Air War WW2 Portal 
9th Air Force Europe & Africa in February 1943
MONDAY 1 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
HQ 9th Fighter Wing is established at El Kabrit upon arrival from the U.S.
TUESDAY, 2 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
HQ 324th Fighter Group and it's 314th Fighter Squadron with P-40s transfers from El Amiriya, Egypt to El Kabrit, Egypt.
WEDNESDAY, 3 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, B-24s hit the harbors at Palermo, Sicily and Messina, Italy; one bombs Plati, Italy.
The 316th Fighter Squadron, 324th Fighter Group with P-40s transfers from El Amiriya, Egypt to El Kabrit, Egypt.
THURSDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
The 82d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 12th Bombardment Group (Medium) with B-25s transfers from Tmded El Chel, Libya to Berteaux, Algeria.
SATURDAY, 6 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
The 515th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) with B-24s transfers from Abu Sueir, Egypt to Gambut, Libya.
SUNDAY, 7 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, B-24s it the harbor at Naples, scoring a direct hit on 1 vessel and hits on others.
MONDAY, 8 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, B-24s attack ferry installations at Messina.
TUESDAY, 9 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Crete, B-25s bomb several airfields.
HQ 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers from Fayid, Egypt to Benina, Libya.
WEDNESDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Sicily, B-24s sent to attack Palermo are forced to abort due to bad weather. They jettison their bombs or return to base with them. One aircraft scores a direct hit on a Sicilian highway.
In Libya, rainfall delays the British Eighth Army assault on the Mareth Line positions at Ben Gardane.
HQ 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and its 512th, 513th and 514th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) with B-24s transfer from Abu Sueir, Egypt to Gambut, Libya.
THURSDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Crete, RAF Liberators under operational control of the IX Bomber Command are sent against Heraklion Airfield during the night of 10/11 Feb.
Severe weather causes them to abort near the south coast of Crete.
The 415th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy) with B-24s transfers from Tobruk, Libya to Benina, Libya.
SATURDAY, 13 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, B-24s bomb the Naples area and Crotone Airfield and the city area under storm conditions.
In Crete, RAF Liberators under operational control of the IX Bomber Command attack Heraklion Airfield during the late afternoon and early evening. One Liberator hits the Kastelli/Pediada Airfield on the return trip.
MONDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
The Desert Air Task Force (DATF) is established with Brigadier General Auby C Strickland as Commanding General. Whereas Desert Air Task Force HQ, organized on 22 Oct 42, controlled US Army Mid East Air Force (USAMEAF) tactical operations in the Western Desert, this new organization, with HQ at Tripoli, Libya, supervises, operationally and administratively, all Ninth Air Force units west of, and including, Marble Arch. In addition, General Strickland is commander of US troops in the area.
In Italy, B-24s attack the harbor at Naples, scoring direct hits on 2 vessels.
In Libya, British Army ground forces resume operations toward the Mareth Line as weather improves.
Colonel Hugo P Rush succeeds Brigadier General Patrick W Timberlake as Commanding Officer of IX Bomber Command, which transfers from Ismailia, Egypt to Bengasi, Libya.
TUESDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Crete, RAF Liberators under operational control of the IX Bomber Command bomb Heraklion Airfield during the night of 16/17 Feb.
In Tunisia, the British Eighth Army's 7 Armored Division drives into Ben Gardane, an outpost of the Mareth Line.
The 83d and 434th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium), 12 Bombardment Group (Medium) with B-25s transfer from Gambut, Libya to Castel Benito, Libya.
The 345th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy) with B-24s transfers from Tobruk, Libya to Benina, Libya.
FRIDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, B-25s bomb the Gabes western area through heavy clouds.
SATURDAY, 20 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Crete, RAF Liberators, under operational control of the IX Bomber Command, bomb Heraklion and Kastelli/Pediada Airfields during the night of 19/20 Feb.
In Italy, B-24s bomb Crotone, Naples, Amantea, Palmi, Nicotera and Rosarno.
SUNDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
The North African Tactical Air Force assumes operational control of the Western Desert Air Force; tactical groups remain administratively assigned to the Ninth Air Force.
MONDAY, 22 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
HQ 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers from Gambut, Libya to Soluch, Libya.
TUESDAY, 23 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, B-24s attack the Messina ferry slip, scoring direct hits and leaving the target area burning.
In Tunisia, B-25s hit Arram in the Mareth Line during the late evening.
THURSDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, B-24s bomb Naples harbor and Crotone during the night of 24/25 Feb.
In Tunisia, B-25s attack motor transport on the Arram road.
The 512th, 513th and 514th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) with B-24s transfer from Gambut, Libya to Soluch, Libya.
FRIDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, P-40s carry out fighter-bomber missions as ground forces maintain pressure on the enemy along the coast and on the Gabes road.
B-25s attack roads and motor transport in the Arram area during the night of 26/27 Feb.
General Bernard L. Montgomery sets 20 Mar as D-Day for an attack on the Mareth Line.
The 328th, 330th and 409th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) cease operations from Gambut, Libya with B-24s and return to their base at Hardwick, England.
SATURDAY, 27 FEBRUARY 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, P-40s fly top cover, strafing, and fighter-bomber missions against positions along the Mareth Line.
The 515th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) with B-24s transfers from Gambut, Libya to Soluch, Libya.
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
