00244240 UNCLASSIFIED 2431091 01-01-1944 2431243 06-01-1944

ARMY AIR FORCES SERVICE COMMAND, MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

HISTORY 636.01 V.1 VOL 1 OF 2 8458 A6139 1766 2354 43 2447253 04-01-1988 12 AIR FORCE SERVICE COMMAND WAS ACTIVATED AT MACDILL FIELD FL ON 22 AUG 42. UNITS OF THE COMMAND RECEIVED THEIR FINAL TRAINING IN ENGLAND IN SEP AND OCT 42 AND SAILED FOR ALGERIA AROUND 24 OCT 42. ON 4 OCT 42, A DETACHMENT OF 12 AIR FORCE SERVICE COMMAND WAS ACTIVATED AT WASHINGTON DC FOR THE PURPOSE OF SERVICING THE 12 AIR SUPPORT COMMAND WHICH WAS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MOROCCAN PHASE OF THE AFRICAN INVASION. UNITS OF THIS DETACHMENT SAILED DIRECTLY FROM THE UNITED STATES ABOUT 24 OCT 42. IN NOV 42, THE 12 AIR FORCE AND 12 AIR SUPPORT COMMAND MOVED TO TUNISIA. DURING DEC, 12 AIR FORCE SERVICE COMMAND ESTABLISHED THREE SUBCOMMANDS, KNOWN AS AIR SERVICE AREA COMMANDS AND ASSIGNED TO EACH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SUPERVISING ALL AIR SERVICE COMMAND ACTIVITIES WITHIN CERTAIN PRESCRIBED GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS. AFTER THE END OF THE TUNISIAN CAMPAIGN, 12 AIR FORCE SERVICE COMMAND SERVICED THE 12 AIR FORCE AND ITS SUBORDINATE COMMANDS AND UNITS IN PANTELLERIA, SICILY, SOUTHERN ITALY, SARDINIA AND CORSICA AS EACH OF THOSE AREAS WAS OCCUPIED BY THE ALLIES. ON 3 DEC 43, 2 AIR SERVICE AREA COMMAND (SP) WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 15 AIR FORCE AND CLOSED ITS HEADQUARTERS AT TUNIS AND MOVED TO BARI, ITALY. 3 AIR SERVICE AREA COMMAND (SP) HAD MOVED ITS HEADQUARTERS TO NAPLES, ITALY AND WAS SERVICING THE 12 AIR FORCE. ON 22 DEC 43, HEADQUARTERS, NORTHWEST AFRICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS, UNITED STATES ARMY (NATOUSA) WAS REDESIGNATED ARMY AIR FORCES, MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS; 12 AIR FORCE SERVICE COMMAND WAS REDESIGNATED ARMY AIR FORCES SERVICE COMMAND, MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO); AND 2 AND 3 AIR SERVICE AREA COMMANDS WERE REDESIGNATED 15 AND 12 AIR FORCE SERVICE COMMAND, RESPECTIVELY. THE REORGANIZATION OF 1 JAN 44 CALLED FOR THE INACTIVATION OF THE NORTH AFRICAN AIR SERVICE COMMAND (NAASC) WHICH HAD SERVED AS COORDINATING SERVICE COMMAND AGENCY FOR AMERICAN AND BRITISH SERVICE ELEMENTS IN THE THEATER. THE AMERICAN ELEMENT OF NAASC WAS THE ORIGINAL 12 AIR FORCE SERVICE COMMAND. ON 1 MAR 44, HEADQUARTERS OF ARMY AIR FORCES SERVICE COMMAND, MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (AAFSC/MTO) WAS FURTHER REORGANIZED FROM THE THREEFOLD STRUCTURE OF COMMAND SECTION, GENERAL STAFF AND SPECIAL STAFF TO A FIVEFOLD STRUCTURE WITH COMMAND, AIR MAINTENANCE, AIR SUPPLY, PERSONNEL AND SERVICES SECTIONS. THE ALLIED AIR FORCE AREA COMMAND (AAFAC) WAS ORGANIZED ON 1 JAN 44 FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADMINISTERING AIRDROMES AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS OF 15 AIR FORCE IN THE PROVINCE OF FOGGIA, ITALY. MEDITERRANEAN AIR TRANSPORT SERVICE (MATS) WAS ESTABLISHED ON 25 MAY 43 WITH HEADQUARTERS IN ALGIERS. ORIGINALLY MATS WAS UNDER THE CONTROL OF AAFSC/MTO; THIS CONTROL CEASED ON 29 APR 44. AAFSC/MTO TOOK OVER THE ARMY AIR FORCES REST CAMPS LOCATED ON CAPRI ON 18 FEB 44. NONE