T

he Casablanca Conference
was convened in that famous
French Moroccan city on 14 January

1943. There, the leaders of the USA,
      United Kingdom, and Free France —
      President Roosevelt, Prime Minister
      Churchill, and Gen. De Gaulle — and
      some of their top military advisers
      would discuss, over a period of ten
      days, plans for the future conduct
      of the war in the European and

Mediterranean Theaters of Operation

(ETO and MTO).

One of the attendees was Gen.

Henry H. “Hap” Arnold, Commanding

General of the US Army Air Forces

(USAAF), who was disturbed to learn

there that the three P-38 groups of

the 12th Air Force (AF) in North

Africa (the 1st, 14th and 82nd) were

seriously understrength, with a total

of only about 90

aircraft for their eight squadrons —

about half the normal complement.

This was the result of heavy combat

losses, accidents, and the lack of

adequate replacements. The Lockheed

Lightning, with its speed, range, and

excellent high-altitude performance,

was an

important

component

18 AIR CLASSICS/August 2022

FROM

BOLEROTO

TORCH

THE TRANSFER OF THE 78th FIGHTER GROUP

LIGHTNINGS AND PILOTS FROM ENGLAND TO NORTH AFRICA

BY STEVE BLAKE

P-38G-10-LO 42-12935 (on the right)

photographed at Langford Lodge. The

83rd FS’ Capt. Richard Decker flew it

there on 26 January 1943 to have its

special air filters installed, and then

to North Africa on 16 February from

Cornwall. 42-12935 was assigned to the

27th FS in Algeria and was subsequently

lost during an air battle over Italy on 30

August 1943; its pilot, 2nd Lt. Harry D.

Warmker, was killed. The other Lightning

is F-5A-3-LO 42-12768, which served

with the 13th Photo Reconnaissance

Squadron of the 7th Photo Group in

England. It was lost over France on 29

Roosevelt and Churchill during the Casablanca Conference. June 1943.