Heroes of the Air 2018 Calendar: The Eighth Air Force-- Part 1: "The Mighty Eighth"

Put out by the Paralyzed Veterans of America organization.

History and beautiful artwork by Gil Cohen.

In World War II, the Eighth Air Force (8th AF) became the greatest air armada of any country during the war in any war with an estimated 350,000 Americans serving by the war's end.  At peak strength, the 8th AF could put up over 2,000 four-engined bombers and more than 1,000 fighters on a mission.

For these reasons the 8th AF is also known as "The Mighty Eighth."

The 8th AF was activated as part of the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) in January 1942 at Hunter Field, Savannah, Georgia.  Colonel Asa N. Duncan was named its first commander.

--GreGen

Fort Screvin, Tybee Island, Georgia

Yesterday, we drove out to the Tybee Island Light Station and saw the concrete of Fort Screvin, which was built during the Spanish-American War and manned during both world wars.

--GreGen

Tybee Island Light Station

In a short time we're going out to the Tybee Island Light Station since we ended up being "Stuck on the Island" as "MadDog" Adams would sing.

I'm sure that its light would have been off during the war as navigational aids to lurking U-boats were not needed.  It was  also likely used as a place to spot the German submarines.

It is referred to as Georgia's oldest & tallest lighthouse.

--GreGen

World War II in Savannah: Role and Liberty Ships

From New Georgia Encyclopedia.

Men and women from Savannah and Chatham County served  in all branches of U.S. military during the war.  Being a port city, Savannah was very involved in wartime production and a najor military cargo port.

Other groups during the war were  the Savannah-Chatham County Defense Council and the U.S. Coats Guard Temporary Reserves Volunteer Port Security Force.

The Southeastern Shipbuilding Corporation received a contract to build 36 Liberty Ships on the Savannah River east of the city.  However, between 1942 and 1945, they built 88 ships.

--GreGen

Savannah Liberty Ships-- Part 2

The Southeastern Shipbuilding yard was capable of building six Liberty ships at a time.

Two Savannah vessels remain: the SS Jeremiah O'Brien, homeported in San Francisco and the SS John W. Brown in Baltimore.

The first vessel built in Savannah was the SS James Oglethorpe on Nov. 20, 1942.

On March 11, 1943, it sailed from new York Harbor in a 40-ship convoy designated Halifax 229. Five days out, eight German U-boats attacked and the Oglethorpe was hit by a torpedo and sank the next day.

During the war, some 200 Liberty ships were sunk.

Some of the Forgotten Ships That Won a War. --GreGen

The Savannah Liberty Ships-- Part 1

From the December 3, 2009, Historical Marker Data Base site.

Even before Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt and Congress authorized the Liberty Shipbuilding Program. These vessels were made rapidly, using welded component construction and assembly line production techniques.

The Southeast Shipbuilding Company in Savannah, Georgia, built 87 of them.

Today, only a few of the 2,700 Liberty Class ships remain. During the war, they were a part of the so-called "Atlantic Bridge" to bring munitions of war and soldiers to the European Theater.

A standard Liberty Ship was 441-feet-long with a 56-foot beam, powered by a 2,500 hp triple expansion steam engine capable of going 11 knots while carrying 10,000 tons of cargo in their five holds. That would relate to 300 railroad cars, 2,840 jeeps or 440 Sherman tanks.

They carried a 3-inch gun and two 37 mm Bofors cannons in the bow, a 4- or 5-inch gun at the stern and six 20 mm Oerlikon machine guns for protection.

More to Come. --GreGen