Foggia Airfield Complex


The Foggia Airfield Complex was a series of World War II military airfields located within a radius of Foggia, in the Province of Foggia, in southern Italy. The airfields were used by the United States Army Air Forces' Fifteenth Air Force as part of the strategic bombardment campaign against Nazi Germany in 1944 and 1945, as well as the Twelfth Air Force, the British Royal Air Force and the South African Air Force during the Italian Campaign.

History

Before World War II, the Italian Royal Air Force Regia Aeronautica constructed a series of airfields in the Foggia area. They consisted of hard-surfaced runways and taxiways, concrete parking areas and permanent buildings for the support units and barracks.
After the Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces in September, 1943 these airfields were seized by the German Luftwaffe. While under Axis control, the airfields were heavily bombed by the U.S. Army Air Forces and Royal Air Force in 1943 before being seized by the British Eighth Army in October 1943 during the Italian Campaign.
After the area was captured, the facilities were repaired by the United States Army Corps of Engineers to make them usable for heavy bomber operations by the new Fifteenth Air Force and the Royal Air Force. Weather in southern Italy was much better than in England where the Eighth Air Force was conducting daylight strategic bombing of Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany. Using the Foggia Airfield Complex for strategic bombing missions would allow Allied heavy bombers to attack targets in France, Germany, Austria and the Balkans which were inaccessible from England. In addition to the air forces, Foggia was a major Allied command center for ground forces in southern Italy and naval forces operating in the Adriatic Sea, with numerous headquarters being assigned.
In addition to the captured airfields, several temporary and semi-permanent airfields were constructed for operations by both Twelfth and Fifteenth Air Force and RAF units. These airfields, by and large, consisted of grass or Pierced Steel Planking runways and parking and dispersal areas, with support structures quickly constructed out of wood or tents, along with a temporary steel control tower. Six-man tents were used for billeting, lined up in rows with the orderly room and the mess hall at one end. There was one dimly lit light bulb at the center of each tent. The tent floor was grass or more commonly dirt. Eventually, plywood was scavenged for flooring, wooden cots were used for beds, and ubiquitous 55-gallon drums were converted into stoves and other items. As many of these airfields were captured from the Italians and Germans, wrecked enemy aircraft were a common sight, with metal from their fuselages and wings, glass and other useful parts finding their way into the support areas.
By mid-1944, about two dozen airfields were in operation in the Foggia area supporting strategic bombing missions; escort missions; tactical fighter operations, reconnaissance and air defense missions. Albert Speer, Hitler's Minister for Armaments, declared:
With the end of the war in May 1945, most of the airfields were abandoned and the land returned to the owners, or the Italian government.
Today, most of the airfields are long since returned to agriculture, and little or no evidence remains of their use as wartime airfields. A few, however, still exist as commercial airports and one is still used by the Italian Air Force.

Airfields and units

The airfield complex consisted of the following major airfields. In addition, there were numerous auxiliary landing airstrips not listed.

Amendola Airfield

Now Amendola Air Base
Located approximately northeast of Foggia.
Captured Regia Aeronautica airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force, primarily for heavy bombardment units. Repaired by COE in September 1943 and put into use immediately. Last USAAF unit left in March 1946 and airfield turned over to Allied Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force. Today Italian Air Force air base. Extensive remains of wartime use are visible in aerial photography.
  • 2d Bombardment Group,, 19 November 1945 – 28 February 1946
  • 57th Fighter Group,, 27 October 1943 – 1 March 1944
  • 97th Bombardment Group,, 16 January 1944 – 1 October 1945
  • 321st Bombardment Group,, 20 November 1943 – 14 January 1944
  • 330 Wing RAF , Feb 1944 - Jul 1944

    Bari Airfield

Now Bari International Airport
Located approximately west of Bari.
Captured Regia Aeronautica airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force as command and control facility, using airfield for basing reconnaissance and liaison units. Last USAAF unit left in September 1945 and airfield turned over to allied Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force. Military airfield until the late 1960s when opened for civilian airline use. Today evidence of wartime use still visible in older military airfield area.
Construction stopped and cancelled. Runway was to be 150 ft x 6,000 ft with 62 hardstands

Biferno Airfield

Abandoned airfield The airfields runway was located almost on and parallel to the shore. It was in use by the Balkan, Desert, South African and 15th Air Forces, as well as by the Italian Cobellligerent Air Force.
completely swallowed-up by the rising Adriatic Sea

