Eighth Air Force

Command
The insignia of the 8th Air Force. media-395241.jpg FRE 5298 The insignia of the 8th Air Force. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5298 - The insignia of the 8th Air Force.

Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force in 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'.

Commanding Officers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 3rd Air Division
  • Service Numbers: O-15502
  • Highest Rank: General
  • Role/Job: Commanding General
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: Headquarters (Eighth Air Force) Fifteenth Air Force
  • Service Numbers: O-271855
  • Highest Rank: General
  • Role/Job: Commanding General
  • 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

Based

High Wycombe 22 February 1944 - 16 July 1945

Previously was

Encompassing

Danish civillians inspect the wreckage of a crashed B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-107082) of the 379th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'St Heddinge 13th May 1944 at 18:30 Hrs. 8th AAF, 1st Air Division, 41st Combat Wing, 379th Bombardment Group, Squadron?.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation
Brigadier-General Frank Alton Armstrong Jr. during a visit to the 305th Bomb Group Official caption on image: "(GPR-83-9305) (18-6-43) (Brig. Gen. Armstrong..."
  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Two airmen of the 466th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation
A formation of B-24 Liberators of the 446th Bomb Group enroute to Europe. Printed caption on reverse: '71049 AC- A formation of Consolidated B-24 "Liberators" of the 2nd Bomb Division, roars over Europe en route to the target area. 24 November 1944. US Air Force photo.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: Eighth Air Force
  • Service Numbers: O-22381
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant General
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: Eighth Air Force
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: Eighth Air Force
  • Service Numbers: 12176810 on enlisting
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Air crew
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: Eighth Air Force
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: Eighth Air Force
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-6587) of the 388th Bomb Group flies in formation with other Fortresses during a mission.
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: Eighth Air Force
A modified B-17 Flying Fortress (FBGSO, serial number 44-8889) used by the Institut Géographique National, France, for aerial surveys. First handwritten caption on reverse: '44-8889, Le Bourget 1976.' Second handwritten caption on reverse: '8 Septembre 1976.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: Eighth Air Force

Mission

  • Date: 19 February 1945
  • Date: 16 February 1945
Ground crew attend to a crashed P-51 Mustang nicknamed "Baby Jo" of the 357th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: ' Lt Noel Breen ran out of fuel 9 Feb '45.'
  • Date: 9 February 1945

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Regular removal of erroneous people and aircraft associations to record- individual people and aircraft were never directly assigned to the USAAF's Combat Air Forces.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Regular removal of erroneous people and aircraft associations to record- individual people and aircraft were never directly assigned to the USAAF's Combat Air Forces.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Regular removal of erroneous people and aircraft associations to record- individual people and aircraft were never directly assigned to the USAAF's Combat Air Forces.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Regular removal of erroneous people and aircraft associations to record- individual people and aircraft were never directly assigned to the USAAF's Combat Air Forces.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Regular removal of erroneous people and aircraft associations to record- individual people and aircraft were never directly assigned to the USAAF's Combat Air Forces.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Regular removal of erroneous people and aircraft associations to record- individual people and aircraft were never directly assigned to the USAAF's Combat Air Forces.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Regular removal of erroneous people and aircraft associations to record- individual people and aircraft were never directly assigned to the USAAF's Combat Air Forces.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Regular removal of erroneous people and aircraft associations to record- individual people and aircraft were never directly assigned to the USAAF's Combat Air Forces.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Regular removal of erroneous people and aircraft associations to record- individual people and aircraft were never directly assigned to the USAAF's Combat Air Forces.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

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

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Regular removal of erroneous people and aircraft associations to record- individual people and aircraft were never directly assigned to the USAAF's Combat Air Forces.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Removed aircraft with a serial number from fiscal year 1943 or earlier, due to increased likelihood of being an erroneous association. The 8th Air Force did not officially exist as a unit before February 1944, as such aircraft would have been assigned to Headquarters (8th Air Force), or one of the commands it encompassed before this date.

Date
Contributordmccullo
Changes
Sources

Updated key image

Date
Contributordmccullo
Changes
Sources

Changed key image.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Removed Motto, which pertains to 8th Air Force post 1945.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Air Force Combat Units of World War II

Date
Contributorajgoebel
Changes
Sources

Correction

Date
Contributorajgoebel
Changes
Sources

June 18, 2018

Date
Contributorajgoebel
Changes
Sources

June 18, 2018

Date
Contributorajgoebel
Changes
Sources

June 18, 2018

Date
Contributordwgdallas
Changes
Sources

From the Personal Collection of Lt. Billy J. Murray

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

USAAF Photo.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

USAAF Photo.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

USAAF Photo.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

USAAF Photo.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

USAAF Photo.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

USAAF Photo.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

USAAF Photo.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

USAAF Photo.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

Production list / mossie.org

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

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

Eighth Air Force: Gallery (6 items)