This was an Allied programme of air operations in direct support of General Sir Bernard Montgomery’s Allied 21^st Army Group in 'Neptune' (iii) and 'Overlord' (6 June 1944).

These operations were entrusted to Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham’s British 2^nd Tactical Air Force and Lieutenant General Lewis H. Brereton’s US 9^th AAF under the overall control of Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory, the Allied air commander-in-chief.