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Military site : airfield
San Pancrazio Airfield in 2006 May be the best preserved of the former 15th AF bomber bases
A B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-7740) nicknamed “Big Blow Out” of the 450th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force that has crash landed at San Pancrazio, Italy, 30 January 44. B-24H-5-FO #42-7740 "Big Blow Out" 450th BG - 722nd BS - 15th AF
B-24J-155-CO #4-40299 "Purty Baby" 376th BG - 515th BS - 15th AF
1Lt Roland J Hann
1LT George Sun Fighter Pilot 82nd Fighter Group - 97th Fighter Squadron
San Pancrazio Airfield is an abandoned Second World War military airfield in Italy, located approximately 4 km northeast of San Pancrazio Salentino in the province of Brindisi in Apulia,on the south-east Italy coast. Built in 1943 by United States Army Engineers, the airfield was primarily a Fifteenth Air Force B-24 Liberator heavy bomber base used in the strategic bombing of Germany. San Pancrazio was also used by tactical aircraft of Twelfth Air Force in the Italian Campaign.
Known units assigned to the airfield were:
82d Fighter Group, 3–10 October 1943, P-38 Lightning, (12AF)
340th Bombardment Group, 16 October-19 November 1943, B-25 Mitchell, (12AF)
376th Bombardment Group, 17 November 1943-19 April 1945, B-24 Liberator, (15AF)
451st Bombardment Group, 5 March-6 April 1944, B-24 Liberator, (15AF)
San Pancrazio Airfield is probably the best-preserved American heavy bomber base in Italy. Most of the main runway and taxiways remain, along with numerous dispersal pads. Numerous remains of wartime buildings are also visible. After the war, the airfield may have been used as San Pancrazio Airport, but today several agricultural buildings are on the main runway. The grass areas of the airfield are used as agricultural fields, but most of the concreted areas remain.
Not yet known
Group
Constituted as 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 Oct 1942 and activated in Palestine on 31 Oct. Began combat immediately, using B-24 aircraft. Operated with Ninth AF from bases in the Middle East, Nov 1942-Sep 1943, and with Twelfth AF from Tunisia...
Group
Group
The 82nd Fighter Group flew training missions from bases in Northern Ireland with the Eighth Air Force between October and December 1942. They then joined the Twelfth Air Force in North Africa, supporting the ground invasion of Tunisia, Sicily and...
Group
Activated on 20 August 1942. The 340th. Bombardment Group trained with B-25's for duty overseas. They arrived in the Mediterranean theater in March 1943. Assigned first to the Ninth Air Force and later (in August 1943) to the Twelfth. Served in combat...
Military | First Lieutenant | B-24 Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
Military | Captain | Fighter Pilot-1055 single engine | 352nd Fighter Group
3rd combat tour flight leader 487th FS 352 FG KIA Sept. 23, 1944.
...
Military | Bombardier | 376th Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 82nd Fighter Group
B-24 Liberator
Salvaged following the take-off accident in Castelluccio, Italy - 17 May 44.
B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator #41-23656 'Rowdy Ann' 344th BS, 98th BG, 9th AF. Flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, aborting before the target, pilot Allen B Gaston. A/C Renamed from 'Rowdy II' - Transferred to 376th BG / 512th BS. Returned to the States on...
B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
Assigned to 885BS, 15AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) special duties mission to Banja Inka, Yugoslavia. Crashed on Yugoslavian coast reason unknown. 11 x KIA [9 Crew plus 2 x Agents] MACR 10934.
...
B-24 Liberator
Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 15AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Sofia, Bulgaria 20-Dec-43 with Bob Brown crew; Collided with out of control ME109, ripping wing from A/C. 10 x KIA MACR 1592
...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 02 November 2016 22:46:13 | 466thHistorian | Created entry with name, latitude, longitude, usaaf from date, usaaf to date and history |
| Sources | ||