Canne Airfield

Located approximately 2.2 miles South-east of Campomarino, mostly now agricultural land. Airfield named after grass plants still growing round field edges. The houses of Cianaluca have been built on the original hardstand parking bays. The old runway was made of PSP, many pieces of which are now used as garden seats and roofs of small sheds in the vicinity. The old headquarters can be seen, as well as possibly Officers mess building, now a two-storey building. Runway, taxiway composed of concrete reinforced with large limestone pebbles still showing near the start of old runway. Used by No. 241 Squadron RAF December 1943 – May 1944 and afterwards by parts of Italian Co-belligerent Air Force, and Yugoslav Air Force until end of war. Campomarino council has now put up signs for all five of airfields in the immediate area, and has erected memorials to "All airmen who flew from Biferno, Canne, Madna, Ramitelli, and Nuova airfields during World War II."

Castelluccio Airfield

Abandoned, was located approximately south of Foggia,
Semi-permanent heavy bomber airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force. Built by COE in early 1944 with one PSP runway with extensive taxiway and hardstand parking areas. Steel control tower. Opened 15 March 1944. Last combat operations flown in late April 1945. Closed August 1945. Today is agricultural area with no structures or any facilities in existence, faint scarring of land shows remains of main runway, taxiways and hardstands visible in aerial photography.
  • 451st Bombardment Group,, 6 April 1944 – June 1945

    Celone Airfield (Foggia #1)

Abandoned German fighter base, was located approximately west-northwest of Foggia,
Semi-permanent heavy bomber airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force. Built by COE in early 1944 with one 6,000-foot-long PSP runway with extensive taxiway and hardstand parking areas. Steel control tower. Opened 15 February 1944. Last combat operations flown in late April 1945. Closed October 1945. Today is agricultural area with no structures or any facilities in existence, very faint scarring of land shows remains of main runway, taxiways and hardstands visible in aerial photography.
Abandoned, was located 6-miles west of Cerignola,
note: airfield name is not listed in the Corp of Engineering Plans dated 1 June 1944 - marked on Vesuvio, Italy Aeronautical chart dated 1 March 1945
Captured Regia Aeronautica airfields used by Twelfth and Fifteenth Air Force for both heavy bombers and tactical fighters. Also major command and control headquarters. Opened late 1943 with combat operations commencing as soon as operationally capable. Last combat operations flown in mid 1944, used by 526th Air Service Group until July 1945 as support base. Closed afterwards. Very clear outline visible today in aerial photography.
  • Headquarters 304th Bombardment Wing in Cerignola town, 29 December 1943-September 1945
  • 97th Bombardment Group,, 20 December 1943 – 16 January 1944
  • 57th Fighter Group,, March 1944
  • 301st Bombardment Group,, 7 December 1943 – 1 February 1944
  • 456th Bombardment Group, January 1944
  • 330 Wing RAF , Dec 1943 - Feb * 330 Wing RAF , Dec 1943 - Feb 1944
Correction
There was no Cerignola airfield per se. Cerignola town hosted the headquarters of 304 Bomb Wing, a command unit, not an operational one. Cerignola here conflates four separate airfields located to the west of the town: San Giovanni, Giulia, Stornara and Torretta, listed separately below. The Bomb Groups under 304 Bomb Wing's command, operated out of San Giovanni, Giulia and Stornara. 301 Bomb Group operated temporarily out of Giulia, and 330 Wing RAF, temporarily out of Torretta. The grid reference given is for San Giovanni, which is indeed visible in aerial photography.

Foggia Airfield

Now Foggia-Gino Lisa Airport
Located approximately southwest of Foggia.
Captured Regia Aeronautica airfield used by Twelfth and Fifteenth Air Force as both operational airfield and as major command and control headquarters. Elevation 243', runway direction NNW ~ SSE, 400 x 6,000" sod & earth, 41 hardstands on compacted gravel. Open dispersal on east taxiway. Vacated February 1946 and turned over to Allied Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force. Today commercial airport.
  • 306th Fighter Wing, 27 January – 23 February 1944
  • 5th Bombardment Wing, December 1943 – 2 November 1945
  • 57th Bombardment Wing, 29 October 1943 – 4 January 1944
  • 2d Bombardment Group, B-17 Flying Fortress, 19 November 1945 – 28 February 1946
  • 12th Bombardment Group,, 2 November 1943 – January 1944
  • 57th Fighter Group,, 30 September – 27 October 1943
  • 79th Fighter Group,, 9 October – 19 November 1943
  • 325th Fighter Group,, 11 December 1943 – 29 March 1944
  • 340th Bombardment Group,, 19 November 1943 – 2 January 1944
  • 236 Wing RAF , Dec 1943 - Oct 1945