VIII Air Support Command

VIII Air Support Command
VIII Air Support Command B-26 Marauder taking off[note 1]
Active	1942–1943
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Command of medium bomber units
Decorations	European Theater of Operations[1]

The VIII Air Support Command is a disbanded United States Army Air Forces unit. It was assigned to Eighth Air Force throughout its existence, and it was last stationed at Sunninghill Park, England, where it was disbanded on 1 December 1943.

VIII Air Support Command engaged in training, with one reconnaissance and one troop carrier group assigned, until July 1943. Afterward, carried out medium bombardment operations against the enemy on the Continent until October 1943 when all components and personnel were withdrawn from the command, with most transferred to Ninth Air Force, which transferred to England from Africa to become the primary tactical command for the invasion of Europe. The command was disbanded little more than a month later.

History[]

The 8th Ground Air Support Command was constituted on 28 April 1942 at Bolling Field, Washington, D.C. commanded by Col. Robert C. Candee and assigned to Eighth Air Force. Col. Candee was promoted to Brigadier General and deployed the command to England, but did not open its headquarters at RAF Membury in Berkshire until 17 August.

The mission of VIII Ground Air Support Command was initially training reconnaissance and troop transport units. In February 1943, the command's mission was expanded to carrying out medium bombardment operations against the enemy on the Continent.

In February 1941, the first Martin B-26 Marauder medium bombers were accepted by the Army Air Forces. It was to be in the European theater where the Marauder was to achieve its greatest success. In the United Kingdom, the Marauder formed the medium bomber forces of the VIII Air Support Command. The first B-26s arrived in the United Kingdom in February 1943. They were to be used in low-level missions against German military targets on the Continent.

On 16 October 1943, the B-26 Marauder units were reassigned to IX Bomber Command, leaving the command without operational units. Its command staff was reassigned to other units, and the command was disbanded on 1 December 1943.

Lineage[]

• Constituted as 8th Ground Air Support Command on 24 April 1942^{[note 2]}

Activated on 28 April 1942

Redesignated VIII Air Support Command c. 18 September 1942

Disbanded on 1 December 1943^[1]

Assignments[]

United States Air Forces in Europe, 28 April 1942 – 1 December 1943

Components[]

• 3d Bombardment Wing, c. 12 June 1943 – 16 October 1943^[1][2]
• 44th Bombardment Wing, c. 28 September 1943 – c. November 1943^{[1][3][note 3]}

Stations[]

• Bolling Field, District of Columbia, 28 April 1942
• Army Air Base, Savannah, Georgia, 29 May-c. 20 July 1942
• Bushey Park (AAF-586),^[4] England, July 1942
• RAF Membury (AAF-466),^[5] England, 21 August 1942
• Sunninghill Park (AAF-472),^[6] England, 19 October 1942 – 1 December 1943^[7]

References[]

Notes[]

Explanatory notes

Citations

Bibliography[]

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). 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 (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
• Freeman, Roger A. (1970). The Mighty Eighth: Units, Men and Machines (A History of the US 8th Army Air Force). London, England, UK: Macdonald and Company. ISBN 978-0-87938-638-2.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.