As part of this game-changing strategy, especially after the bombers had hit their targets, the USAAF's fighters were then free to strafe German airfields and transport while returning to base, contributing significantly to the achievement of air superiority by Allied air forces over Europe. The original Eighth Air Force was redesignated as the United States Strategic Air Forces (USSTAF). Personnel and group records to digital. Since 1994, the Eighth has participated in a string of contingency operations, such as the 1996 Operation DESERT STRIKE against Iraq, the 1998 Operation DESERT FOX against Iraq, which featured the B-1B in its combat debut, and 1999 Operation ALLIED FORCE against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which involved the B-2A Spirit in its first combat. The Eighth's weapons inventory also changed to include KC-135 air refuelers and intercontinental ballistic missiles (the Atlas, Titan I and Titan II, and all Minuteman models.). Get detailed instructios o how to register for the Reunion. The 398th was formed in the United States in 1943 and was stationed in Nuthampstead, England from April 1944 until June 1945. '
8th air force wwii roster
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At the same time, aerial refueling techniques were improved to the extent that Eighth Air Force bombers could still reach targets in Europe and Asia even if overseas bases were destroyed by an enemy attack. function prependClosing() {
General Carl Spaatz returned to England to command the USSTAF. Components: 1st Bombardment Wing: 1942-1943. Visit our 8th Air Force Honor Project with rosters of servicemen who served in the groups of the 8th. The 305th was activated in the United States in March 1942 and moved to England in August-October. isDesktopInit = false;
Why pay every year? World War II U.S. Military Records Search. The 8th Air Force Historical Society was created in 1975 to preserve the legacy of the Mighty Eighth and the part it played in World War II. worldwartwoveterans@gmail.com. On 25 February, both Eighth and Fifteenth Air Forces hit numerous targets at Frth airfield, Augsburg and Regensburg, attacking Messerschmitt Bf 110 and Bf 109 plants. After Korean War, on 13 June 1955 SAC moved the unit to Westover AFB, Massachusetts, where it transitioned to the jet age.
On 21 January 1951, Lt. Col. William Bertram, commander of the 523rd Fighter-Escort Squadron, shot down the first MiG-15 for the wing and became the first F-84 pilot with a confirmed MiG kill. In the year 2000, the Air Force decided to integrate information operations into Eighth Air Force. Please note that dues have increased to $25.00 per year . SAC fighter wings assigned to Eighth Air Force were: Fighter escorts were no longer needed once SAC was equipped with Boeing B-47 Stratojet and then Boeing B-52 Stratofortress jet bombers carrying nuclear bombs. Eighth Air Force also supports STRATCOM's Joint Force Headquarters Information Operations and serves as the command element for Air Force wide computer network operations. This 8th Air Force WWII Decal is die cut - which means it is cut to the exact shape of the image, and made in the USA at our facilities in Chino Valley, Arizona.
