One Tank Trips: Visit National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force

POOLER, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A new show on Apple TV+ called Masters of the Air follows airmen in the Eighth Air Force during World War II.

You can learn about the Eighth Air Force near Savannah, where we went for this week’s One Tank Trip.

“I was driving by on I-95, and of course saw the plane, the B-47 out by Interstate 95 that everybody sees when they go by,” said Heather Thies, Director of Education and Volunteers.

Her first memory of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force may have been the plane outside, but there’s so much more to this museum.

“The Eighth’s role was to fly heavy bombers like you see behind me, and they are gonna be stationed in England to be as close as possible to their target, which is Nazi-occupied Europe,” she said.

In World War II, this unit used planes like the ones you can see in the museum to bomb Nazi industrial targets.

“They really helped shorten the war tremendously by doing these bombing missions to these factories and these oil refineries and these airfields,” Thies said.

U.S. Army Air Forces activated the Eighth in Savannah back in 1942. When former airmen wanted to open a museum in the ‘90s, they thought this would be a great location.

Besides restored planes, they also have a memorial garden, chapel, and exhibits explaining the history of the war.

“They really wanted to honor their memory, their legacy, and tell their story,” Thies said.

At this museum, the Eighth’s contributions won’t be forgotten.

If you’re interested in going to the museum, adults cost $13. Kids and active and retired military cost less.

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