U.S. WW2 USAAF 15TH AIRFORCE PATCH ORIGINAL

This is an original U.S. 15th Airforce WW2 original patch.  

Fifteenth Air Force (15th AF) was established on 1 November 1943 in Tunisia.  As a result of reorganization of the 12th, the 9th.  Their first commander was General Jimmy Doolittle. 

Flying B24 Liberators (90 of these) and B-17 Flying Fortresses (220) of these they commenced battle operations the following day, November 2, 1943. In December 19 new groups were added to the 15th who brought B24’s with them.

After operations in the Mediterranean the 15th Air Force flew  in southern France, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and the Balkans, some of which were difficult to reach from England.