Eagles over Husky: The Allied Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign, 14 May to 17 August 1943

by Alexander Fitzgerald-Black

In the summer of 1943, the United Nations began Operation HUSKY, the invasion of Sicily. The Eagles over HUSKY - the airmen of the Allied air forces - played a crucial role in the assault. The Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica provided a significant part of the Axis force meant to defend the island and throw the Allies back into the sea. The Allied air forces foiled this effort and inflicted losses on a German Air Force badly needed on other fronts. Raids on mainland Italian railway transport crippled Axis resupply efforts. The same strikes brought pressure on the Italian state to denounce Fascism and join the Allied side. Army commanders relied heavily on tactical air power to destroy Axis forces in Sicily. The result was a strategic victory which forced Nazi Germany to stand alone in defense of southern Europe. Most histories of the campaign focus on the escape of German forces across the Strait of Messina. Eagles over Husky challenges the notion that the Allied militaries bungled total victory in Sicily. It assesses one of the greatest air battles of the Second World War. This is a topic that has been relatively unexamined by historians of the campaign, who tend to focus on army matters. Eagles over Husky tells the integrated story of the air war waged during the Battle of Sicily. The author draws upon experiences, perspectives, and sources from both Allied and Axis camps to inform the analysis and enhance the narrative.

Genres: History

192 pages, Hardcover

First published March 19, 2018

Reviews

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really delightful work. As far as I know the only book on the operational/strategic perspective of the air war over Sicily in the summer of 1943. Really gives weight to the importance of the southern front in supporting allied efforts against the Luftwaffe.

The author brings compelling evidence that the Luftwaffe loses in the Mediterranean during 1943 were quite staggering. I’ll definitely be interested to read more about the theater in the future. It was a nice follow-up read after James Holland’s *Sicily ‘43*.