Salute
Few words about Brazilian forces in World War Two:
Brazil entered WWII in the final years of the conflict, in 1944.
Two arms of the Brazilian Armed Forces were sent to Italy: the Força Expedicionaria Brasileira (Brazilian Expeditionary Force), from the Brazilian Army; and the 1º Grupo de Aviação de Caça (1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron – 1st BFS), from the Brazilian Air Force (or FAB, from the portuguese name).
- 1St BRAZILIAN FIGHTER SQUADRON
Although the Brazilian pilots were trained as fighters, the 1st BFS became a fighter-bomber unit in Italy, and its missions were mostly armed reconnaissance and “free-hunt” sorties, giving air support for the US 5th Army, to which the Brazilian Expeditionary Force was attached. By April, 1945, the group of pilots had been reduced to 24, some were KIA, injured and others were taken as POWs. Every pilot flew an average of 2 missions a day, and at the end of the war the group had flown 445 missions, 2,550 individual sorties and 5,465 combat flight hours. They achieved outstanding efficacy, and between 6 to 29 April 1945, although flying only 5% of the total missions carried out by the 350th, the FBS was responsible for the destruction of 85% of the ammunition depots destroyed by the 350th, 36% of the fuel depots, 28% of the bridges, 15% of motor vehicles and 10% of horse-drawn vehicles. Such achievements rendered the 1st BFS the Presidential Unit Citation (Air Force), given by the US Government. Apart from other few USAF units, only the 1st BFS and two Royal Australian Air Force units - Nos. 2 and 13 Squadrons - have received this citation.
Targets/Objetives --------- ----- Destroyed ----------- Damaged
Railway engines ------------------------ 1 ---------------- - 13
Motorized transport --------- --------- 470 -------------- 303
Railway and tanks cars ----------------- 63 --------------- 163
Armoured cars ---------------------------- 7 ----------------- 11
Animal drawn vehicles------------------- 79------------------ 19
Railway and highway bridges------------- 4 ----------------- 14
Railway and highway cuttings ----------- 55 ------------------0
Buildings occupied by the enemy ---------129-------------- 92
Camps occupied by the enemy------------- 18 ------------ 14
Command posts ----------------------02---------------------- 02
Artillery positions ---------------------- 43 ----------------------7
Factories --------------------------------4 ---------------------- 3
Miscellaneous buildings-------------- 39 --------------------- 4
Fuel depots ----------------------------- 6 ----------------------2
Refineries ----------------------------------01 ------------------ 01
Radar stations----------------------------0 ---------------------2
Among the 48 pilots of the Brazilian Unit who carried out war missions, there was a total of 22 losses; five of the pilots were killed by anti-aircraft fire, eight had their planes shot down and baled out over enemy territory, six had to give up flying operations on medical orders, after suffering nervous breakdowns, and three died in flying accidents.
The remains of the brave Brazilian airmen who lost their lives in Italy were buried in the Brazilian Cemetery at Pistoia. Subsequently they were taken to Brazil and they are now in the crypt of the Monument of Dead of the Second World War, in Avenida Beira Mar, in Rio de Janeiro.
That is the story of the Brazilian Air Force activity in the Italian Campaign. The 1st Brazilian Fighter Group accomplished 445 missions, with a total of 2,546 flights and 5,465 hours of flight on active service. It destroyed 1,304 motor-vehicles, 13 railway waggons, 8 armoured cars, 25 railway and highway bridges and 31fuel tanks and munition depots.
The Brazilian Air Force, in its first experience of war outside Brazilian territory, sent to Italy an air unit, the 1st Brazilian Fighter Group, who staff came up to the highest expectations with respect to courage, sense of duty, spirit of sacrifice and professional skill.
Total of the operations of the First Brazilian Fighter Group in the Italy Campaign:
Missions accomplished.................................................. 445
Offensive missions...................................................... 2,546
Defensive missions............................................................. 4
Hours of flight in war operations.................................. 5,465
Total hours of flight accomplished................................ 6,144
Total Bombs dropped................................................. 4,442
Incendiary Bombs (F.T.I)............................................... 166
Fragmentation Bombs (260 lbs)........................................ 16
Fragmentation Bombs (90 lbs).......................................... 72
Demolition Bombs (1.000 lbs)............................................ 8
Demolition Bombs (500 lbs)........................................ 4,180
Approximate total tonnage of bombs............................ 1,010
Rounds of .50 calibre ammunition fired.................. 1,180,200
Total rockets fired........................................................... 850
Liters of petrol consumed....................................... 4,058,651
The legacy left by the heroes of the 1st Brazilian Fighter Group was the base for the future generations of fighter pilots at the Brazilian Air Force, and it was the responsible for the new warrior mentality of the Brazilian Air Force. We owe them for everything.
These images depict the first Brazilian fighter squadron, which fought admirably in Italy alongside U.S. units (350th Fighter Group) during World War II.
Squadron Insignia - 1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron
Senta a Pua!! - Hit Then Hard!!
- BRAZILIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE (FEB)
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