USAAF's first raid into Occupied Europe

17th August 1942: The first step in a bombing campaign by a force that would now rapidly expand to wreak devastation on German targets across Europe

A flight of Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress bombers forms up over England, 1942, led by “Yankee Doodle,” 41-9023 (flown by Tibbets).

The United States Army Air Force began building up its air forces in Europe using B-17Es soon after entering the war. The first Eighth Air Force units arrived in High Wycombe, England, on 12 May 1942, to form the 97th Bomb Gro…