WWII US 15th AIR FORCE MAAF BULLION UNIFORM JACKET | Live and Online Auctions on HiBid.com

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Willoughby, OH 44094

Date(s)

7/16/2024 - 1/18/2025

AUCTIONEER INFORMATION

Milestone Auctions

440-527-8060

Lot #	525
Estimate	300.00 - 500.00 USD
Group - Category	Antiques & Collectibles - Militaria & War Collectibles - World War II
Lead	WWII US 15th AIR FORCE MAAF BULLION UNIFORM JACKET
Description	WWII US Army Air Corps 15th Air Force Ike Jacket Uniform Jacket. Coat is adorned with an absolutely stunning, bullion 15th Air Force and a Mediterranean Allied Air Forces bullion Shoulder Sleeve Insignia. Two rank chevrons for the rank of Corporal. Standard US and Wing and Prop devices . The lower sleeves have two gold bullion Overseas stripes and a bullion and a bullion Meritorious Unit Citation patch. Sterling pair of Air Crew Wings. Tunic is size marked 40 with a partial service number to the interior. Excellent. Second World War: Fifteenth Air Force (15th AF) was established on 1 November 1943 in Tunis, Tunisia as part of the United States Army Air Forces in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations as a strategic air force. It commenced combat operations the day after it was formed. The first commander was General Jimmy Doolittle. 15th AF resulted from a reorganization of American air forces in the Mediterranean in late 1943. Lewis H. Brereton's Ninth Air Force (9th AF) was moved to England, taking over the medium bomber units of Eighth Air Force, while Twelfth Air Force gave its strategic units to 15th AF, becoming the Americans' Mediterranean tactical air force. The new air force was activated with a strength of ninety B-24 Liberators and 210 B-17 Flying Fortresses, inherited from the Twelfth Air Force and Ninth Air Force. In December, new groups, most of which were equipped with B-24s soon started arriving from the United States. 13 new groups were added. It was hoped that the 15th AF – stationed in the Mediterranean – would be able to operate when the Eighth Air Force (8th AF) in England was socked in by bad English weather. The 9th AF would later move to England to serve as a tactical unit to take part in the invasion of Europe. Once bases around Foggia in Italy became available, the 15th was able to reach targets in southern France, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and the Balkans, some of which were difficult to reach from England. Initial Operations: The 15th Air Force began its operations on 1 November 1943, attacking the Rimini Marshalling yard with 28 B-25's assigned to the 321st BG (M). On 1 December 1943, the Headquarters was moved to Bari Airfield, Italy. On 4 January 1944, the Fifteenth, along with Twelfth Air Force, were organized into Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, along with the Royal Air Force 205 Group. MAAF was the southern component of U.S. Strategic Air Forces, Europe, the overall USAAF command and control organization in Europe. The first major operation carried out by Fifteenth Air Force was bombing missions in support of the Anzio Landings in Italy, Operation Shingle beginning on 22 January 1944. Strikes on German and fascist Italian targets were carried out and caused widespread damage to Axis forces.Big Week: "Big Week" was the name of an intense Eighth and Fifteenth Air Forces series of attacks on Germany in a series of co-ordinated raids on the German aircraft industry. The plan, code-named "Operation Argument," was to use both American strategic air forces in Europe, with support by the Royal Air Force with night bombing raids to destroy or seriously cripple the German ability to produce combat aircraft. The Americans were facing strong Luftwaffe fighter opposition to their daylight bombing raids over Nazi-occupied Europe, and it was planned to initiate Operation Argument at the earliest possible date. On 22 February 1944, Fifteenth Air Force made its first attack on Germany, with an attack on Regensburg. The Fifteenth dispatched a force of 183 bombers to the Oberstraubing Messerschmidt assembly plant. Some 118 bombed with good results but fourteen were shot down. The next day the 15th sent 102 bombers to the Steyr ball-bearing works in Austria where they destroyed twenty percent of the plant. On 24 February, over 180 Liberators inflicted considerable damage to the Messerschmitt Bf 110 assembly plant at Gotha, losing 28 aircraft in the process. On 25 February 114 B-17s and B-24s were dispatched to Steyr again, but the force became separated and the Liberators bombed the Fiume oil refinery instead. Seventeen bombers were lost.Despite these losses, it was believed that the USSTAF had dealt the German aircraft industry a severe blow. Oil industry targets: In April, General Eisenhower ordered the USSTAF to attack German fuel production centers by striking both the oil refineries and the factories producing synthetic fuels. The 15th started the offensive on 5 April