The Eighth received its first B-29 Superfortress on 8 August 1945. 385 th Bomb Group, 8 th Air Force. In 2000, the Air Force decided to integrate information operations into Eighth Air Force. For its Korean War service, the 27th Fighter-Escort Wing received the Distinguished Unit Citation, covering the period of 26 January through 21 April 1951, for their actions in Korea. For instance, the Eighth suffered about half of the U.S. Army Air Force's casualties (47,483 out of 115,332), including more than 26,000 dead. The 305th was activated in the United States in March 1942 and moved to England in August-October. 8th Air Force 448th Bomb Group, England WWII. With the end of fighting in Korea, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who had taken office in January 1953, called for a "new look" at national defense. They numbered 350,000 men and women with over 54,000 killed in combat or taken prisoner. Login; Frequently Asked . var origImgWth = $(".fancybox-image").prop("naturalWidth");
On 1 January, the entire German fighter force in the West, comprising combat aircraft from some eleven Jagdgeschwader day fighter wings, took off and attacked 27 Allied airfields in northern France, Belgium and the southern part of the Netherlands in an attempt by the Luftwaffe to cripple Allied air forces in the Low Countries of Europe. USAAF. Bomber wings of the 8th Air Force include: This article incorporates public domain material from Eighth Air Force. }
In 1949, a realignment of responsibilities for SAC's two air forces occurred. The VIII Bomber Command launched its first raid in North-western Europe on 4 July 1942, when six RAF Douglas A-20 Havocs flown by crews of the 15th Bombardment Squadron (Light) (accompanied by another six Bostons from the more experienced No.
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Why pay every year? The Air Force retired nearly all of its piston-engined B-29/B-50s and they were replaced by new Boeing B-47 Stratojet aircraft.
Official homepage of the 385th bomb group association. Our research database contains information on Bomber, Fighter and Service Groups, their Bases both in England and the United States, Daily Missions and Targets throughout Europe. It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. We welcome members of the 388 FBW (Korea) the 388 TFW (VietNam) and the 388 FW (today). Beeby, John O. $(".fancybox-button").css("display", "none");
By 1945, all but one of the Eighth Air Force fighter groups were equipped with the P-51D. His administration chose to invest in the Air Force, especially Strategic Air Command.
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This ongoing project documents a basic service history of participating individuals. Support to the latter command included the operation of Task Force 204 (bombers). return isMobile;
The ALLIED FORCE campaign also marked the Eighth's return to Europe and the participation of U.S. bombers in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) first combat operation. Cold and clear weather was predicted for the last week of February 1944.
Eighth Air Force's effort was over 1,000 B-17s and B-24s and over 800 fighters and the RAF provided sixteen squadrons of North American P-51 Mustangs and Supermarine Spitfires in addition. $(".fancybox-caption__body").prepend(prependClosing());
Further ground fire caused damage to his right wing, and the engine caught fire. if ($(".af3-caption-body").length > 0 && $(".af3-caption-body").css("height") != undefined) {
On 22 March, over 800 bombers, led by H2X radar equipped bombers hit Berlin yet again, bombing targets through a thick rainy overcast causing more destruction to various industries. return;
226 Squadron RAF) commanded by Captain Charles C. Kegelman attacked four airfields[b] in the Netherlands. While posturing itself for that mission change, the Eighth also supported Operation Enduring Freedom in which the Air Force operates against targets in Afghanistan, and Operation Noble Eagle for the defense of North American airspace. function recalculateImageSize() {
8th Air Force commander relieves two commanders at Minot. Major General Jimmy Doolittle relinquished command of the Fifteenth Air Force to Major General Nathan F. Twining and on January 6, 1944, took over command of the Eighth Air Force from Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker at RAF Daws Hill. At first, the Eighth deployed its B-52 bomber and KC-135 tanker units from the U.S. to operating bases in Guam, Okinawa and Thailand. 8 th AirForce.com. [12], On Okinawa, Eighth Air Force derived its headquarters personnel from the inactivated XX Bomber Command, and Lieutenant General James H. Doolittle assumed command, being reassigned from England on 19 July. In 1965, Eighth Air Force entered combat again, this time in Southeast Asia. As the nuclear weapons carried by the bombers were so powerful that only one plane was assigned to a target that might have previously needed a whole bomb group of aircraft. For this reason, Eighth Air Force is commonly known as the "Mighty Eighth." $(".fancybox-caption__body").removeClass("af3-caption-body");
