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VIII Air Force Composite Command

{{Use American English|date=February 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}

{{Infobox military unit

|unit_name=VIII Air Force Composite Command

|image=Consolidated B-24D-65-CO Liberator - 42-40509 -Cookie - 492bg 858 bs.jpg

|image_size=300

|caption=B-24 Liberator 858th Squadron B-24D marked for Carpetbagger operationsAircraft is Consolidated B-24D-65-CO Liberator, serial 42-40509 "Cookie", Lost on 7 October 1943.

|dates=1942–1945

|country={{USA}}

|branch={{air force|USA}}

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|role=Training and Special Operations

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|battles=European Theater of Operations

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|disbanded=8 October 1948

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The VIII Air Force Composite Command was a subordinate command of Eighth Air Force. It was originally responsible for combat training of aircrews arriving from the United States, a mission it continued until near the end of the war, when the air divisions began the training. Starting in late winter of 1944, the command took over special operations missions, including night leaflet dropping, infiltration of agents behind enemy lines and supplying resistance forces in occupied countries. As Allied forces advanced across Europe, most of its personnel were used to form provisional disarmament units. The command was disbanded in October 1948, when the United States Air Force decided it would have no future need for a level of command between major commands and air divisions.

History

{{Empty section|date=March 2024}}

Lineage

  • Established as 8th Air Force Composite CommandThe unit was constituted and activated with an arabic number in its name. The use of roman numerals to designate Army Air Forces combat commands did not begin until September 1942. {{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433913/types-of-usaf-organizations/ |title=Air Force Historical Research Agency Organizational Reconds: Types of USAF Organizations|date=9 January 2008|publisher=Air Force History Index|access-date=19 September 2016}}

: Activated c. 4 July 1942

: Redesignated VIII Air Force Composite Command on 18 September 1942

: Inactivated c. 31 May 1945

: Disbanded 8 October 1948AFOOR Letter 887e, 8 October 1948, Subject: Disbanding Inactive Units

=Assignments=

  • Eighth Air Force, c. 4 July 1942In February 1944, the original Eighth Air Force was redesignated United States Strategic Air Forces.

Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 463-464.

  • Eighth Air Force, 22 February 1944In February 1944, VIII Bomber Command was redesignated Eighth Air Force. Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 471-472.
  • Ninth Air Force, February 1945 – c. 31 May 1945

=Components=

; Groups

{{div col|colwidth=40em}}

  • 1st Combat Crew Replacement Center Group (Bombardment, Heavy, Special), 12 November 1943 – c. 31 May 1945
  • 2d Combat Crew Replacement Center Group (Bombardment, Heavy, Special), 12 November 1943 – c. 31 May 1945
  • 3d Combat Crew Replacement Center Group (Bombardment or Fighter, Special), 21 November 1943 – c. 23 September 1944, 10 October 1944 – 1 February 1945 (attached to Air Disarmament Command [Provisional]){{Cite web|url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433965/554-electronic-systems-wing-afmc/ |last=Bailey|first=Carl E.|title=Factsheet 554 Electronic Systems Wing (AFMC)|date=5 January 2008|publisher=Shaw Air Force Base|access-date=12 January 2022}}
  • 4th Combat Crew Replacement Center Group (Bombardment or Fighter, Special), 21 November 1943 – c. 31 May 1945
  • 5th Combat Crew Replacement Center Group, 3 November 1943 – c. 31 May 1945
  • 328th Service Group, 26 February 1944–c. August 1944
  • 482d Bombardment Group, 14 February – 1 October 1944{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433973/482-operations-group-afrc/ |last1=Robertson|first1=Patsy|title=Factsheet 482 Operations Group (AFRC)|date=11 December 2012|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=16 January 2022}}
  • 492d Bombardment Group, c. 10 August – 1 October 1944{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/1185436/492-special-operations-wing-afsoc/ |last1=Haulman|first1=Daniel L.|title=Factsheet 492 Special Operations Wing (AFSOC)|date=17 May 2017|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=16 January 2022}}
  • 495th Fighter Training Group, 26 October – December 1943, February 1944–September 1944{{Cite web|url= http://www.shaw.af.mil/AboutUs/FactSheets/Display/tabid/6148/Article/212634/495th-fighter-group.aspx |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160817014303/http://www.shaw.af.mil/AboutUs/FactSheets/Display/tabid/6148/Article/212634/495th-fighter-group.aspx |url-status= dead |archive-date= 17 August 2016 |title=Factsheet 495th Fighter Group|date=12 April 2013|publisher=Shaw Air Force Base|access-date=29 June 2016}}
  • 496th Fighter Training Group, 11 December – December 1943; February – September 1944
  • 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional) 28 March – 4 August 1944
  • 2900th Combat Crew Replacement Center Group (Provisional), 16 August – 14 November 1943
  • 2901st Combat Crew Replacement Center Group (Provisional), 20 August – 12 November 1943
  • 2902d Combat Crew Replacement Center Group (Provisional), 23 August – 21 November 1943
  • 2915th Combat Crew Replacement Center Group (Provisional), 16 August – 12 November 1943

{{div col end}}

; Squadrons

  • 36th Bombardment Squadron, 26 February – 1 October 1944 (attached to 328th Service Group, 27 February 1944; 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional), 28 March 1944 – 4 August 1944)Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 171
  • 406th Bombardment Squadron, 26 February – 1 October 1944 (attached to 328th Service Group, 27 February 1944; 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional), 28 March 1944 – 4 August 1944){{cite web |url= http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=11926 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110914045027/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=11926 |url-status= dead |archive-date= 14 September 2011 |last1=Robertson|first1=Patsy|title=Factsheet 906 Air Refueling Squadron (AMC)|date=6 April 2012|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=24 February 2014}}
  • 788th Bombardment Squadron, 11 May – 10 August 1944 (attached to 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional))Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 756
  • 850th Bombardment Squadron, 11 May – 10 August 1944 (attached to 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional))Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 780
  • 858th Bombardment Squadron, 19 June – 5 August 1944Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 784

=Stations=

  • Bolling Field, District of Columbia, c. 4 July 1942
  • RAF Long Kesh (Station 232),Station number in Anderson, p. 23. Northern Ireland, 12 September 1942 – November 1942 {{Cite web |date=2016-04-13 |title=Kircassock House |url=https://gitrailni.com/gitrail/kircassock-house/ |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=GI Trail NI - discover the path the GI's took in Northern Ireland. |language=en-GB}}
  • Kirkassock House (Station 231), Northern Ireland, November 1942 -February 1944
  • RAF Cheddington (Station 113),Station number in Anderson, p. 46. England, 22 February 1944
  • RAF Watford (Station 341),Station number in Anderson, p. 60. England, c. 1 October 1944
  • Creil Airfield (see :fr:Base aérienne 110 Creil, A-81),Station number in Johnson, p.50. France, February 1945
  • Luxemburg Luxemburg, c. 30 April 1945–c. 31 May 1945

References

=Notes=

; Explanatory notes

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; Citations

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=Bibliography=

{{AFHRA}}

  • {{cite book|last=Anderson|first=Capt. Barry|title= Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II|url=http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-081010-027.pdf |year=1985|publisher=Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center|location=Maxwell AFB, AL|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160123155923/http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-081010-027.pdf |archive-date=23 January 2016|access-date=28 June 2017}}
  • {{cite book|last=Johnson|first=1st Lt. David C.|title=U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day|url= http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-081010-026.pdf |year=1988| publisher=Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center| location=Maxwell AFB, AL|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150929064443/http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-081010-026.pdf |archive-date=29 September 2015|access-date=26 June 2017}}
  • {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II|orig-year= 1961|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220180735/http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf|url-status= dead|archive-date= 20 December 2016|access-date= 17 December 2016|edition=reprint|year=1983|publisher= Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-02-1|lccn=61060979}}
  • {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II|orig-year=1969|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220180455/http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 20 December 2016 |edition= reprint|access-date= 17 December 2016|year=1982|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-405-12194-6|oclc=72556|lccn=70605402}}

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Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1948