2641st Special Group
Encyclopedia
The 2641st Special Group (Provisional) is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last assignment was with Fifteenth Air Force
, based at Rosignano Airfield, Italy
. It was inactivated on 20 May 1945.
(OSS) agents behind enemy lines in Italy
and the Balkans
and the supply of resistance and partisan forces operating in these areas. The bulk of the operation was in support of the 2677th Regiment OSS (Provisional) at Bari Airfield, Italy. Later targets would include Austria
as OSS efforts concentrated on the rumored construction of a "National Redoubt" in the Austrian Alps from which a last ditch defense of Nazism was anticipated.
in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
, December 1944-May 1945. The 885th Bomb Squadron operated primarily in Italy
. The 859th Bomb Squadron operated primarily in the Balkans
. When weather conditions made it advisable to operate in one area or the other, both squadrons were employed in the same area.
The squadrons of the Special Group operated specially modified B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberator
s painted all black with very limited identification markings. The 885th operated both types of aircraft while the 859th operated only Liberators. The aircrews were trained in low-altitude night operations in which the pilot, navigator, and bombardier worked together to guide the aircraft to the drop zone (DZ). This often necessitated traversing mountainous terrain followed by descent into deep valleys, in darkness, guided in the final approach by the eyes of the bombardier and the hands of the pilot. Final approach to the DZ was at an altitude of a few hundred feet at near stall speeds.
Several Distinguished Unit Citations and numerous commendations were award to the two squadrons and to the 2641st Special Group (Prov) as a result of their efforts. The 859th received the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for support of the French Resistance
during Operation Carpetbagger
in the summer of 1944. At the time the 859th was based at RAF Harrington
, England with the 801st/492d Bombardment Group
, Eighth Air Force
.
The 885th was also awarded the Croix de Guerre with Palm for operations in support of the French Resistance and a Distinguished Unit Citation for operations on the night of 12/13 August 1944. On that date the 885th, while based at Blida Airport
, Algeria, delivered a total of 18 agents and 67,000 pounds of war material to the Resistance in the south of France.
The 2641st Special Group (Prov) received a Unit Citation for operations in Italy's Po Valley
on the night of 17/18 February 1945 in which both the 885th and 859th squadrons participated. Again, the Special Group was designated the 15th Special Group (Prov) at the time of this operation but by the time the Unit Citation was issued it had been designated the 2641st Special Group (Prov) and, according to Col. MacCloskey, the Unit Citation carried that designation.
At the peak of its operations in February 1945, the Special Group delivered thirty-four agents and over two million pounds of weapons and supplies while operating twenty-six out of twenty-eight days and flying approximately one-half million miles. Three hundred and fifty-four successful sorties (nearly 14 per day on average) were flown out of four hundred and eighty-six attempts. The vast majority of unsuccessful sorties were the result of "no reception" at the target drop zones. This feat was accomplished by forty-eight aircrews, thirty-four aircraft, and their ground support personnel.
These efforts were not without cost. During its brief five month period of operation (January - May), the Special Group lost to flak, fighters and the hazards of special operations a total of seven aircraft with thirty-five crewman killed in action. These losses were on top of previous losses suffered by the two component squadrons in their prior assignments. In addition, as a result of these losses, several crewmen of the Special Group spent time in German prisoner of war camps during the last days of the war in Europe.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. Its last assignment was with Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
, based at Rosignano Airfield, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It was inactivated on 20 May 1945.
Overview
Thus the primary mission of the Special Group was insertion and supply of Office of Strategic ServicesOffice of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
(OSS) agents behind enemy lines in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
and the supply of resistance and partisan forces operating in these areas. The bulk of the operation was in support of the 2677th Regiment OSS (Provisional) at Bari Airfield, Italy. Later targets would include Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
as OSS efforts concentrated on the rumored construction of a "National Redoubt" in the Austrian Alps from which a last ditch defense of Nazism was anticipated.
History
Engaged in special operationsSpecial operations
Special operations are military operations that are considered "special" .Special operations are typically performed independently or in conjunction with conventional military operations. The primary goal is to achieve a political or military objective where a conventional force requirement does...
in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Mediterranean Theater of Operations
The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army was originally called North African Theater of Operations and is an American term for the conflict that took place between the Allies and Axis Powers in North Africa and Italy during World War II...
, December 1944-May 1945. The 885th Bomb Squadron operated primarily in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The 859th Bomb Squadron operated primarily in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. When weather conditions made it advisable to operate in one area or the other, both squadrons were employed in the same area.
