Operation Husky order of battle

Operation Husky Order of Battle is a listing of the significant military and air force units that were involved in the campaign for Sicily, July 10 – August 17, 1943.

Allied Forces

Allied Forces Headquarters - Mediterranean
Supreme Commander: General Dwight D. Eisenhower

Allied 15th Army Group

The Allied 15th Army Group was under the command of General Sir Harold Alexander.

U.S. Seventh Army

The U.S. Seventh Army was commanded by Lieutenant General George S. Patton.

Waiting to Load Tanks in La Pècherie French base in French Tunisia.
American and British troops landing near Gela, Sicily, July 10, 1943.
U.S. II Corps

The U.S. II Corps was commanded by Lieutenant General Omar Bradley.

U.S. Provisional Corps

(Headquarters activated on 15 July 1943)[1] Commanded by Major General Geoffrey Keyes.

British Eighth Army

The British Eighth Army was under the command of General Sir Bernard Montgomery. The British 46th Infantry Division formed a floating reserve, but it did not participate in the Sicily campaign.

Army Troops

British XIII Corps

The British XIII Corps was commanded by Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey.

British XXX Corps

The British XXX Corps was commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver Leese.

Allied Air Forces

At the time of Operation Husky, the Allied air forces in the North African and Mediterranean Theatres were organized as the Mediterranean Air Command (MAC) under the command of Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder of the Royal Air Force. The major subdivisions of the MAC included the Northwest African Air Forces (NAAF) under the command of Lt. General Carl Spaatz of the U.S. Army Air Forces, the American 12th Air Force (also commanded by Gen. Spaatz), the American 9th Air Force under the command of Lt. General Lewis H. Brereton, and units of the British Royal Air Force (RAF).

Also supporting the NAAF were the RAF Middle East Command, Air Headquarters Malta, RAF Gibraltar, and the No. 216 (Transfer and Ferry) Group, which were subdivisions of MAC under the command of Tedder. He reported to the Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower for the NAAF operations, but to the British Chiefs of Staff for RAF Command operations. Air Headquarters Malta, under the command of Air Vice-Marshal Sir Keith Park, also supported Operation Husky.

The "Desert Air Task Force" consisting of American B-25 Mitchell medium bombers (the 12th and 340th Bombardment Groups) and P-40 Warhawk fighter planes (the 57th, 79th, and 324th Fighter Groups) from the 9th Air Force served under the command of Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham of the Northwest African Tactical Air Force. These bomber and fighter groups moved to new airfields on Sicily as soon as a significant beachhead had been captured there.

In the MAC organization established at the Casablanca Conference in January 1943, the 9th Air Force was assigmed as a subdivision of the RAF Middle East Command under the command of Air Chief Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas.[14][14][15][16][17]

Mediterranean Air Command (Allied)

Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder had his headquarters in Algiers, Algeria.[18]

Principle Sicilian targets of the Northwest African Air Forces for Operation Husky.

Northwest African Air Forces

Lt. General Carl Spaatz had his headquarters for the Northwest African Air Forces in Maison-Carrée, Algeria[18]

Northwest African Strategic Air Force

Maj. General James H. Doolittle, in command of the Northwest African Strategic Air Force, had his headquarters in Constantine, Algeria[18]

Northwest African Coastal Air Force

Air Vice-Marshal Sir Hugh Lloyd also had his headquarters in Algiers.[18]

Source[20][21]
British Units American Units
RAF Units 52nd Fighter Group
Lt. Colonel James Coward
Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Units
Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance 		81st Fighter Group
Lt. Colonel Michael Gordon

Oran, Algeria Sector:
92nd Squadron, P-39 Airacobra fighter planes
1st Air Defense Wing:
91st Squadron, P-39 Airacobras
93rd Squadron, P-39 Airacobras

Bone, Algeria Sector: 350th Fighter Group
Lt. Colonel Marvin McNickle
2nd Air Defense Wing:

No. 153 Squadron, Beaufighters

 480th Antisubmarine Group
Colonel Jack Roberts

Notes:

  1. The 1st and 2nd Antisubmarine Squadrons were assigned to NACAF for administration and placed under the operational control of the U.S. Navy Fleet Air Wing 15 of the Moroccan Sea Frontier commanded by Rear Admiral (United States) Frank J. Lowry
  2. Air Ministry was asked to provide two additional Wellington patrol squadrons. Asked? This is supposed to be an accurate historical document. Many things get asked for, but many less get provided.
Northwest African Tactical Air Force

Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham had his headquarters in Hammamet, Tunisia[18]

Air Vice Marshal Harry Broadhurst

Air Commodore Laurence Sinclair[23][24]

For Operation Husky, No. 242 Group, originally a component of NATAF in February 1943, was assigned to the Northwest African Coastal Air Force (NACAF). At the same time, Air Headquarters, Western Desert became known as the Desert Air Force. All of the fighter units of Desert Air Force formed No. 211 (Offensive Fighter) Group commanded by Air Commodore Richard Atcherley on April 11, 1943 in Tripoli. The 99th Fighter Squadron was assigned to the XII Air Support Command on May 28, 1943, and later made a part of the 33rd Fighter Group.

