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8th Air Force

  • 8th Air Force Emblem

    8th Air Force Emblem

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  • "Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, en route to the target at Avord, France. 5 February 1944. (Altitude 17,000 Feet)."

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  • "Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, fly low over the town of Croisette, France. 14 January 1944. (Altitude 12,100 Feet)." - B-17 42-37965 'My Desire' 323BS, 91BG, 8AF.

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  • "D-Day Minus One-One of the attacking Boeing B-17 Flying fortresses of the U.S. 8th AAF roars over the Boulogne section of the coast of occupied France 5 June 44, during the attack on heavily defended areas there."

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  • "On the bomb run over Avord, France, a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" of the 381st Bomb Group has opened its bomb bay doors and soon will be over the target to drop another load of bombs on enemy installations."

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  • "LIE OVER CHATEAUDUN TARGET--A silver giant, Consolidated B-24 of the U.S. 8th AAF passes over the Chateaudun airdrome in France on 14 June 44 during the height of the attack. The Liberators continued to strike German airfields behind the enemies lines." - 735BS, 453BG, 8AF.

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  • "8th AF: 2nd Lt Urban L Drew, Detroit, MI, flies his North American P-51 Fighter-bomber over France." - P-51D-5-NA 44-13926. 375FS 361FG 8AF.

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  • "North American P-51 "Dear Arabella" peels off: Pilot, 1st Lt. Richard E. Locke, Caddo, OK. 361st Fighter Group."

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  • "North American P-51 Mustang fighter plane over France." - P-51D 44-13926 (coded E2-S) assigned to 1st Lt Abe P Rosenberger of the 375FS, 361FG. Flown here by 2Lt Urban L Drew of Detroit, MI.

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  • "Checkerboard Republic P-47 flies close to Boeing B-17 camera plane." - P-47D 42-27607 assigned to 2Lt Richard D Stark of the 82FS, 78FG, Duxford (coded MX-G).

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Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.

The Eighth Air Force earned the unofficial nickname 'The Mighty Eighth' in the 1970s following the publication of Roger Freeman's book 'The Mighty Eighth'.

US Air Force Combat Units of World War II Description

Constituted as VIII Bomber Command on 19 Jan 1942, the command conducted the heavy bombardment operations. Redesignated Eighth AF on 22 Feb 1944. Afterward, engaged primarily in bombardment of strategic targets in Europe. Transferred, without personnel, equipment, and combat elements, to Okinawa on 16 Jul 1945. Although some personnel and combat units were assigned before V-J Day, the Eighth did not participate in combat against Japan. Transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the US on 7 Jun 1946. Re manned and re-equipped as part of Strategic Air Command.

Commanding officers

  • Earle Partridge

    Military | General | Commanding General
    Formerly command pilot. CG 3rd AD 21 June 1944 to May 1945. Retired 31 July 1959. DSCSSLMDFC w/ 2 Oak Leaf ClustersAM w/ 9 Oak Leaf Clusters

  • James Doolittle

    Military | Lieutenant General | Commanding General
    Became Commanding General of 12th AF September 1942; Commanding General of Northwest African Strategic Air Force March 1943; assumed command of 15th AF November 1943; Commanding General of 8th Air Force 6 January 1944 to 9 May 1945. Medal Of Honor for...

  • William Kepner

    Military | Lieutenant General | Commanding General, 8th Air Force Fighter Command
    From 1909 to 1913, Kepner served in the US Marine Corps. By 1916 he was a second lieutenant in the Indiana National Guard. After a short spell in the US cavalry, in 1917 he transferred to the infantry as a captain and commanded a company at the Battle...

Structure

Part of
  • US Strategic Air Forces

    US Strategic Air Forces


    Eighth Air Force Headquarters became USSTAF in February 1944 and oversaw all Strategic Air Force activities in the European, African and Middle Eastern Theatre of Operations, particularly the operations of the Eighth and Fifteenth Air Forces.

Encompassing
  • VIII Air Force Composite Command

    VIII Air Force Composite Command

    Command

  • VIII Air Force Service Command

    VIII Air Force Service Command

    Command

  • VIII Fighter Command

    VIII Fighter Command

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

  • 1st Air Division

    1st Air Division

    Division
    In December 1944, the 1st Bomb Division was redesginated the 1st Air Division.

  • 1st Bomb Division

    1st Bomb Division

    Division
    The groups under the command of the 1st Bomb Wing came under the command of the 1st Bomb Division in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 1st Air Division.

  • 2nd Air Division

    2nd Air Division

    Division
    In December 1944, the 2nd Bomb Division was redesginated the 2nd Air Division.

