Mechanics at Tuskegee Army Air Field Maintain an Engine of a Vultee BT-13A Valiant

Mechanics at Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama, maintain an engine of a Vultee BT-13A Valiant. This aircraft was used for basic flight training for the Tuskegee Airmen. History has often ignored the contributions of Black Americans, leaving heroes like the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black military pilots, overlooked. They flew nearly 1,500 missions and shot down 112 German aircraft. These men flew above prejudice, racism and hate to serve their country and drive positive change in America. Their impressive performance earned them more than 150 Distinguished Flying crosses and helped lead to the integration into the U.S. Armed Forces.

Source :
National Archives and Records Administration, 342-C-K-409
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
https://www.adforum.com/agency/5096/creative-work/34630046
https://www.flickr.com/photos/airandspace/albums/72157715574200936

P-51D Mustangs of the 52nd Fighter Group

P-51D Mustangs of the 4th Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Group, 15th U.S. Air Force. These planes flew escorts for Italian-based bombers attacking targets in southeastern Europe late in the war. The USAAF 52nd Fighter Group enjoyed an outstanding record in World War II, but to date its story has never been told. Activated in January 1941, it moved to England in July 1942 for an assignment with the Eighth Air Force. It flew combat missions in Spitfires to France during the summer of 1942 before being reassigned to the invasion force attacking North Africa in November 1942. After moving to North Africa, it was assigned to the Twelfth Air Force and was again equipped with Spitfires. As part of the Twelfth Air Force, it flew combat missions in the Tunisian campaign, and during the invasion of Sicily. In mid-1944, the 52nd was reassigned to the Fifteenth Air Force and converted to P-51 Mustangs. During the remainder of the war, it flew bomber escort and strafing missions to targets in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, and Yugoslavia. For its outstanding service the Group was twice awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation. During its long campaign, the Group destroyed more than 425 enemy aircraft in aerial combat and damaged 135 plus many more on the ground. The 52nd Fighter Group produced 21 Aces.

Source :
National Archives and Records Administration, 342-C-K-2741
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
https://www.flickr.com/photos/airandspace/albums/72157715574200936
https://www.specialtypress.com/spitfires-and-yellow-tail-mustangs-testing-british-and-us-carrier-aircraft.html

U.S. 10th Mountain Division at Camp Hale

Members of the U.S. 10th Mountain Division at their training ground in Camp Hale, Colorado, 1943 or 1944. The 10th Mountain Division is a light infantry division in the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. Originally constituted as a mountain warfare unit, the division was the only one of its size to receive intense specialized training for fighting in mountainous and arctic conditions. Originally activated as the 10th Light Division (Alpine) in 1943, the division was redesignated the 10th Mountain Division in 1944 and fought in the mountains of Italy in some of the roughest terrain in the country

Source :
http://amyatishkin.livejournal.com/287245.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10th_Mountain_Division_%28United_States%29

Staff Sergeant of the US 10th Mountain Division

This staff sergeant of the US Army 10th Mountain Division offers a good view of his divisional SSI and of the ice axe carried by the US "Alpine Troops". Among the ribbons and decorations on his left breast are the combat infantryman's badge, bronze star, pre-Pearl Harbor Army Service ribbon, American Theater ribbon, European Theater ribbon, and good conduct medal.

Source :
Book "US Special Forces of World War Two" by Leroy Thompson

The Brandenburgers wearing Russian Uniform

Brandenburgers in Russian uniform in the summer of 1941. The Brandenburgers (German: Brandenburger) were members of the Brandenburg German Special Forces unit during World War II. The so-called “Brandenburger” (after the garrison) were the own troops of Admiral Wilhelm Canaris’ office (so-called “Haustruppe”) to perform commando-style combat operations, which were developed since the fall of 1939. In early August 1942, a Brandenburg detachment of 62 Baltic and Sudeten Germans led by Baron Adrian von Fölkersam penetrated farther into enemy territory than any other Brandenburg unit. Nicknamed "the wild bunch," they undertook to secure the oil fields at Maikop. Using Red Army trucks and the uniforms of the NKVD, the Russian secret police, Fölkersam infiltrated the Soviet lines. The Brandenburgers immediately ran into a large group of Red Army deserters, and Fölkersam saw an opportunity to use them. By persuading them to return to the Soviet cause, he was able to join with them and move almost at will through the Russian lines. Pretending to be a Major Truchin from Stalingrad, Fölkersam explained his role in recovering the deserters to the general in charge of Maikop’s defenses. The Russian general believed Fölkersam and gave him a personal tour of the city’s defenses the next day. By August 8, the German army was only 12 miles away, so the Brandenburgers made their move. Using grenades to simulate an artillery attack, the Brandenburgers knocked out the communications center of the city. Fölkersam then went to the Russian defenders and told them that a withdrawal was taking place. Having seen Fölkersam with their commander and lacking any communications to rebut or confirm his statement, the Soviets began to evacuate Maikop. The German army entered the city without a fight on August 9, 1942.

Source :
http://www.axishistory.com/axis-nations/154-germany-heer/heer-regimenter/4476-lehr-regiment-brandenburg-zbv-800
http://deutscher-freiheitskampf.com/2015/06/13/die-brandenburger-spezialeinheit/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandenburgers
http://www.historynet.com/the-brandenburg-commandos-july-96-world-war-ii-feature.htm