| Jan
28, 1942 |
The Eighth Air Force is activated.
|
| July
2, 1942 |
Eighth Army Air Corps flies the first European
mission of the USAAC (United States Army Air Corps). It is a
low-level bombing run against a series of small air bases in the
Netherlands.
|
| Aug
17, 1942 |
Eighth Army Air Corps launched a mission against
German marshalling areas in the Rouen, France railyard using
B-17s.
|
| Aug
1, 1943 |
Bombers from the Eighth (Army) Air Force join with
the Ninth in Operation Tidal Wave, a second attempt to destroy
the oil refineries at Ploesti. Considered to be a disaster (54
out of 177 planes lost), the mission did significantly reduce
oil production at the facility for months.
|
| Aug
17, 1943 |
In simultaneous attacks on Regensburg and
Schweinfurt, the Eighth (Army) Air Force conducts raids on a
Messerschmitt factory (Regensburg) and ball-bearing plants
(Schweinfurt) from its secret base in England. Of 376 mission
aircraft 60 are lost.
|
| Sep
27, 1943 |
Using new "belly tanks" to dramatically
extend the distance they can fly, P-47 bombers raid Emden, then
return to the secret Eight Army Air Force in England.
|
| Oct
14, 1943 |
In a second raid on the ball-bearing plants in
Schweinfurt, Germany, the Eighth Air Force effectively destroys
the target. 60 of 291 planes do not return.
|
| Feb
20, 1944 |
Start of "Big Week", six days of
missions designed to destroy German aircraft production. The
Eighth Air Force (England) and the Ninth Air Force (Italy)
participate.
|
| Mar
4, 1944 |
Lt. Chuck Yeager shoots down his first German
fighter while serving in the Eighth (Army) Air Force
|
| Mar 6, 1944
|
Berlin
|
| May
21, 1944 |
Eighth Air Force begins Operation Chattanooga
Choo-Choo, systematic raids in Germany and France designed to
destroy the Nazi's ability to move munitions and supplies by
railroad. It is specifically designed to soften up German lines
in advance of D-Day
|
| Jun
6, 1944 |
D-Day, Normandy, France. More than 15,000
sorties are flown over France and Germany, led by the Eighth Air
Force.
|
| Jun
9, 1944 |
Eighth Air Force establishes a base in
Allied-occupied France
|
| Aug
24, 1944 |
Eighth Air Force's 78th Fighter Group shoots down
the experimental Me-262, a German jet-powered fighter. It is the
first jet fighter to be shot down.
|
| Jan 1, 1945 |
Fierce air battles over western
front, with 188 out of 800 Luftwaffe planes reported shot down
during their last major attack of the war.
|
| Feb
3, 1945 |
Eighth Air Force participates in a massive B-17
raid against Berlin, Germany.
|
| Feb 16, 1945 |
The US 8th Air Force launches a
massive attack (675 bombers) against the HQ complex of the OKH
at Zossen 20 miles south of Berlin.
|
| Mar 19, 1945 |
The US 8th Air Force carries out
another heavy attack (200 bombers and 700 fighters) against
Berlin.
|
| Mar 21, 1945 |
The US 8th Air Force launches a
major attack (650 bombers) against Hamburg.
|
| Apr 4, 1945 |
The US 8th Air Force launches its
heaviest raid to date (700 bombers) against Kiel on the Baltic.
|
| May 4, 1945 |
The US 8th Air Force carries out
another heavy attack (450 bombers) against Kiel. |
|
