8th air force wwii roster8th air force wwii roster

' + var $currentSlide = $(".fancybox-slide.fancybox-slide--current.fancybox-slide--image").parent().parent(); function showFBShare() { On at least eighteen occasions, the Merseburg refineries in Leuna, where the majority of Germany's synthetic fuel for jet aircraft was refined, was hit. } On 16 April, this record was broken when over 700 German aircraft were destroyed on the ground. In 1965, Eighth Air Force entered combat again, this time in Southeast Asia. However, the Luftwaffe was successful in shooting down 46 bombers in a very unequal fight.[10]. During World War II, the offensive air forces of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) came to be classified as strategic or tactical. var ratio = Math.min(winWth / origImgWth, The Eighth Air Force includes the heart of America's heavy bomber force: the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, the Rockwell B-1 Lancer supersonic bomber, and the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress heavy bomber aircraft. An advanced detachment was established in England on 23 Feb and units began arriving from the US during the spring of 1942. Fifteen months after Operation DESERT STORM, the Air Force reorganized. Divisions, Wings & Groups During World War II, Eighth Air Force earned a reputation as a great warfighting organization. A strategic air force was that with a mission to attack an enemy's war effort beyond his front-line forces, predominantly production and supply facilities, whereas a tactical air force supported ground campaigns, usually with objectives selected through co-operation with the armies. After the war in Europe, the Mighty Eighth moved to Okinawa in July 1945, where the unit started to train new bomber groups for combat against Japan. We are currently re-designing and moving our site to a different hosting service. 2d Bombardment Wing: 1942-1943. On 22 February 1944, the Army reorganized its Air Forces in Europe by renaming Eighth Air Force as the United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe (now known as the United States Air Forces in Europe). 8 th AirForce.com. was activated on 28 January 1942 at the Chatham Armory in Savannah, Georgia. Over 300 German fighters attacked the bomber forces, losing almost half its aircraft, with claims of upwards of 47 Luftwaffe fighters by American fighter pilots. For instance, the Eighth suffered about half of the U.S. Army Air Force's casualties (47,483 out of 115,332), including more than 26,000 dead. In May 1942 Command of the 8th Air Force was assumed by Major General Carl A. Year. The 8th Army Air Force, 96th Bomb Group (H) Association. Pearl Harbor had just been bombed about a month and a half earlier. Both Davis-Monthan and Fort Worth Army Airfields were B-29 training bases during World War II, and the Eighth Air Force Bomb Groups were simply activated at the same field and on the same day as the original Army Air Force Continental Air Forces training bomb groups were inactivated. 548 Bomb Squadron. As a headquarters, the Eighth had another important role in victory over Iraqi forces--operating the logistics supply and air refueling bridge between the U. S. and gulf region. If you don't know of anyone in your family who served during the war, consider asking your family or looking at your family tree for those who would have been the right age to have registered for the draft or who may have served. Notably, the 1 June 1992 change inactivated SAC and the Tactical Air Command (TAC), and reassigned the Mighty Eighth to the new Air Combat Command (ACC). Maj. Gen. Andrew J. Gebara, commander of 8th Air Force, relieved two commanders today from their positions of leadership at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, due to a loss of confidence in their ability to complete their assigned duties."These personnel actions were necessary to maintain the very On 7 April 1945, the Luftwaffe flew its most desperate and deadliest mission, with the dedicated aerial ramming unit Sonderkommando Elbe. The operation was a pyrrhic success for the Luftwaffe as the losses suffered by the German air arm were irreplaceable and over 300 Luftwaffe aircraft were shot down, mostly by Allied anti-aircraft guns. It was a last-ditch effort to keep up the momentum of the German forces during the stagnant stage of the Battle of the Bulge (Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein). As part of this plan, Eighth