Operation Husky order of battle
Operation Husky order of battle is a listing of the significant military and air force units that were involved in the campaign for Sicily, July 10 – August 17, 1943. Allied forces. Allied Forces Headquarters - Mediterranean Supreme Commander: General Dwight D. Eisenhower Allied 15th Army Group. The Allied 15th Army Group was under the command of General Sir Harold Alexander. U.S. Seventh Army. The U.S. Seventh Army was commanded by Lieutenant General George S. Patton. U.S. II Corps. The U.S. II Corps was commanded by Lieutenant General Omar Bradley. U.S. Provisional Corps. Commanded by Major General  Geoffrey Keyes. British Eighth Army. The British Eighth Army was under the command of General Sir Bernard Montgomery. The British 46th Infantry Division formed a floating reserve, but it did not participate in the Sicily campaign. Army Troops British XIII Corps. XIII Corps was commanded by Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey. British XXX Corps. XXX Corps was commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver Leese. Allied Mediterranean Naval Command. The Naval forces were under the command of Admiral of the Fleet Sir. Andrew Cunningham and was divided into several Task Forces. Covering Force. The role of the covering force was to prevent  the Italian Navy from attacking the invasion forces. Eastern Naval Task Force. Eastern Naval task Force transported the Eastern Task Force (British Eighth Army) and provided Naval gunfire support. Western Naval Task Force. The Western Naval Task Force transported the Western Task Force (Seventh U.S. Army) and provided Naval gunfire support. Allied Air Forces. At the time of Operation Husky, the Allied air forces in the North African and Mediterranean theatres were organized as the Mediterranean Air Command (MAC) under the command of Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder of the Royal Air Force. The major subdivisions of the MAC  included the Northwest African Air Forces (NAAF) under the command of Lt. General Carl Spaatz of the U.S. Army Air Forces, the American 12th Air Force (also commanded by Gen. Spaatz), the American 9th Air Force under the command of Lt. General Lewis H. Brereton, and units of the British Royal Air Force (RAF). Also supporting the NAAF were the RAF Middle East Command, Air Headquarters Malta, RAF Gibraltar, and the No. 216 (Transfer and Ferry) Group, which were subdivisions of MAC under the command of Tedder. He reported to the Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower for the NAAF  operations, but to the British Chiefs of Staff for RAF Command operations. Air Headquarters Malta, under the command of Air Vice-Marshal Sir Keith Park, also supported Operation Husky. The "Desert Air Task Force" consisting of American B-25 Mitchell medium bombers (the 12th and 340th Bombardment Groups) and Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighters (the 57th, 79th, and 324th Fighter Groups) from the 9th Air Force served under the command of Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham of the Northwest African Tactical Air Force. These bomber and fighter groups moved to new airfields on Sicily as soon as a significant beachhead had been  captured there. In the MAC organization established at the Casablanca Conference in January 1943, the 9th Air Force was assigned as a subdivision of the RAF Middle East Command under the command of Air Chief Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas. Mediterranean Air Command (Allied). Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder had his headquarters in Algiers, Algeria. Northwest African Air Forces. Lt. General Carl Spaatz had his headquarters for the Northwest African Air Forces in Maison-Carrée, Algeria Northwest African Strategic Air Force. Maj. General James H. Doolittle, in command of the Northwest African Strategic Air Force, had his headquarters in Constantine , Algeria Northwest African Coastal Air Force. Air Vice-Marshal Sir Hugh Lloyd also had his headquarters in Algiers. Notes: Northwest African Tactical Air Force. Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham had his headquarters in Hammamet, Tunisia Air Vice Marshal Harry Broadhurst Air Commodore Laurence Sinclair For Operation Husky, No. 242 Group, originally a component of NATAF in February 1943, was assigned to the Northwest African Coastal Air Force (NACAF). At the same time, Air Headquarters, Western Desert became known as the Desert Air Force. All of the fighter units of Desert Air Force formed No. 211 (Offensive Fighter) Group commanded by  Air Commodore Richard Atcherley on April 11, 1943 in Tripoli. The 99th Fighter Squadron was assigned to the XII Air Support Command on May 28, 1943, and later made a part of the 33rd Fighter Group. Northwest African Troop Carrier Command. United States Paul Williams, in Tunisia To help carry out transport and supply operations for Operation Husky, in mid-1943 the American 315th Troop Carrier Group (34th & 43rd Squadrons) had been flown from England to Tunisia. There it was assigned to the Mediterranean Air Transport Service, and along with NATCC, this was a subdivision of the Mediterranean Air Command. Northwest  African Photographic Reconnaissance Wing. Colonel Elliott Roosevelt had his headquarters at La Marsa, Tunisia Northwest African Air Service Command. Brig. General Delmar had his headquarters in Dunton, Algiers. Northwest African Training Command. Brig. General John K. Cannon, U.S. APO 525 Air Headquarters Malta. Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park, the commander of Air Headquarters Malta, had his headquarters in Valletta, Malta No. 216 (Transport and Ferry) Group. Air Commodore Whitney Straight, Headquarters at Heliopolis, Egypt RAF Gibraltar. Air Vice Marshal Sturley Simpson had his headquarters in Gibraltar Middle East Command. Air Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas Headquarters at Cairo, Egypt No. 201  (Naval Co-operation) Group. Air Vice Marshal Thomas Langsford-Sainsbury, Headquarters at Alexandria, Egypt No Wing assignment: 701 Naval Air Squadron (FAA), Walrus Air-Sea Rescue Note: RAF=Royal Air Force; RAAF=Royal Australian Air Force; SAAF=South African Air Force; FAA=Fleet Air Arm (Royal Navy); Det.= "detachment" Air Headquarters Air Defences Eastern Mediterranean. Air Vice Marshal Richard Saul Notes: SAAF=South African Air Force; RAAF=Royal Australian Air Forces; Det.=Detached; Met.=Meteorological. U.S. 9th Air Force. Major General Lewis H. Brereton had his headquarters in Cairo, Egypt Axis Forces. Armed Forces Command Sicily . The Armed Forces Command Sicily based in Enna under Generale d'Armata Alfredo Guzzoni had command of all axis forces on Sicily. Italian 6th Army. The Royal Italian Army's 6th Army co-located with Armed Forces Command Sicily in Enna and also commanded by Generale d'Armata Alfredo Guzzoni had command of all Royal Italian Army and German Army units on Sicily. The German Army Liaison Officer was Generalleutnant Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin The 6th Army fielded more than 100 Anti-paratrooper units of about 30 men each. These units, with the oldest available local reservists, were tasked with searching  for allied personnel - paratroopers and pilots - which had parachuted into Siciliy behind the frontline. Italian XII Army Corps. Tactical Groups. Tactical groups were created from corps assets and detached units of the army corps's two infantry divisions. The groups were deployed near the beaches most likely to be used by the allies. Mobile Groups. Mobile groups were fully motorized battle groups created from corps assets and detached units of the army corps's two infantry divisions. The groups were deployed near the beaches most likely to be used by the allies. XII Army Corps Reserve. The 26th Infantry Division  Assietta had been transferred from its bases and recruiting area in eastern Piedmont to Sicily in August 1941. The division's pre-deployment headquarters were in Asti, while's its two infantry regiments had been based in Asti (29th) and Tortona (30th), with the division's artillery regiment also based at Asti. The 28th Infantry Division "Aosta" was one of three divisions, which recruited in Sicily. It mainly drafted men from western Sicily and had its peacetime headquarters in Palermo. It's two infantry regiments were based in Trapani (5th) and Palermo (6th), where also the division's artillery regiment  was based. Italian XVI Army Corps. Tactical Groups. Tactical groups were created from corps assets and detached units of the army corps's two infantry divisions. The groups were deployed near the beaches