Subject: WWII-L Digest - 8 Aug 1994 to 9 Aug 1994

From: Automatic digest processor <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 10 Aug 1994 00:01:07 -0400

There are 18 messages totalling 668 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. RAF Training Command (2)
  2. US preparedness 1939
  3. Invasion-Mania, USA
  4. Invasion Canada (3)
  5. MEMORIES - a living history project
  6. INF: 50 Years Ago - 10-AUG-1944
  7. WEAP: Horten flying wingsin Museums
  8. GEN: TRIP
  9. GEN: Info on Chiemsee
 10. INF: USN Chronology 08-09-94
 11. Privateer
 12. German Maps
 13. Estern front nightfighters.
 14. small-arms of major powers
 15. [INF] USAAF 10 AUG 44

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

Date:    Mon, 8 Aug 1994 23:37:37 -0500
From:    Bill Smith <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: RAF Training Command

Actually, Mackenzie King did refuse the ETS because the RCAF would not
have retained control as it was originally proposed.  This comes from a
confidential memo regarding British aviation training in Canada from U.S.
State Department records.  This was July 1938, and King, and I might add
most of the Canadian government was not about to allow the RAF to
"establish, operate or maintain" training schools in Canada.

Canada would train British and Commonwealth pilots if the camps were
under the direct control of the Canadian government.

Now I walk the plank -- I believe, and I know I will be corrected if I am
wrong, this is essentially what evolved (with significant American
assistance by 1940) with the ETS under the nominal direction of Billy
Bishop and the RCAF in 1939-41.  The ETS provided all the primary flight
training with advanced and combat work coming in England.

I might add, our State Department was both surpised and pleased with this
turn of events.  Seems we assumed the Canadians would follow the mother
country's lead, and although were was some concern that this might hamper
war efforts by encumbering a perfect non-combat zone training site, U.S.
State was a little happy to see the Lion's tail twisted.

On Tue, 2 Aug 1994, Ron Babuka wrote:

> >        Maybe I have misunderstood this post.  The Empire Air Training
> >Scheme was negotiated between Britain, Canada, Australia & New Zealand in
> >Nov/Dec 1939. Although under clause XV of the Ottawa Agreement most
> >Canadians went into RCAF squadrons rather than into RAF squadrons, the
> >scheme was not 'doomed'.  It produced tens of thousands of aircrew for the
> >allied cause.
> >
> Thank you Steve - My memory was foggy in that I could not remember if the
> refusal of Mackenzie King to discuss the Empire Air Training Scheme occur
> when first proposed in 1935 or 1939.  It was from 1935 till war actually
> begun that the Canadian PM dismissed the plan.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Ron Babuka                                         National Warplane Museum
> Cornell University                                 Geneseo, New York
> CIT - Information Resources
> Ithaca, New York 14850
> (607) 254-6492
>

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

Date:    Mon, 8 Aug 1994 23:59:33 -0500
From:    Bill Smith <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: US preparedness 1939

My friend, you have stumbled upon a photograph of the mighty Bell
Airacuda, future ship to win all wars *;-)*!  Those cockpits -- they're
gun positions which were accessable from the main cabin through wing
crawl spaces.  This bird was crammed with so much *state of the art*
avionics that it barely could function due to the incredible electrical
system demands.  It was the first do-all wonder plane in that grand
fighter-bomber-recon-you name it mold as the fantastic F-111.  It was a
nice concept -- fighter speed, bomber strength, the cannons in the
nascels for ground strike power -- but as so often is the case,
multi-purpose military craft are well suited for no purpose.

Actually, the Airacuda had a very *distinguished* war record.  The six or
seven, the figure escapes me and I can't find the file, prototypes were
dispatched along with many Airacobras to Chanute Field to serve as guinea
pigs for mechanic's school students.

Bell really thought they had something with the Airacuda, which was
following in the trendsetting thinking that gave us the Airacobra.  For
the Air Force's sake, Bell soon found its true niche building
helicopters, not combat aircraft.

On Thu, 4 Aug 1994, Richard Kaplan wrote:
> The Bell XFM-1 looks like a much shortened B-29 (cigar shape), with two
> engines.  These are pusher engines, with the front of the engine housings on
> each wing being a cockpit with what looks like long cannon or MGs sticking out.
> The A-18 has a double tail, a longer cockpit (room for 2) than a P-38, and
> radial engines. The Curtiss P-36 also gets an honorable mention.

