8th air force wwii roster8th air force wwii roster
It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. Join Our Newsletter. The end came on 25 April 1945 when Eighth Air Force flew its last full-scale mission of the European War. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. World War II U.S. Military Records Search. $(window).on("resize", function (event) {
Eighth Air Force spent its first decade in the continental U.S. building up its strategic capabilities. (Heavy Bombers) and as an historical record of events that took place in Europe during World War II. 12th Bombardment Wing: 1942-1944. Contact Us, If you have any data on servicemen and their units and would like to submit it to our digital library; please Contact Us, Copyright, Army Air Corps Library and Museum, Inc., All Rights Reserved. function recalculateImageSize() {
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Eighth Air Force, with headquarters at Barksdale Air Force Base in the Bossier City Shreveport, Louisiana metro area, supports U.S. Strategic Command, and is designated as U.S. Strategic Command's Task Force 204, providing on-alert, combat-ready forces to the president. "VIII Bomber Command" redirects here. We are a 501C3 organization and all donations are tax-deductible. Join the Society to help preserve the legacy of the veterans of the Mighty Eighth Air Force.
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During World War II, under the leadership of such Generals as Eaker and Jimmy Doolittle, the 8th AF became the greatest air armada in history. About 23 February, the VIII BC moved to England, first to Daws Hill and later to High Wycombe, where it established its wartime headquarters in the Wycombe Abbey school for girls. },
Bomber wings of the 8th Air Force include: This article incorporates public domain material from Eighth Air Force. 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). Their children and descendants, who are representatives of these Veterans, saw the need to keep the history and experiences of these warriors alive. $(".fancybox-caption__body").removeClass("af3-caption-body");
On 22 February 1944, a massive reorganization of American airpower took place in Europe. From 1946 through 1949, what little money became available was used to buy new planes (Boeing B-50 Superfortress, Convair B-36 Peacemaker) for SAC, and as the newer aircraft became available, the older B-29s were sent to storage depots or sent to Air Force Reserve units for training missions. Its flexible, conventional and nuclear deterrence mission provides the capability to deploy forces and engage enemy threats from home station or forward positioned, anywhere, any time. Communist victories in the Chinese Civil War in 1949 and the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 meant that the United States would have to expand SAC to address these potential threats both in Europe as well as Asia. 'Tooey' Spaatz (right).
The USAAF now finally had an aircraft that could compete on equal terms with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 and the later models of the Messerschmitt Bf 109. 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. Under ACC, Eighth Air Force provides command and control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C2ISR); long-range attack; and information operations forces to Air Force components and warfighting commands. Vast fleets of B-24s and B-17s escorted by P-51Ds and long-range P-38Ls hit refineries in Germany and Czechoslovakia in late 1944 and early 1945. $(document).ready(function () {
The next day, over 900 bombers and 700 fighters of Eighth Air Force hit more aircraft factories in the Braunschweig area. Beech, Keyes Correspondent, US Marines 401 . History.
SAC was founded by the men who fought in World War II, who knew the importance of fighter escorts. 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. var winHgt = $(window).innerHeight()
8th Air Force (ETO) Operational Units. 301st Fighter Wing: 1945- 1946. Thank you for visiting our site. Colonel Frank A. Armstrong may have been the commander of the 97th, but at the time of the raid, not yet left seat qualified.
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A Tradition Since 1942. (Approved 20 May 1943. 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.
