page_title: Fifteenth Air Force
section_title: Initial Operations
hierarchical_section_title: Fifteenth Air Force / World War II / Initial Operations
caption_attribution_description: English: B-24 of the 451st Bombardment Group, Fifteenth Air Force
context_page_description: The Fifteenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command. It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base. 15 AF was reactivated on 20 August 2020 to consolidate the units of the Ninth Air Force and Twelfth Air Force to form a new numbered air force responsible for generating and presenting Air Combat Command’s conventional forces.
  Established on 1 November 1943, Fifteenth AF was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force deployed to the European Theater of World War II, engaging in strategic bombardment operations from bases in southern Italy and engaging in air-to-air fighter combat against enemy aircraft.
  During the Cold War, 15 AF was one of three Numbered Air Forces of the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command, commanding USAF strategic bombers and missiles on a global scale. Elements of 15th Air Force engaged in combat operations during the Korean War; Vietnam War, as well as Operation Desert Storm.
  15 AF was redesignated Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force on 1 October 2003.
context_section_description: The 15th Air Force began its operations on 1 November 1943, attacking the Rimini Marshalling yard. On 1 December 1943, the Headquarters was moved to Bari Airfield, Italy.
  On 4 January 1944, the Fifteenth, along with Twelfth Air Force, were organized into Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, along with the Royal Air Force 205 Group. MAAF was the southern component of U.S. Strategic Air Forces, Europe, the overall USAAF command and control organization in Europe.
  
  The first major operation carried out by Fifteenth Air Force was bombing missions in support of the Anzio Landings in Italy, Operation Shingle beginning on 22 January 1944. Strikes on German and fascist Italian targets were carried out and caused widespread damage to Axis forces.
caption: B-24 of the 451st Bomb Group
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