8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force
Active	1 February 1942-present
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Army Air Forces (1942–1947) United States Air Force (1947–Present)
Part of	Air Combat Command
Garrison/HQ	Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana
Nickname	“The Mighty Eighth”
Commanders
Notable commanders	James Doolittle Ira C. Eaker Carl Spaatz

Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force (NAF) of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United States Army Air Forces ( USAAF) was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II. Air Combat Command ( ACC) is a major command (MAJCOM of the United States Air Force. Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located three Nautical miles (6 km) east of the Central business district of The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America General James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle USAF (14 December 1896 &ndash 27 September 1993 was an American Aviation pioneer General Ira Clarence Eaker KCB KBE ( April 13, 1896 – August 6, 1987) was a general of the United Carl Andrew "Tooey" Spaatz GBE (June 28 1891 &ndash July 14 1974 was an American general in World War II, and the first Chief of This is a list of Numbered Air Forces (NAF of the United States Air Force Historically a NAF is a level of command below a MAJCOM (Major Command Air Combat Command ( ACC) is a major command (MAJCOM of the United States Air Force. It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, and is one of three active-duty numbered air forces in Air Combat Command. Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located three Nautical miles (6 km) east of the Central business district of The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America

The Eighth Air Force's now commonly-accepted nickname, "The Mighty Eighth", derives from the title of British farmer and life-long Eighth Air Force historian Roger A. Freeman's seminal History of the U. Roger A Freeman ( May 11, 1928 -- October 7, 2005) was an English farmer who became a noted aero-historian specializing in 8th Air Force S. 8th Army Air Force (Doubleday and Company, 1970). The Roger A. Freeman Eighth Air Force Research Center - Library and Archive was dedicated at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in Pooler, Georgia in 2007. Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum is a Non-profit 501(c(3 organization located in Pooler Georgia near Savannah Pooler is a city in Chatham County, Georgia, United States. The population was 6239 at the 2000 census Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. (The military maintains its own museum, the Eighth Air Force Museum at Barksdale. Eighth Air Force Museum is located on Barksdale AFB near Bossier City, Louisiana and is hosted by the 2nd Bomb Wing. )

The current Commander is Lieutenant General Robert Elder Jr. , with Major General (select) Floyd Carpenter as Vice-Commander, and Chief Master Sergeant Todd A. Kabalan as Command Chief Master Sergeant.

Mission

Eighth Air Force serves as the only information operations and bomber warfighting headquarters, employing decisive global air power for U.S. Joint Forces Command and U.S. Strategic Command and combatant commanders. United States Joint Forces Command ( USJFCOM) is one of ten Unified Combatant Commands of the United States military. United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM is one of the ten Unified Combatant Commands of the U The 8 AF commander is the Air Force Network Operations (AFNETOPS) and Air Force Cyber Command (AFCYCOM) commander. The 8 AF commander is also assigned as the Joint Functional Component Commander for Global Strike Integration (JFCC-GSI) under U. S. Strategic Command.

The command consists of more than 41,000 active-duty, Air National Guard and Reserve professionals operating and maintaining a variety of aircraft capable of deploying air power to any area of the world. This air power includes the heart of America’s heavy bomber force: the B-2 Spirit and B-52 Stratofortress aircraft. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout E-8C Joint STARS, EC-130H Compass Call, E-3C Sentry, several variants of the RC-135, and U-2S Dragon Lady reconnaissance aircraft round out the command’s lethal airpower arsenal. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

Eighth Air Force is the first numbered air force to integrate information operations into a warfighting headquarters. The integration gives Eighth Air Force the ability to gain, exploit, and attack adversary information or information systems while defending friendly or coalition information and information systems from enemy attack.

Units

• HQ Eighth Air Force Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
  • 2d Bomb Wing (B-52H)
  • 917th Wing (B-52H, A-10)
  • Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike and Integration
  • 5th Bomb Wing - Minot AFB, North Dakota (B-52H)
  • 9th Reconnaissance Wing - Beale AFB, California (U-2S) (RQ-4)
  • 55th Wing - Offut AFB, Nebraska (E-4B, EC-130, OC-135B, RC-135S/W,TC-135S/W,WC-135C/W)
  • 67th Network Warfare Wing - Lackland AFB, Texas
  • 116th Air Control Wing - Robins AFB, Georgia (E-8C)
  • 480th Intelligence Wing - Langley Air Force Base, Virginia
  • 509th Bomb Wing - Whiteman AFB, Missouri (B-2)
  • 552d Air Control Wing - Tinker AFB, Oklahoma (E-3B/C)

