Buzz up! February is a historic month for 8th Air Force, which was born bare weeks after the Pearl Harbor attack, and which will mark the anniversary of its christening today.

     It was 65 years ago that the bomber force now headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base gained the name 8th Air Force, just over two years after it had been formed at Langley Field, Va., as the VIII Bomber Command.

    "During this time of year, I send out a reminder to the commander and those assigned to Headquarters Eighth Air Force that we have a distinguished legacy to add to," said Lane Callaway, 8th Air Force historian. "It's a reminder not only of what we have done, but of where we are going."

    Just 13 days after its activation in 1942, Brig. Gen. Ira C. Eaker took the VIII Bomber Command to England, where its permanent home soon was established.

   "From May 1942 until July 1945, VIII Bomber Command would plan and execute the American daylight, precision, and strategic bombing campaign over Nazi-occupied Europe from a former girls school at High Wycombe, England," its official history reads. "During World War II, under the leadership of such generals as Ira Eaker and Jimmy Doolittle, the VIII Bomber Command became the greatest air armada in history."

    Lt. Gen. Robert J. Elder, commander of what now is officially called Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic), said he is proud of the role that 8th Air Force plays not only in Air Force history, but in its present mission.

    "After World War II, the heroism and valor of 'The Mighty Eighth' was celebrated in movies, radio and television," Elder said. "Undoubtedly, the accomplishments of our predecessors, which came at a high price in terms of their own casualties but saved countless other lives, played a key role in the decision to establish an independent Air Force in 1947."

    Elder said the modern focus on strategic nuclear deterrence and global strike missions "is our way of celebrating Eighth Air Force's legacy of selfless service in defense of the nation. We are proud that people now associate 'The Mighty Eighth' with unmatched capability to achieve global effects in air, space and cyberspace."

    Callaway said it is important for the unit's personnel to understand its heritage and appreciate those who served in it before them.

    "When you meet the veterans of 8th Air Force, when you talk to them, and you listen to them as they speak, they remember the most important things, and those are three themes: service to nation, comradeship, and shared sacrifices," he said. "We can appreciate that because we're linked to their sterling service and sacrifices that stretch from World War II to now — we build upon what they did. History is not done in isolation — it's all interconnected."