Subject: WWII-L Digest - 25 Apr 1993 to 26 Apr 1993

From: Automatic digest processor <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1993 00:00:24 -0400

There are 14 messages totalling 614 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. NATIONAL ARCHIVES FTP SITE
  2. USAAF 26 APR 43
  3. USAAF 25 APR 43 (3)
  4. USAAF 24 APR 43
  5. Amelia Earhart (3)
  6. VARIOUS
  7. AF Museum
  8. BOOK
  9. B-17(s) named Shoo Shoo Baby
 10. 12th Air Force & North African Air Forces

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1993 06:57:16 +0100
From:    Bob Smart <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: NATIONAL ARCHIVES FTP SITE

> FOR LYDIA FISH
> I have downloaded the files listed in Ted Hull's message.  The file
> TITLE.LIST.APR1693 was very hard to view on my computer, evidently
> because it uses 132 character lines.  I also note the files are available on
> reels, which will limit the number of people who can use them.
>
> The question that occurs to me is: why are they not putting this
> stuff on CD-ROM?

Probably because of the burreaucracy required to establish a 'standard'
distribution media. After all how old is the 'standard' for CD-ROMs.
It's pretty embarrasing but 9 track tape is one of the few standards that most
vendors agree on.

Bob Smart ([email-masked])

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1993 07:33:06 -0400
From:    [email-masked]
Subject: USAAF 26 APR 43

COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
MONDAY, 26 APRIL 1943
FTP SITES
  1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
  2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/wwii/usaaf

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-20, Douglas Havoc
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  B-26, Martin Marauder
  Bf 109, Messerschmitt
  C-47, Douglas Skytrain
  F-5, Lockheed Lightning
  Liberator, Consolidated (RAF)
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-40, Curtiss
  Wellington, Vickers (RAF)

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  ALASAKA (Eleventh Air Force)
    In the Aleutians, 11 B-24's, 15 B-25's, 36 P-40's, 21 P-38's and 1 F-5A
fly 15 missions to Kiska. 24 of the P-40 sorties are flown by Royal Canadian
Air Force (RCAF) pilots. Five B-25's abort the mission due to weather. Bombs
are dropped on the North Head runway and nearby area, radar, gun
installations, Main Camp and on Little Kiska.

  ZONE OF INTERIOR (Headquarters, USAAF)
    The Communications Wing, Flight Control Command, is activated at
Asheville, North Carolina to assume responsibilities from Headquarters AAF
for the supervision of the Army Airways Communications System (AACS). AACS,
activated in 1938, is responsible for all fixed USAAF radio facilities in
the world.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force)
    In Burma, 7 B-24's bomb warehouses WSW of the central railroad station
at Rangoon; 7 others blast the Thilawa oil refinery, causing heavy damage.
Ten B-25's pound Heho Airfield and l6 attack Kanaung Airfield.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force)
    In China, a Japanese force of 12 bombers and 15 fighters hit Yunnani
Airfield with a surprise raid. Five P-40's and 1 C-47 are destroyed; 15
other P-40's are damaged; 5 US personnel and several Chinese laborers are
killed.
    The 75th Fighter Squadron, 23d Fighter Group with P-40's transfers from
Lingling, China to Kunming, China.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
    In Italy, B-24's bomb the airfield, hangars, and dispersal area at
Bari. RAF Liberators, under the operational control of the IX Bomber
Command, hit Bari and Barletta, P-40's, escorting the bombers, claim 4 Bf
109's destroyed.
    In Tunisia, B-25's hit the landing ground at Soliman South.
    The 489th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 340th Bombardment Group
(Medium) with B-25's transfers from Medenine, Tunisia to Sfax, Tunisia.

  WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Northwest African Air Force)
    In Sardinia during the night of 25/26 April, Northwest African
Strategic Air Force (NASAF) Wellingtons bomb Decimomannu, Elmas, and
Villacidro Airfields.
    In Italy, B-17's strike the airfield at Grosseto.
    In Tunisia, B-25's bomb railroads at Mateur and the town of Tebourba,
while B-26's and P-38's hit shipping near Marettimo and Porto Ponte
Romano. Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) fighters, A-20's, and
medium bombers hit the area NW of Enfidaville, bomb the Soliman South
landing ground, hit vessels off Cap Bon, and attack Kaar Tyr, roads in the
Pont-du-Fah-Zaghouan-Cheylus area, the Massicault area, and numerous
positions along the battleline in NE Tunisia.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force)
  In the Bismarck Archipelago, a single B-17 carries out harassing attacks
on Arawe, Ubili, and Gasmata.
  In New Guinea, B-24's bomb Lae and Finschhafen.

