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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.
“Independence Day”9 pages
T H E A R M Y A I R F O R C E S I N W O R L D W A R I 1 when the Eighth Air Force had been established in England, a more definite understanding called for the transfer of a headquarters site and seven fields in Northern Ireland during the course of 1942 in addition to Bovingdon and Cheddington, each of the last two minus their satellite fields. Eaker planned that Bovingdon and Cheddington would be assigned, respectively, to the bomber and fighter commands to serve as “final advanced aircrew operational training and distribut- ing centers in England” for crews received from the combat crew replacement centers in I~eland.~‘ General Eaker in May had recommended the organization under the VIII Bomber Command of a training wing to be patterned after a similar RAF headquarters, and of another for the VIII Fighter Com- mand.78With the selection of Northern Ireland as the main center of training activity, however, he advocated in June establishment of a training command in that area.79General Spaatz shared Eaker’s deep concern for an adequate flow of replacement crews,8oand accepted his formula for their proper training. Spaatz’ request that the War Department establish a training command for the Eighth Air Force was granted, and on 4 July 1942 the VIII Air Force Composite Com- mand was activated at Bolling Field.” As events proved, the com- posite command would have little to do for more than a year after its activation; not until September 1943 would combat crews be sent to Northern Ireland for training.sz After the decision to undertake an invasion of Northwest Africa there would be few replacements for the Eighth, and their training was taken care of at Bovingdon and Cheddington in England rather than in Northern Ireland. The early history of the VIII Air Force Composite Command speaks chiefly of hopes deferred by operation TORCH-the African invasion. Logistical Planning Before the arrival of General Eaker and his staff, General Chaney’s air officer, Col. Alfred J. Lyon, had carried forward logistical planning and preparation for an American air force in Britain. Even after Eaker reached England, and with the aid during the spring of an advance echelon of the VIII Air Force Service Command, Lyon continued to perform those functions with vigor and foresight until the full headquarters of the service command was established in July. His work had been complemented by that of occasional AAF missions sent from W a ~ h i n g t o n , ~ ~but the chief responsibility had been dele- 628
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