XV Fighter Command

The XV Fighter Command was a key component of the Fifteenth Air Force during World War II. Headquartered at Foggia, Italy, the command flew P-38 Lightnings, P-47 Thunderbolts, and P-51 Mustangs. The XV Fighter Command was established as part of the Fifteenth Air Force, which was activated on November 1, 1943, with headquarters initially at Tunis, Tunisia, before moving to Bari, Italy on December 1, 1943.

Order of Battle: Fighter Groups

The XV Fighter Command consisted of seven fighter groups, organized into two fighter wings:

305th Fighter Wing

1st Fighter Group
14th Fighter Group
82nd Fighter Group

These groups primarily flew P-38 Lightning aircraft, operating from several airfields:

Gioia del Colle Airfield (1st FG)
Lesina (14th FG and 82nd FG)
Salosa (1st FG)
Triolo Airfield (14th FG)
Vincenzo Airfield (82nd FG)

306th Fighter Wing

31st Fighter Group
52nd Fighter Group
325th Fighter Group
332nd Fighter Group (Tuskegee Airmen)

These groups primarily flew P-47 Thunderbolts and later P-51 Mustangs, operating from:

Mondolfo (31st FG and 325th FG)
Madna Airfield (52nd FG)
Capodichino, Cattolica, Montecorvino, and Ramitelli (332nd FG)
Rimini and Vincenzo Airfield (325th FG)

The 332nd Fighter Group (Tuskegee Airmen)

The 332nd Fighter Group holds a special place in the history of the XV Fighter Command:

The 332nd Fighter Group's P-51 tails were painted solid red, giving them their nickname "Red Tails." This distinctive marking, like those of other fighter groups (52nd FG's yellow tails, 31st FG's red-striped tails, and 325th FG's black and yellow checkerboard tails), helped bomber crews identify friendly aircraft.
The 332nd consisted of four fighter squadrons: the 99th, 100th, 301st, and 302nd Fighter Squadrons.
Of the 312 missions they flew for the 15th Air Force, 179 were bomber escort missions. The group became known for its exceptional record of protecting bombers, losing significantly fewer escorted bombers to enemy fighters than other fighter groups.

Aircraft and Equipment

The XV Fighter Command operated three main fighter aircraft:

P-38 Lightning: Primarily used by the 1st, 14th, and 82nd Fighter Groups
P-47 Thunderbolt: Used as transitional aircraft by several groups
P-51 Mustang: Became the primary fighter for the 31st, 52nd, 325th, and 332nd Fighter Groups

The P-51 Mustang was particularly effective for long-range escort missions, allowing the fighters to accompany bombers to targets deep in enemy territory.

Operational History and Major Campaigns

The XV Fighter Command was primarily responsible for:

Bomber Escort: Protecting the bombers of the 15th Air Force on missions to strategic targets across southern and eastern Europe, including oil refineries, factories, and transportation networks.
Strategic Missions: From November 1943, the primary task was to escort Italian-based strategic bombers as they raided targets across southern Europe while continuing to attack German transport links.
Air Superiority: The P-51 escorts were key in establishing air superiority, enabling bombers to attack targets across southern and eastern Europe.
Ploesti Campaign: Supporting intensive bombing operations against the Ploesti oil complex in Romania, a critical source of Axis fuel.
Berlin Mission: On March 24, 1945, the 15th Air Force flew its longest mission of the war to Berlin.

Statistics and Achievements

The fighter groups of the XV Fighter Command compiled an impressive record:

The seven fighter groups of the 15th Air Force claimed a total of 1,836 enemy aircraft destroyed.