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

Date:    Tue, 9 Aug 1994 00:12:59 -0500
From:    Bill Smith <[email-masked]>
Subject: Invasion-Mania, USA

Back from a one-week immersion in Uncle Sam's filing cabinet, and here's
a couple of salvos (I really missed my mailbox):

Resurrecting the Perception is Reality thesis of the general fear of an
Axis invasion, from the Moffat Papers, a dispatch on June 29, 1940 from
Ottawa:
        "The Canadians are definately worried about the possibility
        of an air raid.  They understand that Germany has a vessel
        capable of carrying about 40 aircraft, and if this should
        escape the British blockade, particularly if accompanied by a
        cruiser, she could do great damage."
The feared "great damage" was an assault on the Gander air field in
Newfoundland.  Now you know, and I know there wasn't a great German
aircraft carrier ready to set sail across the north Atlantic -- but
here's the Canadian government rumoring it to the U.S. government, and we
took it sincerely.

One might say yes, but that was 1940, and we knew the tide had turned by
1942.  I submit again, who knew, and who did they tell?  The answers are
not too darned many were that confident until 1943, and they didn't
really tell anyone.  The National Archives has an excellent year-long
display going on in the gallery entitled "Powers of Persuasion:  Poster
Art from World War II."  This I direct with not animosity toward Wendy,
but if you consider the messages being given to the public --
particularly in 1942 -- it is very, very easy to understand that the fear
(not the facts or figures) was real to Americans.

I'll close on a quote from the show's libretto, taken from the Office of
War Information's manual entitled "Government Information Manual for the
Motion Picture Industry."

        "Civilians must have the war brought home to them.  Every
        individual must be made to see the immediacy of the danger
        to him. . . . He must be made to understand that he is an
        integral part of the war front, and that if he loses the
        war, he loses everything."

In the text that followed that quote, the NA publication notes: "Though
separated from the actual warfare by great distances, Americans appeared
within arm's reach of the enemy.  They were shown to be in imminent
danger -- their backs against the wall and living in the shadow of Axis
domination."

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

Date:    Tue, 9 Aug 1994 00:17:51 -0500
From:    Bill Smith <[email-masked]>
Subject: Invasion Canada

Yeah, I know the new crime bill has a three-posts-and-you're-out
provision, but it's not law yet.  Besides, I couldn't pass up this tidbit
from the deep recesses of the National Archives.  In our Sept. 1, 1937,
combat estimate for Canada:

"Canada [is] particularly vulnerable to attack from the United States. .
. . The defense forces could not defend Canada against an invasion from
the south along the entire border, but would be almost certainly reduced
to the defense of Halifax and the Montreal-Quebec area for use as bases
of operation when reinforced by Great Britain or other allies."

I'm sorry Sidney, but it looks like you were a defense in depth sacrifice
out on the west coast.

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

Date:    Mon, 8 Aug 1994 23:36:15 PDT
From:    Sidney Allinson <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Invasion Canada

Bill Smith...
        Interesting, Bill, that you shouldpost that snippet from the
1937 archives. At first blush, any idea of the United States invading
Canada in modern times seems quaint, even ridiculous.   But, wait...
        United States Army War College WAR PLAN RED -- Revision 1939
        -- A Coordinated US Army/Navy Plan to capture Halifax, Nova
        Scotia From Red-Crimson Coalition.
Tactical Strategic Study of the critical area in Crimson (Canada) and
support by Red (Britain), and the best approaches thereto for Blue (USA).

It makes fascinating, if disturbing reading now.  Long ago, of course, one
says...
        But, hist -- what's *this*?....
        1990 newspaper headline:
                'Too Close For Comfort?
                Military Experts Divided On Theory That Fort Drum
                May be A Threat To Canada"....
Ft Drum, upper New York State, is one of thelargest US Army bases, and
lately has been strangely heavily funded for massive construction of
new facilities.  Ft Drum is only 60 miles from the Canadian border.
May be a perfectly innocent explanation, but the natives in the great
white north are a wee bit nervous all of a sudden of their neighbors
across that famous great undefended border.
        You heard something about Ft. Drum lately, Bill?  Just wondered
why you posted that 1937 US Invasion Plan to me....
:-)
Regards -- Sidney.

--

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

Date:    Tue, 9 Aug 1994 06:53:00 EDT
From:    mc killop <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Invasion Canada

 >"Canada [is] particularly vulnerable to attack from the United States. .
 >. . The defense forces could not defend Canada against an invasion from
 >the south along the entire border, but would be almost certainly reduced
 >to the defense of Halifax and the Montreal-Quebec area for use as bases
 >of operation when reinforced by Great Britain or other allies."
 >
 >I'm sorry Sidney, but it looks like you were a defense in depth sacrifice
 >out on the west coast.