His directive was simple: "Win the air war and isolate the battlefield. var winHgt = $(window).innerHeight()
Dates shown are when the Group was operational. afterClose: function () {
Afterward, engaged primarily in bombardment of strategic targets in Europe. var newImgHgt = (origImgHgt * ratio);
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The Mighty Eighth's modern history is equally impressive. For the Mighty Eighth, that change heralded an interesting future, one that bring further restructuring, different aircraft systems, and a new challenging mission to the NAF. Rudder, James E. 2nd Ranger Battalion; 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division 53; 243; 384; 476; 557 . On July 4th, 1942 the first American bomber mission flown from England by the U.S Army Air Forces (AAF) flew towards the occupied Netherlands. In addition, German airfields in France and Belgium were attacked. $(document).ready(function () {
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). Eighth Air Force 139. Because of the thick clouds and rain over the area the Luftwaffe did not attack the American bomber fleet, as the Germans believed that because of the weather the American bombers would be incapable of attacking their targets. These bomb wings were drastically undermanned and under equipped. var origImgHgt = $(".fancybox-image").prop("naturalHeight");
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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. The Me 262A was a difficult foe for the P-47s and P-51s, possessing a distinct speed advantage. Roster, J. T. 3rd Photo Reconnaissance Squadron 914 . 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. These Veterans, born in the 1920s and before, were members of the greatest air armada of all time. 8th Air Force (ETO) Operational Units. Commanding Officers Connections
The following day, on 9 March, H2X radar-equipped B-17s mounted a third attack on the Reich capital through clouds. Importantly, the Eighth's bombing effectiveness influenced the North Vietnamese to end hostilities. Visit our 8th Air Force Honor Project with rosters of servicemen who served in the groups of the 8th. Azure, in the lower lobe of the winged Arabic numeral 8 or a mullet throughout argent charged with a torteaux. A strategic air force was that with a mission to attack an enemy's war effort beyond his front-line forces, predominantly production and supply facilities, whereas a tactical air force supported ground campaigns, usually with objectives selected through co-operation with the armies. Eighth Air Force carried out strategic daytime bombing operations in Western Europe from airfields in eastern England as part of the Combined Bomber Offensive. Over 60 Luftwaffe fighters were shot down with a loss of 19 US bombers and 5 US fighters. Divisions, Wings & Groups In all, twelve aircraft factories were attacked, with the B-17s heading to Leipzig (Allgemeine Transportanlagen-Gesellschaft[de] Junkers Ju 88 production and Erla Maschinenwerk[de] Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters), Bernburg-Strenzfeld (Junkers Ju 88 plant) and Oschersleben (AGO plant making Focke Wulf Fw 190A fighters), while the B-24s hitting the Gothaer Waggonfabrik (production of Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighters), the Fw 190 Arado Flugzeugwerke plant at Tutow and Heinkel's "Heinkel-Nord" headquarters at Rostock (production of He 111 bombers). 2 views $(".af3-caption-body").stop(true, false).animate({ height: "0vh" }, 800, function () {
For this reason, Eighth Air Force is commonly known as the "Mighty Eighth." On 22 February 1944, a massive reorganization of American airpower took place in Europe. getDetailsURL($(this).parent()) +
Transferred, without personnel, equipment, and combat elements, to Okinawa on 16 Jul 1945. return isMobile;
Cold and clear weather was predicted for the last week of February 1944. The result: a greater reliance on nuclear weapons and air power to deter war. By 1955 the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress would be entering the inventory in substantial numbers, as prop B-36s were phased out of heavy bombardment units rapidly. The operation failed to achieve air superiority, even temporarily, and the German Army continued to be exposed to air attack. debounceTimer = null;
In May 1942 Command of the 8th Air Force was assumed by Major General Carl A. 'Tooey' Spaatz (right). The Eighth's weapons inventory also changed to include KC-135 air refuelers and intercontinental ballistic missiles (the Atlas, Titan I and Titan II, and all Minuteman models.) Their children and descendants, who are representatives of these Veterans, saw the need to keep the history and experiences of these warriors alive. Although the Luftwaffe could, and did, mount effective attacks on the ever-larger formations of Allied heavy bombers, the sheer numbers of B-17s and B-24s attacking enemy targets was overwhelming the German fighter force, which simply could not sustain the losses the Eighth Air Force bombers and fighters were inflicting on it. 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. Another 305 enlisted gunners were also recognized as aces. }
INSIGNE. Eighth Air Force controls long-range nuclear-capable bomber assets throughout the United States and overseas locations. $(".fancybox-caption").removeClass("af3-caption-bg");
