The Army Air Forces in World War II, Vol. 1 (archived PDF)

T H E A R M Y A I R F O R C E S I N W O R L D W A R I 1
by the proximity of Japanese forces in the mandated islands, the AAF
late in the summer of 1941undertook to secure approval of a project
for a South Pacific ferry route which would enable heavy bombers
to reach the Philippines without passing near Japanese territory. Dur-
ing the previous two years, in fact, the Air Corps had attempted to
acquire airfield facilities on a number of Pacific island steppingstones
to the Far East. Without such bases, the Air Corps did not believe that
full advantage could be taken of the potentialities and capabilities of
long-range aircraft. The recommendations had been repeatedly turned
down, however, and as late as February 1941 the War Department
pointed out that it had no plans for movement of long-range Army
aircraft to the Far East and that it could then visualize no need for
such plans. It consequently seemed inadvisable to establish air bases
which “might possibly fall into the hands of the enemy.” But within
six months the situation was reversed. Not only did the War Depart-
ment approve AAF plans for a South Pacific air route, but the project
received top priority among those agencies charged with its develop-
ment. After investigation of several possible routes, the AAF on 3
October forwarded its recommendations to the Chief of Staff, who
immediately approved them and issued the necessary orders. T h e
commanding general of the Hawaiian Department was placed in
charge of the project, and the Navy and State departments pledged
their aid in rapid completion of the undertaking.
Funds were promptly made available from defense aid appropria-
tions, after a presidential letter of 3 October authorized the Secretary
of War to “deliver aircraft to any territory subject to the jurisdiction
of the United States, to any territory within the Western Hemisphere,
to the Netherlands East Indies and Australia” and to construct the
facilities needed for effecting such delivery. The State Department
opened negotiations with the governments of the United Kingdom,
New Zealand, Australia, the Netherlands, and the Free French in order
to secure authority for the use of territory under their jurisdiction in
the South Pacific. In Hawaii, after receipt of the War Department
directive, General Short conferred with the commandant of the
Fourteenth Naval District regarding the possibility of using fields
under construction by the Navy a t Palmyra and Samoa. Upon learn-
ing that the necessary facilities would not be completed at Samoa prior
to I May or at Palmyra prior to I August 1942, General Short dis-
patched survey parties to investigate the possibility of providing mini-
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