In another thread, there was a brief discussion about the purpose of P-38 deployments to North Africa in November of 1942, which initially consisted of the 1st and 14th Fighter Groups.
While P-38s conducted close support, interdiction, defensive patrols and fighter sweep missions, their primary function was to provide escort to 12th AF heavy and medium bombers. Below, in chronological order, are brief descriptions of the escort missions flown from late November through the end of January. Towards the end of January, the 14th FG was withdrawn for R&R, leaving their P-38s for the newly arrived 82nd FG.
As you will notice, the P-38 groups were extremely busy, and the chronology does not list the many non-escort missions flown. Except on those days when the weather was too bad to fly, P-38s (mostly F models) were constantly in combat.
A P-38F-1-LO of the 94th FS, 14th FG is serviced at Youks-les-Baines, early December, 1942.
The Combat Chronology:
11/18/42 Twelfth AF
P-38’s of 14th Ftr Gp having arrived from UK for HB escort duty, are declared combat active.
11/19/42 Twelfth AF
B-17’s, escorted by P-38’s, bomb El Aouina A/F.
12/2/42 Twelfth AF
B-26’s bomb El Aouina A/F following DB-7 raid on same tgt; B-17’s hit Sidi Ahmed A/F and Bizerte harbor; and B-25’s attack AA guns near Gabes A/F. P-38’s provide escort.
12/3/42 Twelfth AF
B-17’s hit docks and shipping at Bizerte harbor. 2 of the escorting P-38’s are shot down by Bf 109’s. DB-7’s, with P-38’s as escort, bomb El Aouina A/F.
12/12/42 Twelfth AF
B-17’s, with P-38 escort, bomb rail facilities and harbor area at Tunis.
12/13/42 Twelfth AF
15 B-17’s of 97th Gp hit harbor and docks at Tunis. 10 B-17’s of 301st Gp bomb harbor and docks at Bizerte and are shortly followed by 19 B-24’s of Eighth AF’s 93d Gp attacking same tgt. B-25’s hit harbor area at Sousse while B-26’s blast bridge N of Sfax. P-38’s escort both MB raids.
12/14/42 Twelfth AF
B-24’s bomb harbor and shipping at Bizerte while B-17’s hit similar tgts at Tunis. DB-7’s make 2 attacks on M/Y at Sfax. P-38’s and P-40’s fly escort.
12/17/42 Twelfth AF
36 B-17’s hit harbors and dock; at Tunis and Bizerte, claiming damage to both tgts and destruction of 1 vessel and 3 aircraft at Tunis. DB-7’s and A-20’s hit military installations N and W of Gabes A/F and landing ground near Sidi Tabet. B-25’s and B-26’s on shipping raid in Gulf of Tunis fail to sight vessels. P-38’s and Spitfires escort all the bomb missions.
12/18/42 Twelfth AF
B-17’s, with P-38 escort, hit Bizerte harbor and shipping offshore. Direct hit scored on 1 vessel Attacks by ftrs result in loss of 1 HB and 4 ftrs. 3 enemy ftrs are destroyed and others damaged. B-26’s and P-38 escorts attack M/Y at Sousse, hitting station, roundhouse, and other buildings, tracks, and a train.
12/23/42 Twelfth AF
Total cloud cover causes B-17’s, escorted by P-38’s, to abort bombing mission against Tunis and Bizerte A/Fs.
12/27/42 Twelfth AF
B-17’s, escorted by P-38’s, bomb shipping and dock facilities at Sousse, damaging docks and warehouses and claiming direct hits on 4 vessels.
12/28/42 Twelfth AF
B-17’s bomb dock and harbor installations at Sousse. P-38’s provide escort.
12/29/42 Twelfth AF
B-17’s attack Sousse docks and harbor; P-38’s provide escort.
12/30/42 Twelfth AF
B-17’s, with P-38 escort, attack docks and M/Y at Sfax. B-25’s escorted by P-38’s, follow with attack on same M/Y. DB-7’s hit troop concentration near Gabes, this attack being followed by A-20 raid on the A/F. During afternoon more DB-7’s hit Gabes, concentrating on the A/F. P-40’s and P-38’s furnish
escort for the raids on Gabes.
12/31/42 Twelfth AF
LBs, with ftr escort, make 2 attacks on Sousse, bombing railroad yards and docks. Escorted B-17’s hit harbor at Sfax while B-26’s, with ftr protection, hit A/F area at Gabes and shipping and rail bridges in Bizerte-Tunis area.
