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15af.org is a project of the Army Air Corps Library and Museum. Volunteers are transcribing servicemen names and their awards from General Orders that we are publishing on this website for enthusiasts, families and researchers of genealogy and World War II history. The names on this honor roll of men assigned to units of the 15th Air Force is not a complete list of all who served with the 15th, however, we are attempting to locate as many documents that have survived as possible. Sources of material include the US National Archives, Air Force Historical Research Agency and the records donated by individual servicemen and their families. We hope you will find this information useful and enjoyable. We are accepting volunteers help in this very large World War II project as we preserve this history and honor service.
Constituted as Fifteenth AF on 30 October 1943. Activated in the Mediterranean theater on 1 November 1943. Began operations on 2 November Inactivated in Italy on 15 September 1945.
Major General James H. Doolittle, 1 Nov 1943
Major General Nathan F. Twining, 3 Jan 1944
Brigardier General James A. Mollison, 26 May 1945
Brigardier General William L. Lee, 3 Aug 1945
Colonel Elmer J. Rogers Jr, 31 Aug-15 Sep 1945
Tunis, Tunisia, 1 November 1943; Bari, Italy, 1 December 1943-15 September 1945.
5th Bombardment: 1943-1945
47th Bombardment: 1944-1945
49th Bombardment: 1944-1945
55th Bombardment: 1944-1945
304th Bombardment: 1943-1945
305th Fighter : 1943-1945
306th Fighter: 1944-1945
Ploesti Oil Fields (May - August 1944)
Operation Strangle (March-May 1944) - Campaign against Italian Transportation and German resupply.
Operation Frantic (Summer 1944) - Shuttle Missions from Italy to Russian bases.
Operation Anvil/Dragoon (August 12-16, 1944) - Southern France Invasion.
By an order from the War Department, the 15th Air Force was established on November 1, 1943, in Tunis, Tunisia, as a strategic bombing force under the command of Major General James H. Doolittle. It was formed as part of a reorganization of American air forces in the Mediterranean region and began combat operations the very next day. The 15th Air Force would move its headquarters to Bari, Italy on December 1, 1943, where it remained throughout the war. It was established to conduct strategic bombing operations from bases in southern Italy against targets in southern and eastern Europe that were difficult to reach from England, where the Eighth Air Force was based.
Initially, the 15th Air Force received six heavy bomb groups (four B-17 and two B-24 units), three P-38 fighter groups, and one P-47 fighter group transferred from the Twelfth Air Force. Additional groups originally intended for the Eighth Air Force were diverted to build the strength of the 15th. By the end of the war, the 15th Air Force had grown to include fifteen heavy bomber groups equipped with B-24 Liberators and B-17 Flying Fortresses.
Major General Jimmy Doolittle initially, who was succeeded by Major General Nathan F. Twining on January 3, 1944. Twining would lead the Fifteenth Air Force for most of its operational history during the war. By war's end, the 15th Air Force had lost approximately 2,110 bombers on operations, while its fighter groups claimed 1,836 enemy aircraft destroyed. The 15th Air Force was officially inactivated in Italy on September 15, 1945, marking the end of its World War II service.
Do you have WWII memorabilia that you are not sure what to do with it? The children don't want it? Then let us help you preserve this history by donating these items to the Army Air Corps Library and Museum. We are accepting donations in the form of uniforms, medals, ribbons, patches, photos, memorabilia, papers, gear and equipment. We also accept monetary donations to support our operations and long term plans. This website is part of the Army Air Corps Library and Museum, and as a 501(c)(3) Non-profit, your qualifying donations are tax deductible.
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Historical Artifacts: We are looking for photos, documents and other types of artifacts including uniforms and gear of the 15th Air Force in World War II as well as other units and commands. We accept electronic/scans or originals of pictures and paper records. A General Order could be an award document that contains information on many servicemen. Special Orders may contain transfers or other information. Flight records, accident reports, maintenance logs, after action reports, pilot encounter reports, diaries and biorgraphies; all of these types of documents help us support or mission: preserving your history! Contact us today for instructions on sending us this material.
Are you an AAC, AAF or USAF Veteran, family member, historian or WW2 enthusiast? We Need YOU! Contact us today to see how you can help the Army Air Corps Library and Museum, a Texas Not-For-Profit Corporation. We need your help! We are looking for volunteers that can help us with the following tasks. Typing and Transcriptionists: One of our big projects is extracting data from the thousands of documents we have and putting this data into a database where we can display the information on a website such as this one.