480th Antisubmarine Group: Difference between revisions

480th Antisubmarine Group
480th Antisubmarine Group
Active	1943-1944
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Antisubmarine Warfare

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The 480th Antisubmarine Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, based at Clovis AAF, New Mexico. It was inactivated on 29 January 1944

History

Lineage

Constituted as 480th Antisubmarine Group on 19 Jun 1943

Activated on 21 Jun 1943

Disbanded on 29 Jan 1944

Assignments

Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, 19 Jun 1943 - 29 Jan 1944

Squadrons

1st Antisubmarine: 21 Jun 1943-29 Jan 1944.
2d Antisubmarine: 21 Jun 1943-29 Jan 1944

Stations

Port Lyautey, French Morocco, 21 Jun-Nov 1943
Langley Field, Virginia, c. 18 Nov 1943
Clovis AAF, New Mexico, c. 1-29 Jan 1944.

Operational History

The group was formed in Morocco from squadrons previously assigned to RAF St Eval, England and trained with RAF Coastal Command in aerial antisubmarine warfare techniques. The Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command fromed the group in March 1943 to shore up scanty Allied antisubmarine defenses in the Atlantic approaches to the Straits of Gibraltar. German U-boats had very recently sunk four ships in an Allied convoy about a hundred miles off the coast of Portugal. Over the long term, the Allies wanted to increase air antisubmarine patrols and convoy coverage to protect their preparations for the impending Tunisian offensive and the subsequent invasion of Sicily.

Using modified B-24 Liberator bombers equipped with RADAR, external fuel tanks and other antisubmarine equipment, the 1st and 2d Antisubmarine Squadrons joined two United States Navy PBY Catalina squadrons patrolling from Morocco. The two squadrons were assigned to the Northwest African Coastal Air Force for administration and placed under the operational control of the United States Navy Fleet Air Wing 15, which answered to the commander of the Moroccan Sea Frontier.

The AAF units flew their first mission on 19 March despite shortages of spare parts, equipment, and maintenance personnel. Ordinarily, three B-24s flew daily on operational missions, covering an area as far south as 30°N, as far north as Cape Finisterre, Spain, and as far west as a thousand nautical miles from Port Lyautey. Much of the time, the Liberators flew convoy coverage for ships sailing from or approaching the Straits of Gibraltar. Its antisubmarine activity reached a peak in July 1943 when enemy U-boats concentrated off the coast of Portugal to intercept convoys bound for the Mediterranean. The group destroyed and damaged several submarines during the month which aided in protecting supply lines to forces involved in the campaign for Sicily.

The group also covered convoys and engaged numerous Luftwaffe aircraft in combat. In September 1943 part of the group deployed to Protville Tunisia located betweenTunis, on the east coast and Bizerte, on the north coast about thirty-five miles northwest of Tunis. For the first fourteen days, the 1st Squadron operated under the Northwest African Coastal Air Force. On September 4, the B-24s began searching for enemy submarines and shipping between Sicily and Naples. the squadron covered this area twenty-four hours a day until the landing of the United States Fifth Army at Salerno, Italy, on September 9, when it extended antisubmarine patrols to cover the sea west of Sardinia and Corsica. One B-24 destroyed three German flying boats northwest of Sardinia. In addition to the antisubmarine patrols, the 1st Squadron flew escort for several Allied convoys and covered the escape of Italian naval vessels from Genoa and Spezia to Malta following Italy's surrender.

After returning to Port Lyautey on September 18, the 1st Squadron operated in the Moroccan Sea Frontier until it moved to the United States in November 1943.

That return to the United States marked the final stage in the Air Force's withdrawal from its antisubmarine mission. The 480th returned to the United States in November 1943, to be disbanded on 29 January 1944.

The group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for actions that contributed to the winning of the Battle of the Atlantic.

References

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.

