The mission took the 918th to the 15th Air Force area of responsibility in Italy; in the Summer of 1944, the 8th Air Force and 15th Air Force overlapped areas of responsibility with 8th Air Force bombers and long range escorts flying one way missions from Britain to Soviet bases in Ukraine and from there flying one way missions to 15th Air Force bases in Italy, and then bombing German targets on the way back to to England from Italy.