Thirteen B-24s flew this first U.S. mission against a European target, causing negligible damage. On 15 June, seven planes assisted the Royal Air Force (RAF) in attacking an Italian fleet which had put to sea to intercept a British resupply convoy (Operation Vigorous) on its way to Malta. HALPRO then flew in support of British Commonwealth forces fighting in the Western Desert of Egypt and Libya. HALPRO's primary mission became the interdiction of supplies to Rommel's Army in North Africa by bombing strikes on Axis cargo ships at sea or in the ports of Tobruk and Benghazi. Reinforced during early 1943, its subordinate units attacked enemy storage areas, motor transports, troop concentrations, airdromes, bridges, shipping, and other targets in Libya, Tunisia, and other areas. In May 1943 after the Tunisian Campaign ended, Tunisia became available for launching attacks on Pantelleria (Operation Corkscrew), Sicily (Operation Husky), and mainland Italy. The command attacked airfields and rail facilities in Sicily and took part in Operation Husky, carried paratroopers, and flew reinforcements to ground units on the island. Heavy bomb units of the Ninth also participated in Operation Tidal Wave, the famed low-level assault on oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania on 1 August 1943. Later in August 1943, it was decided to reassign Ninth Air Force to England to be the tactical air force in the planned invasion of France scheduled for May 1944. The IX Bomber Command reassigned its groups to Twelfth Air Force, and eventually its heavy bombardment groups became the core of the newly activated Fifteenth Air Force, while its B-25 Mitchell medium bomber groups remained with Twelfth Air Force. The command's headquarters at Soluch Airfield, Libya, was inactivated on 1 October 1943. Normandy Campaign The IX Bomber Command was reassigned to Marks Hall, England on 16 October 1943. It took over the 3rd Bombardment Wing of the Eighth Air Force VIII Air Support Command. It was expanded and consisted of three Wings of medium bomber groups: 97th Bombardment Wing: 12 November 1943 – 11 October 1945 409th Bombardment Group: 7 March 1944 – June 1945 (A-20 Havoc, A-26 Invader) 410th Bombardment Group: 4 April 1944 – June 1945 (A-20 Havoc, A-26 Invader) 416th Bombardment Group: February 1944 – July 1945 (A-20 Havoc, A-26 Invader) 98th Bombardment Wing (Formerly 3d Bombardment Wing): 16 October 1943 – 27 November 1945 323d Bombardment Group: 16 October 1943 – 16 July 1945 (B-26 Marauder)