Note: the 116 ACW blends active-duty and Air National Guard members into a single unit. Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located three Nautical miles (6 km) east of the Central business district of The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America The 2d Bomb Wing ( 2 BW) is a B-52 Stratofortress unit based at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The 917th Wing ( 917 WG) is a composite (mostly Reserve wing of the United States Air Force based at Barksdale Air Force Base. The Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike and Integration (JFCC-GSI is a component of US Strategic Command. The United States Air Force 5th Bomb Wing ( 5 BW) is a B-52 Stratofortress unit based at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota Minot Air Force Base ( Minot AFB) is a US Air Force installation in Ward County, North Dakota, 13 miles (21 km north of the North Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern and Western regions of the United States of America. The 9th Reconnaissance Wing ( 9 RW) is a wing of the United States Air Force. Beale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base near Marysville, California, that was established in 1943 California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The 55th Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force and the host wing at Offutt Air Force Base. Nebraska ( is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States and The 67th Network Warfare Wing ( 67 NWW) Lackland Air Force Base, Texas was reactivated 1 October 1993 as the 67th Intelligence Wing Lackland Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force operated by the Air Education and Training Command ( AETC) Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. Robins Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base located in Houston County, Georgia, United States. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule The 480th Intelligence Wing ( 480 IW) is headquartered at Langley AFB Virginia Langley Air Force Base is located three Nautical miles (6 km) north of the Central business district of the city of Hampton, Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state This article is about the US Air Force B-2 Wing For the article on the World War II B-29 unit see 509th Operations Group. Whiteman Air Force Base ( Whiteman AFB) is a base of the United States Air Force in Johnson County, Missouri, United States Missouri ( or) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee The 552d Air Control Wing ( 552 ACW) is an operational wing of the United States Air Force based at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma Tinker Air Force Base is a major US Air Force base located in the southeast Oklahoma City area near the suburb of Midwest City, Oklahoma. Oklahoma ( is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. The Air National Guard ( ANG), often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the several states and

History

World War II

B-17 Flying Fortresses Over Europe during World War II

During World War II, the Eighth Air Force was a United States Army Air Forces unit, which carried out daytime bombing operations in Western Europe from airfields in eastern England from 1942 through the end of the war in 1945. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The United States Army Air Forces ( USAAF) was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II. Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' An aerodrome is an area on land or water (including any buildings installations and equipment used for the arrival and departure of aircraft England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland

On 2 January 1942 the order activating the Eighth Air Force was signed and the headquarters was formed at Savannah, Georgia on 28 January. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Savannah is a city located in the state of Georgia, United States. Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted The War Department in Washington, D.C. announced that U. The United States Department of War, sometimes also called the War Office, was the department of the United States government 's executive branch Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D S. ground forces were sent to Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of On 8 January, the activation of U. Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army S. Forces in the British Isles (USAFBI) was announced, and VIII Bomber Command (VIII BC) was established in England during February 1942. VIII BC was established at RAF Bomber Command Headquarters at High Wycombe on 22 February. RAF Bomber Command was the organisation that controlled the RAF 's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968 RAF High Wycombe is a Royal Air Force station, situated in the village of Walters Ash, near High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, Events 1495 - King Charles VIII of France enters Naples to claim the city's throne Additional commands of the Eighth Air Force were the VIII Air Support Command and VIII Fighter Command. The VIII Fighter Command was the fighter arm of "The Mighty Eighth Air Force" and eventually consisted of 15 groups (each with three squadrons organized in three wings

During the war, the Eighth Air Force was headquartered in England at the Wycombe Abbey School for Girls, Buckinghamshire. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Wycombe Abbey is one of the most famous independent girls' schools in Britain Buckinghamshire (abbreviated Bucks) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The Eighth Air Force was commanded during World War II by Major General Carl A. Spaatz, Major General Ira C. Eaker, and Lieutenant General Jimmy Doolittle, the hero of the 1942 B-25 air raid on Tokyo and other cities in Japan. Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries Carl Andrew "Tooey" Spaatz GBE (June 28 1891 &ndash July 14 1974 was an American general in World War II, and the first Chief of General Ira Clarence Eaker KCB KBE ( April 13, 1896 – August 6, 1987) was a general of the United This article is about a United States military rank For other countries that use a similar rank see Lieutenant General. General James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle USAF (14 December 1896 &ndash 27 September 1993 was an American Aviation pioneer The Doolittle Raid, 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese home island of Honshū officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. It later became the United States Air Forces in Europe. The United States Air Forces in Europe ( USAFE) is the United States Air Force component of U