most likely to be used by the allies. Mobile Groups. Mobile groups were fully motorized battle groups created from corps assets and detached units of the army corps's two infantry divisions. The groups were deployed near the beaches most likely to be used by the allies. XVI Army Corps Reserve. The 4th Infantry Division "Livorno" had been transferred from its bases and recruiting area in southern  Piedmont to Sicily in February 1943. Initially intended as reinforcement for Army Group Africa fighting in Tunisia, the Army Group's disastrous situation and retreat to Tunis prevented the division's transfer to Tunisia. The division's pre-deployment headquarters were in Cuneo, while's its two infantry regiments had been based in Cuneo (33rd) and Fossano (34th), where also the division's artillery regiment had been based. The 54th Infantry Division "Napoli" was one of three divisions, which recruited in Sicily. It mainly drafted men from southern Sicily and had its peacetime headquarters in Caltanissetta. It's two infantry  regiments were based in Syracuse (75th) and Agrigento (76th), while the division's artillery regiment was based in Caltanissetta. German XIV Panzer Corps. The XIV Panzer Corps was activated 18 July 1943 to take command of the 15th Panzergrenadier Division, the Hermann Göring Division, the newly arrived 1st Parachute Division and the 29th Panzergrenadier Division which started to arrive in Sicily on 18 July. The commanding general was General der Panzertruppe Hans-Valentin Hube. Territorial Defense Command Palermo. The Territorial Defense Command was tasked with rear area security duties, the training of recruits, and the formation of units. The 29th  Infantry Division "Piemonte" was one of three infantry divisions, which recruited in Sicily. It mainly drafted men from eastern Sicily and had its peacetime headquarters in Messina. It's two infantry regiments were based in Messina (3rd) and Catania (4th), with the division's artillery regiment based also in Messina. In September 1940 the division was transferred to Albania and remained in the Balkans and Greece until it disbanded after the Italian-Allied Armistice of Cassibile. Maritime Military Command Sicily. Military harbors in Sicily were under command of the Royal Italian Navy's Maritime Military Command Sicily () in Messina, which  fell under Armed Forces Command Sicily. The command's commanding officer was Ammiraglio di Squadra Pietro Barone and a large majority of its units were Royal Italian Army and CC.NN. units. The only naval units in Sicily in July 1943 were twenty torpedo boats of the 3rd and 7th torpedo boat squadrons. Besides the three major commands listed below the Royal Italian Navy was also present with administrative Navy Commands in Catania, Palermo, and Porto Empedocle. Maritime Military Base Messina-Reggio Calabria. 6th CC.NN. Maritime Artillery Legion. After the allies had landed on Sicily the Maritime Military Base Messina-Reggio  Calabria was reinforced with every available anti-aircraft battery to protect the vital supply route over the Strait of Messina. Until the end of July the following anti-aircraft units had reached Messina: Additionally the German Army's 281st Flak Battalion had been transferred to Messina with eight 8.8 cm Flak and six smaller caliber anti-aircraft batteries. After arriving in Messina the 281st Battalion was renamed "Flak Subgroup Messina". Retreating Italian army troops brought a further three 75/46 and six 90/53 anti-aircraft batteries to Messina. On 2 August the retreating 22nd Flak Brigade of the Luftwaffe arrived in  Messina and took command of all Axis air-defense units. 14th CC.NN. Maritime Artillery Legion. Additionally the Luftwaffe's 182nd Heavy Flak Battalion had been transferred to Reggio Calabria with eight 8.8 cm Flak, four 10.5 cm Flak, and five smaller caliber anti-aircraft batteries. After arriving in Reggio Calabria the 182nd Battalion was renamed "Flak Subgroup Reggio-San Giovanni". The Germans also deployed four 17 cm cannon batteries as mobile coastal batteries on the Calabrian side of the strait. On 2 August the retreating 22nd Flak Brigade of the Luftwaffe arrived in Messina and took command of all Axis  air-defense units. Maritime Military Sector Augusta-Syracuse. The Maritime Military Sector Augusta-Syracuse was responsible for the