57th Fighter Group 'Alto' Airfield Corsica Plaque
Details:
The plaque is located next to the lockers in the main entrance hall of the school.
A grey plaque set on the wall with a picture of a fighter and a commemorative inscription honoring the Allied airmen who fought there in 1944.
Alto airfield (also known as Advanced Landing Ground 'Alto' and Alto Air Base) was a temporary airfield that formed part of the "USS Corsica" airbase complex on the east coast of Corsica.
It was built in early 1944, and derived its name from the river that runs nearby, close to the village of Fovelli.
57th fighter group landed at Alto on 23 March 1944 with their P-47 Thunderbolts.
This almost mythical United States Army Air Force unit consisted of three squadrons:
- the 64th, nicknamed "Black Scorpion"
- the 65th "Fignhting cocks "
- the 66th dubbed" Exterminators "
The Group was based in Corsica Alto (Penta di Casinca) from 23 March until 9 September 1944 and was joined by the French squadrons "Dauphiné", "Navarre" and especially "La Fayette" between 8 May to 14 June. The units participated in “Operation Strangle”, the Allied operations, particularly by USAAFs 12th and 15th Air Forces against the German army in Italy.
Source:
https://www.forgottenairfields.com
Monument Text:
ALTO 1944
EN HOMMAGE AUX AVIATEURS QUI ONT COMBATTU
POUR NOTRE LIBERTE
57TH FIGHTING GROUP US
"FIRST IN THE BLUE"
| IVEME ESCADRE DE CHASSE FR
|
IN MEMORY OF THE AIRMEN WHO FOUGHT
FOR OUR FREEDOM
Commemorates:
Units:
12th Air Force
57th Fighter Group
64th Fighter Squadron, 57th Fighter Group
65th Fighter Squadron, 57th Fighter Group
66th Fighter Squadron, 57th Fighter Group
United States Air Force
Wars:
WWII
Battles:
Operation Strangle
Other images :
