20th Air Force

20af.org is a project of the Army Air Corps Library and Museum. Volunteers are transcribing servicemen names and their awards from General Orders that we are publishing on this website for enthusiasts, families and researchers of genealogy and World War II history. The names on this honor roll of men assigned to units of the 20th Air Force is not a complete list of all who served with the 13th, however, we are attempting to locate as many documents that have survived as possible. Sources of material include the US National Archives, Air Force Historical Research Agency and the records donated by individual servicemen and their families. We hope you will find this information useful and enjoyable. We are accepting volunteers help in this very large World War II project as we preserve this history and honor service. Saving History One Soldier At A Time.

Constituted as Twentieth AF on 4 April 1944 and activated the same day. Some combat elements moved in the summer of 1944 from the US to India where they carried out very heavy bombardment operations against targets in Japan, Formosa, Thailand, and Burma. Other combat elements began moving late in 1944 from the US to the Marianas, being joined there early in 1945 by the elements that had been in India. Headquarters, which had remained in the United States, was transferred to Guam in July 1945. From the Marianas the Twentieth conducted a strategic air offensive that was climaxed by the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan. After the war the Twentieth remained in the theater and eventually became part of Far East Air Forces.

World War II Commanders

General of the Army Henry H Arnold, 6 April 1944
Major General Curtis E. LeMay, 16 July 1945
Lieutenant General Nathan F. Twining, 2 August 1945
Major General James E. Parker, 15 October 1945

Commands: VII Fighter: 1945. XX Bomber: 1944-1945. XXI Bomber: 1944-1945.

Stations. Washington, DC, 4 Apr 1944; Harmon Field, Guam, 16 Jul 1945