Northwest African Troop Carrier Command

United States Paul Williams, in Tunisia

51st Troop Carrier Wing
Brig. General Ray Dunn		 52nd Troop Carrier Wing
Colonel Harold Clark		 RAF Detachment
60th Troop Carrier Group
Lt. Colonel Frederick Sherwood

10th Squadron, C-47 Skytrains
11th Squadron, C-47s
12th Squadron, C-47s
28th Squadron, C-47s

 61st Troop Carrier Group
Colonel Willis Mitchell 		No. 38 Wing

Air Commodore William Primrose

62nd Troop Carrier Group
Lt. Colonel Aubrey Hurren

4th Squadron, C-47 Skytrains
7th Squadron, C-47s
8th Squadron, C-47s
51st Squadron, C-47s

 313th Troop Carrier Group
Colonel James Roberts, Jr.

29th Squadron, C-47s
47th Squadron, C-47s
48th Squadron, C-47s
49th Squadron, C-47s
An Albemarle towing a Horsa glider.
64th Troop Carrier Group
Colonel John Cerny

16th Squadron, C-47 Skytrains
17th Squadron, C-47s
18th Squadron, C-47s
35th Squadron, C-47s

 314th Troop Carrier Group
Colonel Clayton Stiles

32nd Squadron, C-47s
50th Squadron, C-47s
61st Squadron, C-47s
62nd Squadron, C-47s
Information in table taken from:

1) Participation of the Ninth and
Twelfth Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign,
Army Air Forces Historical Study No. 37
Army Air Forces Historical Office Headquarters,
Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, 1945.

 316th Troop Carrier Group
Colonel Jerome McCauley

36th Squadron,[26] C-47 Skytrains
44th Squadron, C-47s
45th Squadron, C-47s

 Information in table taken from:

2) Maurer, Maurer, Air Force
Combat Units Of World War II,
Office of Air Force History,
Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 1983.

To help carry out transport and supply operations for Operation Husky, in mid-1943 the American 315th Troop Carrier Group (34th & 43rd Squadrons) had been flown from England to Tunisia. There it was assigned to the Mediterranean Air Transport Service, and along with NATCC, this was a subdivision of the Mediterranean Air Command.

Northwest African Photographic Reconnaissance Wing

Colonel Elliott Roosevelt had his headquarters at La Marsa, Tunisia

Northwest African Air Service Command

Brig. General Delmar had his headquarters in Dunton, Algiers.[18]

Northwest African Training Command

Brig. General John K. Cannon,
U.S. APO 525[18]

Air Headquarters Malta

Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park, the commander of Air Headquarters Malta, had his headquarters in Valletta, Malta[27]

No. 216 (Transport and Ferry) Group

Air Commodore Whitney Straight, Headquarters at Heliopolis, Egypt[27]

RAF Gibraltar

Air Vice Marshal Sturley Simpson had his headquarters in Gibraltar

Middle East Command

Air Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas Headquarters at Cairo, Egypt[18]

No. 201 (Naval Co-operation) Group

Air Vice Marshal Thomas Langsford-Sainsbury, Headquarters at Alexandria, Egypt

No Wing assignment: 701 Naval Air Squadron (FAA), Walrus Air-Sea Rescue

Note: RAF=Royal Air Force; RAAF=Royal Australian Air Force; SAAF=South African Air Force; FAA=Fleet Air Arm (Royal Navy); Det.= "detached"

Air Headquarters Air Defences Eastern Mediterranean

Air Vice Marshal Richard Saul

No. 209 (Fighter) Group
Group Captain R.C.F. Lister		 No. 210 (Fighter) Group
Group Captain John Grandy		 No. 212 (Fighter) Group
Air Commodore Archibald Wann		 No. 219 (Fighter) Group
Group Captain Max Aitken
No. 46 Squadron RAF Det., Beaufighters No. 3 Squadron SAAF, Hurricanes No. 7 Squadron SAAF, Hurricanes No. 46 Squadron RAF, Beaufighters
No. 127 Squadron RAF, Hurricanes and Spitfires No. 33 Squadron RAF, Hurricanes No. 41 Squadron SAAF, Hurricanes No. 74 Squadron RAF, Hurricanes
No. 89 Squadron RAF, Beaufighters No. 80 Squadron RAF, Spitfires No. 238 Squadron RAF, Hurricanes
No. 213 Squadron RAF, Hurricanes No. 94 Squadron RAF, Hurricanes No. 335 Squadron RAF, Hurricanes
No. 274 Squadron RAF, Hurricanes No. 108 Squadron RAF Det., Beaufighters No. 336 Squadron RAF, Hurricanes
No. 123 Squadron RAF, Hurricanes No. 451 Squadron RAAF, Hurricanes
No. 134 Squadron RAF, Hurricanes
No. 237 Squadron RAF, Hurricanes
No. 1563 Met. Flight, Gloster Gladiators
No. 1654 Met. Flight, Gladiators

Notes:
SAAF=South African Air Force; RAAF=Royal Australian Air Forces; Det.=Detached; Met.=Meteorological.

