Piercing the Fog - Air Force Historical Studies Office

The European Theater of Operations
components (U.S. Fifth Army and British Eighth Army), MATAF’s primary
operational responsibility on a day-to-day basis was control of the medium
bomber force which, by the summer of 1944, was almost entirely American.
Because of this arrangement, the relationship between the intelligence sections
in MATAF and Twelfth Air Force was highly ~omplementary,’~ with MATAF
intelligence responsible for providing current (combat) intelligence and target
selection data. Although the organization was manned primarily by Americans,
the deputy to the chief intelligence officer was the only American cleared to
handle ULTRA in the summer of 1944.
Reflecting the importance of photoreconnaissance in the targeting process
and the need for responsiveness in the execution and interpretation of tactical
reconnaissance missions, the 3d Photo Reconnaissance Group (U.S. AAF) and
the XI1 Air Force Photo Center came under the direct control of the chief
intelligence officer of the MATAF in the spring of 1944.35 By October 1944,
Fifteenth Air Force and the MASAF had direct control over the U.S. AAF 15th
Photo Group, reflecting a decentralization of photoreconnaissance and
interpretation that mirrored the American rather than the British approach to the
two functions.’6
By summer 1944, the 3d Photo Reconnaissance Group had developed
mosaics of all Italy east of 3.5 degrees longitude, and of practically every
important railway and road. Coverage included annotated photos of principal
lines of communication (including marshaling yards and bridges), ports,
airfields, troop emplacements, gun positions, and ammunition dumps.37 This
extensive coverage would provide the basic intelligence upon which to plan and
execute specific missions, augmented by SIGINT and human intelligence
(HUMINT) reports. This complete target coverage would become increasingly
important because MATAF would assume responsibility for all interdiction
operations within Italy by the fall of 1944.
While MATAF carried out current intelligence and target selection and
evaluation, Twelfth Air Force A-2 provided support in personnel and
intelligence materials.*38 The Twelfth Air Force A-2 served also as the deputy
chief intelligence officer, MATAF, and spent much of his time at headquarters
there.39
Through 1944, Twelfth Air Force headquarters had an operational
intelligence section that focused on analysis and long-term studies and
published intelligence summaries and special reports. A detailed study by this
office of the Italian railway system and the alternative road network was
incorporated into the planning for Operation STRANGLE two months later. In
*Indicative of how closely MATAF and Twelfth Air Force Intelligence were
linked, the Twelfth Air Force history contains a section on “HQ, M.A.T.A.F.,
Intelligence Function” and consistently refers to MATAF Intelligence as “Advanced
Headquarters” or “Advanced Operating Headquarters.”
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