  • 2nd Bomb Division

    2nd Bomb Division

    Division
    The groups under the command of the 2nd Bomb Wing came under the command of the 2nd Bomb Division in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 2nd Air Division.

  • 3rd Air Division

    3rd Air Division

    Division
    In December 1944, the 3rd Bomb Division was redesginated the 3rd Air Division.

  • 3rd Bomb Division

    3rd Bomb Division

    Division
    The 3rd Bomb Division was Constituted in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 3rd Air Division.

  • 325th Photographic Wing

    325th Photographic Wing

    Wing
    8 Reconnaissance Wing (P) established by 8th Air Force order No. 69 on 19 February 1944 and headquarters established at AAF Station 113 Cheddington on 23 February 1944. ...

Previously was
  • VIII Bomber Command

    VIII Bomber Command

    Command
    VIII Bomber Command was constituted and activated in 1942. It oversaw heavy bombardment operations until February 1944, when it was redesginated as the 8th Air Force.

Became
Not yet known

Missions

  • 8th Air Force

    8 October 1944
    Black Week

  • 824

    9 February 1945

  • 833

    16 February 1945

  • 835

    19 February 1945
    1,100 Heavies Hit Nazi Rails ...

  • 8th Air Force 851

    27 February 1945
    1,107 bombers and 745 fighters are dispatched to hit road and rail communications at Halle and Leipzig using H2X radar

Stations

Station Location Date
Based High Wycombe 22 February 1944 – 16 July 1945

Connections

People

  • Olger Aal

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 353rd Fighter Group
    Assigned to 350FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Brussels, one of five A/C bombing Diest aerodrome, failed to rejoin after attack, cause unknown 29-Aug-44. 1st Lt Aal Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 8312. ...

  • William Aaron

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator, Top Turret Gunner | 445th Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) 09/27/44 Shot down on Kassel mission crashed at Krauthausen in B-24 #42-51355

  • Anthony Abad

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
    Assigned to 67BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Brunswick mission 8-Apr-44 in B-24 42-7767 'Shack Rabbit'; Shot down by fighters, baled out. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 3849 Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.

  • Robert Abb

    Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
    Flew 25 missions on 'Delta Rebel #2'

  • Earl Abbott

    Military | Major | Fighter Pilot | 352nd Fighter Group
    Assigned to 89FS, 80FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 322FS, 326FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 328FS, 352FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) fighter sweep to Aachen area. Last seen in pursuit of enemy A/C near Aachen in P-51D 'Flossie III' 44-14710 24-Jan...

  • George Abbott

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Togglier/ Bombardier | 398th Bomb Group
    He had been a waist gunner in training to take over the Bombardier role and was in the nose. A German 88 anti aircraft shell had exploded in his lap, killing him instantly. The plane with its nose blown off and up into the windshield made it back to...

  • James Abbott

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Ground crew | 379th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 524BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. Ground crew for 'Swamp Fire' 100 missions no aborts. ETD Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.

  • William Abbott

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer | 381st Bomb Group
    ETTG, Malleus, V. crew. 381st BG, 535th BS, 8th AF. Credited with 1 German fighter destroyed on the 7 January 1944 Mission #58 to Ludwigshafen, Germany.

  • Francis Abdella

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner | 385th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 551BS, 385BG, 8AF USAAF. 24 x missions. On 10 Nov '44 while circling over base to form up for a mission, the plane 'War Horse' developed an oil leak. The engine caught fire and then the plane caught fire. All the crew bailed out but the...

  • Luther Abel

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 495th Fighter Training Group
    Assigned to 84FS, 78FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 552FTS, 495FTG 8AF USAAF as instructor. P-47C 41-6234 lost engine on local training flight on 9 Jan 1944. A/C broke out of undercast too low and crashed into a plowed field near Loughborough,...

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Aircraft

  • 42-97194 'Good Pickin'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 5/2/44; Kearney 24/2/44; Presque Is 11/3/44; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-O] Horham 11/3/44; with G.M. Jackman force landed B-53 Merville, Belg., 10/5/45; with Lt Henderson force landed A-70 Laon, France 20/5/45; 114m Returned to the USA...

  • 41-23672 'Double Trouble'

    B-24 Liberator
    Assigned to 328th BS, 93rd BG, 8th AF. Failed to Return (FTR) Over Water (OW). Lost to flak and fighters on 19-Jan-43. Crashed into the sea 150 miles S.E. of Malta. MACR 15484.

