~~ The Eighth Air Force was formed in Savannah, Ga., on Bull Street in January 1942 and subsequently moved to the United Kingdom. Headquartered at High Wycombe in a girls school, the staff expanded and air units formed in East Anglia that flew their first combat missions with borrowed aircraft.

~~ The members of the original Eighth Air Force were organized into some 65 Heavy Bombardment Groups, 20 Fighter Groups, three Air Divisions, four major Headquarters, and a support command with supply, maintenance and repair depots strategically located throughout the United Kingdom. Some 350,000 men and women served during WWII, with about one half of those being combat crew members. The Eighth Air Force became the largest air force in the history of aviation and was locked in the most dangerous air battle in aviation history. This event will never be replicated. The cost in casualities of the brave young men who were never turned back by enemy action was awsome. Of an estimated 200,000 combat crew personnel, 26,000 were killed; 28,000 became POWs; and 9,000 bombers were shot down by enemy fire.

~~ The Eighth Air Force continues its distinguished service under the operational control of the Air Combat Command headquartered at Langley AFB, Virginia.

B-17, Flying Fortress
P-51, Mustang
P-40, Tigershark
P-47, Thunderbolt
P-61, Black Widow
Supermarine Spitfire
Bf109F-2 Messerschmitt
Mitsubishi A6M5c Zero

Remembering those who served

Bob's B-17 Home Page
Military Aircraft Archives
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE MUSEUM
Aviation Museum

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The 78th Fighter Squadron

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This page designed and maintained by:

Roger A. Stevens
SMSgt, USAF (ret)

08/11/98

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