Please include this amount with your annual renewal or new membership! The modern day Eighth Air Force traces its lineage to the VIII BC, which came to life on 1 February 1942 at Langley Field, Virginia. The 8th lost 31 bombers, the 15th lost 33. 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. was activated on 28 January 1942 at the Chatham Armory in Savannah, Georgia. 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. During World War II, under the leadership of such generals as Ira Eaker and Jimmy Doolittle, the VIII BC (then Eighth Air Force) formed the greatest air armada in history. On 7 April, Eighth Air Force dispatched thirty-two B-17 and B-24 groups and fourteen Mustang groups (the sheer numbers of attacking Allied aircraft were so large in 1945 that they were now counted by the group) to targets in the small area of Germany still controlled by the Nazis, hitting the remaining airfields where the Luftwaffe jets were stationed. The effect of the Mustangs, fully operating as an air supremacy fighter force, on the Luftwaffe defenders was arguably swift and decisive. 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. The 8th Air Force motto is "Peace Through Strength. '
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Afterward, engaged primarily in bombardment of strategic targets in Europe. The following day, on 9 March, H2X radar-equipped B-17s mounted a third attack on the Reich capital through clouds. Flying Royal Air Force (RAF) "Boston" light bombers, six American crews of the 15th Bombardment Squadron, and six RAF crews of 226th Squadron attacked German Luftwaffe (air force) airfields. },
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Notably, the Eighth's units played a key role in the 42-day Gulf War in 1991. At MacDill, Eighth Air Force headquarters were manned chiefly by personnel from the 58th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy, stationed at Fort Worth Army Air Fied, Texas. The 131st Bomb Wing is operationally-gained by AFGSC and 8 AF from the Air National Guard, while the 307th Bomb Wing is operationally-gained from Air Force Reserve Command and 10th Air Force.[4][5]. Last Name. Azure, in the lower lobe of the winged Arabic numeral 8 or a mullet throughout argent charged with a torteaux. Even so, the "pathfinder" bombers of the RAF Alconbury-based 482d Bomb Group proved very capable of finding the targets and guiding the bombers to them. });
However, the Luftwaffe jets were simply too few and too late to have any serious effect on the Allied air armadas now sweeping over the Reich with near-impunity. REGISTRATIONRegister for the 2023 Reunion, REUNION SCHEDULEClick here to view the schedule, TOUR INFORMATIONClick here to view more information on the tours. 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. On 7 May, another 1,000 bombers hit additional targets along the English Channel coast, hitting fortifications, bridges and marshaling areas. }
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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.
Their children and descendants, who are representatives of these Veterans, saw the need to keep the history and experiences of these warriors alive. This air force lost most of its men and equipment in the defense of the Philippines after 7 Dec 1941. Fighters from both Eighth and Ninth Air Forces made wide sweeps over the area, mounting strafing missions at airfields and rail networks.
1st Bomb Division Markings 2nd Bomb Division Markings 3rd Bomb Division Markings Sources: United States 8th Air Force, WWII Welcome to the 96th Bombardment Group(H) Station 138 - Snetterton, England. [6] Alerted to the attack, the airfield defences were prepared for the raid when it arrived. 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. Email. }
Transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the US on 7 Jun 1946.
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. General Resources and Sites. The 398th was part of the 8th Air Force 1st Air Division during WWII and was one of many B-17 Bomb Groups stationed in England. Cold and clear weather was predicted for the last week of February 1944. event.stopImmediatePropagation();
The integration process started on 1 February 2001, when the Air Force realigned the Air Intelligence Agency (AIA) under ACC and assigned the 67th Information Operations Wing and the 70th Intelligence Wing to the Eighth. By 6 June, Allied fighter pilots had succeeded in damaging or destroying hundreds of locomotives, thousands of motorized vehicles, and many bridges. Each 8th Air Force WWII Decal is made with the highest quality 2.5mil High Gloss 5-Year Calendared vinyl. Get detailed instructios o how to register for the Reunion. Ruddy, Gerard A. HQ Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute . 384th Bomb Group, Eighth Air Force 139. Two days later, on 23 January, the 27th FEW participated in the raid on Sinuju Airfield in North Korea and shot down four more MiG-15s. Some 230 B-24s hit the Messerschmitt Bf 110 assembly plant at Gotha with a loss of 24 aircraft.
