Air War WW2 Portal 
9th Air Force Europe in April 1943
THURSDAY, 1 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, P-40's escort bomber missions. Medium and light bombers hit parked airplanes and AA batteries at El Maou Airfield at Sfax.
FRIDAY, 2 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy during the night of 1/2 Apr, RAF Liberators, under the operational control of the IX Bomber Command, bomb the ferry terminal at Messina and the airfield at Crotone. During the day, 2 B-24's on a special mission bomb the ferry terminals at Messina and Villa San Giovanni; 27 B-24's sent against Naples find the target totally obscured by clouds; 9 bomb the area through overcast and 3 bomb Augusta and Crotone.
In Sicily, 24 B-24's sent to attack Palermo abort because of heavy clouds over the target.
In Tunisia, P-40's fly 9 armored reconnaissance and 6 fighter-bomber and escort missions.
SATURDAY, 3 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, B-25's the bomb Sfax-El Maou area during the night of 2/3 Apr. P-40's fly fighter-bomber missions N of Gabes.
HQ, 12th Bombardment Group (Medium) and it's 434th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) with B-25's transfer from El Assa, Libya to Medenine, Tunisia.
SUNDAY, 4 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, B-24's attack Naples, concentrating on the dock area.
In Sicily, RAF Liberators, under operational control of the IX Bomber Command, bomb Palermo.
The 83d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 12th Bombardment Group (Medium) with B-25's transfers from El Assa, Libya to Medenine, Tunisia.
TUESDAY, 6 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Sicily, B-24's hit the ferry and slips at Messina harbor.
In Italy, RAF Liberators, under IX Bomber Command control, bomb the Naples area and rail facilities in Messina, Sicily.
In Tunisia, B-25's fly 2 missions against concentrations in the Oued el Akarit region, scoring hits on buildings, tanks, and numerous vehicles.
P-40's fly escort, fighter sweep, and strafing operations, attacking guns, vehicles and personnel as the British Eighth Army begin their assault on Oued el Akarit from which the enemy begins withdrawing during the night.
HQ 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it"s 514th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) with B-24's transfer from Soluch, Libya to Bengasi, Libya.
WEDNESDAY, 7 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Sicily, B-24's attack Palermo harbor.
In Tunisia, B-25's bomb retreating columns which are being pursued N of Oued el Akarit by the the British Eighth Army's 30 and 10 Corps. Fighters carry out bombing and strafing operations the battle area.
THURSDAY, 8 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, P-40's fly 29 bomber escort, armed reconnaissance, and fighter-bomber missions against retreating column along coast N of Gabes.
FRIDAY, 9 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, P-40's in a fighter-bomber role attack Sfax, as the British Eighth Army, in pursuit of the retreating enemy, reaches a position a few miles to the SW of the coast.
SATURDAY, 10 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, B-24's bomb the harbor at Naples.
In Sicily, RAF Liberators, under operation control of the IX Bomber Command, hit Palermo.
In Tunisia, Allied ground forces take Sfax and continue N to La Hencha.
HQ IX Fighter Command is transferred from Egypt to Tripoli, Libya. Personnel are to be moved from Egypt over a period of several weeks.
SUNDAY, 11 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, B-24's attack Naples harbor. AA is intense and fighters attack B-24's from all sides, knocking 1 down. The B-24's claim destruction of 3 fighters.
In Tunisia, B-25's attack motor transport and concentrations N of Sfax as Allied ground troops push toward Sousse.
HQ 340th Bombardment Group (Medium) and it's 486th and 487th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) with B-25C's transfer from El Kabrit, Egypt to Medenine, Tunisia.
MONDAY, 12 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, B-24's of the 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) sent to attack Naples harbor, are prevented by bad weather from bombing the primary target. About half return without bombing while the others hit Cosenza and Crotone. Other heavy bombers of the same group, in a subsequent mission, bomb Naples and the secondary target of Pizzo.
In Sicily, RAF Liberators, under operational control of the IX Bomber Command, are dispatched against Palermo. The primary target is attacked, in spite of total cloud cover, but most of bomb tonnage is dropped in Messina, Italy harbor.
In ground action in Tunisia, the British 10 Corps captures Sousse and heads north.
TUESDAY, 13 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Sicily, B-24's are dispatched against the harbor at Catania. Total cloud cover prevents visual contact with the target. One drops bombs in the target area, but others jettison their load or return to base without bombing.
In the Mediterranean, P-40's fly convoy escort.
In Tunisia, the British Eight Army's 10 Corps, continuing N reaches an anti-tank ditch guarding new enemy positions at Enfidaville and unsuccessfully attempts, on a limited scale, to force a retreat before the line can be strengthened.
The 488th and 489th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium), 340th Bombardment Group (Medium) with B-25's transfer from El Kabrit, Egypt to Medenine, Tunisia.
WEDNESDAY, 14 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, P-40's fly convoy escort, and carry out fighter sweeps over the battle area as the British Eighth Army's 10 Corps continues to make quick jabs at positions at Enfidaville. These attempts to force an enemy retreat are unsuccessful.
