Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (8 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Forces Strategic – Global Strike, one of the air components of United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). The Eighth Air Force includes the heart of America's heavy bomber force: the B-2 Spirit and B-52 Stratofortress aircraft.
Established on 22 February 1944 as a redesignation of VIII Bomber Command at High Wycombe Airdrome, England, 8 AF was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force in the European Theater of World War II, engaging in operations primarily in the Northern Europe AOR, carrying out strategic bombing of enemy targets in France, the Low countries and Germany and engaging in air to air fighter combat against enemy aircraft until the German Capitulation in May 1945. It was the largest of the deployed combat Army Air Forces in numbers of personnel, aircraft and equipment.
During the Cold War, 8 AF was one of three Numbered Air Forces of the United States Air Force's Strategic Air Command (SAC), with a three-star general headquartered at Westover AFB, Massachusetts commanding USAF strategic bombers and missiles on a global scale. Elements of 8 AF engaged in combat operations during the Korean War; Vietnam War, as well as Operation Desert Storm.
Famous quotes containing the words eighth, air and/or force:
“He seems like an average type of man. He’s not, like smart. I’m not trying to rag on him or anything. But he has the same mentality I have—and I’m in the eighth grade.”
—Vanessa Martinez (b. c. 1978)
“As in hoary winter’s night stood shivering in the snow,
Surprised I was with sudden heat which made my heart to glow;
And lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was near,
A pretty Babe all burning bright did in the air appear;”
—Robert Southwell (1561?–1595)
“Happiness ain’t a thing in itself—it’s only a contrast with something that ain’t pleasant.... And so, as soon as the novelty is over and the force of the contrast dulled, it ain’t happiness any longer, and you have to get something fresh.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)