VIII Fighter Command
Command![](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/media/media-32487.jpeg)
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
- 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.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/freeman/media-377331.jpg?itok=ZhPOIV6P)
- 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](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/freeman/media-379317.jpg?itok=mT8jK6wQ)
- 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"](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/freeman/media-388354.jpg?itok=1ORC-tu8)
- 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
![](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/media/media-23999.jpeg?itok=p-EGULo0)
- 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
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
![Sergeant Mickey Balsam, a radio repairman of the 50th Fighter Control Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, at work. Handwritten caption on reverse: '4FG, 50th Ftr. Control Sqdn, Radio Repairman Mickey Balsam, Author of song "Lilly From Piccadilly".'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/freeman/media-457929.jpg?itok=FugTT62A)
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
People
![](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/media/media-17109.jpeg?itok=68p_Lau2)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: VIII Fighter Command No 121 'Eagle' Squadron
- Service Numbers: J/15011 / O-54390
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
![Captain Francis S Gabreski, Lieutenant Colonel Loren McCollon and Lieutenant Colonel Phil Tuckey of the 56th Fighter Group share a joke. Colonel Hubert Zemke (56th Fighter Group) has handwritten on the reverse: 'L to R: (1) Capt. Francis S. Gabreski; (2) Lt.Col. Loren G. McCollom; (3) Lt.Col. Phil Tuckey, CO 63rd FS. They are exchanging a joke at the promotion of McCollom.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/freeman/media-456882.jpg?itok=tBr2Y54X)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: VIII Fighter Command 356th Fighter Group 56th Fighter Group 63rd Fighter Squadron Headquarters (356th Fighter Group)
- Service Numbers: O-393591
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Group Commander
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: VIII Fighter Command Headquarters (Eighth Air Force)
- Highest Rank: Corporal
- Role/Job: Stenographer; Plane Spotter
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: VIII Fighter Command 65th Fighter Wing 356th Fighter Group 361st Fighter Squadron Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (VIII Fighter Command) Headquarters (65th Fighter Wing)
- Service Numbers: O-373835
- Highest Rank: Major
![](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/media/media-13657.jpeg?itok=6kfhzKBG)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: VIII Fighter Command 65th Fighter Wing Headquarters (65th Fighter Wing)
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Air Traffic Controller
Aircraft
Mission
Revisions
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)