Chronology of Historical Highlights of Eighth Air Force
Post-World War II
During the airlift the United States Air Force decided to deploy the YC-97A, an experimental version of a B-29 bomber converted to a cargo aircraft and assigned to the Eighth’s 1st Strategic Support Squadron at Biggs AFB, Texas. Eighth Air Force was field testing the YC-97A (s/n 45-59590) and deployed this individual aircraft with its Eighth’s air and ground crews along with a host of test technicians.
The YC-97A flew it first airlift mission on 1 May 1949 and conducted a total of 60 air missions carrying humanitarian supplies from West Germany to West Berlin which continued until 30 September, months after the Soviets had lifted their blockade on 12 May 1949. Eventually the United States Air Force accepted this new cargo aircraft as the C-97 Stratofreighter.
As well during Operation Vittles, as a show-of-force and messaging, the Air Force rotated B-29 bomber units to England. Bomber units assigned to Eighth Air Force participated in these rotational deployments; specifically: 28th Bomb Group to RAF Scampton (July to October 1948), 2nd Bomb Group to RAF Lakenheath (starting August 1948) and 509th Bomb Group to RAF Lakenheath (starting April 1949).
15 to 28 October – 27th Fighter-Escort Wing executed the second phase of Fox Able Three by ferrying 91 jet fighters from Bergstrom AFB, Texas to Germany.
For achieving the first mass deployment of jet-powered fighters over the Atlantic Ocean, the 27th Fighter Escort Wing was presented the Mackay Trophy by General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, USAF Chief of Staff.
8 November 1950 to 30 June 1951 – Eighth Air Force’s only assigned unit to be deployed for the Korean War was the 27th Fighter-Escort Wing. The wing commenced deployment of 75 F-84E Thunderjet fighter aircraft to the Far East for air combat duty in the Korean War from Bergstrom AFB, Texas to San Diego Naval Air Station and after being loaded aboard two aircraft carriers; departed on 13 and 14 September docking in Japan on 30 November 1950. The 27th Fighter-Escort Wing was placed under the operational control of Far East Air Forces and saw air combat over the Korean Peninsula – to include air-to-air combat with Chinese MiG-15 fighter aircraft. This fighter wing became highly decorated with four Distinguished Flying Crosses and 23 Air Medals.
Specifically, the Eighth was to: (1) train, and equip itself to conduct strategic air warfare on a world-wide basis, using either nuclear or conventional weapons, (2) perform tasks assigned in the current Emergency War Plan and in related operations orders, (3) train and administer assigned reserve personnel and units, (4) participate in disaster relief and other domestic emergencies, and (5) perform such special missions as directed by the Commander-in-Chief Strategic Air Command.
The first phase conducted on 11 November resulted in an aviation record of a non-stop, non-refueled flight of 6,332.85 miles from Westover AFB, Massachusetts to Buenos Aires, Argentina accomplished in 13 hours, 2 minutes. Approximately 1,000 miles were added to the distance by flying “around-the-hump” of Brazil.
The second phase was an aviation speed record established with a 5,204 miles flight from Buenos Aires to Washington, D.C. in 11 hours, 5 minutes with an average speed of 471.5 mph conducted on 13 November.
The third phase of Operation Long Legs conducted 16-17 November had six B-52 Stratofortress bombers from the Eighth Air Force assigned 42nd Bomb Wing conduct a non-stop, round-trip flyover of the Buenos Aires air show with a return Plattsburgh AFB, New York.
20 October – Eighth Air Force actions taken in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis included: (1) moving all Eighth bombers from Homestead and MacDill AFBs in Florida, (2) implement limited airborne alert operations, (3) assigned B-47 bombers began dispersal operations, (4) increased force status to Defense Condition 3, and (5) placed the 12 Atlas missile sites at Plattsburgh AFB and personnel of the Site Activation Task Force directly under Strategic Air Command control to bring the sites to alert posture quickly.
