assigned
to the Fifteenth Air Force 11/43
and moved to San Pancrazio, Italy where it remained
until the end of the war. In-activeated November 1945.
512th BS
513th BS
514th BS
515th BS

449th Bombardment Group
Activated at Davis-Monthan AB, Arizona May 1943.
Deployed to Grottaglie, Italy January 1944 remaining there until
the end of the war. Inactivated August 1946.
716th BS
717th BS
718th BS
719th BS

450th Bombardment Group
Formed April 1943 at Gowen AB, Idaho. Deployed at Manduria,
Italy Dec1943 until the end of the war. Inactivated October 1945.
720th BS
721st BS
722nd BS
723rd BS

451st Bombardment Group
Formed at Davis-Monthan AB, Arizona April 1943. Arrived at
Gioia del Colle, Italy January 1944,to San Pancrazio March 1944,
to Castelluccio, Italy April 1944. Inactivated September 1945.
724th BS
725th BS
726th BS
727th BS

454th Bombardment Group
Constituted May 1943 at Alamogordo AB, New Mexico. Stationed at
San Giovanni, Italy Dec 1943 to July 1945. Inactivated October 1945.
736th BS
737th BS
738th BS
739th BS

455th Bombardment Group

Formed May 1943 at Alamogordo AB, New Mexico. Based at
San Giovanni, Italy. Inactivated September 1945.
740th BS
741st BS
742nd BS
743rd BS

456th Bombardment Group
Formed May 1943 at Wendover Field AB, Utah.
Based at Cerignola, Italy. Inactivated October 1945.
744th BS
745th BS
746th BS
747th BS

459th Bombardment Group
Formed May 1943 at Alamogordo, New Mexico.
Based at Giulia, Italy. Inactivated August 1945.
756th BS
757th BS
758th BS
759th BS

460th Bombardment Group
Formed May 1943 at Alamogordo AB, New Mexico.
Based at Spinazzolia, Italy. Inactivated September 1945.
760th BS
761st BS
762nd BS
763rd BS

461st Bombardment Group
Formed May 1943 at Wendover AB, Utah.
Based at Torretto Airfield, Italy. Inactivated August 1945.
764th BS
765th BS
766th BS
767th BS

464th Bombardment Group
Formed May 1943 at Wendover AB, Utah. Arrived at Pantanella Airfield,
Italy March 1944,moved to Gioia, Italy April 1944, then returned to
Pantanella June 1944. Inactivated July 1945.
776th BS
777th BS
778th BS
779th BS

465th Bombardment Group
Formed May 1943 at Alamogordo AB, New Mexico.
Based at Pantanella Airfield,
Italy April 1944 until the end of the war. Inactivated July 1945.
780th BS
781st BS
782nd BS
783rd BS

484th Bombardment Squadron
Formed September 1943 at Harvard AB, Nebraska. Based at
Torretto Airfield, Italy April 1944 until the end of the war.
. Inactivated July 1945.
824th BS
825th BS
826th BS
827th BS

485th Bombardment Group
Formed 9/43 at Fairmont AB, Nebraska.
Based at Venosa, Italy 4/44 until end of the war.
Re-equipped with B-29s 7/45. Inactivated August 1946.
828th BS
829th BS
830th BS
831st BS

15th Special Group (Provisional)
Re-designated 2641st Special Group (Provisional). 859th BS flew Carpetbagger operations out of England until September 1944
before being moved to MTO.
859th BS was stationed at Brindisi, Italy and attached to
the 15th Special Group.
885th BS was initially known as 122nd BS assigned to 68th Reconnaissance Group
operating B-17s in the MTO. Assigned to 15th Air Force in June 1944,
the 885th was assigned to the 15th Special Group in January 1945.
859th. Sqd. 885th. Sqd

"Willow Run" made em!---Ploesti Broke em!
31 May 1944
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