![]() ![]() From Dakar the planes flew north to Tunis by way of Marrakech. The Atlantic crossing was made from Brazil to Dakar, Africa. Each crew flew its aircraft overseas by a route which took them to southern Florida, then to Puerto Rico and thence to Brazil. By December 1943, training was complete and the 449th was ordered overseas to the European theater. At that time the 449th consisted of a total complement of 184 officers and 1,203 enlisted men.Īt Bruning the 449th was equipped with some 62 B-24 aircraft. The move to Bruning was completed on 18 September 1943. On 6 September 1943 the Group was again relocated, this time to Bruning Field, Nebraska. On 1 July 1943 the Group was moved to Alamogordo, New Mexico. Over the next 7 months the Group steadily increased to full strength as the training program progressed. The strength of the Group on that date was listed as 52 officers and 33 enlisted men. The 449th was activated on at Davis-Monthan Field near Tucson, Arizona. The 449th Bomb Group was composed of four Squadrons - the 716th, 717th, 718th, and 719th. The 449th - equipped with B-24 Liberator bombers - was a typical heavy-bombardment group of the 15th Air Force. The 47th Wing consisted of four, heavy-bombardment groups: the 98th BG, the 376th BG, the 449th BG and the 450th BG. A single fighter wing - consisting of 7 fighter groups - was an integral part of the 15th, as were a reconnaissance and a weather squadron. The 47th, 55th and 304th Bomb Wings consisted of four Bombardment Groups while the 49th Wing had three Bombardment Groups. The 5th Wing was equipped with the B-17 Flying Fortress. Four Wings - the 47th, 49th, 55th, and 304th - were equipped with B-24 Liberators. ![]() By, the 15th Air Force contained 21, heavy-bombardment groups organized into five wings. The 15th Air Force began operations on 1 November 1943 with a nucleus of six heavy-bombardment groups and three fighter groups transferred over from the existing 12th Air Force. The 15th Air Force was formed in November 1943 for the purpose of using southern Italy as a base of operations for a strategic air force, equipped with long-range heavy bombers capable of reaching targets in central and eastern Europe that lay beyond the range of the 8th Air Force operating from bases in England.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |