Thelepte airport was vacated and both groups retreated to Tebessa

and on February 21 relocated to Du Kouif airfield. On March 8, after repelling the last German offensive in Africa, they returned to

Thelepte. For the rest of March and April they continued escorting

the bombers. On April 6, the re-equipment to Spitfires Mk.IX and

Mk.VIII started, however the individual Spitfires Mk.Vb and Vc remained in the 31st and 52nd FGs inventory well into 1944. On May

10 and 11 the German and Italian armed forces in Tunisia unconditionally capitulated and fighting in North Africa ceased.

MACAF

After the end of fighting in North Africa, 31st FG and 52nd FG parted their ways. The 52nd FG, together with No. 322 Wing RAF were

transferred under the Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force (MACAF) command. The mission of this Allied command was the convoy

protection in the Mediterranean Sea, anti-submarine patrols, ports

patrols and attacks on the enemy shipping in the Mediterranean.

While completing their missions the 52nd FG squadrons were gradually moving among the airports in MTO. On June 17, the group

hosted the visit of King George V, Winston Churchill, and General

de Gaulle. On July 23, the unit relocated to Sicily, Boca di Falco

airfield, where it also dedicated itself to the night interception. In

November 1943 it relocated to Corsica, where 2nd and 5th FS flew

out of Borgo airport and 4th FS out of Calvi. During this period, the

unit also performed dive bombing on enemy shipping and ports and

while doing it frequently engaged the Luftwaffe aircraft in combat

and recorded several kills. In the beginning of April 1944, the re-equipment to P-51B Mustang was commenced. On May 1, the 52nd

FG was integrated into the 15th AF and on May 10 performed its

first mission escorting B-17s on their raid to Nice in France. While flying Spitfires, 52nd FG scored in total 164 victories over the

enemy aircraft. Flying P-51 Mustangs of all versions the score was

increased by another 257 kills.

The 31st FG in Italy

After the fighting in Africa ceased, the preparations for landing in

Italy commenced. As a part of the preparations intense bombing of

Pantelleria island, which is located midway between Cape Bon in

Tunisia and Sicily and served as an Italian Air Force base, was performed. The air attacks on Pantelleria were under way from May 14

until June 11, 1943, and the 31st FG participated in both bomber

escorts and strafings of Korba airport.

Sicily, Operation Husky

In June 1943 31st FG was transferred under 64th Fighter Wing

command led by Col. Hawkins and relocated to Gozo island

northwest from Malta. Gozo is the second largest island of the Malta archipelago. On 10 and 11 June the group provided air cover

for the invasion convoy which was accompanied by heavy shelling

from the invading ships. On June 11, the group shot down 7 enemy

aircraft attacking the Allied shipping. On June 14, the unit relocated to Ponte Olivo airport at little town of Gela and became the

first Alllied fighter unit operating from the Italian territory. On June

23 the national insignia was changed, white rectangles were added

to the sides of the blue circle and red outline was introduced. On

August 14 it was replaced by blue one. In the end of 1943, the color

of propeller spinners was changed from white to red. On July 26

Benito Mussolini resigned. On August 2 31st FG relocated to Termini

airport southeast of Palermo and on August 17 the Sicilian campaign was completed after the Allies occupied the whole island. On

August 31 31st FG aircraft escorted the airplane bringing the Italian

delegation to the armistice negotiations held in Rimini which was

concluded on September 3. As of September 1, the 31st FG was

based at Milazzo airport on Sicilian east coast.

Operation Avalanche, landing at Salerno

On September 9, the Allied forces invasion of Italy at Salerno

commenced resulting in a week-long bloody fighting. As early as

September 11 the preparation of the airfield at Monte Corvino started which was however subject to heavy shelling. On September

18, the artillery fire destroyed a B-25 and killed III. Air Support

Command inspector preparing the airport for the operational use.

On September 20 the 31st FG landed here. On October 14, the unit

relocated to Pomigliano near Naples and even though this airport

Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Vc JK707 of 307th FS, 31st FG shot down by return fire of of the KG 100 Do 217. Pilot Major Virgil C. Fields Jr.

claimed the Do 217 as damaged, but crash landed on beach off Salerno on September 9, 1943 (Photo: US National Archives, Fold3).

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eduard

INFO Eduard - August 2021