4 5 , ▁though ▁a ▁few ▁special ▁O SS ▁miss ions , ▁such ▁as ▁returning ▁dign itar ies ▁to ▁formerly ▁occupied ▁countries , ▁carried ▁on ▁until ▁the ▁Group ▁dis band ed ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁early ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁ ▁Oper ations ▁The ▁B - 2 4 ▁Liber ator ▁bom bers ▁used ▁for ▁the ▁fl ights ▁were ▁modified ▁by ▁removing ▁the ▁bel ly ▁tur ret , ▁nose ▁guns ▁and ▁any ▁equipment ▁unnecessary ▁for ▁the ▁mission , ▁such ▁as ▁o xygen ▁equipment , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁light en ▁them ▁and ▁provide ▁more ▁cargo ▁space ▁and ▁speed . ▁The ▁rear ▁guns ▁were ▁kept ▁as ▁protection ▁from ▁night ▁f igh ters . ▁Ag ents ▁and ▁cr ated ▁supplies ▁were ▁dropped ▁by ▁par ach ute ▁through ▁the ▁opening ▁left ▁by ▁removal ▁of ▁the ▁bel ly ▁tur ret . ▁In ▁addition , ▁supplies ▁were ▁loaded ▁into ▁containers ▁designed ▁to ▁fit ▁inside ▁the ▁bomb - bay ▁and ▁released ▁from ▁there ▁by ▁the ▁existing ▁equipment . ▁Target s ▁were ▁given ▁by ▁exact ▁long itudes ▁and ▁lat itudes , ▁thus ▁making ▁precise ▁navigation ▁imper ative . ▁ ▁All ▁fl ights ▁were ▁made ▁on ▁moon lit ▁night s ▁so ▁that ▁visual ▁navigation ▁could ▁be ▁made ▁by ▁using ▁rivers , ▁la kes , ▁rail road ▁tracks , ▁and ▁towns ▁as ▁check ▁points . ▁The ▁pilot , ▁cop il ot , ▁and ▁bomb ard ier ▁all ▁had ▁maps ▁to ▁aid ▁them ▁in ▁keeping ▁track ▁of ▁their ▁location , ▁whilst ▁the ▁navig ator ▁kept ▁position ▁by ▁dead ▁reck