On 4 July 1942, Independence Day, six American crews from the 15th Bombardment Group (Light) together with six RAF crews were dispatched from RAF Swanton Morley, Norfolk, on a daylight sweep against four German airfields in the Netherlands. Events 836 - Pactum Sicardi, peace between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. An Independence Day is an annual celebration commemorating the Anniversary of a Nation 's assumption of independent Statehood, usually after ceasing The former Royal Air Force Station Swanton Morley, more commonly known as RAF Swanton Morley, was a Royal Air Force Station in Norfolk, England The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands It was the first time American airmen had flown in American-built bombers against a German target, but although it was important historically, the raid was not an unqualified success. Two of the aircraft manned by Americans were shot down by what the RAF flight leader described as “the worst flak barrage in my experience. Anti-aircraft warfare, or air defense, is any method of engaging hostile military Aircraft in defence of ground objectives, ground or naval forces ”

July 1942 - January 1944

In August 1942, the 92nd and 301st Bomb Groups arrived to join Brigadier General Ira C. Eaker's rapidly increasing force. The 92nd was the first heavy bombardment group to make a successful non-stop flight from Newfoundland to Scotland.

It took time to get the new groups ready for combat and training was lacking in many areas. At the end of July, Colonel Frank A. Armstrong, one of Eaker's original HO staff, replaced Lieutenant Colonel Cousland as CO of the 97th Bomb Group at Grafton Underwood, and he set about re-shaping the group. Colonel ( RP ˈkɜnəl GA ˈkɜrnəl is a Military rank of a Commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country Frank Alton Armstrong Jr ( May 24, 1902 - August 20, 1969) was a brigadier general in the United States Army Air Forces By mid-August he had 24 crews ready for combat. There were arguments behind the scenes about whether bombing in daylight was possible over heavily defended targets in Europe, and whether the bomb-carrying capacity and armament of the B-17 and B-24 would be enough. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout But the first B-17 strike of the war was scheduled for August 17, 1942. Events 986 - A Byzantine army was destroyed in the pass of Trajan's Gate by the Bulgarians under the Comitopuli Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

At 15. 00 hours six B-17Es took off from Polebrook and flew a diversionary raid on St. Omer. Briefing over at Underwood, Frank Armstrong boarded Butcher Shop, which was piloted by Major Paul Tibbets and led eleven B-17s to the marshalling yards at Rouen Sotteville in northwestern France. Spaatz had felt confident enough to allow Brigadier General Ira C. Eaker to fly on the mission. He joined the crew of Yankee Doodle, lead aircraft of the second flight of six. Over the Channel, the Fortresses were joined by their RAF escort of Spitfire Vs. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

Visibility over the target was good and the B-17s dropped their bombs from 23,000 feet. A few bombs hit a mile short of the target and one burst hit about a mile west in some woods, but the majority landed in the assigned area. Several repair and maintenance workshops were badly damaged, which put the German State Railway at Rouen temporarily out of action.

From this humble beginning, the Eighth Air Force in the United Kingdom increased the number of combat groups and its scope of targets and missions. Eighth Air Force aircraft attacked naval targets in France against German U-Boats and combined with RAF Bomber Command with missions into Germany. RAF Bomber Command was the organisation that controlled the RAF 's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968 Along with the heavy bomber groups, the Eighth Air Force developed its fighter component, with P-47s and P-51s flying escort missions deep into German airspace. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

VIII Bomber Command

The final Order of Battle of the VIII Bomber Command (1943) was:

VIII Fighter Command

Fighter groups were assigned to the administrative control of three wings, which were directed by VIII Fighter Command until 1945, when each wing was assigned to one of the three air divisions. RAF Bassingbourn is a former military Airbase located in Cambridgeshire approximately north of Royston Hertfordshire and south west of Cambridge Earls Colne Airfield is located 1 Nautical mile ("NM" (1 RAF Bury St Edmunds (also known as Rougham is a former World War II airfield in England. RAF Rattlesden is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 9 miles SE of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. RAF Great Ashfield is a former World War II airfield in England. RAF Horham is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located next to the village of Horham, England, and 4 miles SE of RAF Thorpe Abbotts is a former World War II airfield in England. RAF Framlingham (also known as Parham) is a former World War II airfield in England. RAF Grafton Underwood is a former World War II airfield in England. RAF Andrews Field (also known as Andrewsfield or Great Saling) is a former World War II airfield in England. RAF Snetterton Heath is a former World War II airfield in England. RAF Knettishall is a former World War II airfield in England. The VIII Fighter Command was the fighter arm of "The Mighty Eighth Air Force" and eventually consisted of 15 groups (each with three squadrons organized in three wings The Order of Battle for VIII Fighter Command was:

United States Strategic Air Forces (1944 - 1945)

