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

D E P L O Y M E N T O N T H E E V E O F H O S T I L I T I E S
mum facilities on Christmas and Canton islands, as well as in the Fiji
Islands, New Caledonia, and Australia, by I 5 January I 942.* It devel-
oped that the Navy could not offer assistance in construction until
after completion of its own projects; the Hawaiian Department there-
fore was dependent upon whatever shipping and construction forces
the Army could provide.
Results of initial investigations showed that at least one 5,000-foot
runway in the direction of the prevailing wind could be prepared by
1 5 January 1942 at four sites: Christmas, Canton, Suva in the Fiji
Islands, and Townsville on the east coast of Australia. By the first week
in November the required diplomatic clearances had been received,
along with assurances of co-operation from the several governments.
In New Caledonia, where Australian forces were making defense
preparations with the permission of the Free French, representatives
of the Hawaiian Department negotiated with Australian authorities
for improvement of airfields which could be used on the South Pacific
route. This action resulted in provision of the necessary staging point
between the Fiji Islands and the continent of Australia. Responsibility
for development of the route from Australia to the Philippines was
vested on 2 7 October in the commanding general of U.S. Army Forces
in the Far East. General MacArthur had already initiated surveys of
air facilities along that portion of the route and had established con-
tacts with the senior British and Netherlands East Indies authorities.
T h e Hawaiian Department commander continued to direct the devel-
opment of the ferry route east of Australia. Chartering all the available
tugs and barges in the vicinity of Oahu, Army engineers moved con-
struction equipment, personnel, and their own water supply to Canton
and Christmas, while the Hawaiian Department secured the services
of a commercial engineering company for other points along the route.
N e w Zealand officials, who had agreed to improve an airfield at Nandi
in the Fiji Islands, made available all the equipment they could gather
for the
Pending completion of the South Pacific route, heavy bombers
destined for the Philippines continued to use the route via Midway and
Wake. T h e presence of Japanese air units in the Caroline and Marshall
islands constituted a threat both to the Midway and Wake bases and
to American aircraft in flight; but defending naval forces were ordered
to take special precautions a t the two bases, and heavy bomber crews
* See map, p. 429,
181