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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
C O M M I T M E N T S TO C H I N A flares to illuminate the target and then unloaded forty-two 250- and 300-lb. bombs. No enemy fighters challenged the effort and heavy flak was evaded, but numerous searchlights made it impossible to estimate the results of the bombing. Once more, on 2 9 April, a flight of bombers hit the docks a t Rangoon with 500-lb. bombs. The enemy put up interceptors and antiaircraft fire, but all planes returned with- out damage.48On the nights of 5 and 6 May, the bombers struck at Mingaladon, former RAF airdrome near Rangoon which the Japanese were using as a base for interceptors. O n the night of the Sth, two flights of two B-17’s each scored hits on a hangar and parked planes; it was estimated that forty planes had been destroyed and twenty-five damaged, but searchlights, antiaircraft fire, and attacking enemy fight- ers made accurate observation difficult. On the following night, three B-17’s scored a direct hit on a fuel dump. O n the night of 9 May, six B-17’s engaged in a joint attack on Mingaladon and the Rangoon docks. Though attempted interception by the enemy failed, it pre- vented accurate observation of bombing results.*’ At this point, attention was drawn from Rangoon by the capture on 8 May of Myitkyina. Recently counted upon as a key base on the air route to China, its airfield now represented a serious threat to the whole air cargo project. Dinjan lay within easy range of fighters based at Myitkyina, and until more adequate provision could be made for the defense of Dinjan, Myitkyina became a target of prime impor- tance to Tenth Air Force bombers. The heavies ran their first mission in direct defense of the air cargo line to China on 1 2 May when four B-r7’s, flying from Dum Dum, heavily damaged the runways and fired several parked aircraft in a daylight attack on Myitkyina airfield. T w o days later the attack was repeated with further damage to run- ways and the destruction of several buildings. After another two-day interval, a third attack followed. Reconnaissance after the mission revealed no signs of activity at the airdrome, which for a time a t least was in an unusable state.“ T o the transport pilots themselves had actually fallen the most dra- matic role for American airmen in the attempt to defend Burma. Pressed immediately on arrival at Dinjan into emergency deliveries of ammunition, fuel, and supplies to the Allied forces in Burma, they brought out on the return flights an increasing number of wounded troops and civilian refugees. When after the fall of Mandalay it be- came obvious that Myitkyina and Loiwing were also doomed, Army 501
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