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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.
“King”32 pages
T H E D E F E N S E O F A U S T R A L I A that to maintain a defensive position in Australia called not so much for a new allocation of air strength as rather for the building up and preparation of air forces already allocated to the area. Earlier plans for the reinforcement of the Philippines and the desperate hope of halting the Japanese advance through the Netherlands East Indies had given Australia, as the base in support of both operations, a high priority in the allocation of available men and planes. T h e South Pacific route would have to be strengthened, but no addition was made to an earlier commitment to the Southwest Pacific of one light, two medium, and two heavy bombardment groups and of four pur- suit groups. Indeed, the forces assigned to Australia would receive additional responsibilities for the security of the South Pacific route; and in March, General Brett received word that instead of four pur- suit groups he might expect a total of only three.17 In command once more of United States Army Forces in Australia, General Brett had stated his needs at no less than six pursuit groups and three light, three medium, and three heavy bombardment groups, to which he added three transport groups.l8 But like other field commanders at this time, he would have to do with less than he felt the situation required. At the time MacArthur arrived from the Philippines, General Brett, with a staff headed by General Barnes as deputy commander, was engaged in an effort to prepare and deploy his forces for defense of Australia. It was Brett’s feeling that air units must be stationed in each of seven widely separated areas having their centers a t Darwin, Townsville, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Sydney.” T h e position of chief of the air staff was held by Brig. Gen. Ralph Royce, who had reached Java during the closing phase of operations there.’O American strength in the air was composed chiefly of pursuit planes. Although organized units considered ready for combat were as yet few, there had arrived in Australia between 2 3 December 1941 and 18 March 1942 a total of 337 P-~o’s,more than I O O P-~oo’s,’ and 90 P-39’s. Of these planes, approximately 125 had been lost to enemy action during the Java campaign, others had been lost by accident, 75 had been turned over to the RAAF, 74 were under repair or awaiting repair, and approximately I 00 awaited complete assembly. O n I 8 March there were 33 P-39’s, 92 P-~o’s,and 5 2 P-400’s in commis- sion.*’ T h e last of the three pursuit groups assigned to Australia, gun in the nose instead of the 37-mm. * An early export model of the P-39 with inferior characteristics, including a zo-mm. 4’ 1
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