when it dispatched 235 B-17s and B-24s from Italy to transportation targets in the vicinity of the Ploie?ti oilfields in Romania. The refineries were attacked again on 15 and 24 April, inflicting additional damage. Attacks on oil targets had assumed top priority by October and vast fleets of heavy bombers, escorted by P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang fighters, attacked refineries in Germany, Reichsgau Sudetenland, Slovakia and Romania. The P-51 escorts were able to establish an environment of air superiority, enabling the bombers to roam widely across southern and eastern Europe, attacking targets at Brüx in Reichsgau Sudetenland, Bratislava in Slovakia, Budapest, Komárom, Gyor, and Pétfürdo in Hungary, Belgrade and other cities in Yugoslavia, and Trieste in north-eastern Italy. Soviet support: By June 1944, the 15th Air Force was bombing railway networks in southeast Europe in support of Soviet military operations in Romania. Throughout the summer of 1944, Austrian aircraft manufacturing centers at Wiener Neustadt were bombed and oil producing centers were attacked. On 2 June, the 15th Air Force flew its first "shuttle" mission when 130 B-17s and P-51 escorts landed in Russian controlled territory after a raid in Hungary. Two more shuttle missions followed. Operation Anvil: In August, the 15th began attacking targets in Southern France in preparation for Operation Anvil, the invasion of Southern France. Marseilles, Lyon, Grenoble, and Toulon were all attacked by B-24s and B-17s. Operation Reunion: After the Romanian 1944 coup, the 15th Air Force bombed the German-occupied airports of Baneasa and Otopeni. Between 31 August and 3 September 1944, aircraft from the 15th AF carried out Operation Reunion by airlifting the released Allied prisoners from Romania.The end of the Third Reich: I could see omens of the war’s end almost every day in the blue southern sky when, flying provocatively low, the bombers of the American Fifteenth Air Force crossed the Alps from their Italian bases to attack German Industrial targets. The only 15th AF mission to Berlin was on 24 March 1945 when 666 bombers struck the capital, Munich, and other German targets, as well as Czechoslovakia. The Berlin force was attacked by Me 262 jets that inflicted losses (one bomber and five fighters) while the Mustangs claimed eight jets downed - actual Luftwaffe records show only 3 x Me 262's lost in this engagement. The 47th BW and 55th BW fragged Fliegerhorst Neuburg damaging / destroying 54 x Me 262A-1’s from III./KG (J) 54, 304th BW attacked Fliegerhorst Münich-Riem destroying 13 x Me 262's. The NASM's Me 262 shows a claim credit for a B-17 shot down at this date. The last major effort came on 25 April when 467 bombers struck rail targets in Austria, severing communications into Czechoslovakia. The 15th's final bombing mission was flown 1 May when 27 B-17s escorted by 51 P38's of the 14th FG attacked Salzburg rail targets. With the German surrender in Italy, 15th Air Force aircraft began dropping supplies over Yugoslavia and evacuating Allied prisoners of war. It performed its last mission on 16 May 1945. A total of around 2,110 bombers were lost on operations by its 15 B-24 and six B-17 bombardment groups, while its seven fighter groups claimed a total of 1,836 enemy aircraft destroyed. The Fifteenth was inactivated in Italy 15 September 1945. Mediterranean Allied Air Forces: Organization of the MAAFIn keeping with the previous Allied convention established at the Casablanca Conference of naming commanders from one air force [United States Army Air Force (USAAF) or Royal Air Force (RAF)] and their deputies from the other air force, Eaker's Deputy Air Commander-in-Chief of MAAF became Air Marshal Sir John Slessor on January 20, 1944.[2] Slessor, who also was named Commander-in-Chief of RAF Mediterranean and Middle East (previously AHQ Malta, a major sub-command of the disbanded MAC),[3] had been the commander of RAF Coastal Command which was taken over by Air Chief Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas, the previous commander of RAF Middle East Command, another major sub-command of the disbanded MAC. MAAF reinstated the original RAF tri-force model (see No. 205 Group, No. 201 Group, and Air Headquarters Western Desert) that was used to create the Northwest African Air Forces, the largest and major sub-command of the disbanded MAC. Thus, MAAF retained a long-range "strategic" bomber force, a "coastal" anti-shipping force, and a "tactical" close air support force. Accordingly, the three major combat commands of MAAF were: Mediterranean Allied Strategic Air Force (MASAF) under Major General Nathan Twining Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force (MACAF) under Air Vice-Marshal Hugh LloydMediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force (MATAF) under Major General John K. Cannon. The MAAF tri-force replaced the previous NAAF tri-force: Northwest African Strategic Air