NEWS - Non-Profit Organizations

SBJ Staff Report

Jan 23, 2012 – This Saturday, January 28, the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Eighth Air Force in Savannah.  

Seventy years ago this month, the 8th Air Force was activated in Savannah in what is now the American Legion Post on Bull Street at the south end of Forsyth Park. A historical marker marks the founding.

The Eighth Air Force was a critical strike element in World War II and remains an active force today. The Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum provides a powerful museum experience of the patriotism displayed by the men and women of the Eighth Air Force from World War II to present.

Guided tours of the Museum will be offered at 10 am and 1 pm, with the goal of helping history come to life as World War II Eighth Air Force veterans will be meeting and greeting visitors.

And, the museum will be presenting the History Channel’s, “World War II in HD – The Air War” at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. in the DeCicco Theater which will be included in the Museum’s admission rate. 

Told through the gripping, first person accounts of three American airmen and Stars & Stripes reporter Andy Rooney, The Air War showcases breathtaking aerial combat – original, color footage, never before seen by most Americans – of the B-17s “Flying Fortresses”, P-47 “Thunderbolts” and P-51 “Mustangs” on missions such as Regensburg, Schweinfurt and Berlin. Included is never-before-seen 8mm footage of the airmen on the bases, the devastation in Germany, and the Luftwaffe perspective is also highlighted. Flying 25,000 feet above the earth in oxygen-devoid air, and temperatures as low as 50 below zero, the 8th Air Force fought a war unlike anything ever before experienced. By the end, they would suffer more than 26,000 combat deaths – more than the US Marines lost in all of World War II.

There will also be a free children’s introductory model airplane building classes at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. throughout the special day. Participants will also receive a free child’s admission to the Museum with the purchase of their model airplane. World War II models are on sale for $12 in the Museum’s Gift Store.

Spaces are limited for the building classes, and parents are asked to please contact Heather at             912-748-8888 or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The museum is located at 175 Bourne Avenue in Pooler, right off of I-95 at Exit 102, and is open daily from 9 AM until 5 PM except on New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.