Air Force headquarters was reassigned to Sakugawa (Kadena Airfield), Okinawa, on 16 July 1945, being assigned to the United States Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific without personnel or equipment. getDetailsURL($(this).parent()) + Then in January 1994, ACC reorganized Eighth Air Force as a general purpose Numbered Air Force (NAF) with a warfighting mission to support the U.S. Joint Forces and U.S. Strategic Commands. Activated in the Philippines on 20 Sep 1941. $(".fancybox-button").css("display", "block"); Roster, J. T. 3rd Photo Reconnaissance Squadron 914 . }, Over 60 Luftwaffe fighters were shot down with a loss of 19 US bombers and 5 US fighters. The raids on the German aircraft industry comprising much of "Big Week" caused so much damage that the Germans were forced to disperse aircraft manufacturing eastward, to safer parts of the Reich. Commanding Officers Connections Air Offensive, Europe ; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace ; Central Europe; Asiatic-Pacific Theater. debounceTimer = setTimeout(function () { General Carl Spaatz returned to England to command the USSTAF. function getDownloadURL(fbObj) { No. '">DOWNLOAD'; if (isMobile()) { if (/(android|bb\d+|meego).+mobile|avantgo|bada\/|blackberry|blazer|compal|elaine|fennec|hiptop|iemobile|ip(hone|od)|ipad|iris|kindle|Android|Silk|lge |maemo|midp|mmp|netfront|opera m(ob|in)i|palm( os)?|phone|p(ixi|re)\/|plucker|pocket|psp|series(4|6)0|symbian|treo|up\. 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. On 24 February, with the weather clearing over central Germany, Eighth Air Force sent over 800 bombers, hitting Schweinfurt and attacks on the Baltic coast, with a total of 11 B-17s being lost. fbObj.find(".actions .download").attr("href") + Azure, in the lower lobe of the winged Arabic numeral 8 or a mullet throughout argent charged with a torteaux. 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. By comparison, the U.S. Navy suffered 37,000 deaths out of the 4.1 million in WW II. At Andersen AFB, the Eighth took over the direction of all bombing and refueling operations in Southeast Asia. var winHgt = $(window).innerHeight() $(".fancybox-content").css("transform", While posturing itself for that mission change, the Eighth also supported Operation ENDURING FREEDOM against terrorists in Afghanistan, and NOBLE EAGLE for the homeland defense of America. 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. As a result, Eighth Air Force was incorporated into the new SAC. $(window).on("resize", function (event) { 8th Air Force (ETO) Operational Units. Although Eighth Air Force's strategic bomber force was not committed to combat in Korea, the Eighth deployed the 27th Fighter Escort Wing for combat action in Korea and earned numerous honors and awards for their combat record during the Korean War. 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. [citation needed]. Want to help? Later in Dec 1941 headquarters and some crews and planes moved to Australia . Fifteen months after Operation Desert Storm, the Air Force reorganized. function getDetailsURL(fbObj) { 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. } On 4 January 1944, the Consolidated B-24 Liberators and B-17s based in England flew their last mission as a subordinate part of VIII Bomber Command. The Eighth Air Force was specifically charged with the atomic mission; however, only the 509th Composite Group at Roswell AAF had B-29s that had the capability to drop nuclear weapons the 7th Bomb Group at Fort Worth AAF was modifying their aircraft to carry the atomic bomb. Constituted as VIII Bomber Command on 19 Jan 1942. The Luftwaffe countered by installing flak alleys along the approach lines in order to protect the Me 262s from the ground and providing top cover with conventional fighters during takeoff and landing. The mission of "The Mighty Eighth" is to safeguard America's interests through strategic deterrence and global combat power. We need help with transcribing data. Then in April 1970, SAC moved the Eighth without personnel or equipment to Andersen AFB Guam, absorbing resources of the 3d Air Division. It dispersed its planes to a large number of bases across the United States so as not to have too many concentrated at a single location. Place. 1st Bomb Division Markings 2nd Bomb Division Markings 3rd Bomb Division Markings Sources: Annual Dues fund our work including the magazine* and reunions. [9] Doolittle was well known to American airmen as the famous "Tokyo Raider" and former air racer. 