Northwest African Strategic Air Force
Encyclopedia
The Northwest African Strategic Air Force (NASAF) was a sub-command of the Northwest African Air Forces
(NAAF) which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command
(MAC). These new Allied
air force organizations were created at the Casablanca Conference in January 1943 to promote cooperation between the British Royal Air Force
(RAF), the American United States Army Air Force (USAAF), and their respective ground and naval forces in the North African and Mediterranean Theater of Operations
(MTO). Effective February 18, 1943, the NASAF and other MAC commands existed until December 10, 1943 when MAC was disbanded and the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces
(MAAF) were established. Major General Jimmy Doolittle
was the commander of NASAF. However, during at least one critical period of the Tunisian Campaign
at the end of February, 1943, General Carl Spaatz
, the commander of NAAF, placed most of the strategic bombers at the disposal of Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham
, commander of the Northwest African Tactical Air Force
.
The components of NASAF at the time of the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) on July 10, 1943 are illustrated below.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|+Northwest African Strategic Air Force
Major General James H. Doolittle
, data from
|-
! 5th Bomb Wing
(USAAF)
----
Brigadier General Joseph Atkinson
! 47th Bomb Wing (USAAF)
----
Brigadier General Carlyle Ridenour
! *2686th Bomb Wing(USAAF)
----
Brigadier General Robert M. Webster
! No. 205 Group
----
Air Commodore John Simpson
|-
| 2nd Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Thomas
----
340th Squadron, B-17 Fortress
341st Squadron
, B-17 Fortress
342nd Squadron, B-17 Fortress
414th Squadron
, B-17 Fortress
| 310th Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Colonel Anthony Hunter
----
379th Squadron
, B-25 Mitchell
380th Squadron, B-25 Mitchell
381st Squadron
, B-25 Mitchell
428th Squadron
, B-25 Mitchell
| 17th Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Greening
----
34th Squadron, B-26 Marauder
37th Squadron, B-26 Marauder
95th Squadron, B-26 Marauder
432nd Squadron, B-26 Marauder
| No. 231 Wing (RAF)
----
No. 37 Squadron
, Wellington
No. 40 Squadron
, Wellington
No. 70 Squadron, Wellington
-
|-
| 97th Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Colonel Leroy Rainey
----
20th Squadron, B-17 Fortress
49th Squadron, B-17 Fortress
96th Squadron, B-17 Fortress
429th Squadron
, B-17 Fortress
| 321st Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Colonel Robert Knapp
----
445th Squadron
, B-25 Mitchell
446th Squadron, B-25 Mitchell
447th Squadron, B-25 Mitchell
448th Squadron, B-25 Mitchell
| 319th Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Colonel Gordon Austin
----
437th Squadron
, B-26 Marauder
438th Squadron
, B-26 Marauder
439th Squadron
, B-26 Marauder
440th Squadron, B-26 Marauder
| No. 236 Wing (RAF)
----
No. 104 Squadron
, Wellington
No. 462 Squadron
, Halifax
-
|-
| 99th Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Colonel Fay Upthegrove
----
346th Squadron
, B-17 Fortress
347th Squadron
, B-17 Fortress
348th Squadron
, B-17 Fortress
416th Squadron, B-17 Fortress
| 82nd Fighter Group (USAAF)
Colonel John Weltman
----
95th Squadron
, P-38 Lightning
96th Squadron, P-38 Lightning
97th Squadron, P-38 Lightning
-
| 320th Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Colonel Karl Baumeister
----
441st Squadron
, B-26 Marauder
442nd Squadron, B-26 Marauder
443rd Squadron, B-26 Marauder
444th Squadron
, B-26 Marauder
| No. 330 Wing (RAF)
----
No. 142 Squadron
, Wellington
No. 150 Squadron
, Wellington
-
-
|-
| 301st Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Gormly, Jr.
----
32nd Squadron, B-17 Fortress
352nd Squadron, B-17 Fortress
353rd Squadron, B-17 Fortress
419th Squadron, B-17 Fortress
|
| 325th Fighter Group (USAAF)
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Baseler
----
317th Squadron, P-40 Warhawk
318th Squadron, P-40 Warhawk
319th Squadron, P-40 Warhawk
-
| No. 331 Wing (RCAF)
----
No. 420 Squadron
, Wellington
No. 424 Squadron
, Wellington
No. 425 Squadron
, Wellington
-
|-
| 1st Fighter Group (USAAF)
Major Joseph Peddie
----
27th Squadron
, P-38 Lightning
71st Squadron
, P-38 Lightning
94th Squadron
, P-38 Lightning
-
|
|
|
|-
| 14th Fighter Group (USAAF)
Colonel Oliver Taylor
----
37th Squadron, P-38 Lightning
48th Squadron, P-38 Lightning
49th Squadron, P-38 Lightning
-
|
|
|
Northwest African Air Forces
Northwest African Air Forces was the principal sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command created when the Allied air forces in North Africa and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations were reorganized in February of 1943...