Force (NASAF) under Major General James Doolittle Northwest African Coastal Air Force (NACAF) under Air Vice-Marshal Hugh Lloyd Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) under Air Vice-Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham. Air Vice-Marshal Hugh Lloyd was commander of NACAF and he stayed on as commander of MACAF. Doolittle of NASAF who temporarily commanded the new 15th Air Force before going to England to command the 8th Air Force, was replaced by Twining for the new MASAF. Coningham of NATAF who assumed command of Second Tactical Air Force, was replaced by Cannon of the new MATAF. Cannon also commanded the 12th Air Force which under the new MAAF organization was much more recognizable than it had been under the previous MAC/NAAF organization. When the 12th Air Force transferred all of its heavy bomb groups and its B-26 Marauder medium bomb groups to the 15th Air Force, the 12th became strictly a tactical air force and the 15th became a strategic air force (November 1, 1943). Twining commanded both MASAF and the 15th Air Force just as Cannon commanded both MATAF and the 12th Air Force. This helped to provide the unified command structure that was a major goal of the reorganization. Lieutenant General Carl Spaatz, the previous NAAF, 12th Air Force, and 8th Air Force commander, took over the new United States Strategic Air Forces (USSTAF) consisting of Doolittle's 8th Air Force and Twining's 15th Air Force. This allowed Spaatz to borrow the 15th in Italy for long-range strategic bombing of European targets when inclement weather in England prevented the 8th from flying missions. Under this scenario, some heavy bombers took off from Italy, bombed German targets, and landed in England.[4] Similarly, some flew the opposite route. Overnight stops in Russia were also made by some of the long-range bombers of the 8th and 15th Air Forces. AVM John Whitford replaced Lloyd in November 1944. Sir Guy Garrod replaced Slessor in early 1945.Effectiveness: With the defeat of Germany and the end of World War II in Europe, Headquarters, MAAF, Intelligence Section (United States) saw an opportunity to learn first-hand how effective the Allied air war was from the enemy's perspective. A series of interviews with high-ranking German officers resulted in the July 1945 compilation of the MAAF Air Surrender Documents. General Heinrich von Vietinghoff, who at various times commanded German Tenth Army or Army Group C and was the Commander in Italy at the end of the war, was particularly impressed by the effectiveness of the Allied fighter-bombers: "The ceaseless use of fighter-bombers succeeded in paralyzing all day-time movement..." "The fighter-bomber pilots had a genuinely damaging effect." "Even the tanks could move only at night because of the employment of fighter-bombers." "The effectiveness of the fighter-bombers lay in that their presence alone over the battlefield paralyzed every movement." Regarding air attacks on railroads, General von Vietinghoff stated the following: "Rail traffic was struck in the most protracted fashion by the destruction of bridges. Restoration of bridges required much time; the larger bridges could not be repaired. As improvisation, many bridge sites were detoured or the supplies were reloaded. With the increasing intensity of the air attacks, especially on the stretch of the Brenner, the damaged sections were so great and so numerous that this stretch, despite the best of repair organization and the employment of the most powerful rebuilding effort, became ever worse and was only ever locally and temporarily usable. A few bad weather days, in which the Allied Air Force could not have flown, would often have sufficed to bring the traffic again to its peak. Only in February and March (1945) was it again possible to travel by rail through the Brenner to Bologna." When asked if Allied air power was chiefly responsible for Germany's defeat in this war, each of the German officers below gave his own answer: Colonel General Heinrich von Vietinghoff, Supreme Commander Southwest, "Yes..."General Karl Wolff, SS Obergruppenfuehrer and General of the Waffen SS, "Yes..." General Joachim Lemelsen, Commanding General 14th Army, "Considered as a part of the general material superiority of the Allies, the strength of the Allied Air Force was of first importance - especially during the last year in Italy..." General Kurt Jahn, Commanding General of Lombardy Command, "They were of great, but not decisive importance."Major General von Schellwitz, Commanding General 305th Division, "Yes..." Lt. General Boehlke, Commanding General 334th Division, "The Allied Air Forces have played large part in the defeat of Germany..." Dissolution: With the end of the war in Europe the MAAF was dissolved. The RAF components reformed as new British commands. MACAF became the RAF's Mediterranean Coastal Air Force and then AHQ Italy. The MASAF was disbanded in August 1945; the MATAF in July 1945.

