Americans Join the Air War in Northern Italy

Published April 09, 2015

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Ca. 33 No. IL504, the bomber flown by Lt. Le Roy Kiley on his first combat mission with the 8th Squadron, 4th Group. (U.S. Air Force photo)

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Lt. Harold R. Harris poses by a Maurice Farman training biplane in his winter flying attire. In later years, Lt. Harris employed his heavy aircraft experience as a test pilot for the 1922 Barling Bomber at Wright Field, Ohio. (U.S. Air Force photo)

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Caproni cockpit procedures trainer, 1918 version. (U.S. Air Force photo)

While many of the Foggia graduates were transferred to the Western Front to fly with the American Expeditionary Force, about 75 remained in Italy under the command of Capt. Fiorello LaGuardia, who simultaneously held office as a Congressman from New York, and later served as Mayor of New York City. These "Foggiani" were attached to Italian bomber squadrons, mostly at San Pelaggio air base near Padua, to gain experience in bombardment and augment the understrength squadrons. These missions marked the first combat bomber operations by members of the U.S. Army Air Service and were flown in Caproni bombers. American participation was very active and several airmen received Italy's highest decoration, the Medaglia di Oro, for their combat heroism.

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The Foggiani

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Americans Join the Air War in Northern Italy

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