8th USAAF

Its history

The 8th USAAF , called “ The Mighty Eighth ”, is the most famous air force within USAAF during the Second world war. It operates on ETO (European Theater off Operations).

From the February 22nd, 1944, she will be baptized Eighth Air Force and will continue her role of strategic bombardment for USAF.

Since May 2007, part of its services with integrated the new whole Air Force Cyberspace Command.

Its missions

As a strategic air force , 8th USAAF carries out primarily operations of bombardment on the countries occupied or combined to the Nazi Germany.

Its bases for the majority being located in Great Britain, it operates on the following countries: Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Denmark, Czechoslovakia, Norway.

Its objectives are strategic:

  • Oil refineries
  • Factories
  • Marshalling yards
  • Aerodromes
  • Ports
  • Bases of submarine

Composition of 8th USAAF

One finds two types of groups within 8th USAAF:

  • groups of bombardment (BG), whose mission is to bombard the Germany and its allies

  • the groups of hunting (FG), whose mission is to escort the bombers to protect them from the enemy hunters.

The BG of 8th USAAF are equipped primarily with two types of apparatus: the B-17 and the B-24

The FG of 8th USAAF as for them are equipped primarily with P-38, P-47 and P-51.

Commanders of 8th USAAF

  • Will go C. Eaker: February 23rd - December 2nd, 1942.
  • Newton Longfellow: December 2nd, 1942 - July 1st, 1943.
  • Frederick L. Anderson: July 1st, 1943 - January 6th, 1944.
  • James H. Doolittle: January 6th, 1944 - May 10th, 1945.
  • William E. Kepner: May 10th - June 21st, 1945.
  • Westside T. Larson: June 21st - July 19th, 1945.
  • James H. Doolittle: July 19th - September 12th, 1945.
  • Earle E. Patridge: September 12th - November 30th, 1945.
  • Patrick W. Timberlake: November 30th, 1945 - June 1946.

From day to day list missions of combat of 8th USAAF

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