(NAAF) which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command
Mediterranean Air Command
The Mediterranean Air Command was the official Allied air force command organization in the North African and Mediterranean Theater of Operations between February 18 and December 10, 1943. MAC was commanded by Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder whose headquarters were established next to those...
(MAC). These new Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
air force organizations were created at the Casablanca Conference in January 1943 to promote cooperation between the British Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF), the American United States Army Air Force (USAAF), and their respective ground and naval forces in the North African and Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Mediterranean Theater of Operations
The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army was originally called North African Theater of Operations and is an American term for the conflict that took place between the Allies and Axis Powers in North Africa and Italy during World War II...
(MTO). Effective February 18, 1943, the NASAF and other MAC commands existed until December 10, 1943 when MAC was disbanded and the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces
Mediterranean Allied Air Forces
The Mediterranean Allied Air Forces was the major Allied air force command organization in the Mediterranean theater from mid-December 1943 until the end of the Second World War.-Formation:...
(MAAF) were established. Major General Jimmy Doolittle
Jimmy Doolittle
General James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle, USAF was an American aviation pioneer. Doolittle served as a brigadier general, major general and lieutenant general in the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War...
was the commander of NASAF. However, during at least one critical period of the Tunisian Campaign
Tunisia Campaign
The Tunisia Campaign was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African Campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces. The Allies consisted of British Imperial Forces, including Polish and Greek contingents, with American and French corps...
at the end of February, 1943, General Carl Spaatz
Carl Spaatz
Carl Andrew "Tooey" Spaatz GBE was an American World War II general and the first Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. He was of German descent.-Early life:...
, the commander of NAAF, placed most of the strategic bombers at the disposal of Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham
Arthur Coningham (RAF officer)
Air Marshal Sir Arthur "Mary" Coningham KCB, KBE, DSO, MC, DFC, AFC, RAF was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. During the First World War, he was at Gallipoli with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, where he became a flying ace...
, commander of the Northwest African Tactical Air Force
Northwest African Tactical Air Force
The Northwest African Tactical Air Force was a sub-command of the Northwest African Air Forces which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command...
.
The components of NASAF at the time of the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) on July 10, 1943 are illustrated below.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|+Northwest African Strategic Air Force
Major General James H. Doolittle
Jimmy Doolittle
General James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle, USAF was an American aviation pioneer. Doolittle served as a brigadier general, major general and lieutenant general in the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War...
, data from
|-
! 5th Bomb Wing
5th Bomb Wing
The 5th Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. The wing is also the host unit at Minot...
(USAAF)
----
Brigadier General Joseph Atkinson
! 47th Bomb Wing (USAAF)
----
Brigadier General Carlyle Ridenour
! *2686th Bomb Wing(USAAF)
----
Brigadier General Robert M. Webster
Robert M. Webster
Robert Morris Webster was a United States Air Force major general who was an early advocate of daylight precision bombing as a war-winning strategy...
! No. 205 Group
No. 205 Group RAF
No. 205 Group was a long-range, heavy bomber group of the Royal Air Force established on October 23, 1941 by boosting No. 257 Wing to Group status....
----
Air Commodore John Simpson
John Herbert Thomas Simpson
Air Commodore John Herbert Thomas Simpson DSO AFC RAF R’td was a bomber pilot during the Second World War and a senior RAF staff officer during the 1950s....
|-
| 2nd Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Thomas
----
340th Squadron, B-17 Fortress
341st Squadron
341st Bombardment Squadron
The 341st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 4038th Strategic Wing. It was last stationed at Dow Air Force Base, Maine, and was inactivated on 1 February 1963.-History:...
, B-17 Fortress
342nd Squadron, B-17 Fortress
414th Squadron
414th Bombardment Squadron
The 414th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 97th Bombardment Group, stationed at Marcianise Airfield, Italy. It was inactivated on 29 October 1945-History:...