On January 4, 1944 the B-24s and B-17s in England flew their last mission as a subordinate part of VIII Bomber Command. RAF Kings Cliffe is a former World War II airfield in England. The 352nd Fighter Group was one of the most highly decorated USAAF Fighter Groups in World War II, producing many leading aces of the war RAF Bodney is a former World War II RAF Station and USAAF airfield in England. RAF Martlesham Heath is a former Royal Air Force airfield in England. RAF East Wretham is a former World War II RAF Station airfield in England. RAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station 6 miles south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England. RAF Bushey Hall is a former World War II non-flying facility in England. Duxford Aerodrome is located 8 Nautical miles (148 km south of Cambridge in the village of Duxford, Cambridgeshire, England RAF Atcham is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 5 miles E of Shrewsbury in Shropshire. RAF Goxhill is a former Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force station in England. RAF Atcham is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 5 miles E of Shrewsbury in Shropshire. The 1st Operations Group is the oldest major air combat unit in the United States Air Force. RAF Goxhill is a former Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force station in England. RAF Kirton in Lindsey is a Royal Air Force airfield in England. RAF Ibsley is a former World War II -era RAF station and airfield in England. RAF Atcham is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 5 miles E of Shrewsbury in Shropshire. The former Royal Air Force Station Westhampnett, more commonly known as RAF Westhampnett, was a Royal Air Force station, a Military RAF Atcham is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 5 miles E of Shrewsbury in Shropshire. RAF Greenham Common is a former World War II and NATO Cold War airfield located on the border between Greenham and Crookham RAF Chelveston was a Military air base located on the south side of the A45 5 miles east of Wellingborough, near the village of Chelveston in Northamptonshire For the post World War II use of this facility see Atomic Weapons Establishment RAF Aldermaston was a World War II airfield RAF Keevil is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 4 miles E of Trowbridge in Wiltshire. RAF Ramsbury is a World War II airfield in England. The field is located 4 miles E of Marlborough in Wiltshire. Earls Colne Airfield is located 1 Nautical mile ("NM" (1 Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central is a Numbered Air Force in Air Combat Command (ACC RAF Bury St Edmunds (also known as Rougham is a former World War II airfield in England. RAF Andrews Field (also known as Andrewsfield or Great Saling) is a former World War II airfield in England. RAF Horham is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located next to the village of Horham, England, and 4 miles SE of Earls Colne Airfield is located 1 Nautical mile ("NM" (1 RAF Snetterton Heath is a former World War II airfield in England. RAF Boxted (also known as Langham is a former World War II Airfield in England. RAF Great Dunmow (Also known as Little Easton is a former World War II airfield in England. RAF Chipping Ongar (also known as Willingale is a former World War II airfield in England. Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Fifteenth Air Force, established in Italy, and the Eighth were organized under a centralized headquarters,United States Strategic Air Forces (USSTAF), located at RAF Bushey Hall, a redesignation of the Eighth Air Force. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest RAF Bushey Hall is a former World War II non-flying facility in England. VIII Bomber Command in turn was re-designated Eighth Air Force on February 22, 1944, and passed from existence. Events 1495 - King Charles VIII of France enters Naples to claim the city's throne Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

General Carl Spaatz returned to England to command the USSTAF. Carl Andrew "Tooey" Spaatz GBE (June 28 1891 &ndash July 14 1974 was an American general in World War II, and the first Chief of Major General Jimmy Doolittle relinquished command of the Fifteenth Air Force to Major General Nathan F. Twining and took over command of the Eighth Air Force at RAF High Wycombe. General James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle USAF (14 December 1896 &ndash 27 September 1993 was an American Aviation pioneer Nathan Farragut Twining (TWI-ning ( October 11, 1897 - March 29, 1982) was a United States Air Force General, born RAF High Wycombe is a Royal Air Force station, situated in the village of Walters Ash, near High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, Doolittle of course was well known to American airmen as the famous "Tokyo leader and former air racer. His directive was simple: `Win the air war and isolate the battlefield'.

Spaatz and Doolittle's plan was to use the US Strategic Air Forces in a series of co-ordinated raids. code-named Operation 'Argument' and supported by RAF night bombing, on the German aircraft industry at the earliest possible date.

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. ) At peak strength, Eighth Air Force had forty heavy bomber groups, fifteen fighter groups, and four specialized support groups. It could and did often dispatch more than 2,000 four-engine bombers and more than 1,000 fighters on a single mission to multiple targets.

B-17 Flying Fortresses from the 398th Bombardment Group fly a bombing run to Neumunster, Germany, on April 13, 1945. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Neumünster (nɔʏ̯ˈmʏnstɐ is one of four independent towns in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. On May 8, Germany surrendered, and Victory in Europe Day was declared.

Under USSTAF, the Eighth Air Force conducted the Big Week offensive over Germany, attacking the Luftwaffe directly at its aircraft manufacturing plants. Between February 20 and February 25 1944, as part of the European strategic bombing campaign, the United States Strategic Air Forces (USSTAF ( German 'luftvafe is a generic German term for an Air force. Eighth Air Force bombers flew missions deep into Germany and attacking Berlin with daylight bombing raids. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany.

