15th Army Air Corps

My Grandfather was Corporal Leonard Burnette of the 15th Army Air Corps of WWII.  I know he did Basic At Fort Bragg (NC),  AIT somwhere in Texas.  Left NY City on a Ship Headed for North Africa.  They landed at Tunis,  Tunishia and continued across the continent until below Sicily.  They then turned north  Passing through Sicily and Italy on their wat to Germany but the war ended before they could get there.  He visited the following places;  the ancient city of Pompeii,  Venice,  Rome,  and Naples Italy.  He served in various jobs  cook,  guard of POW's,  Barber and   Medic.  He never talked about the battles he fought in just the good times he and his friends had when they were not fighting.  He once told me that in the begining they were the army then they transfered his unit to the Air Force.  What you tell me about the 15th army Air Corps and the battles the fought on the ground?

Hi Chris,
You seem to have a lot of information on your grandfather.  We just need to sort it out and find out what's what. 
 
1) Where are you getting that he was in the 15th Army Air Force?
2) Where are you getting his missions through Italy?
3) When was he in the service? In Italy?
4) Do you have his discharge papers?
 
Help us help you out,
Brian
 
 

Fort Bragg, NC was basicly an airborne training facility. They did have army field artillery units training there along with the airborne artillery. There were other units that took basic training in other camps that passed through Fort Bragg for whatever reason. The itinerary you allude to sounds like one my friend and neighbor of the 1st armored infantry took. He never came back.

I' m still trying to sort out everything, all the info helps.  I described the 15th patch to my dad and he said he had the patch at home.  Sounds like I am on the right track.  My Grandad (Pappy as i called him)  only mentioned airplanes twice to me once was his return trip to US,  the other dropped a bomb in the North African Desert.  Thanks Guys,       Still Digging 

Mark...This is confusing to me...from the sound of this...the grandfather was in the Army, but , may have been attached to the Army Air Forces.

It sounds as if he might have participated in one bombing mission...as a trade...some ground personnel DID trade off where the airman went to the ground forces and the trooper flew on a mission, on a one time setup.

He may have been given the 15th Patch (If that is what it is) as a mememto.

The cook, POW guard,barber and medic, sound like a ground troop...at my squadron in Italy, the barbers were  local Italians, and each squadron had a small medical clinic, composed of a Doctor and assistant.  The Doctor was a specialist in babies at the time I was there, and the assistant was transferred to the Infantry after he locked himself in the dispensary on a three day drunk, where he drank all the medicinal whiskey.

This is just a guess on my part, as in my experience, there was only an occasional trade between the airmen and ground troops.
 
An aircrew was trained as a family, and pretty much were together for thier tour, with a replacement crewmember only where necessary, once a crew was established.

I may be incorrect in this as my participation was late in the war.

Jim :-)

When I refer to ground troops, I mean the Infantry, Tank Corps, and the like.
 
Anyone associated with the USAAF had some sort of aviation designation....Aviation Engineers, as an example.
 
Even the airfield construction units were tied in with the USAAF, because they were trained in airfield construction.
 
I have never seen, during WW II, any other units of the Army involved with the USAAF.
 
Now someone will probably correct me, but, it shouid be only isolated cases, and not the norm.
 
Jim :-)

 
I thank you for your explanation...I am rather limited in my knowledge of any thing other than my job, as a flight crew member...and I sometimes talk when I should listen...my wife always told me I talk too much...and I will yield the floor to someone as you.

I apologize if I have led anyone astray.

Jim :-)

New to this forum. My father was discharged in 1945 from the 15th Fighter Control Squadron. He talked about, and had old photos, of North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. Does anyone know what Air Force he was assigned to? I believe it was the 12th AF, then later the 15th. What fighter wing? Please respond. thank you

Ok SHAEF1944, why do you even reply to off-subject questions.  I think they should be posted as an original thread, but I realize that it's hard to police.  Besides that, you still didn't tell him which Fighter Wing it was with.

THERE IS NO SUCH UNIT AS 15TH ARMY AIR CORPS.  CALL IT BY IT'S PROPER NAME, 15TH AIR FORCE or FIFTEENTH AIR FORCE, EVEN BETTER!!!