Lecce Airfield

40°14′30″N 018°7′59.75″E / 40.24167°N 18.1332639°E / 40.24167; 18.1332639TypeMilitary airfieldSite informationControlled byUnited States Army Air ForcesSite historyBuilt1943In use1943-1945

Lecce Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, which is located approximately 8.5 miles southwest from Lecce in the Salentine Peninsula. Built in 1943 by United States Army Engineers, the airfield was primarily a Fifteenth Air Force B-24 Liberator heavy bomber base used in the strategic bombing of Germany. Lecce was also used by tactical aircraft of Twelfth Air Force in the Italian Campaign.

Known units assigned to the airfield were:

• 98th Bombardment Group, 17 January 1944 – 19 April 1945, B-24 Liberator, (15AF)
• 82d Fighter Group, 10 October 1943 – 11 January 1944, P-38 Lightning, (12AF)
• 416th Night Fighter Squadron, 27–30 September 1943, Bristol Beaufighter (12 AF)

The airfield today operates as Aviosuperficie Lecce Fondone, military operationes shifted to Lecce Galatina Air Base.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.

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