The US Army Air Forces raised a total of 16 numbered air forces during World War II. 7 of these fought in the Pacific and China-Burma-India Theatres from 1941-1945.
| 5th Air Force Far East Air Force |
7th Air Force Hawaiian Air Force |
10th Air Force India Air Task Force |
The Fifth Air Force began the war as the Far East Air Force, based in the Philippines, before withdrawing to Australia and New Guinea. |
The Seventh Air Force was originally the Hawaiian Air Force, responsible for defense of the Hawaiian Islands. |
The Tenth Air Force was activated in early 1942 to control USAAF units in India and China. |
| 11th Air Force Alaskan Air Force |
13th Air Force | 14th Air Force China Air Task Force |
The Eleventh Air Force started the war as the Alaskan Air Force, charged with defending the Aleutian Islands and the approaches to Alaska. |
The Thirteenth Air Force was organised in early 1943 to control units which had been detached from other units and sent to the South Pacific. |
The Fourteenth Air Force was originally the China Air Task Force, part of the Tenth Air Force, before being organised as a seperate unit. |
| 20th Air Force | ||
The Twentieth Air Force was organised to control operations of the new B-29 bomber as it attacked Japan. It remained under the direct command of USAAF commander Gen Henry H. Arnold. |