Yeah sure!  As if the 1937 US Army and US Army Air Corps could invade and
capture anything.  Both were so small and ill-equipped that they would be
lucky to capture and hold the first town on the N side of the border.

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

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

Date:    Tue, 9 Aug 1994 14:53:58 +0100
From:    Tom Holloway <[email-masked]>
Subject: MEMORIES - a living history project

A group of us from the ELDERS list on sjuvm.bitnet are
running an educational exchange project for schools
world-wide.  It's called 'Memories of 1944/45' and we answer
questions put to us by schools on the Internet.

I am looking for one or more Senior Citizens willing to join
us, preferably someone who was in England, France and/or
Germany during those years as a non-combattant (such as a
Nurse or WAC or civilian support role).  BTW it's not that
we don't value the part played by WW2 combattants, but we
think the effect of war on civilians and especially children
needs more exposure.

* You will need to subscribe to [email-masked]
* You will need to answer your email regularly
* You will need to be able to express your opinions without
  starting up flame wars (a soft answer turneth away wrath)

For a list of existing panel members and more details please
write to me at the address below. The project will continue
through until sometime after August 9th 1995.  Thank you.

+-----------------------------+
! Tom Holloway +44 926-888333 !
! [email-masked]    !
+-----------------------------+

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

Date:    Tue, 9 Aug 1994 07:24:56 -0700
From:    John Davis <[email-masked]>
Subject: INF: 50 Years Ago - 10-AUG-1944

On 10-AUG-1944, the following occurred -

World War II - The Battlefronts
-------------------------------
Western Front - In Brittany, the VIII Corps continues its operations against
     Dinard and St Malo, Brest and Lorient. To the south, the 4th Armoured
     Division enters Nantes and reach the Loire. The XV Corps continues to
     advance towards Alencon. In the Avranches-Mortain sector, the VII Corps
     takes the initiative and the German divisions begin slowly to withdraw to
     the east. In the Canadian 1st Army sector, the 49th Division and the
     Canadian II Corps advance towards Vimont, meeting strong resistance.

Southern France - The Allies open the first phase of air operations in
     preparation for Operation Dragoon, the landing of Allied forces in the
     south of France.

Eastern Front - The Polish patriots in Warsaw still have to bear the weight of
     the German repression by themselves. The Russians ignore their requests
     for even some air support. The patriots ask London for assistance. Troops
     of the 2nd Belorussian Front force the crossing of the river Narew near
     Bialystok.

Italian Front - The Polish II Corps reaches the Cesano River.

Marianas - On Guam, several hundred Japanese have been killed in the mopping
     up operations. This is the last serious opposition in the north of Guam.
     In the fighting for the capture of Guam, 1,400 Americans have been
     killed. The Japanese have lost over 10,000. Only 100 Japanese have been
     taken prisoner. There are various small groups of Japanese left holding
     out in jungle hideouts (one survivor at least will stay in the jungle
     until 1972).

New Guinea - On Numfoor Island, the 503rd Regiment makes contact with the
     Japanese south-southwest of Inasi.

The Homefront
-------------
Meat Rations Change - The OPA have made lower grades of beef and lamb
     point-free effective August 13th, but restore hams, pork loins and
     canned fish to the ration list.

Navy Surrenders Cooper - Jackie Cooper, former motion picture actor and George
     Bender, 24, Sheffield, Ill., another V-12 student have been surrendered
     to civil authorities in South Bend, Ind., on morals charges and are
     released on $1,000 bond.

=============================================================================

Sources: "2194 Days of War" by Cesare Salmaggi and Alfredo Pallavisimi, "The
World Almanac Book Of WW II" by Peter Young, "United States Naval Chronology,
World War II" by Naval Historical Division - United States Navy, "Facts On
File Yearbook 1944, Person's Index Of World Events" edited by R.L. Lapica.

----------
John Davis  ([email-masked]/[email-masked])
Cary, N.C.
----------

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

Date:    Tue, 9 Aug 1994 10:44:54 EDT
From:    Brian Nicklas <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: WEAP: Horten flying wingsin Museums

As an additional point to Jorge's posting on Horten wings, the following
is from a news release from the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space
Museum (NASM) last October.
The NASM and the Museum fur Verkehr und Technik, Berlin, Germany have signed
an agreement in which the MVT will restore and preserve four Horten aircraft
in the NASM collection.  When the work is complete, the MVT will assume
ownership of one airrcaft and will display the other three Hortens for
a limited time.
The aircraft are:
Horten II
Horten III-f
Horten III-h
Horten VI
The MVT recently completed three Halberstadt CL.IV aircraft from WWI,
one which is now on display in Dayton, Ohio as part of the AF Museum
collection, one which is at the MVT and another (which belongs to NASM)
on display at the Deutsches Museum-Oberschleissheim.
The Halberstadts are beautifully done so things look good for the Hortens!

