Bidspirit auction | 40th Anniv introduction of the

40th Anniv introduction of the Liberator signed Lt. Gen. lra. C. Eaker. USAF. 4 Oct 1983 Washington DC 40th Anniversary of the introduction of the Liberator Mk3 to Royal Air Force Bomber Operations 14 December 1942. Cover depicts B24 Liberators of No 703 Sqn, No 445 bomb group USAAC. Squadron Commander Lt Col James Stewart RAF Badge 104 Sqn Personally signed Lt. Gen. lra. C. Eaker. USAF. Lt Gen Ira C Eaker As World War II commander of both the 8th Air Force in England and the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, Gen. Ira C. Eaker was one of the most important figures in air warfare. April 1945 marked a turning point for Eaker's career and for the something he called the new Air Force. Gen. Ira C. (Clarence) Eaker one of America's great air pioneers. The Ira Eaker Aviation Museum in Dallas is a fitting tribute to the son of a Texas tenant farmer who enlisted as a private in 1917, got his wings at Kelly Field in San Antonio, and ended his career as a four-star general in 1947. The museum is also another in a long list of honors for the man who commanded both the 8th Air Force and the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces during World War II. Eaker was commander of 8th Air Force when it deployed to England in early May 1942. By April 1945, he had accomplished his task by helping defeat Nazi Germany and freeing Western Europe. Before the end of the war, Eaker, like many other Army Air Force leaders, had made up his mind that the military should be reorganized. He wanted the services unified and the air arm to have parity with the Army and Navy. On April 13, his 49th birthday, Eaker was satisfied that the war in Europe was over, and made plans to go back to Washington, according to his biographer. After returning to AAF headquarters in April 1945, Eaker ”was in the forefront in developing force structure, redeployment plans and organizational plans for the postwar Air Force, ” stated an Air Force history report. The history report also points to Eaker as one of the top men at AAF headquarters in 1945-47, when the AAF fought the successful battle for a separate Air Force. Eaker's executive officer during World War II writes that even before it was fashionable, the general had a nameplate on his desk that read ”Air Force Spoken Here. ” In 1977, when Eaker was 81, he received the Wright Trophy, given annually to a civilian for aiding the cause of aviation. Two years later, at age 83, he received the Congressional Gold Medal an award first given to George Washington in 1777, and regarded ever since as the noncombatant equivalent of the Medal of Honour. Details and photo of Eaker. Eaker died on Aug. 6, 1987. RAF Ref no B33c. Good condition. Part of Single Vendor collection. We combine postage on multiple winning lots and can ship worldwide.