The Mighty Eighth Air Force
 plane
22 December 1944
FRIDAY, 22 DECEMBER 1944

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

TACTICAL OPERATIONS

First Tactical Air Force (Provisional): In France, the 404th Fighter
Squadron, 371st Fighter Group, ceases operating from Dijon with P-47s and
returns to base at Tantonville.

Ninth Air Force: 3 fighter groups of the IX Tactical Air Command are
transferred to the XIX Tactical Air Command to concentrate air power for
cooperation with the US Third Army to which the main effort against the Bulge
has been assigned; the groups return to control of the IX Tactical Air
Command on 25 Dec.
Fighters fly a few strafing, weather reconnaissance, intruder patrol, and
alert missions; bad weather cancels all other missions. In Belgium, the 153d
Liaison Squadron, IX Tactical Air Command (attached to Twelfth Army Group),
moves from Olne to Tongres (air echelon operating from Liege with L-5s).