VIII Air Force Composite Command


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

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