Why the 8th Air Force Deserves Your Attention

How Masters of the Air captures the courage and complexities of WWII’s strategic bombing campaign

If, after reading Masters of the Air, I had to describe the aircrews of the 8th Air Force with one word, it would be Courage.

I grew up in an aviation family, immersed in the world of flight from an early age. My father was a Navy pilot flying the iconic Lockheed Super Constellation, later transitioning to a long career as an airline captain. My mother began her journey as a stewardess, earning titles like Miss Spirit of St. Louis in honor of Charles Lindbergh's historic flight and later Queen of the Oshkosh Airshow. I took my first solo flight at 16; I was hooked.

As a youth, I admired heroes like General Chennault, Pappy Boyington, and Bob Hoover, whose aerobatic displays at Oshkosh left me in awe. Later, I learned Hoover was a WWII veteran of the 12th Air Force, shot down, captured, and later escaped in a stolen German Focke-Wulf FW 190. Yet, I remained unaware of the legendary missions of the 8th AF, likely due to my Navy and Marine Corps focus on the Pacific.

Reflecting now, I wonder how many 8th Air Force aviators and other veterans I've encountered over the years with their histories unknown to me, their unit caps hinting at untold stories bearing names like Schweinfurt, Chosin Reservoir, Hue City, or Fallujah. It’s on us to ask for those stories if they are willing to share.

Boeing B-17E in flight. B-17E-BO 41-2393 was flown for the first time on 5 September 1941, with test pilot Eddie Allen at the controls. U.S. Air Force photo. Public Domain.