BLANCO COUNTY WW2 MUSEUM

             

 

  8th AIR FORCE in WORLD WAR II   

The Eighth Air Force established its first base at Bushley Park in England on 15 June 1942 under the command of Major General Carl Spatz.  The 8th Air Force consisted of the VIII Bomber Command, VIII Fighter Command, and the VIII Air Support Command.  The Eighth Air Force was the first USAAF strategic air force, with a mission to support an invasion of continental Europe from the British Isles. Eighth Air Force carried out strategic daytime strategic bombing operations in Western Europe from airfields in eastern England.

During World War II, the 8th Air Force became the greatest air armada in history. By mid-1944, the 8th AF had reached a total strength of more than 200,000 people (it is estimated that more than 350,000 Americans served in 8th AF during the war in Europe). At its peak, the 8th AF could dispatch more than 2,000 four-engine bombers and 1,000 fighters on a single mission. For these reasons, the 8th Air Force became known as the ”Mighty Eighth.”

After a dedicated campaign designed to eliminate the Luftwaffe in Western Europe, planes of the 8^th Air Force dominated the skies over Europe.  By the time the Allies invaded France in June of 1944 they were essentially unchallenged in the air.  In addition to paralyzing logistical networks making even basic resupply a constant challenge, German ground formations and tactical operations were constantly under assault which greatly assisted in the eventual defeat of the German Army in Europe.

The Mighty Eighth compiled an impressive record in the war. This achievement, however, carried a high price. The 8th AF suffered one-half of the U.S. Army Air Forces’ casualties in World War II (47,000-plus casualties with more than 26,000 deaths). The Eighth’s personnel also earned 17 Medals of Honor, 220 Distinguished Service Crosses, 850 Silver Stars, 7,000 Purple Hearts 46,000 Air Medals. Many more uncounted awards were presented to the 8th AF veterans after the war. There were 261 fighter aces and 305 gunner aces in the Eighth in World War II; 31 of those fighter aces exceeded 15 or more aircraft kills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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