The AAF in Northwest Africa

Published by Headquarters, Army Air Forces
Washington, D.C.

Office of Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Intelligence
From Reports Prepared by MAAF

New Imprint by the
Center for Air Force History
Washington, D.C. 1992

Foreword

The AAF in Northwest Africa focuses on the Allied assault on Northwest Africa and the battle for Tunisia--the critical second front that secured the Mediterranean and increased the enemy's vulnerability to a massive invasion from Britain. From this experience of the Twelfth Air Force and its British counterparts in 1942-43 evolved a spirit of Anglo-American cooperation and important aspects of air doctrine still relevant to today's Air Force.

Part I

• The Twelfth Air Force in the Landing Operations

• Attitude of the French Toward the Allies

• Danger from Spain

• Air Planning of the Invasion

• The Moroccan Landings

• The Mehdia Landings

• Landings at Fedala

• The Oran Landings

• Take-off of Paratroop Operations

• Transports Move to Tafaraoui

• Period After the Fall of Oran

• The Algiers Landings

Part II

• The Twelfth Air Force in the Tunisian Campaign

• Paratroop Activities

• Allied Air Activity, November and December

• The Tunisian Winter Campaign

• The Strategic Situation

• Tactical Air Attacks in Early January 1943

• NAAF Bombing of Tunisia in February and March 1943

• NAAF Shipping Strikes, January-March1943

• Preliminary Air Actions Near the Mareth Line

• Air Victories and Losses, 8 November 1942 - 18 February 1943

• The Tunisian Spring Campaign

• Strategic Attacks on Airfields, April 1943

• Air Cooperation with New Zealanders

• End of the Axis in Tunisia

• Air Cooperation in the Fall of Tunis

• Tactical Cooperation 8-13 May 1943

• Tactical Lessons Learned in the Campaign

Illustrations

• Casablanca-Port Lyautey

• Battered Sousse

• Algiers and Environs

• Mediterranean Area

• Former Seaplane Base

• Mehdia - Port Lyautey

• Luftwaffe Boneyard

• Oran and Environs