Air Force Combat Units of WWII

AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS-AIR FORCES 463areas. Transferred back to Hawaii inJan 1946. Redesignated Pacific Air Commandin Dec 1947. Discontintled on ITun 1949.Redesignated Seventh AF. Activatedin Hawaii on 5 Jan 1955. Assigned to FarEast Air Forces.COMMANDS. VZZ Bomber: 1942-1946.VZZ Fighter: 1942-1945.STATIONS. Ft Shafter, TH, I Nov 1940;Hickam Field, TH, c. 12 Jul IWI; Saipan,13 Dec 1944; Okinawa, 14 Jul 1945;Hickam Field, TH, I Jan 1946-I Jun1949. Hickam AFB, TH, 5 Jan 1955;Wheeler AFB, TH, 24 Mar 1g55-.COMMANDERS. Maj Gen Frederick LMartin, 2 Nov 1940; Maj Gen ClarenceL Tinker, 18 Dec 1941 ; Brig Gen HowardC Davidson, g Jun 1942; Maj Gen WillisH Hale, 20 Jun 1942; Maj Gen RobertW Douglass Jr, 15 Apr 194; Maj GenThomas D White, 23 Jun 1945; Brig GenDonald F Stace, 19 Oct 1946; Maj GenRalph H Wooten, 22 May 1947; Brig GenRobert F Travis, I Sep 1948-1 Jun 1949.Maj Gen Sory Smith, 5 Jan 1955; BrigGen Julian M Chappell, 25 Jul 1g55-.CAMPAIGNS. Central Pacific; Air Offensive,Japan; Eastern Mandates; WesternPacific; Ryukyus; China Offensive.DECORATIONS. None.INSIGNE. On a blue disc a golden orangeArabic numeral “7” enfiled in base by awhite five-pointed star charged with a reddisc, in perspective, all within a goldenorange border. (Approved 21 May 1943.)EIGHTH AIR FORCE(originally VIII BomberCommand)Constituted as VIII Bomber Commandon 19 Jan 1942. Activated in the US onI Feb 1942. An advanced detachmentwas established in England on 23 Feband units began arriving from the USduring the spring of 1942. The commandconducted the heavy bombardment operationsof Eighth AF (see US StrategicAir Forces in Europe) from 17 Aug 1942until early in 1944. Redesignated EighthAF on 22 Feb 1944. Afterward, engagedprimarily in bombardment of strategictargets in Europe. Transferred, withoutpersonnel, equipment, and combat elements,to Okinawa on 16 Jul 1945. Althoughsome personnel and combat unitswere assigned before V-J Day, the Eighthdid not participate in combat against Japan.Transferred, without personnel andequipment, to the US on 7 Jun 1946. Re-