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VIII Ground Air Support Command

Command

Constituted as VIII Ground Air Support Command on 24 April 1942, activated 28 April 1942 at Bolling Field, DC under the command of Brig Gen Robert C. Candee. Assigned to the Eighth US Army Air Force. Moved to England, without tactical components, in June-August 1942 and stationed at Bushy Park; July 42; Membury, 21 August 42; Sunninghill, 19 October 1942). Redesignated VIII Air Support Command in September 1942. Engaged in training, with one reconnaissance and one troop carrier group assigned until July 1943. Afterward, carried out medium bombardment operations against the enemy until October 1943 when all personnel and components were withdrawn. Disbanded in England on 1 December 1943.

Structure

Part of
Encompassing
  • 51st Troop Carrier Wing

    51st Troop Carrier Wing

    Wing

  • 3rd Combat Bomb Wing

    3rd Combat Bomb Wing

    Wing

  • 60th Troop Carrier Group

    60th Troop Carrier Group

    Group
    Although with the Twelfth Air Force, the Group flew its C-47 Skytrains from St. Eval and Predannack airfields in Cornwall, England for its first mission: dropping paratroops into Oran, Algeria, in the early hours of Operation Torch, which began on 8...

  • 62nd Troop Carrier Group

    62nd Troop Carrier Group

    Group
    The Group was only in England to carry out further training exercises before joining the Twelfth Air Force in the Mediterranean theater. Over the course of the war, the Group flew in paratroops, military and medical supplies and propaganda leaflets....

  • 64th Troop Carrier Group

    64th Troop Carrier Group

    Group
    The Group trained with the Eighth Air Force flying from Ramsbury, Wiltshire. The Group was reassigned to the Twelfth Air Force on 14 September 1942. Its first mission was dropping paratroops into French North-West Africa, at Maison Blanche, Algeria on...

  • 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group

    67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group

    Group
    The four Squadrons of the 67th Recon Group (12th Observation - later Reconnaissance Squadron; 107th Observation - later Reconnaissance Squadron; 109th Observation - later Reconnaissance Squadron and 153rd Observation - later Reconnaissance Squadron)...

Previously was
Not yet known
Became

Stations

Station Location Date
Based Camp Griffiss July 1942 – 20 August 1942
Based Membury 21 August 1942 – 18 October 1942
Based Sunninghill Park 19 October 1942 – 1 December 1943

Citations

None

Air Force
8th
Type
Combat
Type category
Bombardment
Nicknames
Not yet known
Motto
Not yet known
Insignia
Not yet known
Aircraft used
  • B-26 Marauder
  • C-47 Skytrain

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
09 May 2015 18:47:18 Paul Bellamy Changes to aircraft types
Sources

Airfields of the Ninth Then & Now (R A Freeman, 1994)
Air Force Combat Units of World War II (Maurer, 1983)
Date Contributor Update
09 May 2015 18:46:32 Paul Bellamy Changes to category, unit part of associations, unit encompassing associations and stations
Sources

Airfields of the Ninth Then & Now (R A Freeman, 1994)
Air Force Combat Units of World War II (Maurer, 1983)
Date Contributor Update
09 May 2015 18:37:49 Paul Bellamy Created entry with type, name, description, air forces, aircraft types and stations
Sources

Airfields of the Ninth Then & Now (R A Freeman, 1994)
Air Force Combat Units of World War II (Maurer, 1983)

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