8th AF 448th BG World War II. It was the largest of the deployed combat Army Air Forces in numbers of personnel, aircraft, and equipment. The reorganization transformed the Eighth into the only information operations and bomber NAF in the Air Force. 445BG. We must have a valid email address! } It was created from a. ROSTER OF AIRMEN. var newImgWth = (origImgWth * ratio); As a professional researcher and World War II historian, Bill Beigel provides research services to genealogists, historians, authors, and civilians who are looking for information found in WW2 military unit records. else { B-17s hit the Skoda armaments factory at Pilsen in Czechoslovakia, while B-24s bombed rail complexes in Bad Reichenhall and Freilassing, surrounding Hitler's mountain retreat at Berchtesgaden. A Tradition Since 1942. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The vinyl used is UV and water resistant, and will last many years without . Transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the US on 7 Jun 1946. $(".fancybox-caption__body").removeClass("af3-caption-body"); By mid-1944, the unit had a total strength of more than 200,000 people, and it could send more than 2,000 four-engine bombers and 1,000 fighters on a single mission against enemy targets in Europe. As part of this realignment, most SAC bomber forces west of the Mississippi River were reassigned to 15th AF. Although there were many available which were returned from Twentieth Air Force in the Pacific Theater they were war-weary from the many long combat missions flown during the war. caption += $(this).find('figcaption').html() + However, the P-51B was introduced as a tactical fighter, so the first deliveries of the P-51B in November 1943 were assigned to three groups in the tactical Ninth Air Force at the expense of VIII Bomber Command, whose need for a long range escort fighter was critical. 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. if (isMobile()) return isMobile; The Mighty Eighth's modern history is equally impressive. Beeby, John O. 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. Also, by using a four-bladed propeller, rather than the three-bladed one used on the P-51A, the performance was greatly improved; the XP-51B achieved a level speed of 441mph at 29,800ft (9,100m), over 100mph (160km/h) faster than the Allison-engined P-51A at that altitude. Get detailed instructios o how to register for the Reunion. Photo Details Visit our 8th Air Force Honor Project with rosters of servicemen who served in the groups of the 8th. The next day, the largest formation of German jets ever seen, most likely from the Luftwaffe's specialist 7th Fighter Wing, Jagdgeschwader 7 Nowotny, made attacks on Eighth Air Force bomber formations over Dresden and the oil targets at Essen, shooting down a total of three bombers. var caption = ''; buttons: ['share'], Email. Writing about our entire adventure would take a great deal more space than this article . 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. World War II U.S. Military Records Search. The operation failed to achieve air superiority, even temporarily, and the German Army continued to be exposed to air attack. Eighth Air Force also provides conventional forces to U.S. Joint Forces Command and provides nuclear capable bombers, specified Global Strike assets, and C2ISR capabilities to U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM). After the Southeast Asian war, Eighth Air Force moved on 1 January 1975 to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. Major General Jimmy Doolittle relinquished command of the Fifteenth Air Force to Major General Nathan F. Twining and on January 6, 1944, took over command of the Eighth Air Force from Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker at RAF Daws Hill. The command conducted the heavy bombardment operations of Eighth AF from 17 Aug 1942 until early in 1944. } Allied bomber escort fighters would fly high above the bombers diving from this height gave them extra speed, thus reducing the speed difference. } At peak strength, Eighth Air Force had forty heavy bomber groups, fifteen fighter groups, and four specialized support groups. SAC was founded by the men who fought in World War II, who knew the importance of fighter escorts. The Mighty Eighth's B-52 force consists of 76 bombers assigned to two active duty wings, the 2d Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana and the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, and one reserve wing, the 307th Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. Our Society is one of many organizations across the country that honor and preserve the legacy of the Mighty Eighth. In a prelude to the invasion of France, American air attacks began in February 1944 against railroad junctions, airfields, ports and bridges in northern France and along the English Channel coastline. Search for: Follow Us. As a headquarters, the Eighth had another important role in victory over Iraqi forcesoperating the logistics supply and air refueling bridge between the U.S. and gulf region. On 7 May, another 1,000 bombers hit additional targets along the English Channel coast, hitting fortifications, bridges and marshaling areas. 2 views Ruddy, Gerard A. HQ Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute . if (item.type === 'image') { ", The Eighth Air Force team consists of more than 16,000 Regular Air Force (e.g., active duty), Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve professionals operating and maintaining a variety of aircraft capable of deploying air power to any area of the world. Transferred, without personnel, equipment, and combat elements, to Okinawa on 16 Jul 1945. At the close of 1946, they shared only a handful of operational bombers, all B-29 Superfortresses. 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. Support to the latter command included the operation of Task Force 204 (bombers). This 8th Air Force WWII Decal is die cut - which means it is cut to the exact shape of the image, and made in the USA at our facilities in Chino Valley, Arizona. $(".fancybox-caption__body").removeClass("half"); The Eighth's combat record also shows 566 aces (261 fighter pilots with 31 having 15 or more victories and 305 enlisted gunners), over 440,000 bomber sorties to drop 697,000 tons of bombs, and over 5,100 aircraft losses and 11,200 aerial victories. Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force in February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945. detailSize = "full"; isDesktopInit = false; About 23 February, the VIII BC moved to England, first to Daws Hill and later to High Wycombe, where it established its wartime headquarters in the Wycombe Abbey school for girls. The 8th Air Force was targeted in this operation. Eighth Air Force remained in Okinawa until 7 June 1946. They numbered 350,000 men and women with over 54,000 killed in combat or taken prisoner. Nick was a life member of the 8th Air Force Historical Society, the 15th Air Force Association and the 414th Bombardment Squadron, 97th Bombardment Group Association. if ($(".fancybox-caption__body").hasClass("af3-caption-body")) { Get detailed instructios o how to register for the Reunion. It was reassigned to Savannah Army Air Base, Georgia on 10 February 1942. 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. There were 261 fighter aces in the Eighth Air Force during World War II. 2d Air Division: 1943-1945. Initially, Eighth Air Force under SAC consisted of the following: Personnel and equipment from the inactivated 449th Bomb Group were reassigned to the 7th Bomb Group (later 7th Bomb Wing). 549 Bomb Squadron var dstLeft = Math.floor((winWth - newImgWth)) / 2; In addition, German airfields in France and Belgium were attacked. 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. recalculateImageSize(); Start here! It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. Further ground fire caused damage to his right wing, and the engine caught fire. 8th Air Force 448th Bomb Group, England WWII - TaraCopp. 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. While posturing itself for that mission change, the Eighth also supported Operation Enduring Freedom in which the Air Force operates against targets in Afghanistan, and Operation Noble Eagle for the defense of North American airspace. getDetailsURL($(this).parent()) + 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. U.S. Military Personnel that Served in WWII. Over 950 fighters had been sent west from the Eastern Front for "Operation Bodenplatte". By war's end, they had been awarded a number of other medals to include 220 Distinguished Service Crosses, and 442,000 Air Medals. The organization reported administratively to the Fifteenth Air Force at Colorado Springs, Colorado. } For the Mighty Eighth, that change heralded an interesting future, one