Skip to main content
Edit entry 

IX Air Force Service Command

Command

  • A ceremony to celebrate the handover of an RAF Airfield into US Army Air Force control. Image stamped on reverse: 'Keystone press.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 22 Jun 1943.' [stamp] and '270991.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'TRANSFER OF RAF AIRFIELD TO US ARMY AIR FORCE. 22-6-43, A formal ceremony was held today when Air Vice Marshall JH D'Albiac CB. DSO. of RAF Fighter Command, handed over an RAF Airfield to Brigadier General Robert Candee, Commanding General VIII Air Support command. Keystone Photo shows: A general views of the ceremony in progress.'

    A ceremony to celebrate the handover of an RAF Airfield into US Army Air Force control. Image stamped on reverse: 'Keystone press.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 22 Jun 1943.' [stamp] and '270991.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'TRANSFER OF RAF AIRFIELD TO US ARMY AIR FORCE. 22-6-43, A formal ceremony was held today when Air Vice Marshall JH D'Albiac CB. DSO. of RAF Fighter Command, handed over an RAF Airfield to Brigadier General Robert Candee, Commanding General VIII Air Support command. Keystone Photo shows: A general views of the ceremony in progress.'

    Show caption About this image
  •  

The IX Air Force Service Command performed two functions: supplying the Ninth Air Force, and maintenance and major repair of airplanes and other equipment.

The Command was activated at MacDill Field, Florida on 1 September 1942, and sent to the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations in December 1942. From Cairo the command supported the campaign in North Africa.

On 15 October 1943, the Command was sent to England where it was reorganised at Bushey Park, then Headquarters of the Eighth Air Force. It moved to Sunninghill on 16 November 1943. The command was charged with the responsibility of the maintaining the operational units of the Ninth Air Force and supporting their aims of spearheading the invasion of France. With this remit the command quickly became the largest Air Force Command in the European Theatre of Operations, reaching a maximum strength of 62,617 in August 1944.

Structure

Part of
Not yet known
Encompassing
Show more
Previously was
Not yet known
Became
Not yet known

Connections

People

  • Benjamin Taylor

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 31st Transport Group
    Joined RAFVR, service pilot training in US, shipped overseas to ETO, operational training at OTU, assigned to 121S, transferred to 335FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF, transferred to VIII AF Service Command, transferred to 325th FS, 31st TG, IX AF Service Command. ...

Citations

None

Air Force
9th
Type
Service or support
Type category
Other
Nicknames

There may be some confusion here based on the list of component organizations.

The early Eighth AF used the term "Support Command" in the sense of air support to ground combat units, not in the sense of air services, supply and maintenance.

Recommend a review of the mission statement and assignments

Motto
Not yet known
Insignia
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
06 January 2020 15:19:28 phil marchese Changes to nicknames
Sources

See VIII AIR Support Command and 3rd BW transfer to Ninth Air Force after its redeployment from NWA/ME (MTO) to ETO.
Date Contributor Update
25 September 2019 13:50:32 Emily Changes to us air force combat units of world war ii description and unit became association
Sources

Air Force Combat Units of World War II
Date Contributor Update
03 September 2019 08:47:09 Emily Changes to type and description
Sources

Ninth air force service command Unit History from Bangor Public Library
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:42:43 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)

Share