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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.
“Natal”13 pages
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 ing. This directive authorized the command to make deliveries only to “any territory subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, to any territory within the Western Hemisphere, the Netherlands East Indies and Australia.” 6 8 Authority to extend the ferrying service was obtained on 29 October. In a letter to the Secretary of War on that date, the President authorized the delivery of aircraft “to any point within the African continent.” 69 O n 24 November the President issued a “blank check” directive authorizing extension of deliveries to such other places and in such manner as may be necessary to carry out the Lend-Lease program,” an enlargement of authority which could be made greater by nothing short of war.?’ More than a month of preparation had been required before the Liberators were ready to start moving, one at a time, from the United States. With Lt. Elbert D. Reynolds, an experienced trans-Atlantic flyer, acting as pilot, the first of the bombers departed Bolling Field for Cairo on 20 November. Unfortunately, on the trip across Africa the navigator lost his way and, after failing to locate El Fasher, Rey- nolds was forced to make a night landing at El Obeid. The heavy bomber landed on a shoulder of the runway and was wrecked beyond repair, although the crew was saved.“ Four other aircraft of the six- teen-Liberator project departed the United States prior to 7 Decem- ber, and all four were delivered safely in Cairo.72But on America’s entry into war, the remainder were turned back a t Miami or inter- mediate domestic stations to become part of a yet-more-urgent movement of heavy bombers to the Far East for the relief of the Philippines. Measures taken by the United States in the immediate prewar period for development of the South Atlantic route proved to be more important as preparation for the impending war than for the ferrying and transport work actually accomplished. Only a handful of planes, ferried and transport, moved over the route prior to Pearl Harbor. But thanks to the work of the Air Corps Ferrying Command and the Pan American organization, and to the courage and resource- fulness of the pioneer crews who flew the route, the United States had made a substantial start toward the development of a vital line of communications when, after 7 December, aircraft and supplies for its own forces joined the increasing flow of lend-lease goods to the Middle East, to India, China, and the Southwest Pacific. (6 3 2 8
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