16. Lieutenant General James Doolittle took command of the Eighth Air Force in early 1944
During the bloody year of 1943 Eighth Air Force was commanded by General Ira Eaker. In January, 1944 Lieutenant General James “Jimmy” Doolittle, of Doolittle Raid Fame, relieved him. With long-range fighter escorts finally available, Doolittle changed the manner in which they were deployed. Under Eaker escorting fighters were required to remain with the bombing formations they protected at all times. Doolittle sent them ahead of the bombers, to engage German fighters before the bombers arrived, using up their fuel. The newly arrived P-51 Mustang proved a match for their German counterparts. German fighter production reached its peak in 1944, but for the first time, could not keep up with losses.
The Germans were forced to send much of their production to face the Russian onslaught on the Eastern front, and the losses of Allied bombers began to subside. After the bombers hit their targets, the fighters were released to strike at targets of opportunity as they returned to base, fuel permitting. In February 1944, the USAAF launched Operation Argument over the strident objections of Bomber Command Sir Arthur Harris. Operation Argument was a series of raids designed to force the Luftwaffe into a decisive air battle. Harris objected because it diverted forces from his wide-area bombing campaign over German cities. Despite his objections, he was ordered by Portal to support the American plan.
