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Ira Eaker
Typed 1980 Letter Signed
 
In this letter with great content Eaker gives his thoughts on our military history since WW I
 
[The reader can judge its relevance to today]

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Ira Clarence Eaker(1896 -1987) .Promoted to brigadier general in January 1942, he was assigned to organize the VIII Bomber Command and to understudy the British system of bomber operations; then in December 1942, he assumed command of the Eighth Air Force in England. Throughout the war, Eaker was an advocate for daylight "precision" bombing of military and industrial targets in German-occupied territory and Letter od Ira Eaker about US military historyultimately Germany -- of striking at the enemy's ability to wage war while minimizing civilian casualties. The British considered daylight bombing too risky, and wanted the Americans to join them in night raids that would target wider areas, but Eaker persuaded a skeptical Winston Churchill that the American and British approaches complemented each other in a one-page memo that concluded, "If the R.A.F. continues night bombing and we bomb by day, we shall bomb them round the clock and the devil shall get no rest." He personally led the first US B-17 bomber strike against German occupation forces.in France. Eaker was promoted to lieutenant general in September 1943. However, as American bomber losses mounted from German defensive fighter aircraft attacks on deep penetration missions beyond the range of available fighter cover, Eaker may have lost some of the confidence of USAAF Commanding General 'Hap' Arnold. When General Dwight D. Eisenhower was named Supreme Allied Commander in December, 1943, he proposed to use his existing team of subordinate commanders in key positions, including Lt. Gen. James Doolittle. Doolittle was named Eighth Air Force Commander, and Arnold concurred with the change.***
 
The story of the Eighth Air Force is fascinating history and well worth researching. One fact above all stands out-during the course of the daylight bombing campaign over Germany "The Mighty Eighth" lost 26,000 men. By contrast, he United States Marine Corps lost 20,000 during the entire war. Serving in the Eighth Air Force was considered essentially a death sentence since the chances of surviving the proscribed 25 misssions were so small.The Eighth dropped in excess of 2 million tons of bombs and reduced 61 German cities to rubble.
 
This two page letter is full of important insights-some of which are eerily relevant to our situation today e.g. "In both World War I and II victory was assured by a united people who approved of the mission and supported the effort." He goes on to write about Vietnam as "our first lost war" and states,
8th Air Force shoulder patch"The Vietnam War...was lost primarily because our President and the Congress did not term it a war and told our people that they could have 'butter and weapons' and make no united effort...the police action drug on for ten years and became unpopular in this country." Remember, this letter was written in 1980 so in his last major section of the letter Eaker offers a scathing assessment of Jimmy Carter's leadership (not by Ira Eaker letter about US military historyname of course) and argues that the forced ignominious withdrawal from Cuba by the Russians made them commit to becoming the dominant world power militarily. Eaker argues that The United States had become a second rate power (in 1980) and that was what was determining foreign policy in world capitals. Of course, this was before the great one Ronaldo Maximus Reganus appeared on the American scene and before the Soviets eventually disappeared into the "dust bin of history."
 
Image of General EakerThis is a very important letter because it provides great insight into the mind of a superb military man and leader from "The Greatest Generation." One can only speculate how men from this time would view the present War on Terror and our approach or lack thereof to it.Note in particular this statement by Eaker, --"The Vietnam War...was lost primarily because our President and the Congress did not term it a war--". Does the reader really believe that one of the major political parties in our country believe we are actually at war?If you combine this letter and its message with that of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur's famous farewell speech to a Joint Session of Congress in which he stated "--in war there is no substiutue for victory" ---there certainly are some concepts from those who led us to victory in WW II that are relevant and should be applied to our battle with radical Islam today.
 
This letter is in perfect condition. It is on Ira Eaker's personal stationery and is dated April 2, 1980. It is nicely signed Ira Eaker.
 
Included with this letter is a First Edition copy with dj of Eaker's book Air Force Spoken Here and an 8th Air Force patch for framing.
Book cover of Air Force Spoken Here
*** This whole controversy was the subject of the movie Twelve O'clock High starring Gregory Peck. It was a great movie because Hollywood was still on our side when it was made..
 
 
Price: $850.00

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