The 31st Fighter Group was the first American Fighter Group to participate in the European Theatre of Operations during World War 2, to land in Algeria during the Northwest African invasion and to be based on Sicily. Also, it was the first American Fighter Group to be based on Malta. It was supposed to have been the first American Fighter Group to be based in Italy, but by the time the Allies had captured its airdrome, another American Fighter Group had already moved into Italy to occupy an improvised airdrome constructed after the invasion. The 31st Fighter Group was chosen to give umbrella protection to the Roosevelt-Churchill conference in Casablanca and was selected to escort the Italian high command from German-defended Italy to Sicily during the Italian surrender negotiations, prior to the Italian invasion. Later they were selected to go in with the assault troops at Oran, Gela, Salerno and Anzio.