harbors of Augusta and Syracuse, and the coast between Arenella (206th Coastal Division) to the South and Punta Castelluccio in Agnone Bagni (213th Coastal Division) to the North. Armored Trains. The Royal Italian Navy fielded 14 armored trains, which were equipped with naval guns that had been removed from decommissioned ships. Ten of the trains were assigned to the Armed Forces Command Sicily before the allied landings, with eight trains being transferred to Sicily and two based on the Italian mainland near  Reggio Calabria to provide fire for the defense of the Strait of Messina. The ten trains of the Armed Forces Command Sicily on 10 July 1943 were: The ten armored trains did not take part in any combat operation after the allied landings in Sicily, as the allies' absolute air supremacy prevent the trains from leaving their camouflaged shelters. The eight trains based in Sicily were blown up by their crews during the retreat from the island. Air Force Command Sicily. Airfields in Sicily were under command of the Royal Italian Air Force's Air Force Command Sicily, which fell  under Armed Forces Command Sicily. The commanding officer was Generale di divisione aerea Adriano Monti. Each airfield was garrisoned by two infantry companies, reinforced by two mortar squads with 81mm Mod. 35 mortars, and two artillery batteries with 149/12 howitzers. The airfields and units under command of Air Force Command Sicily on 10 July 1943, and the reinforcements, which arrived in Sicily on 10 and 11 July 1943, were: Airfields without flying units: 3rd Air Fleet. Bombers and torpedo-bombers of 3rd Air Fleet entered combat in support of Air Force Command Sicily starting from 10 July 1943. 4th  Air Fleet. Aircraft of the 4th Air Fleet based in Southern Italy entered combat in support of Air Force Command Sicily from 10 July 1943. At the same date reinforcements from other air fleets began to arrive in Southern Italy to reinforce 4th Air Fleet. Territorial Anti-aircraft Defense. The Territorial Anti-aircraft Defense ( - MDICAT) was an organization of the Italian National Fascist Party's Voluntary Militia for National Security tasked with static air-defense of cities and installations. The MDICAT was organized in 22 legions, which commanded all ground-based air-defense units, including Royal Italian Army and Royal  Italian Navy units, in their sector. The territorial anti-aircraft defense unit responsible for Sicily was the 22nd Territorial CC.NN. Anti-aircraft Legion. The list below gives an overview of the 22nd Legion's batteries sorted by cities with the respective services army (RA), navy (RN), and militia (CC.NN.) listed. The anti-aircraft batteries in Messina, Reggio Calabria, Augusta, and Trapani were detached to the Royal Italian Navy's maritime military commands in these cities. There were also single CC.NN. batteries at Portopalo di Capo Passero, Motta Sant'Anastasia, Vizzini, Pozzallo, Vittoria, Punta Secca, and Costa Raia, and two batteries at  Cassibile and two at Lercara Friddi. The Royal Italian Army had single batteries at Pachino, Acireale, Ragusa, and Roccapalumba. Other batteries deployed in Sicily in July 1943, whose location on the island is unknown, are listed below: Voluntary Militia for National Security. The Voluntary Militia for National Security ( - MVSN) was the Italian National Fascist Party's paramilitary wing. The MVSN had police functions and provided the regime with readily available paramilitary units for internal oppression. During WWII the MVSN raised military units, which were operationally assigned to Royal Italian Army or Royal Italian Navy commands. The MVSN's command authority  in Sicily was the 14th Zone and its legions, the units they raised for the defense of Sicily, and the commands these units were assigned to are listed below. Messina Evacuation. During "Operation Lehrgang" - the Axis evacuation from Sicily - the German evacuation efforts were under command of "Seetransportführer Messina" (Sea-transport-leader Messina) Kapitän zur See Gustav Freiherr von Liebenstein, while the Italian evacuation was organized by Ammiraglio di Squadra Pietro Barone. The Italians pressed every possible ship into service and used four evacuation routes across the Strait of Messina, while the Germans had brought three landing flotillas to Messina  for the evacuation.