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It was the largest of the deployed combat Army Air Forces in numbers of personnel, aircraft, and equipment. An Eighth Air Force unit, the 2d Bomb Wing, spearheaded the air campaign by dispatching B-52s from Barksdale to launch conventional air-launched cruise missiles against Iraqi targets. var dstTop = Math.floor((winHgt - newImgHgt)) / 2;
The Eighth's units played a key role in the 42-day Gulf War in 1991. 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. 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" (similarly named but in no way associated with Field Marshal Erwin Rommel) against Iraq, which featured the B-1 Lancer in its combat debut, and 1999 Operation "Allied Force" against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which involved the B-2A Spirit. That base assignment lasted until November 1950, when SAC transferred the Eighth to Carswell AFB (formerly Fort Worth Army Air Field), Texas. in World War II. showFBShare() +
They numbered 350,000 men and women with over 54,000 killed in combat or taken prisoner. However, the Luftwaffe was successful in shooting down 46 bombers in a very unequal fight.[10]. Personnel and group records to digital. }
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At all heights, the rate of climb was approximately doubled. 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]. $currentSlide.find(".fancy-detail-link").on("touchstart", function() { captionToggle(); });
8th Air Force, 1st Wing, 1st Division The Ragged Irregulars. Located at Hunter Field, Colonel Asa N. Duncan was the first commander. It played an important role in many missions now recognized as key to winning WWII such as D-Day, Munster, Schweinfurt, and the raid on Berlin. Constituted as Philippine Department AF on 16 Aug 1941. Altogether, the Eighth's bombers flew 325 sorties to drop over 7 million pounds of ordnance on a nation slightly smaller than the state of Colorado. The operation failed to achieve air superiority, even temporarily, and the German Army continued to be exposed to air attack. }
Fifteenth Air Force relocated to March Air Force Base, California. Donations Page. Eighth Air Force did not strike at oil industry targets until 13 May 1944 when 749 bombers, escorted by almost 740 fighters, pounded oil targets in the Leipzig area and at Brx in Czechoslovakia. Download Hi-Res
Pearl Harbor had just been bombed about a month and a half earlier. Support to the latter command included the operation of Task Force 204 (bombers). }
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To reduce the risk to its bomber fleet in the United States, Eighth Air Force aircraft stood nuclear alert, providing a deterrent against an attack on the United States by the Soviet Union. With the end of combat in Southeast Asia, the Eighth Air Force moved without personnel or equipment to Barksdale Air Force Base Louisiana on 1 January 1975, absorbing the resources of Second Air Force. 316th Bombardment Wing: 1945- 1946. },
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The reorganization transformed the Eighth into the only information operations and bomber NAF in the Air Force. 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. Fifteen months after Operation DESERT STORM, the Air Force reorganized. During World War II, the offensive air forces of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) came to be classified as strategic or tactical. On 1 May, over 1,300 Eighth Air Force heavy bombers made an all-out attack on the enemy's rail network, striking at targets in France and Belgium. The 8th AF was primarily engaged in the bombardment of strategic targets in Europe. Allied bomber escort fighters would fly high above the bombers diving from this height gave them extra speed, thus reducing the speed difference. 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. "[citation needed]. The Japanese, however, surrendered before the Eighth's first combat sortie in the Pacific. $(".fancybox-caption").addClass("af3-caption-bg");
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. Why pay every year? That base assignment lasted until 1 November 1946, when SAC transferred the Eighth to Fort Worth (later renamed Carswell AFB). These missions, however, carried a high price. 8th Air Force 448th Bomb Group, England WWII - TaraCopp. In 1965, Eighth Air Force entered combat again, this time in Southeast Asia. We also located the series World War II Statistical Summaries, 1942-1945 in Record Group 18 . 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. Raid when it arrived to be exposed to Air attack. help preserve the legacy of the across... Was arguably swift and decisive AFB ). showfbshare ( ) + They numbered 350,000 men equipment... 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