SOURCES:
AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force History,
  Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1
COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE, WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force
  History, Headquarters USAF 1982
THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by the
  Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973
THE MIGHTY EIGHTH WAR DIARY by Roger A. Freeman, ISBN 1-85409-071-2

Jack McKillop
USAF (Airways and Air Communications Service)
1955-59

----------------------------------------------------------------------
|  Jack McKillop      |  Those who have long enjoyed such privileges |
|  Bellcore           |  as we enjoy forget in time that men have    |
|  Piscataway, NJ     |  died to win them.     FDR                   |
|  USA                |  [email-masked]                        |
----------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1993 07:40:20 -0400
From:    [email-masked]
Subject: USAAF 25 APR 43

COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
SUNDAY, 25 APRIL 1943
FTP SITES
  1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
  2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/wwii/usaaf

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-20, Douglas Havoc
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  F-5, Lockheed Lightning
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-40, Curtiss

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eleventh Air Force)
  In the Aleutians, 15 B-24's, 12 B-25's, 32 P-40's, 23 P-38's, and 1 F-5A
fly 12 missions to Kiska and Attu. Targets include Holtz Bay, North Head,
South Head, the beach areas, the runway, shipping, and the submarine base.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force)
    In Burma, 11 B-25's attack the Ywataung railroad yards and vicinity.
    The 492d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
transfers with B-24's from Bishnupur, India to Panagarh, India.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
    In Tunisia, B-25's attack landings grounds, concentrations, and
vehicles N and NW of Enfidaville. P-40's escort bombers and fly fighter
sweeps over the battle area.

  WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Northwest African Air Force)
    In Tunisia, weather prevents Northwest African Strategic Air Force
(NASAF) bombing missions. Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF)
fighters attack positions and vehicles in the battle area. A-20's and
medium bombers bomb the S landing ground at Soliman, positions NW of
Enfidaville, and several other points in the battle area as Allied ground
forces continue their advance on Bizerte and Tunis.
    HQ 2d Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it's 20th, 49th, and 96th
Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) with B-17's arrive at Navarin, Algeria from
the US.
    HQ 319th Bombardment Group (Medium) and it's 437, and 438th, 439th and
440th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) with B-26B's transfer from Oujda,
French Morocco to Rabat Sale, French Morocco. The group has been
undergoing reorganization and training since Feb 43.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force)
  In the Solomons, 3 B-24's fly a harassing strike during the night of
25/26 Apr against Kahili Airfield. 12 others bomb the same target later
during the night.
  The 394th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
with B-24's, based on Fiji, begins operating from Guadalcanal.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force)
  In New Guinea,  B-17's bomb Wewak Airfield and the towns of Madang and
Saidor. A-20's bomb and strafe positions at Green's Hill. Single B-24's
hit airfields at Madang and Finschhafen.

SOURCES:
AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force History,
  Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1
COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE, WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force
  History, Headquarters USAF 1982
THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by the
  Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973
THE MIGHTY EIGHTH WAR DIARY by Roger A. Freeman, ISBN 1-85409-071-2

Jack McKillop
USAF (Airways and Air Communications Service)
1955-59

----------------------------------------------------------------------
|  Jack McKillop      |  Those who have long enjoyed such privileges |
|  Bellcore           |  as we enjoy forget in time that men have    |
|  Piscataway, NJ     |  died to win them.     FDR                   |
|  USA                |  [email-masked]                        |
----------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1993 07:40:16 -0400
From:    [email-masked]
Subject: USAAF 24 APR 43

COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
SATURDAY, 24 APRIL 1943
FTP SITES
  1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
  2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/wwii/usaaf

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-20, Douglas Havoc
  A-29, Lockheed Hudson
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  Liberator, Consolidated (RAF)
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-40, Curtiss
  Wellington, Vickers (RAF)

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force)
    In the Aleutians, 2 P-38's bomb Kiska and strafe personnel near Mutton
Cove. Weather cancels other missions.