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

Date:    Tue, 9 Aug 1994 10:10:55 CST
From:    "ROBERT ROY(Southern Illinois University)" <[email-masked]>
Subject: GEN: TRIP

  I am planning a "museum/bookstore"trip for next week through Radcliff
KY(Ft. Knox) to Dayton Oh.(WPAFB). I have read that Hallmark store in
radcliff is a great military bookstore, and is the armor school bookstore
open for book buying by civilian 'military freaks' ??  Any suggestions
as to great military bookstores in dayton,other than museumbookstore ??

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

Date:    Tue, 9 Aug 1994 12:35:25 -0400
From:    David Rising <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: GEN: Info on Chiemsee

Doug, just something short to add to your post about the Hotel on the
Chiemsee (BTW, where can I get a copy of that book?). I was studying
German with the Goethe Institut in Prien am Chiemsee a few years ago.
During that time I managed to get to know some of the local population
and also go to a party at the hotel you mentioned (quite fun!). Anyway,
just this year I was doing some research on Adolf Eichmann, and found
that after the war, he hid in Prien for quite a while. I'm not sure of
the point of all this, except that even the most unassuming and pretty
little town can have its own interesting past. Your post on the pre-war
plans for Prien and the surrounding area just help to reinforce this.
Thanks for the info,
David Rising

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

Date:    Tue, 9 Aug 1994 09:13:49 PST
From:    "Keller, Theron P." <[email-masked]>
Subject: INF: USN Chronology 08-09-94

UNITED STATES NAVY CHRONOLOGY
from:
//byrd.mu.wvnet.edu/pub/history/military/wwii/naval_chronology/chr4(4,5).txt

1944
08/09 Wed. Submarine SEAWOLF (SS-197) lands men and supplies on Palawan,
           P. I.
            United States naval vessel sunk:
             PT-509, by naval gunfire, off the Isle of Jersey, English
              Channel,
              49 d. 11'N., 02 d. 15'W.

Theron P. Keller
Logicon, Inc.
Dahlgren, VA  22448 USA
[email-masked]

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

Date:    Tue, 9 Aug 1994 13:24:10 -0400
From:    Ron Babuka <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: RAF Training Command

Are there (and has anyone seen) statistics of training aircraft downed and
damaged from ENEMY ACTIONS while on training sorties?  I would be intrested
in both Allied and Axis data per year.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ron Babuka                                         National Warplane Museum
Cornell University                                 Geneseo, New York
CIT - Information Resources
Ithaca, New York 14850
(607) 254-6492

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

Date:    Tue, 9 Aug 1994 11:05:32 -0800
From:    Julian E Gomez <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Privateer

>Tim,
>
>I seem to recall that the US Forest Service in CO was flying a Privateer
>as late as five years ago out of Jefferson County airport NW of Denver.
>I was wondering if it was still flying.

It is. I saw it (or at least a USFS Privateer) Friday at Douglas County
Airport, Minden, NV, where it was being used to fight the Verdi fire.

"I was a precocious child and obviously destined to be a scientist."

        Dr. Julian "a tribble took it" Gomez
        Apple Computer, Inc.  408/862-1289 or 996-1010
        [email-masked]  [email-masked]

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

Date:    Tue, 9 Aug 1994 13:56:03 EDT
From:    Alan Wild <[email-masked]>
Subject: German Maps

Perhaps someone here can help,... -Al
------------------------------------------------------------------------
WWII German maps

Date:         Tue, 9 Aug 1994 09:18:21 EDT
Reply-To:     Maps and Air Photo Systems Forum
 <[email-masked]>
From:         [email-masked]

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
A reader here has acquired many German pre-invasion intelligence maps of
Russia. These are maps of the Russian front, ca. 1940-41, published by the
Intelligence Division, Germany-Generalstab des Heeres. The maps are in many
segments, oblong, and have text, biblband, sttreetmaps, directories. Topicla
maps include weather, water, power, commercial themes. He lacks the inhalts so
he doesn't know the total possible contents. The maps are in 3' by 3' wooden?
cartons.  I believe the first few words of the titles are Militargeographische
Angaben...Europaisches Russland or des Asiatische Russland...

Apologies for stream of consciousness version of this, and misspellings. I am
typing this from raw telephone notes.

