[SAMWolf]

The 15th Air Force patch consists of a blue disc and a white star charged with a red disc in the center and with golden orange stylized wings below a golden orange Arabic numeral "I5", all within a golden orange amulet. (Approved 19 Feb 1944.)

Constituted as the Fifteenth Air Force on 30 Oct 1943, and activated in the Mediterranean theater on 1 Nov 1943, the 15th began operations on 2 Nov 1943 and engaged primarily in strategic bombardment of targets in Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, and the Balkans until the end of the war.

The 15th was deactivated in Italy on 15 Sep 1945, and activated again in the US on 31 Mar 1946. Assigned to Strategic Air Command.

WINGS include

• 5th Bombardment: 1943-1945.
  
• 42d Bombardment: 1943.
  
• 47th Bombardment: 1944-1945.
  
• 49th Bombardment: 1944-1945.
  
• 55th Bombardment: 1944-1945.
  
• 304th Bombardment: 1943-1945.
  
• 305th Bombardment: 1943-1945.
  
• 306th Fighter: 1944-1945.
  
• 307th Bombardment: 1944.

STATIONS included

• Tunis, Tunisia, 1 Nov 1943;
  
• Bari, Italy, 1 Dec 1943-15 Sep 1945.
  
• Colorado Springs, Colo, 31 Mar 1946.

COMMANDERS included

• Maj Gen James H Doolittle, 1 Nov 1943;
  
• Maj Gen Nathan F Twining, 3 Jan 1944;
  
• Brig Gen James A Mollison, 26 May 1945;
  
• Brig Gen William L Lee, 3 Aug 1945;
  
• Col Elmer J Rogers Jr, 31 Aug-15 Sep 1945.
  
• Maj Gen Charles F Born, 31 Mar 1946.

CAMPAIGNS included Air Combat,

• EAME Theater;
  
• Air Offensive, Europe;
  
• Naples-Foggia;
  
• Anzio;
  
• Rome-Arno;
  
• Normandy;
  
• Northern France;
  
• Southern France;
  
• North Apennines;
  
• Rhineland;
  
• Central Europe;
  
• Po Valley.

[SAMWolf]

[Samwise]

I certainly hope Leslie got an "A."

[CholeraJoe]

Thanks again Sam and snippy. You know how I love the airpower threads. I was the Deputy Surgeon for 15th AF at one point in my career. cj