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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 aircrews was the search, the effort to locate an almost invisible object in the vast stretches of the ocean. It often seemed like trying to find the proverbial needle in a stack of hay, and as a matter of fact it was possible for crews to spend hundreds of flying hours with barely a sighting to show for the effort. It was, therefore, natural that radar should become the greatest of all antisubmarine weapons. The Ger- man submarines would not feel the full effect of this aid until 1943, but its potentialities were initially explored during I 942. As shipping losses mounted in the spring of that year, it had be- come clear that to defeat the U-boat an expanded antisubmarine force would not in itself be sufficient. Accordingly, on 3 0 May 1942, General Arnold ordered his director of Technical Services to establish the Sea-Search Attack Development Unit (SADU) with headquar- ters at Langley Field. This organization was to concern itself primarily with the development of tactics and techniques of antisubmarine war- fare, making use of all special devices available or under develop- ment. It was also to serve as an experimental group, testing and demonstrating devices which might be submitted to it for considera- tion, and as an agency for training crews in antisubmarine tactics. In the course of this work of research, testing, and training, or in addi- tion to it if need be, the unit was to participate directly in the de- struction of submarines. SADU was further directed to establish and maintain the closest possible liaison with “all other centers of research and development relating to the elements, systems and tac- tics” of antisubmarine ~ a r f a r e . ~ ’In order to free it from the en- cumbrance of complicated command channels, the Commanding General, AAF, assumed command of the new unit through his director of Technical Services. Operationally, however, it came under the control of I Bomber Command. It was activated on 8 June 1942. In addition to Headquarters, 1st Sea-Search Attack Group, it was assigned a tactical unit, the 2d Sea-Search Attack Squadron, which eventually operated some ten ASV-equipped €3- I 8’s. In December 1942, the 3d Sea-Search Attack Squadron was activated in order to test and modify the newly acquired B-24’s. On the tactical side, valuable assistance was obtained from an experienced RAF crew which flew two radar-equipped Liberators.80 The 1st Sea-Search Attack Group acquitted itself well in anti- submarine operations. Owing to its superior equipment, it in fact contributed somewhat more than its share of sightings and attacks, 5 5 0
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