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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.
“Nevers”44 pages
N O T E S T O P A G E S 2 0 6 - 1 1 we had decided upon; the orders were we couldn’t attack until we were attacked; that we could go out on photo reccos in force (loaded with bombs) but were not to use them unless attacked.” (Doc. 10, in History, Fifth Air Force, Pt. I, App. 11.) 32. Other than General Brereton’s accounts as given in answer to letter from Colonel Paul, Chief, AAF His- torical Office, 30 Jan. 1946, and T h e Brereton Diaries, pp. 36ff., the most de- tailed narrative is the history of the 24th Pursuit Group. Fn an unrecorded inter- view of some two hours’ duration with the author on 7 December 1944, General Brady in answer to specific questions growing out of the author’s own re- search gave further corroboration to the essential details. Among other informa- tion supplied, he called attention to a report which he and Brereton had pre- pared and forwarded to Washington, as he recalled it, late in January or early in February 1942. Unfortunately, an ex- tended and intensive search through AAF and War Department files failed to locate a copy. In reply to a question regarding this report, General Brereton (see memo for Paul, 6 Aug. 1947) stated: “I do not have a copy of the paper referred to. I was informed that this paper was in General Arnold’s own secret files, presumably it had been shown to the Chief of Staff. Whether it is still in existence, I do not know.” (See also Eubank interview; Fisher Report on Philippine and Java Operations received in spring of 1942; History, Fifth Air Force, Pt. I , I I ff.) 33. 1st ind., Brereton to Paul, where the general recalls, as in his published Diaries, that at this time he instructed Eugene L. Eubank, bomber commander who had flown down from Clark Field, to prepare for an operation against Takao harbor with target priority for enemy transports and warships and at the same time to make ready three planes for reconnaissance of airfields on Formosa. 34. History, 24th Pursuit Gp. 35. 1st ind., Brereton to Paul; History, 30th Bomb. Sq. 688 36. History, 24th Pursuit Gp.; Sum- mary of Activities, 8 Dec. 1941. 37. 1st ind., Brereton to Paul; T h e Brereton Diaries, pp. 40-41. General Brereton’s memo of 6 Aug. 1947 (cited in note 31 above) indicates that authori- zation for the reconnaissance mission to Formosa may have been received as early as 0800. With reference to a “second conference” by telephone with Suther- land at “approximately 8 a.m.,” Brereton states that “reconnaissance missions were authorized in this conversation,” but his recollection in the same place that the order to Eubank for a specific mission of reconnaissance over Formosa was not given until after 1000 tallies with his pre- viously given account in T h e Brereton Diaries, p. 40, and in 1st ind., Brereton to Paul. 38. 1st ind., Brereton to Paul; Brady interview; Fisher report, as cited in n. 32. 39. History, 24th Pursuit Gp. 40. Interview with Col. A.H. Camp- 41. Ibid. 42. History, 24th Pursuit Gp. 43. 1st ind. (ltr., Chief, Air Historical Office to C G Thirteenth AF, 17 July 1945), Maj. Gen. E. L. Eubank to C G AAF, 5 Aug. 1947. See also, in support of General Eubank’s statement, Fisher re- port and talk, confirmed in an interview with author, 17 June 1947; 1st ind., Brereton to Paul; History, 24th Pursuit Gp.; ltr., Col. A.W. Marriner, Dir. of Communications to C G USAFIA, 2 Apr. 1942; Ind, Bataan, p. 99. Most of the sources attribute the failure to a break- down of communications. Thus the his- tory of the 24th Pursuit Group states that “at approximately I I :45 an unidentified report was received of a bombardment formation over Lingayen Gulf, headed south,” but it adds “that communications breakdown prevented proper identifica- tion.’’ This view is not borne out by the testimony of Colonel Campbell. (See n. 40.) 44. USSBS Intrs. 424 and 601; Opera- tions of the Japanese Navy in the Inva- sion of the Philippines. 45. History, 24th Pursuit Gp.; Fisher report. According to Japanese sources, bell by author, 11 July 1947.
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