U.S. 9th Air Force

Major General Lewis H. Brereton had his headquarters in Cairo, Egypt[18]

Axis Forces

Armed Forces Command

Commanded by Generale d'Armata Alfredo Guzzoni

German

Italian 6th Army

Under the command of Generale d'Armata Alfredo Guzzoni.[nb 1]
German Army Liaison Officer: Generalleutnant Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin

Italian XII Corps

Commanded by Generale di Corpo d'Armata Mario Arisio, then Generale di Corpo d'Armata Francesco Zingales on 12 July

Italian XVI Corps

Commanded by Generale di Corpo d'Armata Carlo Rossi.

The major harbors garrisons were under the Italian Navy. Hence, they were not part of the Italian 6th Army, but under the command of General Guzzoni, who was also the Chief of Joint Command.

XIV Panzer Corps

Activated 18 July[31] to take command of 15th Panzergrenadier Division, the Hermann Göring Division, the newly arrived 1st Parachute Division and the 29th Panzergrenadier Division which started to arrive in Sicily 18 July.
Commanded by General der Panzertruppe Hans-Valentin Hube.

See also

Notes

Footnotes
  1. ↑ On 17 July Guzzoni delegated tactical command to Hube of any areas containing German troops. On 30 July Guzzoni gave Hube command of the whole front[29]
Citations
  1. ↑ Molony, p. 108.
  2. ↑ Richard A. Rinaldi, Royal Engineers, World War II at Orbat.com
  3. ↑ Molony, p. 81n.
  4. ↑ Molony, p. 177n
  5. ↑ Molony, p. 102n
  6. ↑ Molony, p. 152n.
  7. ↑ Molony, p. 79n.
  8. ↑ Molony, p. 95n.
  9. ↑ Molony, p. 94n.
  10. 1 2 Molony, p. 117n
  11. 1 2 Molony, p. 115n.
  12. ↑ Molony, p. 82n.
  13. ↑ Molony, p. 234n.
  14. 1 2 Craven, Wesley F. and James L. Cate. The Army Air Forces in World War II, Volume 2, Chicago, Illinois: Chicago University Press, 1949 (Reprinted 1983, ISBN 0-912799-03-X).
  15. ↑ Richards, D. and H. Saunders, The Royal Air Force 1939-1945 (Volume 2, HMSO, 1953).
  16. ↑ Howe, George F., Northwest Africa: Seizing the Initiative in the West, Center of Military History, Washington, DC., 1991.
  17. ↑ Army Air Forces Historical Office Headquarters, Participation of the Ninth & Twelfth Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign, Army Air Forces Historical Study No. 37, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, 1945.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Secret Document 161, Location of units in the Royal Air Force, 34th issue, July 1943, Royal Air Force Museum accession number PR02859.
  19. ↑ No. 242 Group was originally a part of the Northwest African Tactical Air Force but which was later transferred to NACAF
  20. ↑ Participation of the Ninth & Twelfth Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign, Army Air Forces Historical Study No. 37, Army Air Forces Historical Office Headquarters, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 1945
  21. ↑ Maurer, Maurer, Air Force Combat Units Of World War II Office of Air Force History, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 1983.
  22. ↑ http://www.warwingsart.com/12thAirForce/orman.html
  23. 1 2 Participation of the Ninth & Twelfth Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign, Army Air Forces Historical Study No. 37, Army Air Forces Historical Office Headquarters Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 1945.
  24. 1 2 Maurer, Maurer, Air Force Combat Units Of World War II, Office of Air Force History Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 1983
  25. ↑ http://www.warwingsart.com/12thAirForce/page.html
  26. ↑ http://www.warwingsart.com/12thAirForce/316th.html
  27. 1 2 Secret Document 161, Location of units in the Royal Air Force, 34th issue, July 1943, Royal Air Force Museum accession number PR02859.
  28. 1 2 Molony, pp. 43-45.
  29. ↑ Molony, p. 44.
  30. ↑ Jowett & Andrew (2001), p. 4
  31. ↑ Molony, p. 43.
  32. ↑ Molony, p. 93.
  33. ↑ Molony, p. 45.

References

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