the groups trained and designated to deliver gliders on D-Day. As the assigned delivery group for Mission Chicago, the 52 C-47s of the 434th TCG each towed a Waco CG-4A glider to Normandy, losing one aircraft to flak in the darkness. For this, and two follow-up missions with gliders and supplies, the group was later awarded the coveted Distinguished Unit Citation. After the invasion of France, the mission of the 435th became resupply and casualty evacuation of Allied ground forces on the continent. Supplies transported were, for the most part, critically needed items such as communications equipment and special ammunition In September, the 434th was again assigned the 101st Airborne Division which it transported into the Nazi-Occupied Netherlands as part of Operation Market, the airborne component of Operation Market-Garden. For the balance of 1944, the group returned to conducting resupply and casualty evacuation transport missions. The 434th remained at Aldermaston until 12 February 1945 when the group moved to an Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at Mourmelon-le-Grand Airfield (ALG A-80) in France. With no further USAAF requirement for the station, Aldermaston was returned to the Air Ministry on 15 June 1945. Ministry of Aircraft Production use In July 1943 Vickers erected a large assembly facility and took over Hangar 5 for Supermarine Spitfire production. Components produced in the Southampton area were sent to the facility for assembly and final aircraft production. This was part of the dispersal program aimed at minimizing aircraft production due to the possibly of German bombing raids. It was co-located in the airfield technical site, and used the airfield along with the USAAF for test-flying newly produced aircraft. It remained in operation at Aldermaston until the Royal Air Force received operational control of the facility in 1946. In 1949, Fairey Aviation used Aldermaston airfield for the first flight of the first prototype Fairey Gannet , serialled VR546, which was built in its factory at Hayes, Middlesex then taken by road to Aldermaston, reassembled and successfully test flown by the company's chief test pilot Gp/Capt R G Slade on 19 September. Other units assigned United States Army Air Forces HQ, IX Air Support Command (November 1943 - 1 February 1944) HQ, 71st Fighter Wing HQ, XIX Air Support Command (1 February 1944 - 15 June 1945) 370th Fighter Group (12–29 February 1944) 434th Troop Carrier Group (3 March 1944 - 12 February 1945) Postwar use The airfield was