, B-17 Fortress
| 310th Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Colonel Anthony Hunter
----
379th Squadron
379th Bombardment Squadron
The 379th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 310th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Shilling Air Force Base, Kansas. It was inactivated on 25 March 1965.-History:...
, B-25 Mitchell
380th Squadron, B-25 Mitchell
381st Squadron
381st Bombardment Squadron
The 381st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 310th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Shilling Air Force Base, Kansas. It was inactivated on 25 March 1965.-History:...
, B-25 Mitchell
428th Squadron
428th Bombardment Squadron
The 428th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 310th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Shilling Air Force Base, Kansas. It was inactivated on 1 January 1962.-History:...
, B-25 Mitchell
| 17th Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Greening
----
34th Squadron, B-26 Marauder
37th Squadron, B-26 Marauder
95th Squadron, B-26 Marauder
432nd Squadron, B-26 Marauder
| No. 231 Wing (RAF)
----
No. 37 Squadron
No. 37 Squadron RAF
-History:No. 37 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at Orfordness, Suffolk, on 15 April 1916 but ceased to exist a month later. In September of that year, it was re-formed, with headquarters at Woodham Mortimer, in Essex. It responsibilities included defending London against aerial attack...
, Wellington
No. 40 Squadron
No. 40 Squadron RAF
No. 40 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed in 1916 at Gosport as No 40 Squadron RFC and was disbanded for the last time in 1957.Edward Mannock gained 16 of his 73 victories while with 40 Squadron, 15 of which he shot down while flying a Nieuport Scout...
, Wellington
No. 70 Squadron, Wellington
-
|-
| 97th Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Colonel Leroy Rainey
----
20th Squadron, B-17 Fortress
49th Squadron, B-17 Fortress
96th Squadron, B-17 Fortress
429th Squadron
429th Bombardment Squadron
The 429th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 2d Bombardment Wing, based at Hunter Air Force Base, Georgia. It was inactivated on 1 January 1962.-History:...
, B-17 Fortress
| 321st Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Colonel Robert Knapp
Robert D. Knapp
Robert Duane Knapp, Jr. was a Brigadier General in the United States Air Force and an aviation pioneer. He held United States pilot license #185 and led the first Allied aerial attack on Rome in World War II. Knapp received a Silver Star for leading an unescorted bombing raid on a fighter-defended...
----
445th Squadron
445th Bombardment Squadron
The 445th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 321st Bombardment Wing, stationed at Pinecastle Air Force Base, Florida. It was inactivated on 25 October 1961.-History:...
, B-25 Mitchell
446th Squadron, B-25 Mitchell
447th Squadron, B-25 Mitchell
448th Squadron, B-25 Mitchell
| 319th Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Colonel Gordon Austin
----
437th Squadron
437th Bombardment Squadron
The 437th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the VII Bomber Command. It was last stationed at Fort Lawton, Washington, and was inactivated on 4 January 1946-History:...
, B-26 Marauder
438th Squadron
438th Bombardment Squadron
The 438th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the VII Bomber Command. It was last stationed at Vancouver Barracks, Washington, and was inactivated on 13 Dec 1945-History:...
, B-26 Marauder
439th Squadron
439th Bombardment Squadron
The 439th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the VII Bomber Command. It was last stationed at Fort Lawton, Washington, and was inactivated on 4 January 1946-History:...
, B-26 Marauder
440th Squadron, B-26 Marauder
| No. 236 Wing (RAF)
----
No. 104 Squadron
No. 104 Squadron RAF
No. 104 Squadron RAF was formed at Wyton on 4 September 1917 and was equipped with the DH 9. It then moved to Andover, prior to being posted to France in May 1918. The squadron later began re-equipping with the DH 10, however the armistice arrived before this was completed and the squadron returned...
, Wellington
No. 462 Squadron
No. 462 Squadron RAAF
No. 462 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron which forms part of the Information Warfare Wing in the RAAF's Aerospace Operational Support Group. The squadron was first formed in 1942 as a heavy bomber unit and saw combat in this role in the Mediterranean area until it was disbanded in...
, Halifax
-
|-
| 99th Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Colonel Fay Upthegrove
----
346th Squadron
346th Bombardment Squadron
The 346th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 99th Bombardment Wing. It was inactivated at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts on 31 March 1974-History:...
, B-17 Fortress
347th Squadron
347th Bombardment Squadron
The 347th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 4047th Strategic Wing. It was inactivated at McCoy Air Force Base, Florida on 1 April 1963.-History:...
