2 nd ▁bomb ▁group . ▁After ▁some ▁sh uff ling ▁of ▁commands , ▁these ▁two ▁squad rons ▁were ▁placed ▁under ▁the ▁prov is ional ▁ 8 0 1 st ▁Bomb ▁Group ▁at ▁R AF ▁Harr ington ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁" C arp et b agger " ▁miss ions ▁were ▁carried ▁out ▁by ▁this ▁unit ▁under ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁General ▁" W ild ▁Bill " ▁Don ovan ' s ▁Office ▁of ▁Str ateg ic ▁Services ▁( O SS ). ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁the ▁group ▁moved ▁to ▁R AF ▁Harr ington ▁( Station ▁ 1 7 9 ), ▁a ▁more ▁se cluded ▁and ▁thus ▁more ▁secure ▁air base . ▁A ▁month ▁later , ▁in ▁advance ▁of ▁the ▁expected ▁invasion ▁of ▁Europe , ▁it ▁was ▁expanded ▁to ▁four ▁squad rons ▁to ▁increase ▁its ▁capabilities ▁and ▁to ▁pick ▁up ▁work load ▁from ▁R AF ▁Bom ber ▁Command ; ▁the ▁two ▁new ▁squad rons ▁were ▁the ▁ 7 8 8 th ▁and ▁ 8 5 0 th ▁Bomb ard ment ▁Squad rons . ▁ ▁The ▁Group ▁had ▁already ▁adopted ▁the ▁nick name ▁of ▁" C arp et bag gers " ▁from ▁its ▁original ▁oper ational ▁cod ename . ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁the ▁group ▁dropped ▁the ▁" Pro vis ional " ▁status ▁and ▁absor bed ▁the ▁names ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 9 2 d ▁Bomb ard ment ▁Group ▁from ▁R AF ▁North ▁P icken ham , ▁which ▁had ▁stood