Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics

The Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (known as AAFSAT) was a major command of the United States Army Air Forces. It was merged with Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command on 8 March 1946 at Orlando Army Airbase, Florida.

Overview
The Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics was a major command and military training organization of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Its function was to train cadres from newly formed units in combat operations under simulated field conditions as the cores around which new combat groups would be formed.

The lack of a true tactical training center and the closure of the Air Corps Tactical School in 1940, coupled with the impracticality of further splitting of existing combat groups into cadre for new groups, made AAFSAT a necessity. The Commandant of AAFSAT was Brigadier General Hume Peabody, formerly assistant commandant of the ACTS.

In addition to its training function, the school also developed as a tactical doctrine development center, assuming the functions formerly assigned the ACTS. In this function it also became known as the Army Air Forces Tactical Center (AAFTAC).

History
At the entry of the United States into World War II on 7 December 1941, the USAAF had expanded to 67 groups from a pre-1939 total of 15, but approximately half were paper units just forming. The entry into the war meant an immediate significant increase in the numbers of new combat groups, expanding to 269 groups by the end of 1943.

The training establishment then in place was inadequate to train units wholesale, and the concept of training cadres who in turn would direct the training of their assigned units was adopted. AAFSAT was established 9 October 1942, to provide this training. The first group receiving AAFSAT training to deploy overseas was the 390th Bomb Group (Heavy) in July 1943, based in England with the Eighth Air Force.

Headquarters USAAF originally intended that four tactical schools be developed across the United States, one for each of the four major military aviation functions. However "to save administrative costs and physical outlay" (Army Air Forces Historical Study 13) and to facilitate coordination between the schools, all four would be consolidated at a single location. Orlando was chosen 1 November 1942, primarily because it was already the location of Fighter Command School, which would be subordinated to AAFSAT, and because of its large geographical area. The school officially opened 12 November 1942. Between November 1942 and September 1945, AAFSAT trained 54,000 personnel and the cadres of 44 bombardment groups.

In addition to training cadre, AAFSAT also became a tactics development center, testing new tactics and disseminating their conclusions and procedures to combat theaters around the world. That role had been formerly held by the Air Corps Tactical School, but it had been a professional development school for future air commanders and had never developed into a true tactical center. Its suspension of classes in June 1940 and dissolution in the summer of 1941 had left a void in the promulgation, testing, articulation, and dissemination of doctrine and tactics, which AAFSAT was tasked to fill.

Lineage

 * Established as Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics on 27 October 1942'
 * Re-designated: Army Air Forces Tactical Center on 16 October 1943
 * Re-designated: Army Air Forces Center on 1 June 1945
 * Re-designated: Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command on 8 March 1946

Assignments

 * United States Army Air Forces, 27 October 1942

Stations

 * Orlando Army Airbase, Florida, 27 October 1942 – 8 March 1946

Directorates
AAFSAT was organized into three directorates: Tactical Development, School Activities, and Demonstration Air Force, with three combat groups acting as both school units and demonstration air force units. The Directorate of School Activities was divided into four departments, each headed by a colonel or brigadier general as Assistant Commandant and containing a "command school": Air Defense Department (Fighter Command School), Air Service Department, Air Support Department, and Bombardment Department (Bomber Command School).

School units
The AAFSAT school bombardment unit was the 9th Bomb Group, from 31 October 1942 to 9 March 1944, when it was re-designated a B-29 group and moved to Nebraska to train for combat operations. (Ironically, its new cadre were themselves trained at AAFSAT in June 1944.) The Fighter Command School unit was the 50th Fighter Group from 23 March 1943 to 13 March 1944, when it transferred to Ninth Air Force as a P-47 fighter-bomber group. The close air support school unit of AAFSAT from February 1943 to April 1944, when it was disbanded, was the 415th Bomb Group (Dive).

With a ground school at Orlando Army Air Base in Orlando, Florida, presenting a two-week academic course, AAFSAT also taught a two-week field course utilizing eleven training airfields in Florida representing all conditions likely to be found in combat, from bare fields to prepared bomber airbases having 10000 ft runways.

Component squadrons
During 1943-1945 the AAFSAT operated a combat simulation facility in Florida. Units and airfields were established throughout an 8000 sqmi area of north central Florida designated a mock "war theater" stretching roughly from Tampa to Titusville to Starke to Apalachicola in which war games were conducted. AAFSAT also had a bombing range at Ocala AAF, a service center at Leesburg AAF, and an air depot at Pinecastle AAF.

