50th Anniversary Celebration of the 8th AF

You will find written on the History page of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, the beginning history of the Mighty 8th AF.

The Eighth Bomber Command (Re-designated 8th AF in February 1944) was activated as part of the United States Army Air Forces January 28, 1942, at Hunter Field in Savannah, Georgia. Brigadier General Ira C. Eaker took the headquarters to England the next month to prepare for its mission of conducting aerial bombardment missions against Nazi-occupied Europe. 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. 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 AF became known as the "Mighty Eighth".

The 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Eighth Air Force took place in Savannah, Georgia between 27 January - 1 February, 1992. This is an abbreviated version of videos taken during this momentous event.