These missions, however, carried a high price. Were proud to be able to present archival issues below: INSTRUCTIONSStart here! By mid-1944, the 8th AF had reached a total strength of more than 200,000 people. The result: a greater reliance on nuclear weapons and air power to deter war. One of the main benefits of membership in the Society is our Magazine, the 8th AF News. var $currentSlide = $(".fancybox-slide.fancybox-slide--current.fancybox-slide--image").parent().parent();
We need help with transcribing data. Although SAC fighter squadrons upgraded to Republic F-84F Thunderstreak jet fighters in the early 1950s, the new jet bombers flew so high and so fast there was little danger of them being intercepted by enemy fighters. // Fancy box miscalculates because of race conditions with new layout
By 6 June, Allied fighter pilots had succeeded in damaging or destroying hundreds of locomotives, thousands of motorized vehicles, and many bridges. Researching World War II Bombing Aerial Photography. function closeDetails() {
", The Eighth Air Force team consists of more than 16,000 Regular Air Force (e.g., active duty), Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve professionals operating and maintaining a variety of aircraft capable of deploying air power to any area of the world. 548 Bomb Squadron. }
This website is dedicated to preserving the history of the 445th Bombardment Group (Heavy) that was part of the 8th Air Force during World War II. Please note that dues have increased to $25.00 per year . $currentSlide.find(".fancy-detail-link").on("touchstart", function() { captionToggle(); });
Within a few years, B-47 medium and B-52s heavy bombers replaced the Eighth's older B-29, B-50, and B-36 bombers. getDownloadURL($(this).parent()) +
In 1965, Eighth Air Force entered combat again, this time in Southeast Asia. var newImgWth = (origImgWth * ratio);
As a professional researcher and World War II historian, Bill Beigel provides research services to genealogists, historians, authors, and civilians who are looking for information found in WW2 military unit records. The other American-flown Boston had been shot down over De Kooy[6]. VIII Fighter Command 1944-1945. They numbered 350,000 men and women with over 54,000 killed in combat or taken prisoner. 8th Air Force 448th Bomb Group, England WWII - TaraCopp. 41-24577) of the 358th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, RAF Molesworth. The operation failed to achieve air superiority, even temporarily, and the German Army continued to be exposed to air attack. var caption = '';
World War II proved what the proponents of air power had been championing for the previous two decadesthe great value of strategic forces in bombing an enemy's industrial complex and of tactical forces in controlling the skies above a battlefield. The Eighth Air Force includes the heart of America's heavy bomber force: the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, the Rockwell B-1 Lancer supersonic bomber, and the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress heavy bomber aircraft. },
Thank you for visiting our site. Following the end of the war in Europe in May 1945 plans were made to transfer some of the B-17/B-24 heavy bomber groups of Eighth Air Force to the Pacific Theater of Operations and upgrade them to Boeing B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy (VH) bomb groups. This air force lost most of its men and equipment in the defense of the Philippines after 7 Dec 1941. Redesignated Ninth AF in Apr 1942. By the late 1940s, the B-17 Flying Fortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberators used in the European Theater of the war were thoroughly obsolete as combat aircraft and were mostly sent to the smelters. The Eighth's units played a key role in the 42-day Gulf War in 1991. By the time of the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, Eighth Air Force consisted of the following units: On 25 June 1950, the armed forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) invaded South Korea. However, the Luftwaffe was successful in shooting down 46 bombers in a very unequal fight.[10]. Under ACC, the Eighth received control over active duty, Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guard units in the central U. S. and two overseas locations.
