Foggia in Guerra

THURSDAY, 19 AUGUST 1943

EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force):
   About 70 B-24’s bomb the marshal- ling yard at Foggia, Italy. P-40’s fly coastal reconnaissance over the toe of Italy and bomb roads and buildings.

WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Northwest African Air Force):
   In Italy, 150+ Northwest African Strategic Air Force (NASAF) B-17’s bomb the Foggia marshalling yard, while almost 100 medium bombers hit marshalling yards at Sapri and Salerno; the bombers, and escorting P-38’s claim 34 enemy planes
shot down, against 8 losses; Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) A-36’s attack the Cantanzaro marshalling yard; P-40’s on sweeps over the Italian toe attack a train near Melito di Porto Salvo and strafe a small numberof trucks.   The 12th Photographic Squadron (Light), 3d Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group, ceases operating from Gela/Ponte Olivo, Sicily with F-4’s and
returns to it’s base at Ariana, Tunisia.   The 86th and 97th Bombardment Squadrons (Light), 47th Bombardment Group
(Light) transfer from Torrente Coumunelli to Gerbini, Sicily with A-20’s.

WEDNESDAY, 25 AUGUST 1943

EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force):
   B-24’s bomb the marshalling yard at Foggia, Italy.   The 566th and 567th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 389th Bombardment Group (Heavy), which have been operating from Bengasi, Libya with B-24’s since Jul 43, return to their base at Hethel, England.

WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Northwest African Air Force):
   Around 135 B-17’s and 140 P-38’s attack satellite airfields at Foggia, Italy.

Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) fighter-bombers hit trucks  S of Sino- poli, Italy.   The 414th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 97th Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers form Pont-du-Fahs to Depienne, Tunisia with B-17’s.

WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Northwest African Air Force):   During the night of 21/22 Jul, Northwest African Strategic Air Force (NASAF) Wellingtons bomb Capodichino Airfield and Salerno marshalling yard in Italy. In Sicily, Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) light bombers hit Randazzo, the railroad at Falcone, and the road W of Marina.

In Italy during the day, 100+ B-17’s bomb the Battipaglia marshalling yard and Foggia;

B-26’s hit a Salerno bridge and marshalling yard; and fighters fly a sweep over Maddalena Island, strafing factories, trucks, and small vessels. In Sicily, NATAF light bombers bomb Adrano, Paterno, Troina, and Misterbianco. On the ground in Sicily, US Seventh Army troops take Palermo; and the 1st Infantry Division continues N, taking Bompietro.    The 85th and 86th Bombardment Squadrons (Light), 47th Bombardment Group (Light), transfer from Soliman, Tunisia to Malta with A-20’s.