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Confused by the terms division, wing, group, squadron, etc. and how they fit into the Eighth Air Force command structure?. These organizational charts will help you. The organization changed a number of times during the period the Mighty Eighth was in Europe, and it's no simple matter to represent it in a static chart. These two, dated August 30, 1943, and August 30, 1944, are from the Eighth Air Force Yearbook. |
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Now that you've seen the big picture of the Eighth Air Force, take a closer look at the organizational structure of the Second Air Division (named Second Bombardment Division prior to January 1945), one of its three divisions, and the to which the 389th Bomb Group belonged. |
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Now that you've seen the big picture of the Eighth Air Force, take a closer look at the organizational structure of the Second Bombardment Division, one of its three divisions, and the to which the 389th Bomb Group belonged. |
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Map of the World with dividing lines showing the Theaters of Operations in World War II, and the locations where the numbered air forces were based. Note: some, like the the 8th Air Force, changed locations as needed or as enemy territorities were captured. The Continential U.S. was divided into four quarters with the 1st, 2nd 3rd, and 4th Air Forces commanding the training units in their respective regions. |
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Identify medals and ribbons you found among your veteran's belongings, or listed in their personal papers, and learn what they represent. |
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The Atlantic Ferry Routes. Before the U.S. entered the war, it built numerous airfields throughout the North and South Atlantic. After the U.S. joined the fight, these airfields were used to ferry aircraft to theaters of operations in the western hemisphere. Most were in lands that were alien and exotic to Americans. Published in Bomber Legends magazine, Volume 1, Issue 4, 2004. |
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Aerial Gunnery Schools of the Army Air Forces in World War II. As captivating as are the combat stories of America’s World War II aerial gunners, so too is the wartime history of the training program that produced them. Originally published in Bomber Legends magazine, Volume 2, Issue 2, 2005. |
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Trading Typewriters For Turrets and Workshops For Wings. Stories of the ground guys who volunteered to fly combat. What motivated them to do it? More money? More stripes? Medals and silver wings to impress the girls, perhaps? No, in most cases it seems they felt the Air Force was unnecessarily prolonging the war by assigning them to jobs that didn’t involve shooting at Nazis. Published in 389th NEWS, Volume 20, Issue 4, Fall 2007. |
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Eighth Air Force Bomber Formations. To civilian observers on the ground, masses of World War II bombers flying at high altitude were an awesome sight, yet they appeared to be clustered or scattered in random fashion. In reality, the bombers flew in fixed positions within complex formations, and the Air Force was deadly serious about training and perfecting formation flying. Read how they did it. Published in Bomber Legends magazine, Volume 3, Issue 1, 2006. |
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The Air-Sea Rescue service in WWII consisted of coordinated air and naval units to effect aid and rescue of Allied airmen downed at sea. Read the Office of War Information's radio interview of ASR personnel stationed at Yarmouth, England, June 1945. Published in 389th NEWS, Volume 21, Issue 4, Fall 2008. |
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The Role of the Lead Navigator in the Second Air Division By DeWitt T. Hartwell - 564th Lead Navigator and Squadron Navigator |
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Ever wonder what was in those plastic boxes known as “Escape Kits” that Intelligence clerks handed out to aircrews before every mission and demanded back when they returned? Read this article to find out. |
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More to come soon. |
