[1] However, the relationship between the sector headquarters and the control officers at the stations along the routes in its area of responsibility remained unclear.

The new, expanded organizations would also be responsible for the service and maintenance of aircraft, communications and flight supervision at stations under their control.

These negotiations were carried out by Pan American Airways through its subsidiary Panair do Brasil, to give them the appearance of being for commercial airfields.

Panair proposed improvements to a number of airports in northern Brazil, which would include construction of facilities to support commercial use of the fields, but which could be easily converted to military use.

[6] The wing's original area of responsibility extended from Trinidad in the Caribbean to Ascension Island in the middle of the Atlantic.

[10] The first large scale movement of American aircraft along the wing's route was the flight of the 98th Bombardment Group in July.

The 98th's heavy bombers were able to cross the Atlantic non stop, so the first use of the new Wideawake Field on Ascension Island was by the Mitchells of the 12th Bombardment Group.

As the wing began operations, only four Consolidated B-24D Liberators, two Statocruisers and four Pan American Clippers were available to move supplies to Africa from Natal.

[12] In the preparation for Operation Torch, the wing participated in the movement of five groups of light and medium bombers to provide immediate reinforcement after the amphibious landings in North Africa.

By February 1943, facilities were available at Dakar, Senegal so that heavy bombers could fly there directly from Natal, cutting two or three stops off their route.

In particular beryl, a mineral used in the manufacture of delicate instruments, and tantalite, used in radio and radar sets, were both transported from Brazil.

[d] in July 1944, the expanded activity of the wing led to it becoming the South Atlantic Division, Air Transport Command.

[17] The Air Staff outlined a general plan for redeployment of forces from the European and Mediterranean Theaters to the United States in September 1944.

Return of heavy bombers was essentially completed in July, while movement of twin-engine planes continued into August.

The withdrawal of Fourth Fleet from the Atlantic made former Navy facilities at Belém and Natal available to the division for housing troops.

[h] By August, shipping in the Atlantic had become available to transport most troops back to the United States, and Project Green, which was programmed to last until April 1946, was terminated on 10 September 1945.