25 October – The United States implemented a naval “quarantine” blockade and air surveillance of Cuba at 1000 hours.
2 November – President John F. Kennedy spoke to the nation to report that aerial photos had confirmed Soviet missile bases were being dismantled, their missiles and related equipment were being crated, and that the fixed installations at these sites were being destroyed. However, the United States continued its air surveillance and the naval quarantine.
7 November –the United States announced that missile removal would be verified by check at sea.
8 November – Pentagon photographs revealed that all known missile sites were dismantled.
7 December – Department of Defense announced Soviet jet bombers, apparently all the attack aircraft sent to Cuba, were loaded aboard three Soviet ships.
18 June – The inaugural ARC LIGHT conventional air combat sortie was conducted by B-52s in the Vietnam War striking enemy targets in South Vietnam. By December 1965, B-52s would have flown 100 air combat missions in the war.
Bomber aircraft and their aircrews from four bomber units (none from Eighth Air Force) home stationed in the United States rotated to conduct the air war in Southeast Asia from Andersen AFB, Guam. These rotations from these four bomber units phased out by March 1966.
In early 1966, six bomber wings became cadre units on Andersen AFB, Guam and were augmented with personnel and aircrews from other wings within Strategic Air Command. Of the six cadre wings, two were assigned to Eighth Air Force. The 306th Bomb Wing from McCoy AFB, Florida was the first cadre wing from Eighth Air Force to conduct a deployment starting on 6 September 1966. After this date into 1970 several bomb wings of the Eighth deployed as cadre units with some doing repeat deployments.
Summary of Bomber Statistics in Vietnam War: For 98 months of air combat conducted by B-52s in Southeast Asia; bombers flew 126,615 actual sorties, credited with dropping 6,162,000 tons of munitions with most strikes conducted in South Vietnam (55 percent), Laos (27 percent), Cambodia (12 percent), and in North Vietnam (6 percent); loss of 31 B-52s (18 to hostile fire, remainder to operational accidents.)
24 March 1999 – Combat debut of the B-2A Spirit bomber, from 509th Bomb Wing assigned to Eighth Air Force, struck Serbian integrated air defense systems and military command and control nodes.
28 March 1999 – B-1B Lancer bombers from 28th Bomb Wing assigned to Eighth Air Force, struck industrial sites and Kosovo-based military forces. Participating B-1B bombers delivered 20 percent of the total ordnance but only flew less than two percent of the air combat sorties.
The Center formed an integrating point to support combatant commanders with crisis and deliberate planning, joint-service and coalition liaison, and operational connectivity for bomber, intercontinental ballistic missile, and reconnaissance capabilities.
On 20 April 2018, the Commander Eighth Air Force was formally dual-hatted as the Commander Joint-Global Strike Operations Center.
On 24 August 2018, the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center was formally activated.
Requested support by combatant commanders involved the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center contributing to multi-community air and naval planning, de-conflicting management, and analysis support with strike planning and operation coordinated with 24 external agencies. The Center conducted 24-hour battle staff rhythm for four days through the conclusion of this multi-national conducted global strike.
An American strategic bomber flew above the Freedom Monument in Riga, some 83 years after the beginning in 1940 of Soviet Union occupation.
After conducting the first-ever overflight of Finland, a few days later two B-1B Lancer bombers conducted the first-ever landing in Sweden; specifically landing at Lulea-Kallax Airbase in northern Sweden, accompanied by three Jas-39 Gripen fighters from the Swedish Air Force.
United States Strategic Command commented on strategic deterrence on a global scale noting strategic bombers had recently operated in the geographic areas of six combatant commands including a seventh time in the last six months to have B-52s or B-1Bs flying above or near the Korean Peninsula as well as the first American bombers – two B-52 Stratofortress aircraft from 2d Bomb Wing – to land in Indonesia, with this landing conducted on 20 July.
During a Bomber Task Force deployment in the INDOPACOM’s Exercise Northern Edge, deployed B-52s flown alongside combat aircraft from the French Air Force.