With the invasion of France in June 1944, Eighth Air Force heavy bomb groups conducted tactical air attacks supporting Allied ground forces in the invasion area, supported the Airborne invasion of the Netherlands, and made direct strikes on German ground forces during the Battle of the Bulge. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Operation Market Garden ( September 17, 1944 – September 25, 1944) was an Allied military operation fought in the Netherlands The Ardennes Offensive (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 was a major German offensive launched towards the end of World War II through the forested Ardennes Mountains

These missions however, carried a high price. Half of the U. S. Army Air Force’s casualties in WW II were suffered by Eighth Air Force (more than 47,000 casualties, with more than 26,000 dead). Seventeen Medals of Honor went to Eighth Air Force personnel during the war. 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 Distinguished Service Cross (DSC is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, awarded for extreme The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States which was established by Executive Order 9158 signed by Franklin D Many more awards were made to Eighth Air Force veterans after the war that remain uncounted. There were 261 fighter aces in the Eighth Air Force during World War II. Thirty-one of these aces had 15 or more aircraft kills apiece. Another 305 enlisted gunners were also recognized as aces.

The last attack by Eighth Air Force bombers was made on April 25, 1945 with B-17s attacking the Skoda armaments factory at Pilsen in Czechoslovakia, and B-24s attacking four rail complexes surrounding Hitler's mountain retreat at Berchtesgaden. Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Berchtesgaden (bɛʁçtəsˈgaːdən is a municipality in the German Bavarian Alps. Fifteenth Air Force attacked mountain passes between Germany and Austria to prevent German troops from escaping from Italy.

The final Order of Battle of the Eighth Air Force (1945):

• 482d Bombardment Group (Heavy) RAF Alconbury
• 495th Fighter Training Group RAF Atcham
• 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional) RAF Harrington
  (became 492d Bombardment Group August 18, 1944)

• 496th Fighter Training Group RAF Goxhill

• 325th Photo Reconnaissance Wing (Hq: High Wycombe)
  • 7th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance)
    RAF Mount Farm, RAF Chalgrove
  • 25th Bombardment Group (Reconnaissance) RAF Watton
• 67th Reconnaissance Group RAF Membury (VIII Air Support Command)

Eighth Air Force In The Pacific Theater

Following the end of the war in Europe the United States began to demobilize most of United States Strategic Air Forces that it built up in Europe, and transfer some of its combat units to the Pacific Theater. RAF Wormingford is a former World War II United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force fighter field in England. Duxford Aerodrome is located 8 Nautical miles (148 km south of Cambridge in the village of Duxford, Cambridgeshire, England RAF Fowlmere is a former airfield in the United Kingdom. The airfield is located six miles SW of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire. RAF Raydon is a former United States Army Air Force station in England. The 357th Fighter Group was an air combat unit of the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War. RAF Leiston is a former airfield in the United Kingdom. The airfield is located 1 RAF High Wycombe is a Royal Air Force station, situated in the village of Walters Ash, near High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, RAF Mount Farm is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located three miles north of Dorchester Oxfordshire. Chalgrove Airfield is located 8 Nautical miles (148 km southeast of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England. RAF Watton is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 11 miles NE of Thetford in Norfolk. RAF Membury was a World War II airfield in England located 6 miles north-west of Hungerford in Berkshire. In Europe the aim was to maintain a small USAAF organization, exclusively for communication and transport purposes. On August 7, 1945, the word Strategic was removed from USSAFE, and the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) was established. Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great. The United States Air Forces in Europe ( USAFE) is the United States Air Force component of U

Eighth Air Force headquarters moved to Okinawa on July 16, 1945, being assigned to the U. is one of Japan 's southern prefectures, and consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1000 km long which extends southwest from Kyūshū Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar S. Army Strategic Air Forces to train new bomber groups for combat against Japan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. In the planned invasion of Japan, the mission of Eighth Air Force would be to conduct B-29 Superfortress raids from Okinawa. Operation Downfall was the overall Allied plan for the invasion of Japan near the end of World War II.

Units assigned to Eighth Air Force in the Pacific were:

• 301st Fighter Wing (P-47N)
  • 318th Fighter Group (Ie Shima Okinawa)
  • 413th Fighter Group (Ie Shima Okinawa)
  • 507th Fighter Group (Ie Shima Okinawa)

• 316th Bombardment Wing (B-29)
  • 22d Bombardment Group (Kadena Air Base Okinawa)
  • 333d Bombardment Group (Kadena Air Base Okinawa)
  • 346th Bombardment Group (Kadena Air Base Okinawa)
  • 382d Bombardment Group (Guam)
  • 383d Bombardment Group (Guam)