  • 41-23711 'Jerks Natural'

    B-24 Liberator
    Assigned to 328th BS, 93rd BG, 8th AF, TDY 9th Benghazi, Libya. This aircraft flew the Aug. 1, 1943, Ploesti mission, diverting safely to Sicily. A/C was damaged over Austria on mission to Wiener Neustadt Bf 109 factory and crashed in Yugoslavia on...

  • 41-23729 'Shoot Luke'

    B-24 Liberator
    Assigned 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. TDY 9th AF, Benghazi. Flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, forced to abort. ...

  • 41-23778 'Jenny' 'Lady Luck'

    B-24 Liberator
    Temporarily attached to 9th AF and flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, returned to Libya. ...

  • 41-23779 '4Q2'

    B-24 Liberator
    A/C flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, returning safely to Libya. ...

  • 41-23807 'Little Beaver'

    B-24 Liberator
    Assigned to 67BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Crashed north of Kiel 14-May-43. 7 x KIA, 4 x POW MACR 2748.

  • 41-23813 'Victory Ship'

    B-24 Liberator
    Was lost on January 21,1944 mission to bomb V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais, France area. Repeatedly attacked by fighters until 3 of the engines were knocked out, the co-pilot was killed and the pilot was wounded. With the co-pilot slumped over...

  • 41-23816 'Black Jack'

    B-24 Liberator
    Assigned to 68BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Wiener Nuestadt Bf109 assembly works. Hit by flak and with bomb bay on fire, A/C went into uncontrolable spin and crashed. 1-Oct-43. 5 x KIA 6 x POW. MACR 3312.

  • 41-23817 'Suzy Q'

    B-24 Liberator
    SUZY-Q, flown by Col. Leon Johnson, led the 44th Bomb Group on the Aug 1, 1943 Ploesti raid and was the most famous ship of the 67th Squadron. The plane was lost on Aug 16, 1943 on a mission to the north airfield at Foggia, Italy. The plane...

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Citations

None

Air Force
8th
Type
Combat
Type category
Combat organisation
Nicknames
Not yet known
Motto
"Deterrence through strength, global strike on demand"
Insignia
Azure, in the lower lobe of the winged Arabic numeral “8” or a mullet throughout argent charged with a torteaux.

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
04 September 2019 11:05:21 Emily Changes to us air force combat units of world war ii description and commanding officers associations
Sources

Air Force Combat Units of World War II
Date Contributor Update
18 June 2018 14:30:39 ajgoebel Changes to category
Sources

Correction
Date Contributor Update
18 June 2018 14:05:46 ajgoebel Changes to category
Sources

June 18, 2018
Date Contributor Update
18 June 2018 14:03:15 ajgoebel Changes to type and media associations
Sources

June 18, 2018
Date Contributor Update
18 June 2018 13:52:45 ajgoebel Changes to nicknames, motto, insignia and media associations
Sources

June 18, 2018
Date Contributor Update
17 March 2017 16:45:12 dwgdallas Changes to media associations
Sources

From the Personal Collection of Lt. Billy J. Murray
Date Contributor Update
04 January 2015 12:52:55 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

USAAF Photo.
Date Contributor Update
04 January 2015 12:23:40 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

USAAF Photo.
Date Contributor Update
04 January 2015 10:40:01 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

USAAF Photo.
Date Contributor Update
03 January 2015 20:06:12 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

USAAF Photo.
Date Contributor Update
03 January 2015 17:53:38 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

http://aviation-safety.net
Date Contributor Update
02 January 2015 16:13:28 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

USAAF Photo.
Date Contributor Update
02 January 2015 13:07:06 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

USAAF Photo.
Date Contributor Update
02 January 2015 12:56:48 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

USAAF Photo.
Date Contributor Update
02 January 2015 11:56:46 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

USAAF Photo.
Date Contributor Update
31 December 2014 17:43:15 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

http://aviation-safety.net
Date Contributor Update
31 December 2014 13:14:37 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

http://aviation-safety.net
Date Contributor Update
30 December 2014 15:44:57 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

http://aviation-safety.net
Date Contributor Update
30 December 2014 13:59:33 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

http://aviation-safety.net
Date Contributor Update
30 December 2014 07:33:25 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

http://aviation-safety.net
Date Contributor Update
30 December 2014 07:24:14 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

http://aviation-safety.net
Date Contributor Update
30 December 2014 07:06:36 Al_Skiff Changes to unit encompassing associations and aircraft associations
Sources

http://aviation-safety.net
Date Contributor Update
29 December 2014 21:07:14 Al_Skiff Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

Production list / mossie.org
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:42:43 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

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