Mighty 8th 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 uniquely shaped Cyber Innovation Center with three flights of Airmen formed and standing at-ease. Honor guard stands under the flag pole preparing for reveille as the sun begins to peak through the clouds. Airmen of the Mighty 8th sound off for their 70th birthday as Old Glory is raised to clear skies.

The afternoon of Feb. 1 continued with a cake-cutting celebration and presentations of proclamations from the Governor of Louisiana, Mr. Bobby Jindal, Mayor of Bossier City, Mr. Lorenz Walker and Mayor of Shreveport, Mr. 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, 8th Air Force commander.

He continued to speak about the early history of the Mighty 8th and even mentioned Barksdale'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 added.

General Wilson continued with 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 8th 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 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, 8th Air Force Airman of the Month in cutting the cake in honor of the milestone celebration.