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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.
“United Press”36 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 mission, Bomber Command’s efforts had been diffused in attacks on nonstrategic targets so that it had been impossible to accept the heavier losses which daylight operations would involve. Economy in materials and in production man-hours favored the night bomber; easier maintenance, smaller crews, and, above all, smaller losses, fa- vored night operations. Just as the British had earlier admitted that they might eventually turn to day bombing, so Eaker was willing, if necessary, to give British methods a trial. AWPD/I had assumed that toward the end of the bomber campaign the AAF might turn to area bombing of cities to give the coup de grdce to German morale, but Eaker was interested in the more immediate future. So soon as a satisfactory flame dampener could be developed for his heavy bombers and crews could be specially trained, he proposed to use his force “both day and night.” This was in keeping with the experimental tone which pervaded the whole report. Eaker was keenly aware of the great fund of ex- perience which the RAF had built up in two and a half years of war, and he hoped to profit both from their successes and from their errors. But he was still convinced that the AAF’s chief contribution would be through operations of the type for which its equipment and training had been designed. Daylight bombing would make navigation and location of targets easier. Operational, as opposed to combat, losses would be fewer. But, above all, it was only by follow- ing approved AAF practice that bombardment could approach precision standards. This would require, in addition to skillful bombardiers, intensive training in evasive action, formation flying, and gunnery. It would require, too, an adequate force, regular replace- ments, and high morale. In the initial stages operations should be of shallow penetration only so that some protection might be had from fighter escorts with limited range, and targets and methods of attack should be varied constantly to confuse the defense. This applied to the Anglo-American combined effort as well, and Eaker stressed the positive value of a co-ordinated day-night attack on Germany. Such a program would abate congestion in British skies, already over- crowded with planes. It would allow the AAF and RAF to specialize on the type of targets and tactics for which each was best qualified. And by keeping German defenses on the alert around the clock, the combined attack in the long run would reduce both American and British losses. 606
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