Note: The 316th Bomb Wing did not arrive in Okinawa until September 1945. The 318th Fighter Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization Iejima (伊江島 is an Island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, lying a few kilometers off the Motobu Peninsula of Okinawa Honto. is one of Japan 's southern prefectures, and consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1000 km long which extends southwest from Kyūshū Iejima (伊江島 is an Island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, lying a few kilometers off the Motobu Peninsula of Okinawa Honto. is one of Japan 's southern prefectures, and consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1000 km long which extends southwest from Kyūshū The 507th Air Refueling Wing ( 507 ARW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Iejima (伊江島 is an Island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, lying a few kilometers off the Motobu Peninsula of Okinawa Honto. is one of Japan 's southern prefectures, and consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1000 km long which extends southwest from Kyūshū The 22d Air Refueling Wing ( 22 ARW) is a wing of the United States Air Force. Kadena Air Base is a United States Air Force base located in the towns is one of Japan 's southern prefectures, and consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1000 km long which extends southwest from Kyūshū The 333d Bombardment Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization Kadena Air Base is a United States Air Force base located in the towns is one of Japan 's southern prefectures, and consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1000 km long which extends southwest from Kyūshū The 346th Bombardment Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization Kadena Air Base is a United States Air Force base located in the towns is one of Japan 's southern prefectures, and consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1000 km long which extends southwest from Kyūshū The 382d Bombardment Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization Guam ( Chamorro: cha Guåhån) officially the Territory of Guam, is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized unincorporated The 383d Bombardment Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization Guam ( Chamorro: cha Guåhån) officially the Territory of Guam, is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized unincorporated

The atomic bombings of Japan led to the Japanese surrender before Eighth Air Force saw action in the Pacific theater. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were nuclear attacks near the end of World War II against the Empire of Japan by the United States at The Pacific Ocean theater was one of four major naval theatres of war of the Second World War that pitted forces of the Japan against those of the United

Strategic Air Command

World War II proved what the proponents of air power had been championing for the previous two decades — the great value of strategic forces in bombing an enemy’s industrial complex and of tactical forces in controlling the skies above a battlefield. As a result, Eighth Air Force was incorporated into the new Strategic Air Command (SAC). The Strategic Air Command (SAC was both a major command and a "specified command" in the U

On June 7, 1946, Headquarters 8th AF moved without personnel or equipment to MacDill AAF, Florida. Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. MacDill Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base under the claimancy of the Air Mobility Command ( AMC) Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the That base assignment lasted until November 1, 1946, when SAC transferred the Eighth to Carswell AAF (formerly Fort Worth Army Air Field), Texas and the organization officially became part of SAC. Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For uses after 30 September 1994, see Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth Carswell Air Force Base, (1942 - 1994 is Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State.

Martin-Omaha B-29-40-MO Superfortress Serial 44-27353 of the 509th Bomb Wing, Walker AFB, 1948. During World War II, 353 flew on both Atomic Bomb missions (6 August, 9 August) as an instrument aircraft monitoring the nuclear explosions.

Strategic Air Command 8th Air Force North American F-82E "Twin Mustangs" of the 27th Fighter Wing on the flightline of Kearney Air Force Base, Nebraska, 1948. Serials 46-322 and 46-332 are identifiable.

At first, the postwar Eighth Air Force had to rely heavily upon World War II airplanes, as there was insufficient funding available to re-equip the Air Force completely with a new generation of aircraft. However, it was believed that a strong strategic air arm would deter a possible aggressor from attacking the United States for fear of massive retaliation with nuclear weapons. For that reason, from 1946 through 1949, what little money became available was used to buy new planes for SAC. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Initially, Eighth Air Force under SAC consisted of the following:

• 58th Bombardment Group
  Activated at Fort Worth AAF Texas on May 9, 1946. For uses after 30 September 1994, see Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth Carswell Air Force Base, (1942 - 1994 is Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. Events 1457 BC - Battle of Megiddo (15th century BC between Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition under the King of
• 7th Bombardment Group
  Activated at Fort Worth AAF Texas on October 1, 1946. For uses after 30 September 1994, see Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth Carswell Air Force Base, (1942 - 1994 is Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela.
• 43rd Bombardment Group
  Activated at Davis-Monthan AAF Arizona on October 4, 1946. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base adjacent to Tucson, Arizona. The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. Events 610 - Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows Byzantine Emperor Phocas
• 27th Fighter Wing
  Activated at Kearney AAF Nebraska on July 27, 1947. Kearney Regional Airport, formerly known as Kearney Municipal Airport, is a public Airport located four miles (6 km) northeast of the Central Nebraska ( is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States and Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England.

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. The assets of the former training units were simply assigned to Eighth Air Force. This was largely so that the Air Force could perpetuate the names of groups that that had distinguished themselves in World War II. These bomb wings were drastically undermanned and under equipped. At the close of 1946, they shared only a handful of operational bombers, all B-29 Superfortresses.

