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This is Volume One of The Army Air Forces in World War II, titled Plans and Early Operations, January 1939 to August 1942, edited by Wesley Frank Craven and James Lea Cate. The University of Chicago Press first published it in 1948, and the Office of Air Force History reprinted it in 1983. The front matter explains how the AAF historical program was set up during the war. The index covers Pacific, Atlantic and European operations, and nothing in the text concerns unidentified aerial phenomena.
“R.G.”33 pages
C X A P T E R 17 * * * * * * * * * * * ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EIGHTH AIR FORCE IN T H E UNITED KINGDOM ESTINED to become the major instrument of American air power in the war against Germany, the Eighth Air Force D from its very inception was intended for action against theEuropean Axis. Originally, however, it had not been assigned the mission of strategic bombardment. Its roots were embedded in the projects for the invasion of Northwest Africa (GYMNAST and SUPER-GYMNAST) considered by the ARCADIA and post- ARCADIA conferences in December 1941 and early 1942. The de- cision to organize a task force known as the Mobile Reserve Corps, under the command of Maj. Gen. Lloyd R. Fredendall, to carry out GYMNAST in the event of a firm commitment to that operation, made inevitable the planning and organization of its air element. Ac- cordingly, on 2 January 1942, General Arnold directed that an air task force be established for the purpose under the command of Col. Asa N. Duncan, then commanding the I11 Air Support Com- mand.' First designated the Fifth Air Force, the new organization within a few days received instead the designation of Eighth Air Force because of a plan to authorize the activation of a Fifth Air Force * in the Far East.2 As originally conceived, the Eighth Air Force consisted of a head- quarters, bomber and interceptor commands, and a wing headquarters to be employed as a service command. Its constituent units were one medium bombardment group, two pursuit groups, one observation group, three air base groups, and one air depot group. Already selected First assigned to the Far East Air Force, the designation would not be identified with the American elements of the Allied Air Forces in Australia and New Guinea until 3 September 1942. 612
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