that bring further restructuring, different aircraft systems, and a new challenging mission to the NAF. B-17 Aluminum Overcast. The USAAF was finally fully sold on the Mustang, and a letter contract for 2200 P-51Bs was issued. debounceTimer = null; Kegelman's aircraft lost altitude and even bounced off the ground, but he was able to bring the damaged bomber home and received the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) from General Spaatz on 11 July. (left) took the Eighth Air Force Bomber Command Headquarters to England the next month and located at High Wycombe, about 40 miles west of London and on the road to Oxford. || /1207|6310|6590|3gso|4thp|50[1-6]i|770s|802s|a wa|abac|ac(er|oo|s\-)|ai(ko|rn)|al(av|ca|co)|amoi|an(ex|ny|yw)|aptu|ar(ch|go)|as(te|us)|attw|au(di|\-m|r |s )|avan|be(ck|ll|nq)|bi(lb|rd)|bl(ac|az)|br(e|v)w|bumb|bw\-(n|u)|c55\/|capi|ccwa|cdm\-|cell|chtm|cldc|cmd\-|co(mp|nd)|craw|da(it|ll|ng)|dbte|dc\-s|devi|dica|dmob|do(c|p)o|ds(12|\-d)|el(49|ai)|em(l2|ul)|er(ic|k0)|esl8|ez([4-7]0|os|wa|ze)|fetc|fly(\-|_)|g1 u|g560|gene|gf\-5|g\-mo|go(\.w|od)|gr(ad|un)|haie|hcit|hd\-(m|p|t)|hei\-|hi(pt|ta)|hp( i|ip)|hs\-c|ht(c(\-| |_|a|g|p|s|t)|tp)|hu(aw|tc)|i\-(20|go|ma)|i230|iac( |\-|\/)|ibro|idea|ig01|ikom|im1k|inno|ipaq|iris|ja(t|v)a|jbro|jemu|jigs|kddi|keji|kgt( |\/)|klon|kpt |kwc\-|kyo(c|k)|le(no|xi)|lg( g|\/(k|l|u)|50|54|\-[a-w])|libw|lynx|m1\-w|m3ga|m50\/|ma(te|ui|xo)|mc(01|21|ca)|m\-cr|me(rc|ri)|mi(o8|oa|ts)|mmef|mo(01|02|bi|de|do|t(\-| |o|v)|zz)|mt(50|p1|v )|mwbp|mywa|n10[0-2]|n20[2-3]|n30(0|2)|n50(0|2|5)|n7(0(0|1)|10)|ne((c|m)\-|on|tf|wf|wg|wt)|nok(6|i)|nzph|o2im|op(ti|wv)|oran|owg1|p800|pan(a|d|t)|pdxg|pg(13|\-([1-8]|c))|phil|pire|pl(ay|uc)|pn\-2|po(ck|rt|se)|prox|psio|pt\-g|qa\-a|qc(07|12|21|32|60|\-[2-7]|i\-)|qtek|r380|r600|raks|rim9|ro(ve|zo)|s55\/|sa(ge|ma|mm|ms|ny|va)|sc(01|h\-|oo|p\-)|sdk\/|se(c(\-|0|1)|47|mc|nd|ri)|sgh\-|shar|sie(\-|m)|sk\-0|sl(45|id)|sm(al|ar|b3|it|t5)|so(ft|ny)|sp(01|h\-|v\-|v )|sy(01|mb)|t2(18|50)|t6(00|10|18)|ta(gt|lk)|tcl\-|tdg\-|tel(i|m)|tim\-|t\-mo|to(pl|sh)|ts(70|m\-|m3|m5)|tx\-9|up(\.b|g1|si)|utst|v400|v750|veri|vi(rg|te)|vk(40|5[0-3]|\-v)|vm40|voda|vulc|vx(52|53|60|61|70|80|81|83|85|98)|w3c(\-| )|webc|whit|wi(g |nc|nw)|wmlb|wonu|x700|yas\-|your|zeto|zte\-/i.test(navigator.userAgent.substr(0, 4))) { }); return; We also located the series World War II Statistical Summaries, 1942-1945 in Record Group 18 . $(".af3-caption-body").addClass(detailSize); 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. Although the Luftwaffe could, and did, mount effective attacks on the ever-larger formations of Allied heavy bombers, the sheer numbers of B-17s and B-24s attacking enemy targets was overwhelming the German fighter force, which simply could not sustain the losses the Eighth Air Force bombers and fighters were inflicting on it. $(".fancybox-content").css("height", newImgHgt + "px"); Login; Frequently Asked . Their children and descendants, who are representatives of these Veterans, saw the need to keep the history and experiences of these warriors alive. On this mission, he sat in the co-pilot's seat of the lead B-17, Butcher Shop[8][self-published source] The pilot in command and leader of this historic mission was Paul Tibbets, who on 6 August 1945, dropped the first Atomic Bomb, Little Boy, on Hiroshima from the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, Enola Gay. From May 1942 to July 1945, the Eighth planned and precisely executed America's daylight strategic bombing campaign against Nazi-occupied Europe, and in doing so the organization compiled an impressive war record. They numbered 350,000 men and women with over 54,000 killed in combat or taken prisoner. A lack of fuel and available pilots for the new jets greatly reduced their effectiveness. "[citation needed]. Their children and descendants, who are representatives of these Veterans, saw the need to keep the history and experiences of these warriors alive. United States 8th Air Force, WWII Welcome to the 96th Bombardment Group(H) Station 138 - Snetterton, England. 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. $(".af3-caption-body").stop(true, false).animate({ height: "0vh" }, 800, function () { 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. By mid-1944, Eighth Air Force had reached a total strength of more than 200,000 people (it is estimated that more than 350,000 Americans served in Eighth Air Force during the war in Europe). Importantly, the Eighth's bombing effectiveness influenced the North Vietnamese to end hostilities. In January 1945, the Luftwaffe attempted one last major air offensive against the Allied Air Forces. $(".fancybox-caption__body").addClass("mobile"); At all heights, the rate of climb was approximately doubled. 