In a prelude to the invasion of France, American air attacks began in February 1944 against railroad junctions, airfields, ports and bridges in northern France and along the English Channel coastline. This air power includes the heart of America's heavy bomber force, deploying the Rockwell B-1 Lancer, Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit and the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. Altogether, the Eighth's bombers flew 325 sorties to drop over 7 million pounds of ordnance on enemy targets in that campaign. Eighth Air Force Bomb Group Tail Markings Prior to 13 September 1943 -- Several Groups were not yet assigned. On 16 April, this record was broken when over 700 German aircraft were destroyed on the ground. Commanding Officers Connections Our Society is one of many organizations across the country that honor and preserve the legacy of the Mighty Eighth. The next day, over 900 bombers and 700 fighters of Eighth Air Force hit more aircraft factories in the Braunschweig area. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. return '
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Fifteen months after Operation DESERT STORM, the Air Force reorganized. Transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the US on 7 Jun 1946. (Heavy Bombers) and as an historical record of events that took place in Europe during World War II. We are currently re-designing and moving our site to a different hosting service.
The reorganization transformed the Eighth into the only information operations and bomber NAF in the Air Force. 2 views , founded in 1975 by an original 8th Air Force pilot, Lt. Col. John Woolnough, serv as a central organization for its individual State Chapters and Wings. if (item.type === 'image') {
Writing about our entire adventure would take a great deal more space than this article . His directive was simple: "Win the air war and isolate the battlefield. In June 1946, the headquarters relocated to MacDill Field, Fla., to join the new Strategic Air Command (SAC). debounceTimer = null;
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As a contrast, the Luftwaffe was undertaking the sixth major raid of the "Baby Blitz" the following night (20/21 February), with only some 165 German aircraft sortieing against British targets. Kegelman's aircraft lost altitude and even bounced off the ground, but he was able to bring the damaged bomber home and received the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) from General Spaatz on 11 July. On 7 June 1946, Headquarters Eighth Air Force was reassigned without personnel or equipment from Okinawa to MacDill Field, Florida, becoming SAC's second numbered air force.
-Lt. General Jimmy Doolittle, Commanding General, 8th Air Force.
Throughout the first six months of ENDURING FREEDOM, the Mighty Eighth's bombers were instrumental in the destruction of key targets and illusive enemy forces in Afghanistan. '">
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On 7 April 1945, the Luftwaffe flew its most desperate and deadliest mission, with the dedicated aerial ramming unit Sonderkommando Elbe. *Due to rising costs to print and mail hard copies of the magazine, beginning in March 2023, annual dues will provide members with a digital copy ONLY of the 8th AF News magazine. The first escort mission for the bombers was not flown until 5 December. Over the years, the Society has become a strong organization with an emphasis on remembering and honoring our comrades who served with distinction: the men who flew, the many thousands of ground crews, and those who worked in the background. },
was activated on 28 January 1942 at the Chatham Armory in Savannah, Georgia. Based in Parham, England, the 390th Bombardment Group (H) flew 301 combat missions against German military targets. INSIGNE. }
[citation needed]. It was reassigned to Savannah Army Air Base, Georgia on 10 February 1942. 8th and 15th AF flight, ground crew and crash photos: B-24, B-17, P-51, B-26, P-47, P-38. Fifteen months after Operation Desert Storm, the Air Force reorganized. showFBShare() +
Afterward, engaged primarily in bombardment of strategic targets in Europe. Maj. Gen. Andrew J. Gebara, commander of 8th Air Force, relieved two commanders today from their positions of leadership at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, due to a loss of confidence in their ability to complete their assigned duties."These personnel actions were necessary to maintain the very 466th Bombardment Group - 8th Air Force 468th Bomber Group - 20th Air Force 488th Bombardment Group 493rd bombardment group - 8th Air Force 497th Bomber Group - 20th Air Force. The losses of the Allied Air Forces were replaced within weeks. var winWth = $(window).innerWidth();
Compiled by Bill Varnedoe. Activated in the US on I Feb 1942. The command serves as Air Forces Strategic Global Strike, one of the air components of United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). Units assigned to Eighth Air Force in the Pacific were: The atomic bombings of Japan led to the Japanese surrender before Eighth Air Force saw action in the Pacific theater. isMobile = true;
