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TUESDAY, 1 DECEMBER 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
Major General Ira C. Eaker replaces Major General Carl Spaatz as
Commanding General Eighth Air Force. Spaatz flies to Algeria to
serve as
air adviser to Lieutenant General Eisenhower, Commanding General
European
Theater of Operations.
Headquarters 78th Fighter Group and its 82d, 83d and 84th Fighter
Squadrons is established at Goxhill England upon arrival from the
US. The
three squadrons are equipped with P-38Gs but begin transitioning to
the
P-47C in Jan 43 and enter combat with their P-47s on 13 Apr 43.
Headquarters 315th Troop Carrier Group and its 34th and 43d Troop
Carrier
Squadrons is established at Aldermaston, England upon arrival from
the US.
The air echelon is flying their C-47s across the North Atlantic with
the
first aircraft arriving on 12 Dec.
Headquarters 322d Bombardment Group (Medium) and its 449th, 450th,
451st
and 452d Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) is established at Rougham,
England upon arrival from the US. The air echelon with B-26C-6s will
not
depart the US until Mar 43; they will fly their aircraft via the
southern
route with the last aircraft arriving until 29 May 43. The group
will not
fly it's first combat mission until 14 May 43.
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