Major General James C. Dawkins Jr. assumed command of 8th Air Force on 20 August 2018, after having served as the Deputy Director for Nuclear, Homeland Defense, and Current Operations on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.[13] On 12 June 2020, he was succeeded by Major General Mark E. Weatherington, who had previously served as deputy commander of Air Education and Training Command at Joint Base San Antonio in Randolph, Texas.[14]. By mid-1944, Eighth Air Force had reached a total strength of more than 200,000 people (it is estimated that more than 350,000 Americans served in Eighth Air Force during the war in Europe). The Eighth's combat record also shows 566 aces (261 fighter pilots with 31 having 15 or more victories and 305 enlisted gunners), over 440,000 bomber sorties to drop 697,000 tons of bombs, and over 5,100 aircraft losses and 11,200 aerial victories. After the war in Europe, the Mighty Eighth moved to Okinawa in July 1945, where the unit started to train new bomber groups for combat against Japan. $(".fancybox-content").removeAttr("style");
Then in January 1994, ACC reorganized Eighth Air Force as a general purpose Numbered Air Force (NAF) with a warfighting mission to support the U.S. Joint Forces and U.S. Strategic Commands. (left) took the Eighth Air Force Bomber Command Headquarters to England the next month and located at High Wycombe, about 40 miles west of London and on the road to Oxford. It became operational on 7 November 1942 (along with the 44th, 91st and 303rd . In addition, almost 300 German aircraft of all types were destroyed in strafing attacks. winHgt / origImgHgt);
In memory of those who gave their lives in the cause of freedom. '">DOWNLOAD';
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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. Description Ask questions about records of the U.S. Army, Air Force, . Further ground fire caused damage to his right wing, and the engine caught fire. }
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. They numbered 350,000 men and women with over 54,000 killed in combat or taken prisoner. However, it was believed that a strong strategic air arm equipped with B-29s would deter a possible aggressor from attacking the United States for fear of massive retaliation with nuclear weapons. $(".fancybox-caption__body").removeClass("af3-caption-body");
One of the main benefits of membership in the Society is our Magazine, the 8th AF News. if (item.type === 'image') {
8th Air Force 448th Bomb Group, England WWII - TaraCopp. Colonel Frank A. Armstrong may have been the commander of the 97th, but at the time of the raid, not yet left seat qualified. 8 th AirForce.com. Air Offensive, Europe ; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace ; Central Europe; Asiatic-Pacific Theater. 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. Join Our Newsletter. 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. On the night of 1920 February, the RAF bombed Leipzig with 823 aircraft. 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. var origImgWth = $(".fancybox-image").prop("naturalWidth");
The photograph shows housing destroyed by the RAF during night raids. The Eighth received its first B-29 Superfortress on 8 August 1945. Allied bomber escort fighters would fly high above the bombers diving from this height gave them extra speed, thus reducing the speed difference. An advanced detachment of VIII Bomber Command was established at RAF Daws Hill, near RAF Bomber Command Headquarters at RAF High Wycombe, on 23 February in preparation for its units to arrive in the United Kingdom from the United States. During World War II, the offensive air forces of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) came to be classified as strategic or tactical. By 6 June, Allied fighter pilots had succeeded in damaging or destroying hundreds of locomotives, thousands of motorized vehicles, and many bridges. On 2 March, when Eighth Air Force bombers were dispatched to attack the synthetic oil refineries at Leipzig, Messerschmitt Me 262As attacked the formation near Dresden. function isMobile() {
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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. Elements of 8 AF engaged in combat operations during the Korean War (19501953); Vietnam War (19611975), as well as Operation Desert Storm (19901991) over Iraq and occupied Kuwait in the First Persian Gulf War. 2023 Dues are due in January. A Tradition Since 1942. The RAF had been making night raids on Berlin since 1940, (with heavy raids in 1943) and nuisance de Havilland Mosquito raids in daylight, but this was the first major daylight bombing raid on the German capital. United States Air Force. No. Many more awards were made to Eighth Air Force veterans after the war that remain uncounted. The B-1 force consists of 62 bombers assigned to the active duty 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess AFB, Texas and the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. We are a 501C3 organization and all donations are tax-deductible. In 1965, Eighth Air Force entered combat again, this time in Southeast Asia. 4th Bombardment Wing: 1942-1943. 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. The Eighth's brave men earned 17 Medals of Honor, 220 Distinguished Service Crosses, and 442,000 Air Medals. By comparison, the U.S. Navy suffered 37,000 deaths out of the 4.1 million in WW II. });
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