World War II veteran’s book honors Eighth Air Force - DailyHerald.com The 86-year-old Kendall knows about the Eighth Air Force and its role in helping the Allies win World War II. He was a member of the Eighth Air Force from 1941 through 1945, serving as a mechanic, inspector and crew chief of the bombers that flew over Europe. Kendall, a resident of Batavia after living in Geneva for 35 years, has written a fictional account of the Eighth’s actions titled, “The Safe House,” based in part on the true story of one of his friends who had to bail out over Holland after his plane was hit over Hamburg, Germany.