▁war fare ▁would ▁require ▁decent ral ized ▁operations . ▁In ▁addition , ▁the ▁two ▁headquarters ▁could ▁be , ▁and ▁were , ▁of ▁value ▁in ▁organ izing ▁and ▁training ▁the ▁many ▁service ▁units ▁formed ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁by ▁the ▁IX ▁AF SC . ▁ ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁R AF ▁Gro ve ▁was ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁T act ical ▁Air ▁Dep ot ▁of ▁IX ▁Air ▁Service ▁Command , ▁repair ing ▁A - 2 0 ▁Hav ocs ▁and ▁P - 6 1 ▁Black ▁W id ows . ▁ ▁Starting ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁October , ▁the ▁ 3 1 st ▁Transport ▁Group , ▁IX ▁Air ▁Service ▁Command ▁used ▁the ▁air field ▁with ▁C - 4 7 ▁Sky tra ins ▁with ▁the ▁mission ▁of ▁transport ing ▁cargo ▁and ▁personnel ▁between ▁IX ▁Air ▁Force ▁air fields ▁in ▁the ▁UK . ▁ ▁The ▁ 3 1 st ▁T G ▁consisted ▁of ▁the ▁ 8 7 th , ▁ 3 1 3 th ▁and ▁ 3 1 4 th ▁Transport ▁Squad rons . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁IX ▁Air ▁Force ▁Service ▁Command ▁was ▁re ass igned ▁from ▁N inth ▁Air ▁Force ▁to ▁US ST AF ▁( about ▁the ▁date ▁IX ▁ASC ▁moved ▁to ▁Er lang en ). ▁On ▁ 7 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁IX ▁AF SC ▁was ▁red es ign ated ▁European ▁Air ▁M ater iel ▁Command . ▁This ▁command ▁admin ister ed ▁United ▁States ▁Air ▁Forces ▁in ▁Europe ' s ▁supply