Consolidated B-24J Liberators of 464th Bombardment Group of 55th Bombardment Wing, Fifteenth Air Force, United States Army Air Force flying over sea, perhaps the Adriatic. The 464th Bombardment Group was based at Pantanella Airfield, an airport of Foggia Airfield Complex,  from spring 1944 to end the war, May 1945, excepting a brief time at Gioia del Colle. From Pantanella was involved in bombing of the Ploesti Concordia Vega refinery on 18 May 1944. Victor Sierra

Liberator over Italy

Boeing B-17s Flying Fortress of the 97th Bomb Group, based at Amendola, Puglia, Italy in 15th Air Force markings flying over Alps during a war mission, 1944. After an operational cycle in England with 395 tons of bombs dropped on German-controlled territory 14 aircraft lost (the Group, August 17, 1942, carried out the first Eighth Air Force heavy bomber mission of the war, attacking the Rouen-Sotteville marshalling yards in France) the 97th Bombardment Group was moved,  21 October 1942, to the Twelfth Air Force in the Mediterranean theater being assigned first to Twelfth and later (November 1943) to Fifteenth Air Force. The first bases were in North Africa, Algeria and Tunisia, whence, November 1942-May 1943, struck shipping in the Mediterranean Sea and airfields, docks, harbors, and marshalling yards in Northern Africa, Southern France, Sardinia, Sicily, and the Southern Italian mainland for cut supply lines to German forces in North Africa. After to make one's contribution to capitulation of Pantelleria Island, in June 1943, the Group flew bombardment missions in preparation for and in support of the invasions of Sicily and Southern Italy in the summer and fall of 1943. At the end 1943, was transferred in Italy, before at Cerignola and after, January 16, 1944, at large airport of Amendola in the Foggia Airfield Complex. Frome here, until April 1945, the Flying Fortress of 97th BG attacked targets in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Greece, bombing oil refineries, marshalling yards, aircraft factories, and other strategic objectives. The 97th BG earned a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for leading a raid against an aircrat assembly line at Steyr, Austria, on 24 February 1944 during Big Week, the air campaign against the German aircraft industry. The 97th BG also participated in first shuttle-bombing mission to Russia (Operation Frantic) in June 1944. The Group earned a second DUC for a successful raid against one of the Ploesti oil refineries in Rumania, August 18, 1944. 
airfields. Bombed also coastal defenses in preparation for landing on Southern France and assisted the American Fifth and British Eighth Armies in their advance through the Po Valley of Northern Italy until the German surrender in May 1945. Flew 467 combat missions with loss of 110 aircraft. After the end of war the 97BG remained in Italy and at October 1945 was transferred in Campania, near Caserta, on Marcianise Airfield. After this date the Group returned in USA. Victor Sierra

From Amendola to Alps

Italy 1944: USAAF's North American P-51B Mustang of 31st Fighter Group going to take off a combat mission from San Severo Airfield. Note auxiliary fuek tanks under wings and the runway in pierced steel planking.  Built by United States Army Corps of Engineers (COE) in late September 1943, located approximately 40 km north-northwest of Foggia, part of Foggia Airfield Complex, San Severo was a temporary airfield used primarily by Twelfth and Fifteenth Air Force reconnaissance and fighter units. In particular: 90th Reconnaissance Wing, 1 December 1943-4 April 1945; 3d Reconnaissance Group, 8 December 1943-4 January 1944; 5th Reconnaissance Group, 8 December 1943-11 October 1944; 31st Fighter Group, 2 April 1944-3 March 1945. At war ended, the San Severo Airfield was closed in September 1945 and abandoned. Today is an agricultural area.
After operational cycles in UK (Spitfire V) and North Africa (Spitfire IX), in April 1944, after being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force, the 31st Fighter Group was equipped with North American Mustang (P-51B and C and late D) and engaged primarily, from this Italian base, in missions to escort heavy bombers to enemy targets in Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia, and Greece. The 31st earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for an 21 April 1944 mission to cover a raid on production centers in Romania. It escorted reconnaissance and cargo aircraft participating in the airborne invasion of Southern France strafing airfields and communications targets of German forces. As part of a Fifteenth Air Force task force, it attacked targets in Romania while flying to Russia on 22 July 1944. After escorting P-38 Lightning aircraft from a Russian base for a raid on an airdrome in Poland on 25 July, it attacked a German fighter-bomber force and a truck convoy, earning a second Distinguished Unit Citation. In April 1945, when Allied forces pursued their final offensive in Northern Italy, the group strafed enemy rail and highway traffic.  Returned in USA, Drew Field, Florida, in August 1945, the 31st Fighter Group  was inactivated on 7 November 1945. The 31st Fighter Group  is the direct ancestor of today's 31st Fighter Wing from 1994 based again in Italy, Aviano Air Base, and equipped with F-16. Victor Sierra