8th Air Force (8th AF) "The Mighty Eighth"
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF)

Background
On January 28, 1942 the Eighth Air Force (8th AF) is activated in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) in Savannah, Georgia under the command of Brigadier General Asa N. Duncan.

In May 1945 after the surrender of Germany, the 8th Air Force began planning to transfer to the Pacific to fly mission against Japan. On July 16, 1945 Headquarters (HQ), 8th Air Force moves to Sakugawa near Kadena Airfield on Okinawa as part of the U.S. Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific without personnel or equipment and absorbed the command staff of the inactivated XX Bomber Command. In the Pacific, the 8th Air Force would train new Bombardment Groups operating the B-29 Superfortress preparing for the invasion of Japan and conduct bombing missions from Okinawa against Japan until the Pacific War.

Command
8th Air Force Headquarters (8th AF HQ)

Bombardment Group (FG)
333rd Bombardment Group (333rd BG)

Fighter Group (FG)
507th Fighter Group (507th FG)

Commanding Officer (C.O.)
Brigadier General Asa N. Duncan (January 28, 1942–November 17, 1942) †
Lt. General Jimmy Doolittle (January 6, 1944)

References
U.S. Air Force - Eighth Air Force History

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