9/15/43 Mission:
The XII Air Support Command and other NATAF elements attack buildings, railroads, highways and motor transport in support of US Fifth Army as German counterattacks astride Sele River subside. British Eighth Army forces reach Saptri, threatening the enemy with entrapment between US and British forces.
9/16/43 Mission:
XII Air Support Command fighter-bombers maintain continuous sweeps over the Salerno beachhead and surrounding battle zone while other US and RAF elements of the NATAF (fighters, light and medium bombers) blast enemy aircraft, motor transport, troop concentrations and communications targets in the Contursi and Eboli areas. On the ground in Italy, US and British make patrol contact near Vallo della Lucania. The US Fifth Army ties in with Taranto invasion force to form an Allied line across S Italy.
9/17/43 Mission:
XII Air Support Command, NATBF, and other elements of NATAF escort naval vessels, and bomb rail and road junctions, motor transport, a marshalling yard, town areas, and various targets of opportunity in the Pompeii, Torre Annunziata, Salerno, Campagna, Sarno, Solofra, Montella, and Acerno areas. On the ground in Italy, US Fifth Army forces advancing on Altavila are pinned down however, the enemy retires to the N, completing a withdrawal from the battleline during the night. The British Eighth Army begins a general advance N toward Potenza and Auletta.
9/18/43 Mission:
In Italy, B-17's of the XII Bomber Command hit Viterbo airfield and Salerno-Avellino road, while B-25's and B-26's bomb the airfields at Ciampino and Pratica di Mare; B-25's fire 75mm shells at small vessels and a lighthouse near Capraia and between Pianosa and Corsica; P-38's on detached service with the NATAF strafe 4 satellite airfields at Foggia and bomb roads, railroads, bridges, and towns in the battle area. On the ground in Italy, US Seventh Army forces take Altavilla, Persano, and Battipaglia without opposition.
9/19/43 Mission:
In Italy, fighter-bombers of the XII Air Support Command and planes of other NATAF elements [US and RAF] concentrate on attacking roads and vehicles in the Benevento-Montesarchio- Contursi-Potenza-Avellino areas, and a railway station at Castelnuovo. On the ground in Italy, the US Fifth Army gains firm control of the Salerno plain, while the British Eighth Army troops take Potenza and Auletta.
9/20/43: The Private Snafu cartoon, “Infantry blues” is released: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0k7O5h_xFA
9/20/43 Mission:
XII Air Support Command A-36's attack and disperse enemy tank and troop concentrations forming near Nocera for a counterattack. Other AAF and RAF aircraft of the NATAF hit enemy movement in the Avellino-Naples-Potenza- Benevento-Calabritto-Pomigliano-Pescopagano areas. On the ground in Italy, the US Seventh Army starts into the mountains N of Salerno.
9/21/43 Mission:
In Italy, XII Bomber Command B-17's hit a bridge and the town area at Benevento; B-25's and B-26's hit landing craft and a ferry near Elba Island and bridges at Cancello Arnone and Capua; B-24's on detached service from the Eighth Air Force bomb Leghorn and Bastia; medium bombers and fighter-bombers of the NATBF and XII Air Support Command hit town areas, troop concentrations, trucks and tanks, and targets of opportunity in the Solofra-Avellino-Benevento areas.
9/22/43 Mission:
NATBF and XII Air Support Command airplanes hit troop concentrations and gun positions near Serino and Santa Lucia di Serino, road block at Nocera, town and roads at Fisciano, the town of Pagani, tanks and trucks between Acerno and Montella and in the Foggia area, vessels and docks at Manfredonia, the town of Camarella, and the landing ground at Capua.
9/23/43 Mission:
In Italy, XII Bomber Command B-26's bomb bridges at Cancello Arnone and 3 miles (4.8 km) NE of Capua; planes of the NATBF and XII Air Support Command attack motor transport, roads, railroads, town areas, gun positions, and targets of opportunity in the areas of San Severino Rota, Avellino, Sarno, Torre Annunziata, Aversa, Nocera, Resina, Serino, Pompeii, and Camarella.
9/24/43 Mission:
In Italy, B-25's and B-26's of the XII Bomber Command hit roads, railways, bridges, and junctions at Grottaminarda, Maddaloni, Benevento, Avellino, Capua,Cancello Arnone, Amorosi, Ponte, and Mignano, and attack a destroyer between Corsica and Elba Island; B-24's on detached service from the Eighth Air Force bomb the marshalling yard at Pisa; US and RAF planes of the NATBF, XII Air Support Command, and other elements of the NATAF attack vehicles, roads, troop concentrations, and gun positions around Santa Lucia di Serino, Serino, Caserta, Benevento, Camarella, Baronissi, Nocera, Montemarano, and San Severo. HQ 47th Bombardment Group (Light) and it's 84th and 85th Bombardment Squadrons (Light) transfer from Gerbini, Sicily to Grottaglie, Italy with A-20's.
9/25/43 Mission:
US and RAF aircraft of the NATBF, XII Air Support Command, and RAF DAF hit Serino (causing a roadblock), troop concentrations at Sarno, gun positions, troops, and vehicles near Nocera, Aquino airfield, a storage dump N of Foggia and a dredger at Termoli.
9/25/43 V-Mail Sicily
Marfy:
Guess what! This being written with my new pen. At long last, it arrived, and both it and the pencil are the nuts. But that was just a fine climax to a string of pleasant events.
I got to spend a day and a half in Tunis and was it fun. I stayed at Gozlands. Mama and Rita dressed me up in a pair of Marsala silk pajamas and a lounging robe and boy, was I queen of the May. I even got breakfast in bed (at 10 A.M.) My twin, Butch (Edith Butcher, and the other two Muffins, Ruth Hathaway and Evi Floyd, were over, and it was almost like being home. I went swimming at Hammamet, and the water was phosphorescent.
When I got back, after flying at 30 feet all the way from Africa, I found the package, your letter of the 5th, and, of all things, a letter from Cliff! I shall answer when I get some V-Mail blanks.
John Harsh is a Major! Willie is still at same place. Be good and write both of them.
I wish you’d get your packages from Malta. All my love, baby. Thanks again for the package.
Your Cy
P.S. Phooey on publicity, but I guess it is OK.