During the airlift the United States Air Force decided to deploy the YC-97A, an experimental version of a B-29 bomber converted to a cargo aircraft and assigned to the Eighth’s 1st Strategic Support Squadron at Biggs AFB, Texas. Eighth Air Force was field testing the YC-97A (s/n 45-59590) and deployed this individual aircraft with its Eighth’s air and ground crews along with a host of test technicians.
The YC-97A flew it first airlift mission on 1 May 1949 and conducted a total of 60 air missions carrying humanitarian supplies from West Germany to West Berlin which continued until 30 September, months after the Soviets had lifted their blockade on 12 May 1949. Eventually the United States Air Force accepted this new cargo aircraft as the C-97 Stratofreighter.
As well during Operation Vittles, as a show-of-force and messaging, the Air Force rotated B-29 bomber units to England. Bomber units assigned to Eighth Air Force participated in these rotational deployments; specifically: 28th Bomb Group to RAF Scampton (July to October 1948), 2nd Bomb Group to RAF Lakenheath (starting August 1948) and 509th Bomb Group to RAF Lakenheath (starting April 1949).
15 to 28 October – 27th Fighter-Escort Wing executed the second phase of Fox Able Three by ferrying 91 jet fighters from Bergstrom AFB, Texas to Germany.
For achieving the first mass deployment of jet-powered fighters over the Atlantic Ocean, the 27th Fighter Escort Wing was presented the Mackay Trophy by General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, USAF Chief of Staff.
8 November 1950 to 30 June 1951 – Eighth Air Force’s only assigned unit to be deployed for the Korean War was the 27th Fighter-Escort Wing. The wing commenced deployment of 75 F-84E Thunderjet fighter aircraft to the Far East for air combat duty in the Korean War from Bergstrom AFB, Texas to San Diego Naval Air Station and after being loaded aboard two aircraft carriers; departed on 13 and 14 September docking in Japan on 30 November 1950. The 27th Fighter-Escort Wing was placed under the operational control of Far East Air Forces and saw air combat over the Korean Peninsula – to include air-to-air combat with Chinese MiG-15 fighter aircraft. This fighter wing became highly decorated with four Distinguished Flying Crosses and 23 Air Medals.
Specifically, the Eighth was to: (1) train, and equip itself to conduct strategic air warfare on a world-wide basis, using either nuclear or conventional weapons, (2) perform tasks assigned in the current Emergency War Plan and in related operations orders, (3) train and administer assigned reserve personnel and units, (4) participate in disaster relief and other domestic emergencies, and (5) perform such special missions as directed by the Commander-in-Chief Strategic Air Command.
The first phase conducted on 11 November resulted in an aviation record of a non-stop, non-refueled flight of 6,332.85 miles from Westover AFB, Massachusetts to Buenos Aires, Argentina accomplished in 13 hours, 2 minutes. Approximately 1,000 miles were added to the distance by flying “around-the-hump” of Brazil.
The second phase was an aviation speed record established with a 5,204 miles flight from Buenos Aires to Washington, D.C. in 11 hours, 5 minutes with an average speed of 471.5 mph conducted on 13 November.
The third phase of Operation Long Legs conducted 16-17 November had six B-52 Stratofortress bombers from the Eighth Air Force assigned 42nd Bomb Wing conduct a non-stop, round-trip flyover of the Buenos Aires air show with a return Plattsburgh AFB, New York.
20 October – Eighth Air Force actions taken in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis included: (1) moving all Eighth bombers from Homestead and MacDill AFBs in Florida, (2) implement limited airborne alert operations, (3) assigned B-47 bombers began dispersal operations, (4) increased force status to Defense Condition 3, and (5) placed the 12 Atlas missile sites at Plattsburgh AFB and personnel of the Site Activation Task Force directly under Strategic Air Command control to bring the sites to alert posture quickly.
