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'Mighty Eighth' celebrates 70th birthday

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kristin High
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BOSSIER CITY, La. --  It's foggy and hard to see the three flights of Airmen formed and standing at-ease under the flagpole the uniquely shaped Cyber Innovation Center in Bossier City, La., Feb. 1. As the sun begins peaking through the clouds, the Barksdale Air Force Base honor guard and the Eighth Air Force Airmen sound off as Old Glory rises to clearing Louisiana skies.

In a day reminiscent of an early morning in High Wycombe, England, this was the perfect way to celebrate "The Mighty Eighth's" 70th birthday.

The afternoon continued with a cake-cutting celebration and presentations of proclamations from the Louisiana governor, Bobby Jindal, Bossier City mayor, Lorenz Walker and Shreveport mayor, Cedric B. Glover.

"Less than two months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the 8th Bomber Command was activated at Langley Air Force Base, Va., and immediately moved to Savannah, Ga.," said Maj. Gen. Stephen Wilson, Eighth Air Force commander.

He continued speaking about the early history of the Mighty Eighth and even mentioned Barksdale Air Force Base's seasoned veteran, retired Col. Steve dePyssler, who joined the VIII BC as a sergeant.

"Early 1942 was a time demanding courageous visionaries, patriot pioneers, bold innovative people- people we came to call Airmen," Wilson said.

Wilson continued with the strong history about the brave young Airmen that fought and made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

"By war's end, 17 Mighty Eighth warriors received the Medal of Honor for their bravery and dedication to their country, which was nearly half of the U.S. Army Air Force recipients in World War II," he said. "In addition, 226 Distinguished Service Crosses, 864 Silver Stars, almost 46,000 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and 442,000 Air Medals were also awarded."

We, in Eighth Air Force today, recognize that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Their success established strategic air power as a pillar of our national security and our Air Force as a separate service that would grow to dominate the skies as the finest air force in the world, Wilson said as he closed.

At the end of the ceremony, Wilson was joined by former unit commander retired Lt. Gen. Edgar S. Harris Jr., dePyssler, Airman 1st Class Amanda Williams, the youngest Airman of the Mighty Eighth and Senior Airman Adam Wells, Eighth Air Force Airman of the Month, in a cutting the cake in honor of the milestone celebration.