HISTORY

photo: Fold3

photo: Fold3

Text: Vladimír Šulc

RED TAILS & Co.

15TH AIR FORCE

The group photograph of the

Mustangs from all four 15th AF

fighter groups captured in May

1945 over Dolomites. P-51D, ´00´,

pilot Lt. Col. Ernest Beverly,

CO of 325th FG; P-51D, ´7´, pilot

The 15th Air Force was formed at the

end of 1943 in Tunisia as the main part

of the USAAF strategic component in

the Mediterranean (MTO - Mediterranean Theater of Operations). The first

15th Air Force commander was Major

General James Doolittle who until

then commanded the 12th Air Force.

6

INFO Eduard

The 15th Air Force resulted from the large reorganization of the Allied Air Forces part of which

was the establishment of the Mediterranean Allied

Air Force (MAAF) on December 10, 1942, led by Air

Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder. In the middle of

February 1944 Lieutenant General Ira Eaker was

named commander of MAAF because ACM Tedder

was commissioned to command the Allied Air Force earmarked for Operation Overlord. Three main

Col. Benjamin Davis, CO of 332nd

FG; P-51D-5, ´WD-Q´, Queen Marjorie, pilot Col. Marion Malcolm,

CO of 52nd FG; P-51D-5, ´HL-A´,

pilot Col. William A. Daniel,

CO of 31st FG.

July 2022