Army Air Forces Statistical Digest,
World War II
Table 1 -- Combat Groups Overseas by Location and in Continental US by State of Training, By Type of Group: Dec 1941 to Aug 1945
(Figures are as of end of month.)
| Location and Type of Group |
1942 | 1943 | |||||
| Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | |
| Total | 137 2/3 | 143 5/12 | 155 1/4 | 164 1/4 | 167 | 171 | 179 1/2 |
| Very Heavy Bomb | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Heavy Bomb | 37 3/4 | 38 3/4 | 43 3/4 | 46 | 46 1/4 | 47 1/2 | 51 1/2 |
| Medium & Light Bomb | 25 | 27 3/4 | 27 3/4 | 29 3/4 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| Fighter | 44 2/3 | 46 2/3 | 52 3/4 | 55 3/4 | 58 3/4 | 60 3/4 | 63 |
| Troop Carrier | 11 1/2 | 11 1/2 | 12 1/2 | 14 1/2 | 14 3/4 | 15 1/2 | 17 1/2 |
| Reconnaissance | 18 3/4 | 18 3/4 | 18 1/2 | 18 1/4 | 18 1/4 | 18 1/4 | 18 1/2 |
| Overseas Total | 46 1/6 | 51 5/12 | 61 5/12 | 66 1/6 | 69 1/4 | 73 3/4 | 77 1/4 |
| Heavy Bomb | 20 1/4 | 20 1/4 | 20 1/4 | 20 1/4 | 19 1/2 | 20 3/4 | 21 3/4 |
| Medium & Light Bomb | 5 1/4 | 6 1/4 | 10 1/4 | 11 1/4 | 12 3/4 | 12 3/4 | 14 3/4 |
| Fighter | 17 2/3 | 19 2/3 | 25 5/12 | 25 5/12 | 27 1/4 | 29 1/2 | 30 |
| Troop Carrier | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 1/2 | 5 1/2 | 6 1/2 | 6 1/2 |
| Reconnaissance | 1 | 2 1/4 | 2 1/2 | 3 3/4 | 4 1/4 | 4 1/4 | 4 1/4 |
| Versus Germany - Total | 18 2/3 | 21 11/12 | 31 11/12 | 36 2/3 | 38 1/2 | 42 | 44 1/4 |
| Heavy Bomb | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 3/4 | 12 | 12 |
| Medium & Light Bomb | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 9 |
| Fighter | 4 2/3 | 5 2/3 | 11 5/12 | 12 5/12 | 13 1/2 | 15 3/4 | 16 |
| Troop Carrier | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 1/2 | 4 1/2 | 4 1/2 | 4 1/2 |
| Reconnaissance | - | 1 1/4 | 1 1/2 | 2 3/4 | 2 3/4 | 2 3/4 | 2 3/4 |
| Versus Japan - Total | 17 1/4 | 19 1/4 | 20 1/4 | 21 1/4 | 22 3/4 | 23 3/4 | 25 |
| Heavy Bomb | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 3/4 | 6 3/4 | 7 3/4 |
| Medium & Light Bomb | 3 1/4 | 4 1/4 | 4 1/4 | 4 3/4 | 4 3/4 | 4 3/4 | 4 3/4 |
| Fighter | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 3/4 | 9 3/4 | 10 |
| Troop Carrier | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Reconnaissance | - | - | - | - | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| Latin America & Atlantic Bases - Total | 10 1/4 | 10 1/4 | 9 1/4 | 8 1/4 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Heavy Bomb | 3 1/4 | 3 1/4 | 2 1/4 | 2 1/4 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Medium & Light Bomb | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Fighter | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Reconnaissance | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Continental US - Total | 91 1/2 | 92 | 93 5/6 | 98 1/2 | 97 3/4 | 97 1/4 | 102 1/4 |
| Very Heavy Bomb | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Heavy Bomb | 17 1/2 | 18 1/2 | 23 1/2 | 25 3/4 | 26 3/4 | 26 3/4 | 29 3/4 |
| Medium & Light Bomb | 19 3/4 | 21 1/2 | 17 1/2 | 18 1/2 | 16 1/4 | 16 1/4 | 14 1/4 |
| Fighter | 27 | 27 | 27 1/3 | 30 1/3 | 31 1/2 | 31 1/4 | 33 |
| Troop Carrier | 9 1/2 | 8 1/2 | 9 1/2 | 9 | 9 1/4 | 9 | 11 |
| Reconnaissance | 17 3/4 | 16 1/2 | 16 | 14 1/2 | 14 | 14 | 14 1/4 |
| Operatinonal Training - Total b | 42 1/4 | 46 | 45 5/6 | 43 5/6 | 51 1/2 | 49 1/4 | 49 1/4 |
| Very Heavy Bomb | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Heavy Bomb | 4 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
| Medium & Light Bomb | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 |
| Fighter | 11 | 14 | 13 1/3 | 12 1/3 | 13 1/2 | 12 1/4 | 13 |
| Troop Carrier | 5 1/2 | 4 1/2 | 4 1/2 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| Reconnaissance | 13 3/4 | 12 1/2 | 14 | 12 1/2 | 12 | 12 | 12 1/4 |
| Manning Phase - Total | 22 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 9 | 13 | 18 |
| Very Heavy Bomb | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Heavy Bomb | 7 | 5 | 7 | 4 | - | - | 4 |
| Medium & Light Bomb | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Fighter | 7 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Troop Carrier | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Reconnaissance | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Strategic Reserve - Total c | 27 1/4 | 30 | 33 | 38 1/4 | 37 1/4 | 35 | 35 |
| Very Heavy Bomb | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Heavy Bomb | 6 1/2 | 7 1/2 | 9 1/2 | 12 3/4 | 13 3/4 | 13 3/4 | 13 3/4 |
| Medium & Light Bomb | 7 3/4 | 9 1/2 | 9 1/2 | 9 1/2 | 7 1/4 | 7 1/4 | 7 1/4 |
| Fighter | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 11 |
| Troop Carrier | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 1/4 | 1 | 1 |
| Reconnaissance | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| NOTES: | |||||||
| a - Includes groups enroute to Continental US. | |||||||
| b - Includes groups returned to Continental US for redeployment training and those enroute to overseas theaters. | |||||||
| c - Includes groups in Continental Defense, replacement training units, and parent operational training units. | |||||||
