VIII Fighter Command

Command
media-32487.jpeg UPL 32487 "Nazi aerial strategy has been defeated; Germany is to get raids of greater intensity until resistance is shattered, so said Maj Gen William E Kepner, commanding general of the 8th USAAF fighter command, during his first press conference, held recently in London."

https://www.fold3.com/image/55670567

Object Number - UPL 32487 - "Nazi aerial strategy has been defeated; Germany is to get raids of greater intensity until resistance is shattered, so said Maj Gen William E...

VIII Fighter Command was established as VIII Interceptor Command at Selfridge Field on 2 February 1942.

Commanding Officers

Benjamin J Webster

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Service Numbers: O-018714
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
Brigadier-General Francis Griswold stands on the wing of a P-51 Mustang (VM-?) of the 495th Fighter Training Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Brig Gen Francis Griswold P-51B-1-NA 43-12406 8th F.C.'

Francis Hopkins Griswold

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: VIII Fighter Command 2nd Air Division
  • Service Numbers: O-17959
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant General
  • Role/Job: Pilot; Commanding Officer; Chief of Staff 8th Fighter Command
United States Air Chiefs of the European Theatre of Operations stand with a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 97th Bomb Group. Left to right these are: Major-General Frank, Brigadier-General Ira Eaker, Brigadier-General Robert Candee, Brigadier-General Frank O'Driscoll Hunter, Major-General Karl Spaatz and Lieutenant-General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 2 Aug 1942.' [stamp] 'USA (BRI) CCC: STF.' [written annotation] and '213540.' [Censor no

Frank O'Driscoll Hunter

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: VIII Fighter Command
  • Service Numbers: O-9597
  • Highest Rank: Major General
  • Role/Job: Commanding General
Brigadier General Woodbury, Commanding Officer of the 66th Fighter Wing, talks to senior officers. The 78th Fighter Group was a component of the wing. To the right of the photograph, is the General’s car. The red backing for the white star denotes the rank of the car’s occupant . Handwritten on slide:"Gen Woodbury parade gnd Mason Barnard"

Murray Clarke Woodbury

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 3rd Air Division 66th Fighter Wing Headquarters (66th Fighter Wing)
  • Service Numbers: O-17421
  • Highest Rank: Brigadier General
  • Role/Job: Fighter Wing Commander; Commanding General

William Ellsworth Kepner

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: VIII Fighter Command 2nd Air Division
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant General
  • Role/Job: Commanding General, 8th Air Force Fighter Command

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Established

1 February 1942

Based

High Wycombe 12 May 1942

Based

Bushey Hall 27 July 1942

Based

Charleroi 12 January 1945

Based

High Wycombe 17 July 1945

Based

Honington 26 October 1945

Encompassing

People

Frank Christopher Clark

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: VIII Fighter Command 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron 84th Fighter Squadron Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (VIII Fighter Command)
  • Service Numbers: 18042660 / O-431120
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot; Squadron Commanding Officer

George Andrew Compton

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: VIII Fighter Command 56th Fighter Group 63rd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-661287
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot

Harry James Dayhuff

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: VIII Fighter Command 82nd Fighter Squadron Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (78th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-404135
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot / Commanding Officer 4th FG

Warren H Elliott

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: VIII Fighter Command
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Marton C Fierman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: VIII Fighter Command
  • Service Numbers: O-507656
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Chaplain

Aircraft

Mission

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Air Force Combat Units of World War II

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)

VIII Fighter Command: Gallery (8 items)