Mazzara Airfield
Mazzara Airfield.png) | |
|---|---|
| Part of Twelfth Air Force | |
| Coordinates | 37°41′34″N 012°36′35″E / 37.69278°N 12.60972°E |
| Type | Military airfield |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Army Air Forces |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1943 |
| In use | 1943 |
| Battles/wars | Operation Avalanche (invasion of Salerno, Italy) |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | 316th Troop Carrier Group |
Mazzara Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, which was located about 3 km north-northeast of Mazara del Vallo on Sicily.
It was built before 1943 and used by Axis forces before being sized by elements of the United States Fifth Army during the Sicilian Campaign. Once in Allied hands, it was used by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force 316th Troop Carrier Group between 1 September and 18 October 1943 [1] The unit had three squadrons of C-47 Skytrain transport aircraft, used for carrying cargo, personnel and for paratrooper combat drops. The first components were the 45th and 46th Troop Carrier Squadrons, arriving from Enfidaville Airfield, Tunisia on 1 September; Group headquarters and the 35th Troop Carrier Squadron arrived on 3 September[2]
The airfield was not used during Operation Husky (invasion of Sicily). It appears to have been a staging airfield for Operation Avalanche (invasion of Salerno, Italy). Since there were no airborne parachute landings during the Salareno invasion, it likely ferried supplies and personnel. Once Allied ground forces were on mainland Italy, the American use of the airfield appears to have ended; the 316th moved on to another airfield at Borizzo Airfield, Sicily.
When the Americans pulled out the airfield was abandoned. Today the outline of what may have been the main runway can be seen in aerial imagery.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
- ↑ Maurer, Maurer, Air Force Combat Units of World War II, Office of Air Force history (1961). ISBN 0-405-12194-6
- ↑ Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force: World War II Archived March 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1982.
