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Henry H. Arnold
Person page: Henry H. Arnold →
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1941
June
02
The formation of the 99th Pursuit Squadron
In spring 1941 the US Army created the 99th Pursuit Squadron, the first Black American flying unit. In June work began on its school at Tuskegee.
20
The creation of the USAAF
On 20 June 1941 the War Department created the US Army Air Forces under General Henry Arnold, bringing all of the Army’s aviation under a single command.
1942
February
09
The first meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
On 9 February 1942 Marshall, Stark, King and Arnold held the first formal meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a new US high command body.
21
The American air force in Britain
On 20 February 1942 General Ira Eaker flew to England with six officers; on 22 February his bomber command, nucleus of the Eighth Air Force, was formed.
March
09
The reorganisation of the US Army
On 9 March 1942 the US Army was split into three great commands – Ground Forces, Air Forces and Services of Supply – and its General Headquarters was abolished.
August
17
The first B-17 raid on Rouen
On 17 August 1942 twelve American B-17s of the 97th Bombardment Group bombed a rail junction near Rouen by day. All returned to England.
October
06
The dispute over day and night bombing
In autumn 1942 the British pressed the Americans to give up daylight raids. Eaker and Arnold defended their doctrine, and the raid on Lille put it to the test.
1943
July
23
The B-36 bomber ordered
On 23 July 1943 the US Army Air Forces ordered 100 six-engined B-36 bombers by letter of intent, before the first prototype had even flown.
August
17
The Schweinfurt–Regensburg raid
On 17 August 1943 376 US B-17s attacked the Schweinfurt ball-bearing plants and the Messerschmitt works at Regensburg by day. Sixty bombers did not return.
October
14
Key event
Black Thursday over Schweinfurt
On 14 October 1943, 291 American B-17s again struck the ball-bearing plants at Schweinfurt. Sixty bombers failed to return and some 600 airmen were missing.
1944
August
10
The raid on Palembang
On the night of 10–11 August 1944 B-29s from Ceylon attacked the Pladjoe refinery at Palembang and mined the Musi River. The refinery suffered little damage.
October
23
B-29s in the Marianas
In autumn 1944 B-29 bombers arrived on Saipan to raid Japan. The first landed on 12 October; the first raid on Tokyo came on 24 November. Tinian opened in 1945.
November
05
The raid on Singapore
On 5 November 1944 B-29s from India bombed the Singapore naval base, disabling its great dry dock for three months – the first of a series of raids.
24
Key event
B-29s over Tokyo
On 24 November 1944 111 B-29s took off from Saipan for the first raid on Tokyo since 1942. Only a few bombs hit the Nakajima factory at Musashino.
1945
January
06
B-29 raids on Japan in January 1945
On 6 January 1945 B-29s from China bombed Ōmura and Hansell learned he was relieved. That month Marianas B-29s hit Nagoya, Tokyo and Akashi to meagre effect.
February
25
The incendiary raid on Tokyo of 25 February
On 25 February 1945 over 170 B-29s dropped incendiaries on Tokyo through a snowstorm. Some 2.6 km² of the city burned – a foretaste of the night raids.
March
09
Key event
The Tokyo raid of 9–10 March
On the night of 9–10 March 1945, 279 B-29s firebombed eastern Tokyo. The firestorm killed 80,000–100,000 people – the deadliest air raid in history.