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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 Invaders”15 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 soon sighted by Japanese reconnaissance planes, and the next day it was subjected to severe attack by several waves of enemy planes bomb- ing from high altitude. A11 four transports having sprung leaks from near misses, ABDACOM directed that the convoy return to Darwin until measures could be taken to provide local air s ~ p e r i o r i t y . ~ ~ Whatever hope may have existed of achieving this superiority ended with the Japanese landing a t Bali two days later, after a series of air sweeps extending westward into Java. The Allies had little with which to resist. An unescorted formation of nine enemy bombers was inter- cepted on its westward sweep by pilots of the 17th Pursuit who shot down at least four of the bombers, the other five being listed as prob- ables, at the cost of one P-40. The B-I~’s,having completed eleven sorties over the invasion fleet on the 19th, claimed three hits on cruisers, one on a destroyer, another on a transport, and two enemy fighters shot down. All of the American bombers returned to base. From Malang, also, two of the A-24’s joined in the fight. The pilots of the gist Squadron had completed the loading of Dutch bombs on their planes, five of which stood in revetments and two on the open field awaiting orders to attack Bali, when awhile after noon an air raid warning was received. The two exposed A-24’s were ordered off the ground, and on their own initiative the pilots proceeded to Bali. Set- ting their makeshift sights on a cruiser and a transport, they scored hits on both targets. Indeed, reconnaissance by PBY’s later indicated that both vessels had been sunk, but it has been impossible to find con- firmation in enemy sources.76 Despite these and other efforts the enemy made good his landing, speedily overran the airfield, and thus completed the encirclement of Java. The 19th had been marked by heavy blows directed against Java from the west as well as the east. Thirty enemy fighters roared over the Buitenzorg airdrome to destroy two transport planes and three Hudsons caught on the ground. Another formation of thirty planes hit Bandoeng, where five of the few remaining Dutch pursuirs were shot down and two B-17’~just in from the United States were de- stroyed on the field. The American P-40’s met with some success in breaking up a bomber formation headed for Malang. They counted no bombers shot down, but in a furiously fought engagement they destroyed four enemy fighters and lost three of their Here and there the Allies could take pride in an individual victory, but the day clearly belonged to the Japanese. 3 9 2
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