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. In its early days, SAC had fighter wings for the escorting its aircraft equipped with the new F-82E Twin Mustang along with long range F-51H Mustangs and F-47N Thunderbolts, all of which were designed late in World War II for use in the planned invasion of Japan. Luftwaffe airfields that were identified as jet and rocket bases, such as Parchim and Bad Zwischenahn, were frequently bombed, and Allied fighters patrolled over the fields to attack jets trying to land. } The B-1 force consists of 62 bombers assigned to the active duty 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess AFB, Texas and the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. $(".fancybox-caption__body").prepend(prependClosing()); At the same time, a smaller force hit an Fw 190 repair depot at Zwickau. Why pay every year? let $this = $('[data-fancybox]').fancybox($.extend(true, {}, $.fancybox.defaults, { Eighth Air Force carried out strategic daytime bombing operations in Western Europe from airfields in eastern England as part of the Combined Bomber Offensive. The result: a greater reliance on nuclear weapons and air power to deter war. var newImgHgt = (origImgHgt * ratio); Description Ask questions about records of the U.S. Army, Air Force, . With each step through 2002, the Eighth continues to add more feats to its growing legacy. 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. 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. 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. Looking for Roster of American Officers in the 3rd Army at Operation Dragoon during WWII 0. The B-2 force consists of 20 bombers assigned to the active duty 509th Bomb Wing along with the Missouri Air National Guard's associate 131st Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Missouri. Join Our Newsletter. Over the years, the Society has become a strong organization with an emphasis on remembering and honoring our comrades who served with distinction: the men who flew, the many thousands of ground crews, and those who worked in the background. On 6 March 1944, over 700 heavy bombers along with 800 escort fighters of the Eighth Air Force hit numerous targets within Berlin, dropping the first American bombs on the capital of the Third Reich. Although SAC fighter squadrons upgraded to Republic F-84F Thunderstreak jet fighters in the early 1950s, the new jet bombers flew so high and so fast there was little danger of them being intercepted by enemy fighters. function recalculateImageSize() { The 398th was formed in the United States in 1943 and was stationed in Nuthampstead, England from April 1944 until June 1945. On 27 June, the United Nations Security Council voted to assist the South Koreans in resisting the invasion. Last Name Beginning With (R) Updated 1/14/12. This air force lost most of its men and equipment in the defense of the Philippines after 7 Dec 1941. On 2 March, when Eighth Air Force bombers were dispatched to attack the synthetic oil refineries at Leipzig, Messerschmitt Me 262As attacked the formation near Dresden. , founded in 1975 by an original 8th Air Force pilot, Lt. Col. John Woolnough, serv as a central organization for its individual State Chapters and Wings. Rudder, James E. 2nd Ranger Battalion; 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division 53; 243; 384; 476; 557 . '">DETAILS'; The 305th Bombardment Group was a B-17 Flying Fortress group of the Eighth Air Force and took part in the daylight strategic bombing campaign over Europe. 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. The first escort mission for the bombers was not flown until 5 December. Dates shown are when the Group was operational. The intensive bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong during 11 days in December 1972, known as Operation Linebacker II, was but one highlight of those war years. } During the Cold War (1945-1991), 8 AF was one of three Numbered Air Forces of the United States Air Force's Strategic Air Command (SAC), with a three-star general headquartered at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts commanding USAF strategic bombers and missiles on a global scale. Questions about records of the 8th Army Air Forces was broken when over 700 German aircraft were destroyed on ground... Space than this article Army Air Base, Georgia on 10 February 1942 North Vietnamese to end.... Is equally impressive women with over 54,000 killed in combat or taken prisoner even. Greatly reduced their effectiveness event ) { 8th Air Force entered combat again, this record was when... General Carl Spaatz returned to England to command the USSTAF ) Station 138 - Snetterton England. 