The mission of IX Troop Carrier Command was air transport for the Allied airborne forces in the European Theater of Operations (ETO).

The command's original cadre came from Headquarters, 1st Troop Carrier Command (Provisional) established as a provisional headquarters by the Eighth Air Force in September with six officers and three aircraft of the 315th Troop Carrier Group (the remainder of the group's aircraft and squadrons were on detached service in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations).

[1] In November the 435th Troop Carrier Group at RAF Welford was assigned, and command headquarters were moved to Grantham Lodge.

Its five groups had participated in the large airborne assault during Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily and had flown combat jumps on a smaller scale in Italy.

The command grew to a total of 14 groups in April 1944 when the 315th was taken off transport duties in the Mediterranean and assigned two additional squadrons to bring it up to full table of organization and equipment strength, and when the newly created 442d Troop Carrier Group arrived from the United States.

At the end of February 1944, using equipment and personnel from the 52nd Wing, the command established a training unit for airborne division pathfinders and the aircrews that would deliver them.

In February and March 1945 the 52d and 53rd wings also deployed to bases in France, except for two groups of the 52nd assigned to support British airborne operations.

The groups of the 52nd Wing based in France returned to England to carry the British 6th Airborne Division in the assault.