The Eighth Air Force was specifically charged with the atomic mission, and the 7th Bomb Group at Fort Worth AAF was modifying their aircraft to carry the atomic bomb. However only the 509th Composite Group at North Field Tinian in the Marianas had the capability to drop nuclear weapons. Tinian (ˈtɪniən /ˌtiːniˈɑːn/ is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (14°59’51”N 145°37’39”E The Mariana Islands (also the Marianas; up to the early 20th century sometimes called Ladrones Islands, from Spanish Islas de los Ladrones meaning

Several events in the late 1940s reversed the drawdown of United States strategic forces. The 1948 Berlin Crisis and the outbreak of the Cold War caused the United States to deploy SAC's B-29 bomber force back to the United Kingdom and West Germany. The Berlin Blockade (24 June 1948 – 11 May 1949 was one of the first major international crises of the Cold war. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the 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. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the

As a result, Eighth Air Force spent its first decade in the continental U. S. building up its strategic capabilities. By 1950, the Eighth Air Force consisted of the following units:

During the Korean War, only the 27th Fighter Wing deployed to Asia. For uses after 30 September 1994, see Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth Carswell Air Force Base, (1942 - 1994 is Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. Events 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khan of the Mongols Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January Biggs Army Airfield, also known as Biggs AAF, is a military Airport located at Fort Bliss in El Paso Texas, USA. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base adjacent to Tucson, Arizona. The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. Walker Air Force Base was the largest Strategic Air Command base of the United States Air Force at the time of its closure in 1967 New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. Hunter Army Airfield, located in Savannah Georgia, United States, is a military airfield and subordinate installation to Fort Stewart. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule For the civil use of this airfield after 1993 see Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Bergstrom Air Force Base (1942-1993 was a United WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the After the 1953 Cease Fire, on 13 June 1955 SAC moved Headquarters 8th AF to Westover AFB, Massachusetts, where it transitioned to the jet age and commanded all SAC bases in the eastern United States. Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) For the civil airport use of this facility see Westover Metropolitan Airport Westover Air Reserve Base / Metropolitan is an Air Force Reserve Command The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States.

Eighth Air Force Boeing B-47E-50-LM (S/N 52-3363) in flight.

Eighth Air Force Boeing B-52D-70-BO (S/N 56-0582) being refueled by Boeing KC-135A-BN (S/N 55-3127).

Within a few years, B-47 medium and B-52s heavy bombers replaced the Eighth’s older B-29, B-50, and B-36 bombers. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Eighth’s weapons inventory also changed to include KC-135 air refuelers and intercontinental ballistic missiles (the Atlas, Titan I and Titan II, and all Minuteman models. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout )

At the same time, aerial refueling techniques were improved to the extent that Eighth Air Force bombers could still reach targets in Europe and Asia even if overseas bases were destroyed by an enemy attack. To reduce the risk to its bomber fleet in the United States, Eighth Air Force began dispersing its planes to a large number of bases across the United States so as not to have too many concentrated at a single location.

In 1965, Eighth Air Force entered combat again, this time in Southeast Asia. At first, the Eighth deployed its B-52 bomber and KC-135 tanker units from the U. S. to operating bases in Guam, Okinawa and Thailand. Guam ( Chamorro: cha Guåhån) officially the Territory of Guam, is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized unincorporated is one of Japan 's southern prefectures, and consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1000 km long which extends southwest from Kyūshū The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj Then in April 1970, SAC moved the Eighth without personnel or equipment to Andersen AFB Guam, absorbing resources of the 3d Air Division. Andersen Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base on the northern end of the island of Guam, largely within the village of Yigo but also stretching Guam ( Chamorro: cha Guåhån) officially the Territory of Guam, is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized unincorporated At Anderson, the Eighth took over the direction of all bombing and refueling operations in Southeast Asia. The intensive bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong during 11days in December 1972, known as LINEBACKER II, was but one highlight of those war years. Hanoi ( Vietnamese: Hà Nội Hán Tự: 河[[wikt 内|内]], estimated population 3398889 (2007, is the Capital of Vietnam Importantly, the Eighth’s bombing effectiveness influenced the North Vietnamese to end hostilities. With the end of combat in Southeast Asis, the Eighth Air Force moved without personnel or equipment to Barksdale AFB Louisiana on January 1, 1975, absorbing the resources of Second Air Force. Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located three Nautical miles (6 km) east of the Central business district of The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

In the 1980s, the Eighth participated in several key operations such as running the tanker task force for URGENT FURY in 1983 and directing all air refueling operations for EL DORADO CANYON in 1986 and JUST CAUSE in 1989. Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar)

The Eighth’s units played a key role in the 42-day Gulf War in 1991. An Eighth Air Force unit, the 2d Bomb Wing, spearheaded the air campaign by dispatching B-52s from Barksdale to launch conventional air-launched cruise missiles against Iraqi targets. 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. 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.

