▁Unit . ▁ ▁The ▁group ▁was ▁originally ▁established ▁as ▁the ▁ 2 3 d ▁Compos ite ▁Group ▁and ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Corps ▁T act ical ▁School ▁with ▁a ▁mission ▁that ▁focused ▁on ▁developing ▁and ▁demonstr ating ▁tact ics ▁and ▁doctrine . ▁ ▁After ▁moving ▁to ▁Eg lin ▁it ▁also ▁conducted ▁testing ▁of ▁experimental ▁weapons . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁group ▁was ▁established ▁at ▁Max well ▁Field , ▁Alabama ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁as ▁the ▁ 2 3 d ▁Compos ite ▁Group . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁assigned ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁P urs uit ▁Squadron , ▁ 2 4 th ▁Bomb ard ment ▁Squadron ▁( Light ) ▁( not ▁man ned ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 0 ) ▁and ▁the ▁ 5 4 th ▁Bomb ard ment ▁Squadron ▁( Med ium ). ▁ ▁Through out ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁there ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁attempts ▁to ▁have ▁Air ▁Corps ▁tact ical ▁units ▁demonstrate ▁current ▁tact ics ▁to ▁students ▁att ending ▁the ▁Air ▁Corps ▁T act ical ▁School , ▁which ▁was ▁the ▁advanced ▁school ▁for ▁Air ▁Corps ▁officers . ▁ ▁The ▁imp ract ic ability ▁of ▁sched uling ▁a ▁recently ▁trained ▁unit ▁with ▁modern ▁aircraft ▁for ▁these ▁demonstr ations ▁led ▁the ▁school ▁to ▁recommend ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁a ▁composite ▁unit ▁perman ently ▁station ed ▁with ▁the ▁school ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁recommendation ▁was ▁disapp ro ved ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁personnel ▁or ▁equipment ▁that ▁could ▁be ▁dedicated ▁to