Name	NEW YEARS PREMIER MILITARY SALE
Auctioneer	Milestone Auctions
Type	Live Webcast Auction
Date(s)	7/16/2024 - 1/18/2025
Auction Date/Time Info	JANUARY 18th Sale Starts 10AM EST
Preview Date/Time	7 DAYS PRIOR TO SALE DAY BY APPOINTMENT or 8AM January 18th Sale DAY
Checkout Date/Time	Monday-Friday 9-5 or by Appointment
Location	38198 Willoughby Parkway Willoughby, OH 44094
Buyer Premium	20% Cash & Check 23% For Credit Card
Description	MILESTONE AUCTIONS PROUDLY PRESENTS: NEW YEARS PREMIER MILITARY AUCTION JANUARY 18TH, 2024 GREAT SALE FEATURING OVER 650 LOTS OF MILITARY FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR TO MODERN WAR. THE SALE INCLUDES SWORDS, KNIVES, DAGGERS, KATANAS, NAMED UNIFORM GROUPING, HELMETS, OTHER HEAD GEAR, MEDALS, INSIGNIA, PHOTOS, FLAGS AND MUCH MORE!! SATURDAY JANUARY 18TH 2025 10:00 AM "FULL CATALOG & LIVE BIDDING AVAILABLE THRU" WWW.MILESTONEAUCTIONS.COM LIVEAUCTIONEERS & INVALUABLE PHONE BIDS & ABSENTEE BIDS Call 440-527-8060 MILESTONE AUCTIONS GALLERY 38198 Willoughby Parkway Willoughby, Ohio 44094 (440) 527-8060 milestoneauctions@yahoo.com Auctioneer: Miles King Buyers Premium: 20% Online 17% In-house 3% Added for Credit Card Payments MILESTONE AUCTIONS IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR QUALITY CONSIGNMENTS! ONE PIECE OR ENTIRE COLLECTIONS!! CALL 440-527-8060 FOR DETAILS

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Currency	USD
Buyer Premium	20% Cash & Check 23% For Credit Card
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