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This is Volume One of The Army Air Forces in World War II, titled Plans and Early Operations, January 1939 to August 1942, edited by Wesley Frank Craven and James Lea Cate. The University of Chicago Press first published it in 1948, and the Office of Air Force History reprinted it in 1983. The front matter explains how the AAF historical program was set up during the war. The index covers Pacific, Atlantic and European operations, and nothing in the text concerns unidentified aerial phenomena.
“The Wash”17 pages
P E A R L H A R B O R A N D C L A R K F I E L D Field under instruction to take no offensive action until so T h e Summary of Activities for that date has as its first entry the fol- lowing notation: ‘‘07: I 5 General Brereton visited No. I Victoria and requested permission of General MacArthur to take offensive action. H e was informed that for the time being our role was defensive, but to stand by for orders.” And a t 0900 appears this entry: “In response to query from General Brereton a message received from General Sutherland advising planes not authorized to carry bombs at this time.” T h e second of these entries is probably to be interpreted in the context of developments occasioned by an impending enemy attack. While air force officers awaited orders, the aircraft warning service had reported enemy aircraft proceeding south over Lingayen Gulf toward Manila.34All B-17’s a t Clark Field were ordered into the air without bomb load to avoid being caught on the ground and were instructed to patrol the waters off northern L u z o ~ . ~ ~The 20th Pursuit Squadron, also based at Clark, was dispatched to intercept the approaching formation, and a t Nichols Field the 17th, under command of Lt. Boyd Wagner, received orders to cover Clark. At 0910, Col. Harold H. George, chief of staff, V Interceptor Command, reported to headquarters “that there are 54 airplanes in the air and 36 airplanes in reserve and that no contact with hostile aircraft has been made.” At 092 3 , he reported “approximately 24 bi-motored enemy bombers near Tuguegarao and I 7 near Baguio.” Simultaneously, another report indicated that “Tarlac and Tuguegarao were being bombed.” Planes of the 20th Pursuit had expected to make contact with the enemy north of Manila over Rosales, but the Japanese escaped interception by swinging east to direct their main effort against Baguio, summer capital of the phi lip pine^.^^ Following this attack, Brereton by telephone renewed his request for authority to take offensive action. According to the Summary of Activities the time was 1000, and the “Chief of Staff informed General Brereton that all aircraft would be held in reserve and that the present attitude is strictly defensive. General Brereton stated to General Sutherland that if Clark Field was taken out we could not operate offensively.” T o the same entry is appended: “Bomber command recommends bombs not be loaded at this time due to danger of exten- sive damage by enemy air action.” At the same hour but under separate entry appears this brief notation: “24 enemy bombers reported in Cagayan Valley proceeding south in direction Manila.” 2 0 7
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