Constituted as the 15th Air Force on October 30, 1943 and activated on November 1, 1943.
The 15th AF primary function was strategic bombardment of Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary.
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Constituted as Fifteenth AF on 30 Oct 1943. Activated in the
Mediterranean theater on 1 Nov 1943. Began operations on 2 Nov and 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. Activated in the US on 31
Mar 1946. Assigned to Strategic Air Command.
Wings. 5th Bombardment: 1943-1945. 42d Bombardment: 1943. 47th
Bombardment: 1944-1945. 49th Bombardment: 1944-1945. 55th Bombardment:
1944-1945. 304th Bombardment: 1943-1945. 305th Bombardment: 1943-1945.
306th Fighter: 1944-1945. 307th Bombardment: 1944.
Stations. Tunis, Tunisia, 1 Nov 1943; Bari, Italy, 1 Dec 1943-15 Sep
1945. Colorado Springs, Colo, 31 Mar 1946; March AFB, Calif, 7 Nov
1949-.
Commanders. Maj Gen James H Doolittle, 1 Nov 1943; Maj Gen Nathan F
Twining, 3 Jan 1944; Brig Gen James A Mollison, 26 May 1945; Brig Gen
William L Lee, 3 Aug 1945; Col Elmer J Rogers Jr, 31 Aug-15 Sep 1945. Maj
Gen Charles F Born, 31 Mar 1946; Brig Gen Leon W Johnson, 24 Apr 1947; Maj
Gen Emmett O'Donnell Jr, 6 Oct 1948; Maj Gen Walter C Sweeney Jr, 20 Apr
1953; Maj Gen Archie J Old Jr, c. 20 Aug 1955-.
Campaigns. Air Combat, EAME Theater; Air Offensive, Europe;
Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern
France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley.
Decorations. None.
Insigne. On a blue disc a white star charged with a red disc in the
center and with golden orange stylized wings below a golden orange Arabic
numeral "15", all within a golden orange annulet. (Approved 19 Feb
1944.) Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986 |
