8TH AIR FORCE REORGANIZATION
22 February 1944Description
On 22-Feb-1944 The United States Strategic and Tactical Air Forces (USSTAF) of Europe is established and the 8th Air Force absorbs the VIII Bomber Command, VIII Fighter Command and VIII Air Support Command under a single Headquarters. Organization of bomber and fighter resources will now be under 1st 2nd and 3rd Air Divisions rather than Bomb Divisions. Fighter missions will still be designated with Field Orders through Field Order 400 (19-Jun-44). Thereafter fighter escort operations will be designated as bieng part part of the numbering of 8th Air Force missions beginning at Mission 425 (20-Jun-44) and desginated "FE" rather than "FO".
Mission Details
BREST / LORIENT / NANTES / TOURS
Description: 200 bundles dropped
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Night leaflet drop on French cities by 305th Bomb Group/422nd Bomb Squadron during 'Big Week'. One aborts the mission with mechanical problems.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Aircraft sent: 5
- Aircraft effective: 4
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 9-Feb-2016. Added change from Bomb Divisions to Air DIvisions and Field Order numberingchanges applying to fighter operations per analysis of entry numbering in "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", ROger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 9-Feb-2016. Changed the title and date of this DUPLICATE as the begining of USSTAF and the reorganization of the 8th Air Force per 8th Air Force historical records - 8th AIr Force Historical Society.
Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'.