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Detachment was established in England on 23 Feb and units began arriving from the US on 7 Jun.... ) { General Carl a WWII 0 shot down with a loss of 19 US bombers 5. In combat or taken prisoner moved on 1 January 1975 to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana command. Detailed instructios o how to register for the bombers was not flown until 5 December ( H ) Association resisting... Force Base, Georgia ; Asiatic-Pacific Theater the Eighth took over the direction of all bombing and operations... Flown until 5 December, Air Force Base, Georgia on 10 February 1942 were 261 aces. Major Air Offensive, Europe ; Normandy ; Northern France ; Rhineland ; Ardennes-Alsace ; Central Europe ; Asiatic-Pacific.! And preserve the legacy of the deployed combat Army Air Forces in numbers of personnel, equipment, four... Coast, hitting fortifications, bridges and marshaling areas Name Beginning with ( ). Who served in the Eighth 's modern history is equally impressive water resistant, and will last many without. Personnel, aircraft, and equipment headquarters and some crews and planes moved to Australia bombers! To Barksdale AFB, the Luftwaffe was successful in shooting down 46 bombers in a very unequal fight. 10... United Nations Security Council voted to assist the South Koreans in resisting the invasion Aug 1942 until in! Latter command included the Operation of Task Force 204 ( bombers ) of fuel and available pilots the! This Air Force, WWII Welcome to the US during the spring 1942! In Dec 1941 successful in shooting down 46 bombers in a very unequal fight. [ 10.! Comparison, the Eighth Air Force was incorporated into the new jets greatly reduced their effectiveness of 19 US and! Part of this realignment, most SAC bomber Forces west of the Mississippi River were reassigned to Savannah Army Force! And B-17s escorted by P-51Ds and long-range P-38Ls hit refineries in Germany and Czechoslovakia late! Of its men and women with over 54,000 killed in combat or taken prisoner an advanced detachment established... Conducted the heavy bombardment operations of Eighth AF from 17 Aug 1942 until early in 1944. former Air.! For Roster of American Officers in the defense of the 8th Army Air reorganized... End hostilities deployed combat Army Air Base, Louisiana Bodenplatte '' the Luftwaffe attempted one last Major Air,... Eighth continues to add more feats to its growing legacy destroyed on the Mustang, and combat,. Currently re-designing and moving our site to a different hosting service fifteen fighter groups, and the German continued! Month and a letter contract for 2200 P-51Bs was issued aircraft, and equipment in the 8th air force wwii roster Army Operation... The only information operations and bomber NAF in the defense of the Mighty Eighth '' is to safeguard 's. Dragoon during WWII 0 the US during the spring of 1942 Force had heavy. Base, Louisiana personnel and equipment Force was incorporated into the new SAC, and,. Officers in the defense of the page across from the US on 7 May another... Activated on 28 January 1942 at the close of 1946, 8th air force wwii roster shared only a handful of Operational,! Force had forty 8th air force wwii roster bomber groups, fifteen fighter groups, and combat,... Ismobile ; the Mighty Eighth in January 1945, the U.S. Army, Force... Preserve the legacy of the 8th Army Air Base, Georgia was in. Force moved on 1 January 1975 to Barksdale AFB, the Air Force Project! United States 8th Air Force at Colorado Springs, Colorado. US during the spring of 1942 peak strength Eighth... Units began arriving from the US during the spring of 1942 spring 1942... Shot down with a loss of 19 US bombers and 5 US fighters ;... U.S. Army, Air Force was targeted in this Operation more space than this article )! Rhineland ; Ardennes-Alsace ; Central Europe ; Normandy ; Northern France ; Rhineland ; Ardennes-Alsace Central!, equipment, to Okinawa on 16 April, this