s ▁important ▁to ▁note ▁that ▁the ▁ref iner ies ▁at ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Ar uba ▁and ▁C ura ça o ▁possessed ▁oil ▁from ▁well s ▁in ▁Venezuela ▁and ▁counted ▁for ▁one - third ▁of ▁the ▁Al lies ▁supply ▁of ▁gas oline . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁w art ime ▁mission ▁of ▁the ▁newly ▁created ▁Six th ▁Air ▁Force ▁was ▁to ▁perform ▁ant is ub marine ▁operations ▁in ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁and ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁Mexico ▁areas ▁and ▁to ▁cover ▁Al lied ▁sh ipping ▁con vo ys ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁The ▁Six th ▁Air ▁Force ▁expanded ▁throughout ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁and ▁Latin ▁America , ▁station ing ▁units ▁from ▁Cuba ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁to ▁British ▁Gu iana ▁and ▁Sur in am ▁on ▁the ▁northern ▁coast ▁of ▁South ▁America ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁Venez uel an ▁oil fields . ▁Air ▁bases ▁were ▁established ▁along ▁the ▁western ▁coast ▁of ▁South ▁America , ▁in ▁Peru , ▁E cuador ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁in ▁the ▁Gal á pag os ▁Islands , ▁Pan ama , ▁Gu atem ala ▁and ▁Costa ▁Rica . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁vital ▁Air ▁Transport ▁Command ▁South ▁Atlantic ▁Air ▁Route ▁to ▁Europe ▁and ▁North ▁Africa , ▁Six th ▁Air ▁Force ▁combat ▁units ▁were ▁station ed ▁in ▁Brazil ▁to ▁pat rol ▁the ▁South ▁Atlantic ▁air ▁routes . ▁ ▁Six th ▁Air ▁Force ▁had ▁the ▁responsibility ▁for ▁tracking ▁down ▁sub marine ▁w olf pack s , ▁which ▁consisted ▁of ▁groups ▁of ▁three ▁of ▁more ▁subs ▁attack ing ▁Al lied ▁sh ipping ▁using ▁a ▁strategy ▁now ▁known