, B-17 Fortress
348th Squadron
348th Bombardment Squadron
The 348th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 99th Bombardment Wing. It was inactivated at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts on 30 September 1973.-History:...
, B-17 Fortress
416th Squadron, B-17 Fortress
| 82nd Fighter Group (USAAF)
Colonel John Weltman
----
95th Squadron
95th Fighter Squadron
The 95th Fighter Squadron was part of the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. It conducted advanced fighter training for the F-15 Eagle aircraft.-History:...
, P-38 Lightning
96th Squadron, P-38 Lightning
97th Squadron, P-38 Lightning
-
| 320th Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Colonel Karl Baumeister
----
441st Squadron
441st Bombardment Squadron
The 441st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 320th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Mather Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 30 September 1989.-History:...
, B-26 Marauder
442nd Squadron, B-26 Marauder
443rd Squadron, B-26 Marauder
444th Squadron
444th Bombardment Squadron
The 444th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 320th Bombardment Wing, stationed at March Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 15 September 1960.-History:...
, B-26 Marauder
| No. 330 Wing (RAF)
----
No. 142 Squadron
No. 142 Squadron RAF
-History:No. 142 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at RFC Ismailia, Egypt in 1918, flying a mixed bag of reconnaissance and bomber aircraft. On the formation of the Royal Air Force, on 1 April 1918, 142 Squadron was at RFC Julis in Palestine, becoming No. 142 Squadron RAF...
, Wellington
No. 150 Squadron
No. 150 Squadron RAF
No. 150 Squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force during both World War I and World War II.The squadron was reformed - as 150 Sqn. - on 8 January 1959 as one of 20 Strategic Missile squadrons associated with Project Emily...
, Wellington
-
-
|-
| 301st Bombardment Group (USAAF)
Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Gormly, Jr.
----
32nd Squadron, B-17 Fortress
352nd Squadron, B-17 Fortress
353rd Squadron, B-17 Fortress
419th Squadron, B-17 Fortress
|
| 325th Fighter Group (USAAF)
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Baseler
----
317th Squadron, P-40 Warhawk
318th Squadron, P-40 Warhawk
319th Squadron, P-40 Warhawk
-
| No. 331 Wing (RCAF)
----
No. 420 Squadron
No. 420 Squadron RCAF
No. 420 "City of London" Squadron RCAF was a squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force which existed from late December 1941 forwards. The Squadron's nickname was "Snowy Owl". Their motto was Pugnamus Finitum, Latin for We Fight To The Finish. No. 420 Squadron is no longer active.-History:No...
, Wellington
No. 424 Squadron
No. 424 Squadron RCAF
424 "City of Hamilton" Transport and Rescue Squadron is a search and rescue/transport squadron of the Canadian Forces and based out of 9 Hangar with 8 Wing CFB Trenton.-History:...
, Wellington
No. 425 Squadron
No. 425 Squadron RCAF
425 Tactical Fighter Squadron, also "Alouette" Squadron, is a unit of the Royal Canadian Air Force. It operates CF-188 Hornet fighter jets from CFB Bagotville in Quebec, Canada...
, Wellington
-
|-
| 1st Fighter Group (USAAF)
Major Joseph Peddie
----
27th Squadron
27th Fighter Squadron
The 27th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 1st Operations Group and stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia....
, P-38 Lightning
71st Squadron
71st Fighter Squadron
The 71st Fighter Squadron was a squadron of the United States Air Force, currently part of the 1st Operations Group of the 1st Fighter Wing, and stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. The squadron is equipped with the F-15C Eagle, the last squadron of the 1st Fighter Wing to fly the...
, P-38 Lightning
94th Squadron
94th Fighter Squadron
The 94th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 1st Operations Group and stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia....
, P-38 Lightning
-
|
|
|
|-
| 14th Fighter Group (USAAF)
Colonel Oliver Taylor
----
37th Squadron, P-38 Lightning
48th Squadron, P-38 Lightning
49th Squadron, P-38 Lightning
-
|
|
|
- The 2686th Medium Bombardment Wing (Provincial) was activated on June 6, 1943 at Sedrata, Algeria and disbanded on September 3, 1943 at Ariana, Tunisia. Although the 42nd Bombardment Wing (Medium) is sometimes used to refer to the wing during this period, the 42nd Wing was actually the successor of the 2686th Wing.