Air Combat Command

Fifteen months after Operation Desert Storm, the Air Force reorganized. Eighth Air Force was relieved from assignment to Strategic Air Command and assigned to the new Air Combat Command (ACC) on 1 June 1992. Air Combat Command ( ACC) is a major command (MAJCOM of the United States Air Force. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar)

Under ACC, Eighth Air Force provides command and control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C2ISR); long-range attack; and information operations forces to Air Force components and warfighting commands. Eighth Air Force trains, tests, exercises and demonstrates combat-ready forces for rapid employment worldwide.

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). Eighth Air Force also supports STRATCOM's Joint Force Headquarters - Information Operations and serves as the command element for Air Force wide computer network operations.

B-2 of the Eighth Air Force 509th Bomb Wing

Under ACC, the Eighth received control over active duty, Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guard units in the central U. The Air Force Reserve Command ( AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM of the U The Air National Guard ( ANG), often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the several states and S. and two overseas locations. 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. Support to the latter command included the operation of Task Force 204 (bombers).

Since 1994, the Eighth has participated in a string of contingency operations, such as the 1996 Operation "Desert Strike" against Iraq, the 1998 Operation "Desert Fox" (similarly named but in no way associated with Field Marshal Erwin Rommel) against Iraq, which featured the B-1B in its combat debut, and 1999 Operation "Allied Force" against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which involved the B-2A Spirit in its first uncontested mission of aggression, which was officially designated "combat". For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout See also Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout 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. The North Atlantic Treaty 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.

In 2000, the Air Force decided to integrate information operations into Eighth Air Force. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. 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. Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. The reorganization transformed the Eighth into the only information operations and bomber NAF in the Air Force. For the Mighty Eighth, that change heralded an interesting future, one that bring further restructuring, different aircraft system purchases, and a new challenging mission to the NAF.

While posturing itself for that mission change, the Eighth also supported Operation "Enduring Freedom" in which the Air Force operates with total impunity against targets in Afghanistan, and "NOBLE EAGLE" for the defense of North American airspace from the threat of stray airliners and outdated Russian bombers. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Throughout the first six months of "ENDURING FREEDOM", the Mighty Eighth’s bombers were instrumental in the eradication of many loosely defined targets and elusive native combatants in Afghanistan. With each step through 2002, the Eighth continues to heap more feats of this type onto its legacy. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar.

See also

• Joint Functional Component Command for Space and Global Strike (US Strategic Command)
• United States Air Forces in Europe
• United States Air Force in the United Kingdom
• Strategic Air Command
• Air Combat Command
• Air Force Cyber Command

References

This article incorporates text from http://www.barksdale.af.mil/8af, a public domain work of the United States Government. Joint Functional Component Command for Space and Global Strike (JFCC SGS was a component of the United States Strategic Command. United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM is one of the ten Unified Combatant Commands of the U The United States Air Forces in Europe ( USAFE) is the United States Air Force component of U Since 1941 the United States has maintained air bases in the United Kingdom. The Strategic Air Command (SAC was both a major command and a "specified command" in the U Air Combat Command ( ACC) is a major command (MAJCOM of the United States Air Force. Air Force Cyber Command (Provisional was a proposed United States Air Force Major Command that existed only in provisional status in 2007-08 The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone A work of the United States government, as defined by United States copyright law, is "a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U

• Maurer Maurer, Air Force Combat Units Of World War II, Office of Air Force History, 1983
• Freeman, Roger A. (1970). The Mighty Eighth. ISBN 0-87938-638-X.  
• Freeman, Roger A. (1990). The Mighty Eighth War Diary. ISBN 0-87938-495-6.  
• Freeman, Roger A. , Airfields Of The Eighth, Then And Now, 1978
• Office of Air Force History [1961] (1983). in Maurer, Maurer: Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF), Washington, D. C. : U. S. Govt. Print. Off. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. Retrieved on 2007-10-04. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 610 - Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows Byzantine Emperor Phocas  
• 8th Air Force to become new cyber command

External links

• Eighth Air Force official website
• USAF Fact Sheets: Eighth Air Force History
• Eight Air Force tactical mission report of Operation Shuttle
• Establishment of the Eighth Air Force in the United Kingdom
• Eighth Air Force Museum
• WWII Bomb Groups - European Theater of Operations (ETO)
• The Ruhr - one of the main target of the 8th USAAF in Europe, 1943-1945
• Complete fulltext of: Maurer Maurer, Air Force Combat Units Of World War II, Office of Air Force History, 1983 online and keyword searchable
• [Website of 8th Air Force divided by Bombardment Divisions/Bombardment Wings/Bombardment Groups/Bombardment Squadrons]
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