Detailed history

41°08'14"N 015°55'12"E

runway: ..L/..R - ...x..m - PSP
runway: ..R/..L - ...x..m - PSP

Pantanella airfield was a semi-permanent airfield located approximately 15km south of the Cerignola, Apulia, Italy.
It was part of the Foggia Airfield Complex, a series of World War II military airfields located within a 25 mile (40 km) radius of Foggia. It had extensive taxiways, hardstand parking areas, a steel control tower and capacity for approximately 150 heavy bombers with large support facilities with blister hangars as well as wooden structures. The airfield was completed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers with two parallel PSP runways in May 1944.
The airfield opened months earlier, in February 1944, and became home to two Heavy Bomber Groups of the 15th Air Force, composed of 6 squadrons in total. Both Bomb Groups (464BG(H) and 465BG(H)) flew the B-24 Liberator and participated in both strategic and tactical bombing missions throughout southern and eastern Europe. Over time both Groups earned two Distinguished Unit Citations whilst at Pantanella.
After V-E Day, both Groups were assigned to 'Green Project', which was the return of troops from Europe to the United States via the South Atlantic Transport Route. For this role B-24s were modified with sealed bomb bays, the removal of all defensive armament, and internal fuselage equipped with seating to carry approximately 30 personnel. The airfield remained in operation until the end of the war and closed in July 1945.

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