25 October – The United States implemented a naval “quarantine” blockade and air surveillance of Cuba at 1000 hours.
2 November – President John F. Kennedy spoke to the nation to report that aerial photos had confirmed Soviet missile bases were being dismantled, their missiles and related equipment were being crated, and that the fixed installations at these sites were being destroyed. However, the United States continued its air surveillance and the naval quarantine.
7 November –the United States announced that missile removal would be verified by check at sea.
8 November – Pentagon photographs revealed that all known missile sites were dismantled.
7 December – Department of Defense announced Soviet jet bombers, apparently all the attack aircraft sent to Cuba, were loaded aboard three Soviet ships.
18 June – The inaugural ARC LIGHT conventional air combat sortie was conducted by B-52s in the Vietnam War striking enemy targets in South Vietnam. By December 1965, B-52s would have flown 100 air combat missions in the war.
Bomber aircraft and their aircrews from four bomber units (none from Eighth Air Force) home stationed in the United States rotated to conduct the air war in Southeast Asia from Andersen AFB, Guam. These rotations from these four bomber units phased out by March 1966.
In early 1966, six bomber wings became cadre units on Andersen AFB, Guam and were augmented with personnel and aircrews from other wings within Strategic Air Command. Of the six cadre wings, two were assigned to Eighth Air Force. The 306th Bomb Wing from McCoy AFB, Florida was the first cadre wing from Eighth Air Force to conduct a deployment starting on 6 September 1966. After this date into 1970 several bomb wings of the Eighth deployed as cadre units with some doing repeat deployments.
Summary of Bomber Statistics in Vietnam War: For 98 months of air combat conducted by B-52s in Southeast Asia; bombers flew 126,615 actual sorties, credited with dropping 6,162,000 tons of munitions with most strikes conducted in South Vietnam (55 percent), Laos (27 percent), Cambodia (12 percent), and in North Vietnam (6 percent); loss of 31 B-52s (18 to hostile fire, remainder to operational accidents.)
24 March 1999 – Combat debut of the B-2A Spirit bomber, from 509th Bomb Wing assigned to Eighth Air Force, struck Serbian integrated air defense systems and military command and control nodes.
28 March 1999 – B-1B Lancer bombers from 28th Bomb Wing assigned to Eighth Air Force, struck industrial sites and Kosovo-based military forces. Participating B-1B bombers delivered 20 percent of the total ordnance but only flew less than two percent of the air combat sorties.
The Center formed an integrating point to support combatant commanders with crisis and deliberate planning, joint-service and coalition liaison, and operational connectivity for bomber, intercontinental ballistic missile, and reconnaissance capabilities.
On 20 April 2018, the Commander Eighth Air Force was formally dual-hatted as the Commander Joint-Global Strike Operations Center.
On 24 August 2018, the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center was formally activated.
Requested support by combatant commanders involved the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center contributing to multi-community air and naval planning, de-conflicting management, and analysis support with strike planning and operation coordinated with 24 external agencies. The Center conducted 24-hour battle staff rhythm for four days through the conclusion of this multi-national conducted global strike.
An American strategic bomber flew above the Freedom Monument in Riga, some 83 years after the beginning in 1940 of Soviet Union occupation.
After conducting the first-ever overflight of Finland, a few days later two B-1B Lancer bombers conducted the first-ever landing in Sweden; specifically landing at Lulea-Kallax Airbase in northern Sweden, accompanied by three Jas-39 Gripen fighters from the Swedish Air Force.
United States Strategic Command commented on strategic deterrence on a global scale noting strategic bombers had recently operated in the geographic areas of six combatant commands including a seventh time in the last six months to have B-52s or B-1Bs flying above or near the Korean Peninsula as well as the first American bombers – two B-52 Stratofortress aircraft from 2d Bomb Wing – to land in Indonesia, with this landing conducted on 20 July.
During a Bomber Task Force deployment in the INDOPACOM’s Exercise Northern Edge, deployed B-52s flown alongside combat aircraft from the French Air Force.