School demonstration units, assignments and stations

 * 1st Bombardment Squadron (B-17 Flying Fortress)
 * Assigned to: 9th Bombardment Group
 * Orlando AAB, 31 October-15 December 1942;25 February-3 March 1944
 * Brooksville AAF, 15 December 1942 – 25 February 1944


 * 5th Bombardment Squadron, (B-24 Liberator), (B-25 Mitchell)
 * Assigned to: 9th Bombardment Group
 * Orlando AAB, 31 October 1942 – 15 April 1943
 * Pinecastle AAF, 15 April 1943-7 January 1944;13 February-9 March 1944
 * Brooksville AAF, 7 January-13 February 1944


 * 99th Bombardment Squadron, (B-25 Mitchell), (B-26 Marauder)
 * Assigned to: 9th Bombardment Group
 * Orlando AAB, 31 October 1942 – 5 February 1943, 25 February-9 March 1944
 * Montbrook AAF, 5 February-14 November 1943
 * Kissimmee AAF, 14 November 1943 – 5 January 1944
 * Brooksville AAF, 5 January-25 February 1944


 * 430th Bombardment Squadron, (B-24 Liberator), (B-25 Mitchell), (B-26 Marauder)
 * Assigned to: 9th Bombardment Group
 * Orlando AAB, 31 October 1942 – 6 January 1944; 25 February-6 March 1944
 * Brooksville AAF, 6 January-25 February 1944


 * 10th Fighter Squadron, (P-40 Warhawk)
 * Assigned to: 50th Fighter Group
 * Orlando AAB, 18 March 1942-4 January 1943;29 January-13 March 1944
 * Zephyrhills AAF 4 January 1943 – 29 January 1944


 * 81st Fighter Squadron, (P-40 Warhawk)
 * Assigned to: 50th Fighter Group
 * Orlando AAB, 22 March 1942 – 18 June 1943; 1 February-13 March 1944
 * Cross City AAF, 18 June 1943 – 1 February 1944


 * 313th Fighter Squadron, (P-40 Warhawk)
 * Assigned to: 50th Fighter Group
 * Orlando AAB, 20 March 1942, 5 January 1943;28 January-13 March 1944
 * Leesburg AAF, 5 January-17 November 1943
 * Keystone Heights AAF, 17 November 1943 – 28 January 1944


 * 465th Bombardment Squadron, (DB-7 (A-20) Havoc)
 * Assigned to: AAFSAT, 24 January-23 March 1943
 * Assigned to: 415th Bombardment Group, 23 March 1943 – 19 March 1944
 * Alachua AAF, 24 January-19 November 1943
 * Montbrook AAF, 19 November 1943 – 2 March 1944
 * Orlando AAB, 2–19 March 1944


 * 667th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) (A-24 Dauntless), (P-39 Aircobra), (A-36 Apache)
 * Redesignated: 521st Fighter Squadron 10 August 1943
 * Assigned to: 415th Bombardment Group
 * Alachua AAF, 15 February 1943 – 2 March 1944
 * Orlando AAB, 2–19 March 1944


 * 1st Fighter (Commando) Squadron, (P-51 Mustang)
 * Assigned to: 2d Air Commando Group
 * Lakeland AAF, 20 April-12 June 1944
 * Cross City AAF, 12–21 June 1944
 * Alachua AAF, 21 June-17 August 1944


 * 2d Fighter (Commando) Squadron, (P-51 Mustang)
 * Assigned to: 2d Air Commando Group
 * Lakeland AAF, 20 April-9 June 1944
 * Cross City AAF, 9–21 June 1944
 * Alachua AAF, 21 June-17 August 1944


 * 317th Troop Carrier Squadron, (C-47 Skytrain)
 * Assigned to: 2d Air Commando Group
 * Alachua AAF, 7–21 June 1944
 * Dunnellon AAF, 21 June-15 August 1944


 * 3d Fighter (Commando) Squadron, (P-51 Mustang)
 * Assigned to: 3d Air Commando Group
 * Lakeland AAF, 1 May-7 August 1944
 * Cross City AAF, 7 August-6 October 1944
 * Alachua AAF, 6–24 October 1944


 * 4th Fighter (Commando) Squadron, (P-51 Mustang)
 * Assigned to: 3d Air Commando Group
 * Lakeland AAF, 1 May-21 August 1944
 * Alachua AAF, 21 August-6 October October 1944


 * 348th Night Fighter Squadron, (DB-7/P-70 (A-20) Havoc), (B-25 Mitchell)
 * Assigned to: Fighter Command School, 4 October 1942
 * Assigned to: AAFSAT, 21 January 1943
 * Assigned to: Air Defense Department, AAFSAT, 18 February 1943
 * Assigned to: Night Fighter Division, AAFSAT, 1 April 1943
 * Attached to: 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 17 July 1943
 * Assigned to: 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 28 July 1943 – 31 March 1944
 * Orlando AAB, 4 October 1942 – 19 January 1944
 * Salinas AAB, California, 19 January-31 March 1944


