The IX Tactical air Command was created within 9th US Air Force in April 1944 to provide close air support to the First US Army in the Normandy Invasion. It was tasked with isolating the battlefield from German resupply and reinforcement by targeting bridges, road junctions, supply dumps, railroads, airfields and radio towers and maintaining the air superiority already achieved in Normandy. After the Normandy landings, the targets were expanded to include vehicles of all types and troop formations. The IX TAC was commanded by Maj. Gen. Elwood "Pete" Quesada, a pioneer in aerial ground support.
It is 21 May 1944. You are a flight leader in the 405th Fighter Group flying one of 1,263 planes fanning out over Occupied France and the Low Countries to hunt German trains..
