Major General Curtis E. Lemay holding cigar and standing before large map, Washington, D. C., July 1945
Photograph. Major General Curtis E. Lemay holding cigar and standing before large map. Official Caption: "Rome 7/14/45--Bomber Chief--Major General Curtis E. Lemay is the new Commander of the 20th U.S. Army Air Force. Succeeding General Henry H. Arnold, Commander of Army Air Forces who temporarily directed the 20th composed of B-29 Superfortresses. General Lemay, who has fought in the European, CBI and Pacific theaters, has been head of the 21st Bomber Command in the Pacific. The 20th and the 8th USAAF of Lieut. Gen. James H. Doolittle will be under the joint command of General Carl A. Spaatz, head of the U.S. Strategic Air Force in the Pacific. General Lemay, shown in Washington after a non-stop flight in June from Honolulu in a B-29 in 20 hours and 15 minutes, said: 'Missions of 1000 planes against Japan will come before long.'--Acme photo through Rome OWI--Approved by appropriate military authority (list A out). 7116." Washington, D. C. 14 July 1945