The U.S. VIII Corps, part of the Ninth Army, played a significant role in the Allied invasion of Normandy and the subsequent liberation of Brittany. Commanded by Major General Troy H. Middleton, the VIII Corps was operational in Normandy on June 15, 1944, and took up defensive positions west of Carentan on the Cotentin Peninsula as part of the U.S. First Army. The corps was involved in the breakout from Normandy (Operation Cobra) on July 26, 1944, and continued to engage in various military operations throughout the war. The VIII Corps' involvement in the Battle of the Bulge and its medical support structure were notable aspects of its operations during the war.