  CARIBBEAN (AAF Antisubmarine Command)
    The 23d Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy), 26th Antisubmarine Wing with
A-29's returns to it's base at Drew Field, Florida after operating from
Batista Field, Cuba since 28 Feb 43.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force)
    In Burma, 9 B-25's, escorted by 11 P-40's, bomb the Namtu mines and
railroad yards. 7 of the P-40's strafe the mine and smelter area.
    In China, 13 P-40's intercept 25 fighters near Lingling and shoot down
5.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)
    In Italy, RAF Liberators, under operational control of the IX Bomber
Command, bomb Naples.
    In Tunisia, P-40's escort bombers, fly sweeps, and carry out
fighter-bomber operations against troops in the battle area N of
Enfidaville.

  WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Northwest African Air Force)
    In Tunisia, Northwest African Strategic Air Force (NASAF) Wellingtons
bomb the N quay at Bizerte harbor during the night of 23/24 Apr. Bad
weather the following morning cancels NASAF operations. Northwest African
Tactical Air Force (NATAF) fighters, although hampered by bad weather,
attack guns, troops, and trucks in the battle area from Pont-du-Fahs N to
the sea. Fierce ground fighting continues in the Jefna area.
    The 99th Fighter Squadron, Twelfth Air Force with P-40's arrives at
Casablanca, French Morocco from the U.S. The 99th is the first black USAAF
unit to serve overseas.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force)
  In the Bismarck Archipelago, single B-24's bomb the runway at Cape
Gloucester.
  In the Celebes, B-24's bomb Kendari Airfield.
  In New Guinea, A-20's bomb and strafe positions in the Mubo area. Single
B-24's attack Lae, Gumbi, and Singor.
  In Timor, B-25's pound Dili Airfield.

SOURCES:
AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force History,
  Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1
COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE, WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force
  History, Headquarters USAF 1982
THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by the
  Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973
THE MIGHTY EIGHTH WAR DIARY by Roger A. Freeman, ISBN 1-85409-071-2

Jack McKillop
USAF (Airways and Air Communications Service)
1955-59

----------------------------------------------------------------------
|  Jack McKillop      |  Those who have long enjoyed such privileges |
|  Bellcore           |  as we enjoy forget in time that men have    |
|  Piscataway, NJ     |  died to win them.     FDR                   |
|  USA                |  [email-masked]                        |
----------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1993 07:57:54 -0400
From:    [email-masked]
Subject: Amelia Earhart

The annual meeting and 3d Annapolis Seminar of the US Naval
Institute is being held at the US Naval Academy at Annapolis,
Maryland this week.  At 1345 on Wednesday, 28 April, there is a
panel discussion entitled "Where is Amelia Earhart".  According to
the information I have, "Nationally known Earhart researcher
Richard Gillespie of the International Group of Historic Aircraft
Recovery says he know, unequivocally, where Amelia met her fate."
Other panelists are:

Dr. Thomas Crouch, Chairman, Aeronautics, Smithsonian Institution
Rear Admiral Francis Foley, USN (Retired), an air searcher on the
  USS Lexington (CV-2) in 1937
Hiroshi Nakajima, Executive Director, Pacific Society in Tokyo
Dr. Mark Peattie, Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies
J. Gordon Vaeth former Director of Weather Satellite Operations, NOAA

The Moderator is Denise Koch, an anchorwoman with TV station WJZ-TV
in Baltimore.

Is anyone on this list going?  Will minutes be kept and made
available afterwards?  In other words, where is Amelia and how can
we find out?

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1993 07:14:32 EST
From:    Larry Jewell <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: VARIOUS

>
>   Oslo, April 23.
>   For Larry Jewell, what is this about scanning pictures and "byrd."
> I must be coming in late on a conversation.

    I'm converting various documents into electronic format for distribution
over the Internet system.  I've just completed "A Bibliography of the United
States Navy and the Conflict in Southeast Asia, 1950-1975" and am about
to do the Congressional reports on MIA's in WWII.
    Mike McCarthy has established a site for these files and welcomes
documents and other files (.gifs, etc.) of historical value.  I post the
"what's new at byrd" list as I get it.

>   For Rod Holmes, I have two Carlisle addresses and am not sure just
> which does what, but here they are:
> US Army history:gollum::"[email-masked]"
> US Army history:gollum::"[email-masked]"

    Carlisle has a hell of time staying on the net.  I'll call them this week
and discuss alternate means of access.

