9 4 4 , ▁the ▁ 8 5 9 th ▁was ▁sent ▁on ▁Det ached ▁Service ▁with ▁the ▁Fif teenth ▁Air ▁Force ▁in ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Theater ▁of ▁Oper ations ▁with ▁the ▁ 2 6 4 1 st ▁Special ▁Group ▁( Pro vis ional ) ▁at ▁Br ind isi , ▁Italy . ▁The ▁ 8 5 6 th ▁Bomb ▁Squadron , ▁after ▁comple ting ▁the ▁personnel ▁recovery ▁mission , ▁res umed ▁Car pet b agger ▁operations ▁on ▁a ▁limited ▁basis ▁during ▁the ▁bad ▁weather ▁of ▁the ▁winter ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁while ▁the ▁remaining ▁two ▁squad rons ▁( the ▁ 8 5 7 th ▁and ▁ 8 5 8 th ) ▁participated ▁in ▁medium ▁alt itude ▁bomb ing ▁from ▁late ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁through ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁Car pet b agger ▁operations ▁res umed ▁but ▁not ▁to ▁the ▁extent ▁of ▁the ▁previous ▁year . ▁The ▁ 8 5 7 th ▁was ▁det ached ▁and ▁sent ▁to ▁R AF ▁Bass ing b ourn ▁( 9 1 st ▁Bomb ▁Group ) ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁while ▁the ▁ 8 5 6 th ▁and ▁ 8 5 8 th ▁dropped ▁small ▁numbers ▁of ▁agents ▁and ▁sab ot age ▁teams ▁into ▁the ▁Netherlands , ▁Den mark , ▁Norway ▁and ▁Germany . ▁Oper ations ▁came ▁to ▁an ▁end ▁at ▁Harr ington ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁April ▁ 1 9