Air War WW2 Portal 
8th Air Force Europe in June 1942
THURSDAY, 4 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO, 8th Air Force): A HQ AAF schedule, with
tables of composition and strength, indicating a total of 3,649 aircraft, is set
up for the AAF in the UK.
FRIDAY, 5 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): VIII Air Force Base
Command, activated in the US on 28 Jan 42, is redesignated VIII Air Force
Services Command. Colonel Harold A McGinnis assumes command.
MONDAY, 8 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO): European Theater of Operations US Army
(ETOUSA) established by presidential directive. Major General James E Chaney is
designated commander of all US forces of ETOUSA.
TUESDAY, 9 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): The second contingent
of personnel for HQ 8th Air Force and subordinate commands, including the
main body of the VIII Air Force Services Command, arrives in the UK.
15th Bombardment Squadron (Light), VIII Bomber Command, moves from Grafton
Underwood to Molesworth, England with A-20s; first mission is 4 Jul.
Ground echelon of 27th Fighter Squadron, 1st Fighter Group, arrives at
Goxhill, England from the US.
WEDNESDAY, 10 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): The main part of the
ground echelon, including ground echelons of the 97th Bombardment Group
(Heavy), 1st and 31st Fighter Groups, 60th Transport Group and 5th Air Depot
Group, and service units arrive in the UK aboard the QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Units arriving in England from the US: HQ 1st Fighter Group and 71st and
94th Fighter Squadrons at Goxhill (first missions are 1 Sep and 3 Aug
respectively); 12th Transport Squadron, 60th Transport Group, at Chelveston
with C-47s; and 308th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group, at Atcham (first
mission is 17 Aug).
THURSDAY, 11 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): Units arriving in
England from the US: HQ 31st Fighter Group at Atcham; 10th and 11th Transport
Squadron, 60th Transport Group, at Chelveston; 307th Fighter Squadron, 31st
Fighter Group, at Atcham (first mission is 17 Aug); and 340th and 414th
Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 97th Bombardment Group (Heavy) at Polebrook with
B-17s (first mission is 17 Aug).
FRIDAY, 12 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): Another contingent of
personnel for HQ 8th Air Force and subordinate commands arrive in the UK.
Units arriving in England from the US: HQ 60th Transport Group at
Chelveston; 309th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group, at High Ercall (first
mission is 17 Aug); 341st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 97th Bombardment Group
(Heavy), at Polebrook with B-17s (first mission is 17 Aug).
SATURDAY, 13 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): HQ 97th Bombardment
Group (Heavy) arrives at Polebrook, England from US.
SUNDAY, 14 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): The aircraft program
for the AAF in the UK is revised downward from 3,649 to 3,266, and the date
of anticipated final strength is advanced 1 month to 1 Apr 43.
MONDAY, 15 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): Major General Carl
Spaatz, Commanding General 8th Air Force, arrives in the UK. The VIII Bomber
Command takes a significant step toward development of the organization for
control of combat operations by establishing the 1st Bombardment Wing
(Provisional) at Brampton Grange, England.
WEDNESDAY, 17 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): 5th Photographic
Reconnaissance Squadron, 8th Air Force, arrives at Molesworth, England from
the US with F-4s; first mission is in Nov 42.
THURSDAY, 18 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): HQ 8th Air Force opens
in London with Major General Carl Spaatz commanding. The British Air Ministry
publishes a tentative list of 87 airfields to be made ready for the 8th Air
Force.
SATURDAY, 20 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): General George C
Marshall's letter of instruction to Brigadier General Dwight D Eisenhower
reveals plan to integrate all US air units in the UK into the 8th Air Force.
The broad objective of the AAF in the ETO is to attain "air supremacy over
Western Continental Europe" in preparation for a future invasion of the
Continent.
TUESDAY, 23 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): Major General Carl
Spaatz is informed that Operation ROUNDUP (plans for the invasion of Western
Europe) has been put off until Spring 1943. This postponement is due to a
decision to mount Operation TORCH (plan for Allied landings in North and
Northwest Africa in Nov 42), which will necessitate the diversion of large
numbers of aircraft earlier slated for the 8th Air Force in the UK.
WEDNESDAY, 24 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): Lieutenant General
Dwight D Eisenhower arrives in the UK.
THURSDAY, 25 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): HQ 8th Air Force moves
from London to Bushy Park, a London suburb.
FRIDAY, 26 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): Air echelons of the
31st Fighter Group are established at Atcham and High Ercall, England by this
date. These are the first combat personnel of the VIII Fighter Command to
reach the UK.
SUNDAY, 28 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO): Lieutenant General Dwight D Eisenhower
assumes command of ETOUSA, succeeding Major General James E Chaney.
MONDAY, 29 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): Captain Charles C
Kegelman [Commanding Officer, 15th Bombardment Squadron (Light)], flying on a
mission with 12 RAF Bostons against Hazebrouck marshalling yard, France,
becomes the first member of the 8th Air Force drop bombs on enemy-occupied
Europe. The first pilot fatality of the 8th Air Force in the ETO is suffered
when First Lieutenant Alfred W Giacomini of the 31st Fighter Group crashes a
Spitfire while landing at Atcham, England.
TUESDAY, 30 JUNE 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) (8th Air Force): Joint Anglo-American
control of Burtonwood air depot begins with a view toward subsequent
exclusive control by the AAF. VIII Air Force Services Command is designated
the US agent at Burtonwood.
Source:
COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
Jack McKillop
USAF (Airways and Air Communications Service)
1955-59
used sources by McKillop:
AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force History,
Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1
COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE, WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force
History, Headquarters USAF 1982
THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by the
Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973