Larry J

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1993 08:18:54 -0400
From:    [email-masked]
Subject: AF Museum

The latest issue (Spring 1993) of the FRIENDS JOURNAL published
quarterly by the Air Force Museum Foundation, Inc., contains the
following articles that may be of interest to this group:

1. Part II of the article THE FIRST JUNKERS Ju 88 FLIGHT ACROSS THE
ATLANTIC.  A captured Ju 88 was flown from Europe to Wright Field,
Dayton, Ohio in Jun 44.

2. OLD DOG'S LAST FLIGHT.  OLD DOG was a B-17 that was shot down over
Germany on 29 May 44.  The author of the article talked to the crew and
Oscar Boesch, a friend of the Luftwaffe Fw 190 pilot who shot down OLD
DOG about their experiences.

3. ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF THE MUSTANG, the P-51 not the car.  The
author is the former Chairman of North American Aviation and Rockwell
International.

4. AMERICAN FIGHTER PILOTS ON MALTA discusses US pilots in the RCAF and
RAF who served on Malta early in WWII.

Since this is the 75th anniversary of the US sending Air Service units
to France in WWI, there are four articles on that war:

1. AN AMERICAN PURSUIT discusses the Air Force Museum restoration of a
Packard Lepere LUSAC 11.

2. A GERMAN ZEBRA FOR THE USAF MUSEUM discusses the restoration of the
USAFM's Halberstadt CL IV.

3. PURSUING A PURSUIT PILOT, WORLD WAR I TRAINING EXPERIENCE OF WILEY
O. BULLOCK.

4. FLYER WITH THE 12TH AERO SQUADRON.

Finally, there is the article THE 4411TH J-STARS SQUADRON describing
the Boeing E-8A J-STARS and it's use in the Gulf War.

If anyone is interested in becoming a FRIEND OF THE AIR FORCE MUSEUM,
my e-mail address is listed below.  There is a membership drive
going on now and I will be glad to give you all the information I
have available.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
|  Jack McKillop      |  Those who have long enjoyed such privileges |
|  Bellcore           |  as we enjoy forget in time that men have    |
|  Piscataway, NJ     |  died to win them.     FDR                   |
|  USA                |  [email-masked]                        |
----------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1993 15:40:59 +0200
From:    Chris Scogings <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: USAAF 25 APR 43

I really enjoy these reports.  Thank you for putting them on.
I have one question:

Why are the Ninth Air Force (Eastern Med.) and the Northwest African Air
Force (Western Med.) both often operating over Tunisia?  Didn't this get
confusing?  Someone suggested that maybe the Ninth had nothing else to do!

Chris
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Scogings                      Voice: (27) 331 955645
Computer Science Dept                 Fax: (27) 331 955599
University of Natal
Pietermaritzburg                   E-Mail:[email-masked]
----------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1993 09:33:13 CDT
From:    "Robert J. Granvin" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: USAAF 25 APR 43

> I really enjoy these reports.  Thank you for putting them on.
> I have one question:
>
> Why are the Ninth Air Force (Eastern Med.) and the Northwest African Air
> Force (Western Med.) both often operating over Tunisia?  Didn't this get
> confusing?  Someone suggested that maybe the Ninth had nothing else to do!

I'm assuming that the Northwest African Air Force is also known as the
12th Air Force.  Earlier reports listed the 12th, but it has now disappeared.
(Though the 12th operated in the Med throughout...)

I think they kept changing the names just to confuse the researchers back
home.  :-)

--
Robert J. Granvin                                    Southern Minnesota Wing
[email-masked]                                       Confederate Air Force
  You know you've made a gear-up landing when it takes full power to taxi.

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1993 17:13:58 +0200
From:    JOHN AUSLAND <[email-masked]>
Subject: BOOK

  Oslo, April 26.
  FOR CARL THOMPSON
  Thanks for your interest.  The flyer you requested is on the way.
        John C. Ausland CIS: 73240,2704
        Internet: [email-masked]

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1993 11:52:20 -0400
From:    "Dennis E. Sparks" <[email-masked]>
Subject: B-17(s) named Shoo Shoo Baby

I have a copy of a very handy little book called "Bits & Pieces",
by Paul Andrews.  I bought my copy through the 8th AF Historical
Society.  The book lists every known name of 8th AF aircraft.

Shoo Shoo Baby was a *very* popular name.  The book lists 25
aircraft with that name or variations such as "Shoo! Shoo! Baby".
The best known one today is "Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby", a B-17G with
the serial #42-32076.  She served with the 401st BS of the famous
91st BG ("The Ragged Irregulars"), stationed at Bassingbourn.
"Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby" survives today, residing at the USAF museum
at Wright Patterson AFB.  I believe it is the only surviving
B-17 with combat experience.  When the aircraft was restored,
Tony Starcer was brought in to repaint the nose art, reproducing
what he had done more than 40 years earlier.

