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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
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 constructed for use by either speedy pursuits or fully loaded bombers and transports. Repair and maintenance facilities, in addition to quar- ters for personnel, had to be provided on existing fields, while strategic requirements called for the construction of many entirely new in- stallations. Local materials and native labor had to be used, which proved another retarding Another problem was the climate. India has been fittingly described as “too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry.” Excessive rainfall during the wet monsoon retarded construction and restricted operations; dust conditions during the dry season caused heavy wear on aircraft en- gines. In those sections of the country in which Americans were stationed, the greatest trouble arose from the effects of excessive heat and humidity on personnel. Reduced resistance as a result of the enervating climate tended to make them easy victims of the many endemic diseases. Only constant alertness could prevent malaria, typhus, cholera, heat rash, and fungus growths from seriously crip- pling the air forceeQ5 Yet, by the end of June 1942 appreciable progress had been made in establishing the Tenth Air Force and preparing for postmonsoon operations. Approximately 600 officers and 5,000 enlisted men were on hand, while aircraft strength had increased sufficiently to permit a general eastward deployment of combat units. The I I th Bombard- ment Squadron (M), the 16th Squadron of the 51st Fighter Group, and the three squadrons of the 23d Fighter Group were already in Kunming; headquarters of the 7th Bombardment Group had moved to Barrackpore, near Calcutta, while its two heavy squadrons, the 9th and 436th, were established at Allahabad; advance parties of the two remaining squadrons of the 51st Group were in Dinjan to prepare for the arrival of its air echelon; and the zzd Squadron (M) was expected to begin operations from Andal at the end of the monsoon.Qs But before June had run its course, the build-up of the Tenth received a serious setback. The Combined Chiefs of Staff had re- garded the Middle East and Far East theaters ‘as interdependent, and had stipulated that plans for their reinforcement should remain flexi- ble in order that units might be shifted on short notice to whichever area appeared to have the greater need.g7And now in Africa, Rommel again had the advantage over the British, was indeed in position to challenge the whole Allied cause in the Middle East. Consequently, on 2 3 June, General Brereton received orders to proceed to the 5 1 2
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