 * 349th Night Fighter Squadron, (DB-7/P-70 (A-20) Havoc), (B-25 Mitchell)
 * Assigned to: Fighter Command School, 4 October 1942
 * Assigned to: AAFSAT, 21 January 1943
 * Assigned to: Air Defense Department, AAFSAT, 18 February 1943
 * Assigned to: Night Fighter Division, AAFSAT, 1 April 1943
 * Attached to: 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 17 July 1943
 * Assigned to: 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 28 July 1943 – 31 March 1944
 * Orlando AAB, 4 October 1942 – 1 January 1943
 * Kissimmee AAF, 1 January 1943 – 15 January 1944
 * Hammer Field, California, 16 January-31 March 1944


 * 414th Night Fighter Squadron, (P-70/A-20 Havoc)
 * Assigned to: AAFSAT, 26 January-21 April 1943
 * Air echelon attached to: VIII Fighter Command, 31 March-21 April 1943
 * Orlando AAB, 26 January-8 February 1943
 * Kissimmee AAF, 8 February-21 April 1943


 * 415th Night Fighter Squadron, (P-70/A-20 Havoc)
 * Assigned to: AAFSAT, 10 February-21 April 1943
 * Air echelon attached to: VIII Fighter Command, 31 March-21 April 1943
 * Orlando AAB, 26 January-8 February 1943
 * Kissimmee AAF, 8 February-21 April 1943


 * 416th Night Fighter Squadron, (P-70/A-20 Havoc)
 * Assigned to: Air Defense Department, AAFSAT
 * Orlando AAB, 20 February-26 April 1943


 * 417th Night Fighter Squadron, (P-70/A-20 Havoc)
 * Assigned to: Air Defense Department, AAFSAT
 * Orlando AAB, 20 February-5 March 1943
 * Kissimmee AAF, 5 March-26 April 1943


 * 418th Night Fighter Squadron, (P-70/A-20 Havoc)
 * Assigned to: Air Defense Department, AAFSAT, 1 April 1943
 * Attached to: 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 17 July-25 September 1943
 * Orlando AAB, 1 April-25 August 1943
 * Kissimmee AAF, 25 August-25 September 1943


 * 419th Night Fighter Squadron, (P-70/A-20 Havoc)
 * Assigned to: Air Defense Department, AAFSAT, 1 April 1943
 * Attached to: 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 17 July-15 October 1943
 * Orlando AAB, 1–22 April 1943
 * Kissimmee AAF, 22 April-15 October 1943


 * 420th Night Fighter Squadron, (P-70/A-20 Havoc)
 * Assigned to: Air Defense Department, AAFSAT, 1 June 1943
 * Attached to: 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 17–26 July 1944
 * Assigned to: 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 26 July-31 March 1944
 * Orlando AAB, 1 June 1943
 * Kissimmee AAF, 1 June-20 August 1943
 * Dunnellon AAF 20 August 1943 – 18 January 1944
 * Hammer Field, California, 18 January-31 March 1944


 * 421st Night Fighter Squadron, (P-70/A-20 Havoc)
 * Assigned to: Air Defense Department, AAFSAT, 1 May 1943
 * Attached to: 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 17 July-7 November 1943
 * Orlando AAB, 1 May-1 October 1943
 * Kissimmee AAF, 4 October-7 November 1943


 * 422d Night Fighter Squadron, (P-70/A-20 Havoc)
 * Assigned to: Air Defense Department, AAFSAT, 1 August 1943
 * Assigned to: 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 29 October 1943
 * AAF Tactical Center: 8 January 1943 – 6 January 1944
 * Orlando AAB, 1 August-3 November 1943; 6 January-13 November 1944
 * Kissimmee AAF, 3 November 1943 – 6 January 1944


 * 423d Night Fighter Squadron (P-70 (A-20) Havoc)
 * Assigned to: 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group
 * Orlando AAB, 1 October 1943 – 29 January 1944
 * Kern County Apt, California, 29 January-26 March 1944


 * 425th Night Fighter Squadron, (P-70/A-20 Havoc)
 * Assigned to: 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group
 * Orlando AAB, 1 December 1943 – 20 January 1944
 * Hammer Field, California, 20 January-25 February 1944
 * Visalia Municipal Apt, California, 25 February-1 May 1944


 * 901st Army Air Forces Base Squadron, Bushnell AAF
 * Operated station support facilities at AAFSAT airfields, no flying Operational Training Unit assigned