A quick check of Books in Print (1991 edition) reveals that there
is a book titled "Shoo-Shoo Baby: A Lucky Lady of the Sky", written
by Dan Patterson and George Merva, 1988, ISBN 0-9622271-0-2.
I presume this is about the restoration of the WPAFB aircraft.

Dennis E. Sparks
[email-masked]
Lexington, Kentucky

P.S.  Reiterating an earlier request, could people posting to the
list please sign off with their name and e-mail address?  Heck, I
even like seeing *where* you are, too!

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1993 14:12:00 MDT
From:    Steve Alvin <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Amelia Earhart

On April 26, 1993, J. Bellcore posted:
> Is anyone on this list going?  Will minutes be kept and made
> available afterwards?  In other words, where is Amelia and how can
> we find out?

I am not attending the conference, but I think I can shed some light
on the mystery of Amelia.

Last April, Richard Gillespie announced that he had proof that
Earhart's plane went down on the little island of Nikumaroro, about
midway between Hawaii & New Guinea.  The proof he offered was pieces
of a navigator's log, a women's shoe that was the same size of
Amelia, and pieces of riveted aluminium that possibly came from the
Lockeed Electra.  Others have questioned the evidence, pointing out
that the bulk of the plane itself hasn't been found and that the
riveting pattern on the aluminium does not match that of the Electra.

I'm pretty sure that the conference session came about because of an
article Gillespie wrote last year in the U. S. Naval Institute's
journal *Proceedings* (I'm sorry that I do not have the exact cites
handy-I'm in my office & the journals are at home.  I'll repost
later the exact issues).  Gillespie again puts forth the evidence for
Nikumaroro Island.  But, he also criticizes the lack of support the
Navy gave the flight and the slow response of the Navy in the search
& rescue effort.

A couple of issues later, Adm. Francis Foley writes a long letter in
which he defends the Navy's effort.  Foley was a scout pilot on the
Lexington and flew some of the searches.  He states that giving the
resources and the time factor involved, the Navy did an outstanding
job.

I hope this helps,

Steve Alvin
[email-masked]
Dickinson State University
**********************************************************************
*Those who fail to remember history are doomed to repeat it.--Proverb*
*Those who fail to remember history are doomed to repeat my class.-SA*
**********************************************************************

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1993 19:30:06 MDT
From:    Steve Alvin <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Amelia Earhart

The Articles I refered to in my earlier post are:
Richard Gillespie, "Why the Navy didn't find Amelia,"  U. S. Naval
Institute's Proceedings, Feb. 1993, pp. 73-77.

Adm Foley's rebuttal was in the Comment and Discussion section of the
April 1993 issue, pp. 29-30

Also, in 1937 Nikumaroro Island was commonly called Gardner Island.

Steve Alvin
[email-masked]
Dickinson State University
**********************************************************************
*Those who fail to remember history are doomed to repeat it.--Proverb*
*Those who fail to remember history are doomed to repeat my class.-SA*
**********************************************************************

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 26 Apr 1993 22:31:30 -0400
From:    [email-masked]
Subject: 12th Air Force & North African Air Forces

The question about the roles of the two structures reminded me of several
points I had read about in Gen. Doolittle's biography, "I Could Never Be So
Lucky Again."  So I went to the Simon and Schuster Encyclopedia of World
War II to clarify what I remembered.

The 12th Air Force was activated at Bolling Field on 8/20/42. Doolittle became
its commander the following month.  The 12th mustered some 500 planes by itself.In mid February, 1943 it was combined with RAF, RAAF, and some French units
into the Northwest African Air Forces under the command of Gen. Carl "Tooey"
Spatz.  Doolittle was given command of overall tactical operations of the
NAAF which culminated in the destruction of the German - Italian capability
to resupply their North Africa based forces by air.

The Doolittle book itself was very enjoyable, especially his flying and
research work before the war.  One of the appendices at the end of the book is
a crew by crew account of what happened to the Tokyo Raiders from the time
they landed in China to when they came back into Allied hands, or were captured.

                                        Richard Kaplan
                                        [email-masked]

------------------------------

End of WWII-L Digest - 25 Apr 1993 to 26 Apr 1993
*************************************************