316th Operations Group 316th Operations Group The 316th Operations Group (316 OG) was the flying component of the Air Force District of Washington 316th Wing, stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. Its World War II predecessor unit, the 316th Troop Carrier Group was a highly decorated C-47 Skytrain unit that served with Ninth and Twelfth Air Force in the European and the Mediterranean theaters. As part of Operation Avalanche, the Allied invasion of Italy, the 316th dropped paratroops over the beachhead south of the Sele River on the night of 14 September 1943. Later during Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of France,
Allied invasion of Italy Operation Avalanche–the main invasion at Salerno by the American Fifth Army under Lieutenant General Mark Clark–began on 9 September 1943, and in order to secure surprise, it was decided to assault without preliminary naval or aerial bombardment. However, as Admiral Henry Hewitt, the amphibious force commander, had predicted, tactical surprise was not achieved. As the first wave of Major General Fred Walker's U.S. 36th Infantry Division approached the Paestum shore at 03:30 a loudspeaker from the landing area proclaimed in English: ""Come on in and give up. We have you covered."" The Allied troops attacked nonetheless. Major General Rudolf Sieckenius,