Air War WW2 Portal 
9th Air Force Africa & Europe in December 1942
FRIDAY, 4 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, 20 B-24s of the 98th and 376th Bombardment Groups (Heavy), in the first attack by the USAAF against Italy, hit the Italian fleet and docks at Naples; hits are scored on numerous harbor installations, a railroad yard, and three or four ships, including a battleship.
SATURDAY, 5 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
The 82d and 434th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium), 12th Bombardment Group (Medium) with B-25s transfer from Egypt to Gambut, Libya.
SUNDAY, 6 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Libya, B-24s sent to attack shipping at Tobruk fail to locate the target due to bad weather, but a few bombers manage to bomb Misurata and two enemy airfields. Meanwhile, P-40s fly top cover for RAF aircraft attacking Marble Arch.
HQ, 12th Bombardment Group (Medium) and its 81st and 83d Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) with B-25s moves from Egypt to Gambut, Libya.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Libya, P-40s fly fighter-bomber missions in the battle area east of El Agheila; the American claim seven enemy aircraft shot down.
WEDNESDAY, 9 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Libya, P-40s fly a fighter sweep over the El Agheila region.
THURSDAY, 10 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
P-40s of the 57th Fighter Group claim one enemy aircraft destroyed.
FRIDAY, 11 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, B-24s bomb the harbor and surrounding areas at Naples with good results.
In Libya, P-40s fly several fighter-bomber missions and sweeps over the battle area in preparation for the ground assault on El Agheila which General Montgomery schedules for 14 Dec.
SATURDAY, 12 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Libya, P-40s fly sweeps and attack ground forces in the El Agheila and Brega area.
In Italy, RAF Liberators, under IX Bomber Command operational control, attack the dock area at Naples.
SUNDAY, 13 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Libya, aircraft of the Western Desert Air Force, including more than 100 P-40s, fly strafing and bombing missions against ground forces which begin withdrawing from El Agheila during the early morning. The 57th Fighter Group claims two Bf 109s for the loss of one P-40. The British 51 Division penetrates the eastern defenses of El Agheila.
MONDAY, 14 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Libya, P-40s continue to pound retreating German forces east of El Agheila. The 57th Fighter Group claims one enemy aircraft destroyed. As the British 7 Armored and 51 Infantry Divisions push west, the New Zealand 2 Division pushes southwest and rounds the enemy's right flank, then heads northwest towards the coast to cut off their retreat.
TUESDAY, 15 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
Over Tunisia, nine B-24s of the 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy), opening the Ninth Air Force offensive against Tunisian ports, hit the railroad yard, repair shop, and roundhouse at Sfax dropping 72x500 pound bombs.
Over Libya, B-25s and P-40s strike at retreating troops and vehicles between El Agheila and Merduma, as the New Zealand 2 Division drives to the coast in the Merduma area to obstruct the retreating Germans.
Over Italy, Royal Air Force Liberators, operationally controlled by the IX Bomber Command, hit Naples harbor during the night of 15/16 Dec.
WEDNESDAY, 16 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Libya, P-40s fly fighter-bomber missions and sweeps over the battle area as the enemy, breaking into small detachments, manages to withdraw from El Agheila positions after hard fighting and heavy losses. Meanwhile, B-25s hit troop concentrations and transport targets.
Detachments of the 328th, 330th and 409th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 93d Bombardment Group (Heavy) based at Hardwick, England with B-24s, move from Tafaraoui, Algeria to Gambut, Libya; the three squadrons, which have been in Algeria since 7 Dec, will remain attached to the IX Bomber Command until Feb 43.
FRIDAY, 18 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Libya, P-40s fly reconnaissance and patrol as the British Eighth Army's lead division, the New Zealand 2 Division, clashes with the enemy rear guards at Nofilia.
In Tunisia, B-17s hit shipping and harbor installations at Sousse while RAF Liberators, under the control of IX Bomber Command, follow with a raid on the same target during the night of 18/19 Dec.
SUNDAY, 20 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, B-24s sent to attack the harbor at Sousse abort the mission due to weather; three bombers hit a wrecked vessel north of Sfax.
MONDAY, 21 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, B-24s of the 93d Bombardment Group (Heavy) abort a mission against Sousse harbor due to weather. Six RAF Liberators, under operational control of the IX Bomber Command, attack the harbor; results are not observed.
In Libya, light forces of the British Eighth Army overtake the enemy rearguard at Sirte and are halted temporarily.
TUESDAY, 22 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, B-24s of the 93d Bombardment Group (Heavy) and RAF Liberators are dispatched agains the harbor at Sousse; only two bombers reach the target, the others are forced to return to base due to weather, but a few manage to bomb Monastir and the railroads at Mahdia.
WEDNESDAY, 23 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
The 324th Fighter Group and its 314th and 316th Fighter Squadrons with P-40s establish HQ at El Amiriya, Egypt upon arrival from the US. The group will fly its first combat mission on 26 Mar 43.
THURSDAY, 24 DECEMBER 1942 (CHRISTMAS EVE)
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, B-24s sent to bomb Tunis abort due to weather.
In Italy, B-24s attack the harbor at Naples during the night of 23/24 Dec; one aircraft bombs Taranto.
SATURDAY, 26 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, B-24s are dispatched agains Tunis harbor during the night of 26/27 Dec; three hit the primary target while two others bomb Sousse and Sfax.
MONDAY, 28 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, during the night of 27/28 Dec and also during the day, B-24s, including RAF Liberators under IX Bomber Command operational control, bomb the harbor at Sousse, hitting vessels and dock installations.
On the ground, British Army patrols reach a point east of Buerat, overlooking Wadi el Chebir, without opposition.
TUESDAY, 29 DECEMBER 1942
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, B-24s sent to bomb Tunis harbor during the night of 29/30 Dec find the target obscured by clouds and attack Sousse instead.
THURSDAY, 31 DECEMBER 1942 (NEW YEAR'S EVE)
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, B-24s, including RAF Liberators, bomb shipping and the dock area at Sfax with good results.
Source:
COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
Jack McKillop
USAF (Airways and Air Communications Service)
1955-59
used sources by McKillop:
AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force History,
Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1
COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE, WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force
History, Headquarters USAF 1982
THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by the
Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973
