Historical Branch, G-3 Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps
1951
Contents
Chapter Page 1. Background 1 Organization of Far East Air Forces 1 High-Level Planning 4 June Proposals of the JCS 5 The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing on Bougainville 6 Search for a Combat Mission 8 The Timetable Moves Up 9 Landings at Peleliu and Morotai 11 Plans for the Leyte Assault 12 Air Forces 12 Third Fleet 12 Seventh Fleet 12 Assault Air Force 12 Supporting Air Forces 12 Ground Forces 13 Seventh Fleet 14 Situation of Japanese Forces--Fall 1944 14 Japanese Plans for Defense of the Philippines 14 Disposition of Japanese Forces 16 U.S. Air Intelligence 16 2. Leyte and Samar Campaigns 19 The Leyte Landings 19 The Battle for Leyte Gulf (23-26 October) 20 Tacloban Airdrome, Leyte 22 Kenney Assumes Responsibility For Air Operations Over Leyte 23 The November Stalemate 26 MacArthur and Halsey Request Marine Squadrons 28 Marine Night Fighters Ordered to Leyte from Peleliu 29 Marine Aircraft Group 12 Moves to Leyte 30 First Marine Air Action Over Leyte 31 The Big Job: To Attack Japanese Reinforcements 33 Convoy Strike--7 December 33 Convoy Strikes--11-12 December 34 Air Cover Over U.S. Shipping--11-12 December 37 Operational Accidents 39 Air Cover for Mindoro 40 Ground Support Missions, Leyte 43 Sixth Army Relieved 44 Closing Marine Air Operations, 1944 44 Marine Night Fighters Return to Palau 45 Preparations For Landings on Luzon 46 Luzon Attack Force Convoy: The Kamikaze Attacks 47 Carrier-Based Marine Squadrons 48 Assignment of Marine Aircraft Group 14 to the Philippines Campaign 48 MAG-14 Begins Combat Operations 50 Operational Difficulties and Accidents at Guiuan 51 Work of MAG-14 Ground Crews 52 Routine Operations 53 3. Luzon Campaign 56 Assignment of a Mission 56 A Study of Close Air Support 59 Training for the Mission 61 Luzon Landings to be Delayed 63 Movement to Lingayen Gulf 63 Lingayen Landings and Development of an Airbase 65 Marine Aircraft Groups, Dagupan 67 Arrival of Flight Echelons at Mangaldan 69 Combat Operations Begin 70 The Final Drive to Manila 73 Plans Are Made to Use Marines on Mindanao 80 Close Air Support Takes Hold 81 Operational Difficulties and Innovations 91 Departure of MAG-32 Ground Echelons from Luzon 94 Enemy Air Raids on Mangaldan 95 Close Support Along a Sprawling Front 96 Supporting the Guerillas 98 MAG-32 Airmen Leave for Zamboanga 102 Luzon Finale for MAG-24 104 Summary of Marines' Luzon Operations 106 4. Southern Philippines Operations 107 Strategic Backgrounds for the VICTOR Operations 107 Prelude to Zamboanga 109 The Landings at Zamboanga--VICTOR IV 112 Close Air Support--Magszam 114 Marine Bombing Squadron 611 Joins Magszam 117 The Southern Visayas--VICTOR I 118 The Southern Visayas--VICTOR II 119 Drive into the Sulu Archipelago Begins 121 Close Air Support at Jolo 122 Strategic Background of VICTOR V 123 The Landings at Malabang--VICTOR V 125 Air Support on Mindanao 128 Closing Operations of the Philippines Campaign 131 Appendices I. Bibliography 136 II. Chronology 140 III. Casualties 142 IV. Command and Staff, Marine Aviation Units 143 V. Marine Ground Troops in Leyte Action 146 VI. Pilot Survival Reports 151 VII. Performance Data on Types of Aircraft Used by Marines in the Philippines 158 VIII. Navy Unit Commendations 159 IX. Index 161
Transcribed and formatted for HTML by Jerry Holden for the HyperWar Foundation