Serenade to the Big Bird

The U.S. entered the Second World War in December 1941 when the Japanese attacked the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  In January 1942, the United States established the 8th Bomber Group.  By February 1942, the 8th Bomber Group had a detachment in England, its first combat units arrived in June, and it launched its first raid on July 4th, 1942 as the 8th Air Force.  The 8th Air Force was the centerpiece to the U.S.’ precision daylight bombing campaign against Germany.  By the middle of 1944 it had over 200,000 people.  During World War Two the 8th Air Force conducted over 440,000 bomber sorties over Europe and dropped 697,000 tons of bombs.  All this came with a price.  47,483 members of the 8th Air Force were killed.  A very small cog in this big machine was B-17 co-pilot Bert Stiles.  He arrived in England in March 1944 and flew with the 91st Bomb Group.  He wrote “Serenade to the Big Bird” while doing it.