1/2/43 Twelfth AF
B-17’s bomb harbor and shipping at La Goulette. Escorting P-38’s and Bf 109’s engage in air battle, each side losing 2 airplanes.
1/6/43 Twelfth AF
A-20’s, in 2 forces, hit military camp S of Kairouan. B-25’s hit Kairouan railroad yards. P-38s and P-40s escort bmrs.
1/7/43 Twelfth AF
B-26’s bomb A/F and barracks at Gabes while A-20’s attack troop
concentrations at Kairouan. P-38s escort both raids.
1/9/43 Twelfth AF
B-26’s, with P-38 escort, hit A/F 10 mi S of Tripoli while B-25’s attack shipping off N Tunisian coast.
1/11/43 Twelfth AF
B-17’s bomb fort and town of Gadames and attack rail bridge and highway bridge across the Oued el Akarit, NNW of Gabes. Escorting P-38’s engage in 25-min combat with attacking ftrs, shooting down 1 and severely damaging another. 2 P-38’s are lost. B-25’s bomb shipping at NE Tunisian coast. Escorting P-38’s claim 3 aircraft shot down.
1/13/43 Twelfth AF
B-25’s, with P 38 escort, bomb partially sunken freighter between Tunisia and Sicily.
1/17/43 Twelfth AF
B-25’s, with P-38 cover, attack rail junction at Graiba.
1/18/43 Twelfth AF
B-17’s, with P-38 escort, bomb Castel Benito A/F. P-38 escort claims 3 fighters destroyed for no loses.
1/19/43 Twelfth AF
B-17’s hit industrial area just S of Tunis and M/Y at Jabal al Jallud. P-38’s provide cover.
1/20/43 Twelfth AF
B-17’s hit Cap Mangin near Gabes when cloud cover prevents bombing of primary tgt, Tripoli. P-38s provide escort.
1/21/43 Twelfth AF
B-25’s bomb highway and railroad bridge just N of Pont-du-Fahs. B-26’s hit 2 freighters NE of Cap Bon, sinking 1 and damaging the other. P-38 ecort downs 7 German and Italian aircraft. 2 P-38s are lost.
1/22/43 Twelfth AF
Another step is taken toward amalgamation of US and RAF air strength in Allied AF. Air spt for US and British land forces in N Africa is coordinated by formation of a new combined HQ, Allied A Spt Cmd, subordinate to Allied AF and under cmd of Gen Kuter. The cmd consists of XII A Spt Cmd, 242 Gp
(RAF), a photo rcn unit, and other units that might be assigned to it. B-17’s, operating in 2 forces, bomb El Aouina A/F in the morning. B-26’s hit the A/F shortly after noon and B-25’s attack later in the afternoon. Other B-26’s, on shipping strike, severely damage a freighter in Straits of Sicily. P-38 escort downs 2 Ju 88s on return leg near the Egadi Islands.
1/23/43 Twelfth AF
B-17’s, in 2 forces, hit Bizerte naval base and shipping in the immediate area. Much damage is done to base facilities and 1 motor vessel is sunk. 75 to 100 enemy ftrs attack formations, and HBs and escorting P-38’s claim 20 destroyed.
1/24/43 Twelfth AF
Col Paul L Williams assumes cmd of XII A Spt Cmd. B-25’s and B-26’s, operating in 2 forces, attack Medenine A/F. B-17’s hit shipping in Sousse harbor. P-38s escort bmrs and attack targets of opportunity.
1/27/43 Twelfth AF
B-25’s hit shipping off N coast of Algeria, attacking 2 destroyers and leaving 1 on fire. B-26’s on shipping strike fail to attack sighted vessels because of weather. A-20’s attack town of Al Mazzunah. P-38s and P-40s escort bmrs.
1/29/43 Twelfth AF
3 consecutive waves of B-17’s attack docks and shipping at Bizerte. B-26’s hit El Aouina A/F while others on shipping strike between Tunisia and Sicily severely damage a cargo liner. P-38 escort downs 2 German fighters.
1/30/43 Twelfth AF
Over 50 B-17’s bomb docks and shipping at Ferryville. B-25’s hit railroad installations and warehouses at El Aouinet while B-26’s bomb railroad S of Reyville. P-38 escorts down 8 German fighters.
1/31/43 Twelfth AF
B-17’s hit harbor and shipping at Bizerte. B-26’s bomb Gabes A/F. Escorting P-38s down 2 Bf 109s west of Gabes. 82nd FG P-38s down two Bf 110s over Gulf of Tunis.
My regards,
Widewing
