What role did the air force have in WWII?

KK,

First thanks for your patience with me on this and your good question. I hope some of the below will help you formulate your paper for school. Second, the USAAF or US Army Air Corps was a vast service during the Second World War. In both the European Theatre of Operations (ETO) and Pacific Theatre of Operations (PTO) the USAAF played a vital role from combat support to supply runs for the troops carrying everything from bullets-to-band aids- to beans (known as the 3B’s). Bullets of course were also related to bombing runs and support of ground war activity on the front line of action. These troops needed food as well and uniforms and other forms of equipment to ammunition. Then of course there were the vast amounts of medical supplies that were required for the injured casualties – those troops that needed medicine because of injuries they sustained along the way. One facet of this Air support program that gets often overlooked is the role that women played during the war years. A lot of people don’t know this or often overlook it by accident – but women would “ferry” the new aircraft from the manufacturers’ location to points across the ocean (both oceans by the way) for men then to be able to fly within specific combat zones. I am including a link here for you to review a little deeper. http://www.armyaircorps.us/

Some of the positions that can be seen from the perspective of the Air Corps are the following: Ball Turret Gunner, Chaplain, Doctors and Nurses, Ground Crew to include maintenance staff, Radio Operator, Tail Gunner, Waist Gunner, WASP Ferry Pilot (women pilots), Weathermen, Pilot, Co-Pilot, Navigator, Bombardier, and Engineer. This list is not inclusive of all or everything but covers the basics and fundamentals.

I hope this helps and best of luck with your report.

Gerry

Technically actual, provided that the USAF did no longer exist yet. The forerunner of modern-day Air tension replaced into america military Air Forces which replaced into related to the army and not that's very own branch for the duration of the conflict. The USAF wasn't formed till 1947, some years after the conflict ended.

Air power played an unprecedented and pivotal role in warfare during WWII. Bombing campaigns disrupted or destroyed industry, opposing airfields, troops, ships, defenses, rail lines, communications, roadways, bridges, and caused massive civilian casualties. The latter led to loss of morale, particularly among Japan after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Fighters could strafe infantry positions, destroy tanks and other vehicles, sink seagoing vessels, and combat enemy fighters.

Let's not forget the crucial aspect of aerial reconnaissance, either. Not only could air crews observe, they could take pictures (motion or still) as well. Air power was fast and had the ability to quickly deliver large payloads or perform recon often before the opposing force had a chance to respond.

Of particular note with air power was its importance during sea combat. WW II saw what was the beginning of the obsolescence of heavy warships like the battleship and cruiser, which could not effectively defend against air assault without air support of their own. They were essentially replaced by the aircraft carrier as the deciding factor in naval warfare.