External links

@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 === Operational History ===
-The group was formed in Morocco from squadrons previously assigned to [[RAF St Eval]], [[England]] and trained with [[RAF Coastal Command]] in aerial antisubmarine warfare techniques.
+The group was formed in Morocco from squadrons previously assigned to [[RAF St Eval]], [[England]] and trained with [[RAF Coastal Command]] in aerial antisubmarine warfare techniques.  The [[Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command]] fromed the group in March 1943 to shore up scanty Allied antisubmarine defenses in the Atlantic approaches to the [[Straits of Gibraltar]]. German [[U-boat]]s had very recently sunk four ships in an Allied convoy about a hundred miles off the coast of [[Portugal]]. Over the long term, the Allies wanted to increase air antisubmarine patrols and convoy coverage to protect their preparations for the impending Tunisian offensive and the subsequent invasion of Sicily.
-Using modified [[B-24 Liberator]] bombers equipped with RADAR, external fuel tanks and other antisubmarine equipment, the group had the primary mission of carrying out antisubmarine patrols in an area of the [[North Atlantic Ocean]] extending north and west from [[Morocco]]; the [[Strait of Gibraltar]] and western [[Mediterranean Sea]]. Its antisubmarine activity reached a peak in July 1943 when enemy [[U-boat]]s concentrated off the coast of [[Portugal]] to intercept convoys bound for the [[Mediterranean]].  The group destroyed and damaged several submarines during the month which aided in protecting supply lines to forces involved in the campaign for [[Sicily]].
+Using modified [[B-24 Liberator]] bombers equipped with RADAR, external fuel tanks and other antisubmarine equipment, the 1st and 2d Antisubmarine Squadrons joined two [[United States Navy]] [[PBY Catalina]] squadrons patrolling from Morocco. The two squadrons were assigned to the Northwest African Coastal Air Force for administration and placed under the operational control of the [[United States Navy]] Fleet Air Wing 15, which answered to the commander of the Moroccan Sea Frontier.
+The AAF units flew their first mission on 19 March despite shortages of spare parts, equipment, and maintenance personnel. Ordinarily, three B-24s flew daily on operational missions, covering an area as far south as 30°N, as far north as Cape Finisterre, [[Spain]], and as far west as a thousand nautical miles from Port Lyautey. Much of the time, the Liberators flew convoy coverage for ships sailing from or approaching the Straits of Gibraltar.  Its antisubmarine activity reached a peak in July 1943 when enemy [[U-boat]]s concentrated off the coast of [[Portugal]] to intercept convoys bound for the [[Mediterranean]].  The group destroyed and damaged several submarines during the month which aided in protecting supply lines to forces involved in the campaign for [[Sicily]].
-The group also covered convoys and engaged numerous enemy aircraft in combat. In September 1943 part of the group deployed to [[Tunisia]] and operated in connection with the assault on [[Italy]].  From Tunisa, the group's missions included searching for enemy submarines, covering Allied convoys, and protecting the Italian fleet after the surrender of Italy. The group was awarded a [[Distinguished Unit Citation]] for actions that contributed to the winning of the [[Battle of the Atlantic]].
+The group also covered convoys and engaged numerous [[Luftwaffe]] aircraft in combat. In September 1943 part of the group deployed to Protville [[Tunisia]] located between[[Tunis]], on the east coast and [[Bizerte]], on the north coast about thirty-five miles northwest of Tunis.  For the first fourteen days, the 1st Squadron operated under the Northwest African Coastal Air Force. On September 4, the B-24s began searching for enemy submarines and shipping between [[Sicily]] and [[Naples]]. the squadron covered this area twenty-four hours a day until the landing of the [[United States Fifth Army]] at [[Salerno, Italy]], on September 9, when it extended antisubmarine patrols to cover the sea west of [[Sardinia]] and [[Corsica]]. One B-24 destroyed three German flying boats northwest of Sardinia. In addition to the antisubmarine patrols, the 1st Squadron flew escort for several Allied convoys and covered the escape of Italian naval vessels from [[Genoa]] and [[Spezia]] to [[Malta]] following Italy's surrender.
-The 480th AG was inactivated in January 1944 as a result fo the Navy taking over aerial antisubmarine operations.  It's Liberators were reassigned to the Navy and it's personnel were reassigned to other Air Force units operating in the [[Mediterranean Theater of Operations]] as replacements.
+After returning to Port Lyautey on September 18, the 1st Squadron operated in the Moroccan Sea Frontier until it moved to the United States in November 1943.
+That return to the United States marked the final stage in the Air Force's withdrawal from its antisubmarine mission.  The 480th returned to the United States in November 1943, to be disbanded on 29 January 1944.
+The group was awarded a [[Distinguished Unit Citation]] for actions that contributed to the winning of the [[Battle of the Atlantic]].
 == References==