the ground. The Luftwaffe was, simply, finished. At war's end the 8th's fighters had claimed 5,280 enemy aircraft shot down and 4,100 more claimed destroyed on the ground. Losses were 2,113 in total. Some 260 VIII Fighter Command pilots became aces, with five or more aerial victories, though the command also recognized planes destroyed on the ground. The top aces were Lt. Col. Francis S. Gabreski (28) and Capt. Robert S. Johnson (28) of the 56th Fighter Group plus Maj. George E. Preddy (26.83) and Lt. Col. John C. Meyer (24) of the 352nd. Gabreski was shot down and captured in July 1944, and Preddy was killed in December. Some 5,000 pilots served with the command of which 2,156 made at least one part share claim for a kill. Just 57 pilots made claims into double figures. Lineage Constituted as the 8th Interceptor Command on 19 January 1942 Activated on 1 February 1942 Redesignated 8th Fighter Command on 15 May 1942 Redesignated VIII Fighter Command c.18 September 1942 Inactivated on 20 March 1946 Disbanded on 8 October 1948 Assignments 8th Air Force (later Eighth Air Force): 1 February 1942 Eighth Air Force, 22 February 1944 United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe (later United States Air Forces in Europe), 16 July 1945 – 20 March 1946 Components Wings 4th Air Defense Wing (later 65th Fighter Wing), 4 June 1943 – 15 September 1944 5th Air Defense Wing (later 66th Fighter Wing), 3 July 1943 – 15 September 1944 6th Fighter Wing, 7 June 1942 – 14 September 1942 67th Fighter Wing, 26 August 1943 – 15 September 1944 96th Bombardment Wing, 16 July – 6 August 1945 325th Reconnaissance Wing, 16 July – 20 October 1945 Groups 1st Fighter Group, (P-38): 10 June – 16 August 1942 4th Fighter Group, (Spitfire): 12 September 1942 – c. 1 July 1943 7th Reconnaissance Group: c. 18 October – 21 November 1945 20th Fighter Group, (P-38): 25 August 1943 – 6 October 1943 31st Fighter Group (P-38): 9 June – 14 September 1942 55th Fighter Group (P-38): 15 September 1943 – 5 October 1943 56th Fighter Group (P-47): c. 12 January – 4 July 1943 67th Observation Group (later 67th Reconnaissance Group, 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group): 5 September 1942 – November 1943 78th Fighter Group, (P-38) 29 November 1942 – 30 June 1943 94th Bombardment Group: 1 November – c. 21 December 1945