Half of the U.S. Army Air Forces' casualties in World War II were suffered by Eighth Air Force (more than 47,000 casualties, with more than 26,000 dead). Eighth Air Force bomb wings, stationed in the Persian Gulf region, also attacked Iraq's Republican Guard forces and numerous key strategic targets, while other units provided air refueling and tactical reconnaissance throughout the conflict. By the end of 1944, only three out of ninety-one refineries in the Reich were still working normally, twenty-nine were partially functional, and the remainder were completely destroyed. Over 950 fighters had been sent west from the Eastern Front for "Operation Bodenplatte". In addition, German airfields in France and Belgium were attacked. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); National and Regional Reunions held annually across the United States, Tours, Seminars, Symposiums, Banquets, Veteran Question & Answer Sessions and more, Access to Bomb Group, Fighter Group and POW experts and researchers, Our award-winning magazine presented quarterly by mail or electronically. This is from where the present-day Eighth Air Force's history, lineage and honors derive. [6] Alerted to the attack, the airfield defences were prepared for the raid when it arrived. Eighth Air Force spent its first decade in the continental U.S. building up its strategic capabilities. The result was that the Luftwaffe was notable by its absence over the skies of Europe after D-Day and the Allies were starting to achieve air superiority over the continent. On 8 March, another raid of 600 bombers and 200 fighters hit the Berlin area again, destroying the VKF ball-bearing plant at Erkner. The right propeller of Kegelman's Boston was shot away by flak while over the target at De Kooy Airfield[7][self-published source?] (Approved 20 May 1943. In the planned invasion of Japan, the mission of Eighth Air Force would be to conduct B-29 Superfortress raids from Okinawa in coordination with Twentieth Air Force operating from airfields in the Mariana Islands.[12].
Spaatz and Doolittle's plan was to use the US Strategic Air Forces in a series of co-ordinated raids, code-named Operation 'Argument' (popularly known as 'Big Week' ) and supported by RAF night bombing, on the German aircraft industry at the earliest possible date. Their children and descendants, who are representatives of these Veterans, saw the need to keep the history and experiences of these warriors alive. It also . 12th Bombardment Wing: 1942-1944. CAMPAIGNS. }
United States Air Force. After D-Day, attacks on the German oil industry assumed top priority which was widely dispersed around the Reich. This operation involved German pilots of the unit ramming their worn-out Bf 109Gs, each barely armed with only one MG 131 machine gun and 50 rounds of ammunition, into American bombers in order to get the Allies to suspend bombing raids long enough for the Germans to make a significant amount of Me 262A jet fighters. [citation needed] By 1955, SAC no longer needed its fighters and these fighter units were transferred to Tactical Air Command and utilized in a tactical role.
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Visit our 8th Air Force Honor Project with rosters of servicemen who served in the groups of the 8th. On 22 February 1944, the Army reorganized its Air Forces in Europe by renaming Eighth Air Force as the United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe (now known as the United States Air Forces in Europe). $(".closing-box, .closingx").on("touchstart", function() { captionToggle(); });
"[citation needed]. In its early days, SAC had fighter wings for the escorting its aircraft equipped with the new F-82E Twin Mustang along with long range F-51H Mustangs and F-47N Thunderbolts, all of which were designed late in World War II for use in the planned invasion of Japan. As the new commander of the Eighth Air Force from January 1944 onwards, Major General Jimmy Doolittle's major influence on the European air war occurred early that year when he made a critical change to the policy requiring escorting fighters to remain with the bombers at all times. Nick was a life member of the 8th Air Force Historical Society, the 15th Air Force Association and the 414th Bombardment Squadron, 97th Bombardment Group Association. A handful remained in service performing non-combat duties through the mid-1950s as air-sea rescue aircraft (SB-17, SB-24); photo-reconnaissance aircraft (RB-17, RB-24), and as unmanned target drones (QB-17) and their controllers (DB-17). Join or renew for two years and never miss a thing! For the Mighty Eighth, that change heralded an interesting future, one that bring further restructuring, different aircraft system purchases, and a new challenging mission to the NAF. var dstTop = Math.floor((winHgt - newImgHgt)) / 2;
2d Bombardment Wing: 1942-1943. It could, and often did, dispatch more than 2,000 four-engine bombers and more than 1,000 fighters on a single mission to multiple targets. return '