The 314th, 315th and 316th Fighter Squadrons, 324th Fighter Group with P-40's transfer from Libya to Tunisia.
THURSDAY, 15 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, RAF Liberators, under operational control of the IX Bomber Command, hit Naples and Messina.
In Sicily, B-24's attack Catania and Palermo.
In Tunisia, B-25's hit the airfield and area near a fuel dump at Sainte-Marie du Zit. P-40's fly reconnaissance and sea patrol.
HQ 12th Bombardment Group (Medium) transfers from Medenine, Tunisia to Sfax, Tunisia.
The 515th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) with B-24D's transfers from Soluch, Libya to Bengasi, Libya.
FRIDAY, 16 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Sicily, B-24's attack a tanker in Catania harbor, scoring several hits on the target and in surrounding areas.
In Tunisia, fighters fly sea patrol. The British Eighth Army abandons their attempts to force a German retreat from Enfidaville by quick jabs and prepares to launch a full-scale assault during the night of 19/20 Apr.
The 83d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 12th Bombardment Group (Medium) and 488th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 340th Bombardment Group (Medium), both with B-25's, transfer from Medenine, Tunisia to Sfax, Tunisia.
The 512th and 513th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) with B-24's transfer from Soluch, Libya to Bengasi, Libya.
SATURDAY, 17 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Sicily, B-24's (including Liberator Mk II's of the RAF 178 Squadron, under operational control of the IX Bomber Command) bomb Catania.
In Tunisia, P-40's fly sweeps, sea patrol, and fighter-bomber missions.
HQ 340th Bombardment Group (Medium) and it's 486th and 487th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) with B-25's and the 434th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 12th Bombardment Group (Medium) with B-25's transfer from Medenine, Tunisia to Sfax, Tunisia.
SUNDAY, 18 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
Off Cap Bon, 46 P-40F's of the 57th Fighter Group's three squadrons (64th, 65th and 66th Fighter Squadrons) and the attached 314th Fighter Squadron, 324th Fighter Group, plus 11 Spitfires of the RAF 92 Squadron flying top cover, take off to patrol. At approximately 1800 hours, they spot 2 Bf 109's and an armada of 65 Ju 52/3m transports heading back to Sicily for more supplies. The transports are in three great vees, covered by 16 Bf109's and Mc 202's and 5 Bf 110's. The 64th Fighter Squadron and the RAF Spitfires stay high; the remaining 3 squadrons of P-40's attack the Luftwaffe formation and down 24 Ju 53/3m's and 16 fighters; another 35 Ju52/3m's crash along the coast.
In Sicily, B-24's attack Catania.
In Tunisia, P-40's fly sweeps, armored reconnaissance, escort, and fighter-bomber missions. B-25's hit landing grounds.
MONDAY, 19 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, B-25's hit landing grounds and defensive positions, and P-40's escort bombers and fly fighter sweeps as the British Eighth Army opens an assault on Enfidaville positions.
TUESDAY, 20 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, P-40's fly sweeps, reconnaissance, and fighter-bomber missions as British ground forces take Enfidaville E and push N. Forces on the left are checked by stubborn enemy resistance at Djebel Garci.
WEDNESDAY, 21 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, RAF Liberators, under operational control of the IX Bomber Command, bomb Naples.
In Tunisia, P-40's bomb and strafe barges along the coast. The British Eighth Army meets such fierce opposition at Takrouna that General Montgomery decides to confine the offensive to the coastal region.
THURSDAY, 22 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, P-40's fly fighter sweeps over the battle area along the Gulf of Hammamet.
FRIDAY, 23 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, B-25's attack a landing ground, troops, and artillery N of Enfidaville. P-40's fly escort, sweeps, and fighter-bomber missions in the battle area.
SATURDAY, 24 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, RAF Liberators, under operational control of the IX Bomber Command, bomb Naples.
In Tunisia, P-40's escort bombers, fly sweeps, and carry out fighter-bomber operations against troops in the battle area N of Enfidaville.
SUNDAY, 25 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, B-25's attack landings grounds, concentrations, and vehicles N and NW of Enfidaville. P-40's escort bombers and fly fighter sweeps over the battle area.
TUESDAY, 27 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Tunisia, P-40's bomb and strafe concentrations N and NW of Enfidaville.
WEDNESDAY, 28 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, B-24's attack the harbor at Naples and the ferry slip at Messina. Gunners claim 5 fighters destroyed.
In Tunisia, P-40's escort bombers and attack troops in the battle area N of Enfidaville.
FRIDAY, 30 APRIL 1943
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
In Italy, B-24's attack the Messina ferry; bombs hit the target area and nearby marshalling yard and the city area.
In the Mediterranean, P-4O's fly fighter-bomber missions against shipping with excellent results, claiming 1 destroyer and 3 other vessels sunk, and 2 destroyers and 2 boats damaged. Fighters claim 5 Bf 109's shotdown; 3 P-40's are lost.
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
