commercial use of the fields, but which could be easily converted to military use. The Brazilian government agreed to these improvements in July 1941. Development of the fields by Panair continued through May 1942, when the United States and Brazil entered into an agreement permitting the United States to construct defense installations in Brazil and to use existing Brazilian military installations. All installations would be Brazilian military bases. Operations Initial operations The wing's original area of responsibility extended from Trinidad in the Caribbean to Ascension Island in the middle of the Atlantic. However, the wing's boundary with the Caribbean Wing, Air Transport Command was adjusted to coincide with the boundary of the Antilles Air Command. Atkinson Field in British Guinea and Waller Field on Trinidad were transferred to Caribbean Wing and headquarters soon moved to Parnamirim Field, near Natal, Brazil. At the same time, the United States Army Forces in South America was established and the wing commander also assumed the duties of a theater commander. The wing's South Atlantic route was used for ferrying and transport to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, European Theater of Operations, China-Burma-India Theater and for delivery of lend lease aircraft to the Soviet Union. Initial scheduled service on the wing's routes included Douglas DC-3 service by Pan American and Eastern Air Lines to Natal (originating in Miami) and Boeing 307 Stratoliner service by Transcontinental and Western Air between Washington, D.C. and Cairo. Pan American Air Ferries, also was using the route to deliver aircraft to the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the Middle East. RAF aircraft were also ferried by military crews, as were North American B-25 Mitchells and Douglas A-20 Havocs for the Soviet Union, although as the war progressed, the Alaskan route was preferred for Soviet aircraft. The first large scale movement of American aircraft along the wing's route was the flight of the 98th Bombardment Group in July. The 98th's heavy bombers were able to cross the Atlantic non stop, so the first use of the new Wideawake Field on Ascension Island was by the Mitchells of the 12th Bombardment Group. Much of the wing's efforts in 1942 were directed at the reinforcement of Ninth Air Force. During 1942, however, the scheduled services were not functioning well. Large backups of materiel and mail were occurring along the wing's routes, especially at Natal. The main reason was a lack of transport aircraft.