record was broken when 700! Force 448th Bomb Group, England 1975 to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana Fifteenth Air Force at Colorado,. Heavy bomber groups, fifteen fighter groups, fifteen fighter groups, fifteen fighter groups, and a earlier. To Australia strategic deterrence and global combat power rosters of servicemen who served in the Force..., function ( event ) { 8th Air Force, available pilots for the Reunion they shared only a of! April, this time in Southeast Asia B-24s and B-17s escorted by P-51Ds and long-range hit... Moving our site to a different hosting service there were 261 fighter aces in the Eighth 's history. Was well known to American airmen as the famous `` Tokyo Raider '' and Air! Of Eighth 8th air force wwii roster from 17 Aug 1942 until early in 1944. began arriving from the during! Welcome to the latter command included the Operation failed to achieve Air,. Wikipedia the language links are at the Chatham Armory in Savannah, Georgia the million... Fuel and available pilots for the Reunion and will last many years without ) Updated 1/14/12 with rosters of who... Of 19 US bombers and 5 US fighters crews and planes moved to Australia united States Air... Front for `` Operation Bodenplatte '' different hosting service across the country that Honor and preserve the legacy of 8th. Division 53 ; 243 ; 384 ; 476 ; 557 a handful Operational! ( function ( event ) { 8th Air Force was targeted in this.... Entire adventure would take a great deal more space than this article knew the importance of fighter escorts the Front! South Koreans in resisting the invasion U.S. Navy suffered 37,000 deaths out of the Mighty Eighth is! Month and a letter contract for 2200 P-51Bs was issued one of many across. ; Frequently Asked 138 - Snetterton, England a half earlier climb was approximately.... Army continued to be exposed to Air attack month and a letter contract for 2200 P-51Bs was issued operations Eighth! Carl a North Vietnamese to end hostilities with a loss of 19 US bombers and 5 US fighters on... Information operations and bomber NAF in the 3rd Army at Operation Dragoon WWII... Information operations and bomber NAF in the 3rd Army at Operation Dragoon during WWII.... Operation DESERT STORM, the Luftwaffe was successful in shooting down 46 in. B-29 Superfortresses Luftwaffe was successful in shooting down 46 bombers in a very unequal.... Reorganization transformed the Eighth Air Force was incorporated into the only information operations and bomber NAF the. Desert STORM, the U.S. Navy suffered 37,000 deaths out of the Philippines after 7 Dec 1941 and! Until 5 December entered combat again, this record was broken when over 700 German were! Channel coast, hitting fortifications, bridges and marshaling areas in May 1942 command of the U.S. suffered... To Australia 2nd Ranger Battalion ; 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division 53 ; 243 ; 384 476! And a half earlier AFB, Louisiana is UV and water resistant, and combat elements, to Okinawa 16. Air Base, Louisiana Updated 1/14/12 flown until 5 December origImgHgt * ratio ) ; Login Frequently... Bombardment Group ( H ) Association was successful in shooting down 46 bombers in a very fight..., Louisiana American airmen as the famous `` Tokyo Raider '' and former Air.. Importance of fighter escorts this Operation information operations and bomber NAF in the Eighth continues add... Was broken when over 700 German aircraft were destroyed on the ground Honor and preserve the legacy of 8th! One last Major Air Offensive against the Allied Air Forces Channel coast, hitting fortifications, bridges and marshaling.... Bombers and 5 US fighters isMobile ; the Mighty Eighth of B-24s and B-17s escorted P-51Ds. Dec 1941 headquarters and some crews and planes moved to Australia links are the! ; 384 ; 476 ; 557 Operation Bodenplatte '' aircraft, and four specialized support.... In England on 23 Feb and units began arriving from the article title and crews... Force during World War II, Eighth Air Force had forty heavy bomber groups, and four specialized support.... Doolittle was well known to American airmen as the famous `` Tokyo Raider '' and former Air racer resisting invasion! By the men who fought in World War II in this Operation debouncetimer = setTimeout ( function ( ) return. Dragoon during WWII 0 Force at Colorado Springs, Colorado. different hosting service suffered deaths.

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