The squadrons of the Special Group operated specially modified B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
s painted all black with very limited identification markings. The 885th operated both types of aircraft while the 859th operated only Liberators. The aircrews were trained in low-altitude night operations in which the pilot, navigator, and bombardier worked together to guide the aircraft to the drop zone (DZ). This often necessitated traversing mountainous terrain followed by descent into deep valleys, in darkness, guided in the final approach by the eyes of the bombardier and the hands of the pilot. Final approach to the DZ was at an altitude of a few hundred feet at near stall speeds.
Several Distinguished Unit Citations and numerous commendations were award to the two squadrons and to the 2641st Special Group (Prov) as a result of their efforts. The 859th received the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for support of the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
during Operation Carpetbagger
Operation Carpetbagger
During World War II, Operation Carpetbagger was a general term used for the aerial resupply of weapons and other matériel to resistance fighters in France, Italy and the Low Countries by the U.S...
in the summer of 1944. At the time the 859th was based at RAF Harrington
RAF Harrington
RAF Harrington is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located west of Kettering in Northamptonshire south of the village of Harrington across the B576 road, now the A14.-USAAF use:...
, England with the 801st/492d Bombardment Group
492d Bombardment Group
The 492d Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Second Air Force, stationed at Kirtland Field, New Mexico. It was inactivated on 17 October 1945....
, Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
.
The 885th was also awarded the Croix de Guerre with Palm for operations in support of the French Resistance and a Distinguished Unit Citation for operations on the night of 12/13 August 1944. On that date the 885th, while based at Blida Airport
Blida Airport
Blida Airport is an airport in Blida, Algeria .On November 8th, 1942, during World War II, the airport was taken by the British 11th Infantry Brigade. The event was part of the Operation Torch of the North African Campaign.Major A...
, Algeria, delivered a total of 18 agents and 67,000 pounds of war material to the Resistance in the south of France.
The 2641st Special Group (Prov) received a Unit Citation for operations in Italy's Po Valley
Po Valley
The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain is a major geographical feature of Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of 46,000 km² including its Venetic extension not actually related to the Po River basin; it runs from the Western Alps to the...
on the night of 17/18 February 1945 in which both the 885th and 859th squadrons participated. Again, the Special Group was designated the 15th Special Group (Prov) at the time of this operation but by the time the Unit Citation was issued it had been designated the 2641st Special Group (Prov) and, according to Col. MacCloskey, the Unit Citation carried that designation.
At the peak of its operations in February 1945, the Special Group delivered thirty-four agents and over two million pounds of weapons and supplies while operating twenty-six out of twenty-eight days and flying approximately one-half million miles. Three hundred and fifty-four successful sorties (nearly 14 per day on average) were flown out of four hundred and eighty-six attempts. The vast majority of unsuccessful sorties were the result of "no reception" at the target drop zones. This feat was accomplished by forty-eight aircrews, thirty-four aircraft, and their ground support personnel.
These efforts were not without cost. During its brief five month period of operation (January - May), the Special Group lost to flak, fighters and the hazards of special operations a total of seven aircraft with thirty-five crewman killed in action. These losses were on top of previous losses suffered by the two component squadrons in their prior assignments. In addition, as a result of these losses, several crewmen of the Special Group spent time in German prisoner of war camps during the last days of the war in Europe.
Lineage
- Established by General Orders (GO) Number 284 issued by Headquarters Fifteenth Air ForceFifteenth Air ForceThe Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
(HQ 15th AAF) on 18 January 1945, which authorized organization of the 15th Special Group (Provisional) as of 0001 hours, 20 January 1945.
-
- Group had actually formed on 17 December 1944
- Redesignated as: 2641st Special Group (Provisional) on 6 March 1945.
- Inactivated on: 20 May 1945
Stations
- Brindisi Airfield, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, 17 December 1944 - Rosignano AirfieldRosignano AirfieldRosignano Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, located near the comune of Rosignano Marittimo in the Province of Livorno in Tuscany....
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, 24 March-20 May 1945
Aircraft
- B-17 Flying Fortress, 1944–1945
- B-24 LiberatorB-24 LiberatorThe Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
, 1944–1945 - Other aircraft types were used as needed
Components
- 885th Bombardment Squadron885th Bombardment SquadronThe 885th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Fifteenth Air Force, stationed at Pomigliano Airfield, Italy. It was inactivated on 15 October 1945-History:...
(Attached), 17 December 1944-20 May 1945 - 859th Bombardment Squadron859th Bombardment SquadronThe 859th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Strategic Air Forces, based at Bari Airfield, Italy...
(Attached), 17 December 1944-20 May 1945