Any ideas anyone? As to a complete contents list? How many of these were
printed and distributed (apparently to the troops on the Russian front, or
just to the strategists?)

many thanks, in advance for your input and information on this.

Alice Hudson
Map division, NYPL

[email-masked]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alan Wild, LAN Mgr.  Father of 1.8815          Voice:          (401) 792-2611
ACC - Lippitt - URI  American Legion Post 102. FAX:            (401) 792-5479
Kingston, RI  02881  NRA Life Member           BITNET:           AWild@URIACC
                                               Internet: [email-masked]

"Duties and responsibilities were woven into the fabric of pre-D-Day living.
It was a self-disciplined, free society that those troops cherished, and they
fought a war for it.

The Woodstock celebrants won a cultural war eliminating both the standards
of, and the respect for, self-discipline.

The spoils of that victory are numerous and devastating.
                                                          -John A. Howard
                                                           Rockford Institute
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date:    Wed, 10 Aug 1994 08:39:26 +1000
From:    Derek Monz <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Estern front nightfighters.

As the topic suggests fellow lists members, I am conducting research into
the activities of night fighter squadrons on the estaern front during the
secindf world war. Ant help would be appreciated. evene the smallest
thign helps.

thanks in advance

[email-masked] Msc (Geology) 1994.
disclaimer: - I didn't do it!.

" In the beginning Boeing created the B-17 and they were pleased. It came to
pass that the United States Army Air Corps saw what Boeing had wrought and
they too were pleased, and they praised the big bird that Boeing had
brought forth. And it also came to pass that the Luftwaffe saw the B-17
and they were sorely afraid exclaiming loudly "oh woe is me, oh woe is
me"".
                            ((-------))
                                \o/
                                 |
                               _/ \_

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

Date:    Tue, 9 Aug 1994 18:15:02 -0600
From:    Chip Merton <[email-masked]>
Subject: small-arms of major powers

I am looking for information regarding the small-arms of the major powers.
Specificly, information on muzzle velocity, bullet (slug) weight, etc. etc.
Any information would be helpful.

Chip Merton  in%"[email-masked]"

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

Date:    Tue, 9 Aug 1994 21:05:00 EDT
From:    mc killop <[email-masked]>
Subject: [INF] USAAF 10 AUG 44

COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
THURSDAY, 10 AUGUST 1944
FTP SITES
  1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
  2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/airforce/
     wwii_chronology

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
  B-29, Boeing Superfortress
  F-6, North American Mustang
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-40, Curtiss
  P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
  P-51, North American Mustang

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 4 B-25s on a shipping sweep spot 2 patrol
boats 75 miles (121 km) ESE of Shimushu Island, Kurile Islands; one is sunk,
the other is damaged.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 9 B-25s bomb the town of
Shwekyina; a few P-51s support ground forces by hitting a railroad station at
Mingon.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 9 P-40s strafe Taiyuan Airfield
claiming 20+ aircraft destroyed; 16 P-40s destroy 4 trucks and damage about
50 others at Siangtan and in the Changsha area; 2 P-40s strafe numerous junks
along the S China coast.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): 2 missions are flown during
the night of 10/11 Aug; in one, 24 B-29s, out of Chengtu, China, bomb the
urban area of Nagasaki, Japan and 3 others hit targets of opportunity; the
B-29s claim 1 fighter shot down, the first such claim (except probables) by
the B-29s. In other missions, the first staged through China Bay, Ceylon, 31
B-29s bomb oil refineries at Palembang, Sumatra, 8 mine the Moesi River
nearby, and 3 hit targets of opportunity and a secondary target; the first
attack, from Ceylon to Sumatra, is the longest single-stage combat flight
(about 3,900 miles or 6,276 km) by B-29s during the war.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 45 P-51s in Italy during an
Operation FRANTIC mission are dispatched with Fifteenth Air Force aircraft to
escort a troop carrier evacuation mission.
  Mission 537: 175 B-24 and 249 fighters are dispatched against fuel dumps
and bridges SE of Paris; 38 hit Clamecy Bridge, 31 hit Joigny, 31 hit Pacy-
sur-Armencon, 26 hit Sens, 23 hit St Florentin and 13 hit targets of
opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 19 damaged; 1
airman is WIA and 1 MIA. Escort is provided by 238 of 249 P-51s; they claim
8-0-0 aircraft; 3 P-51s are lost.
  Mission 538: 138 fighters are dispatched to hit rail targets in C and E
France; 5 fighters are lost.
  Mission 539: 1 of 1 B-17s drops leaflets on Brest, France.
  Mission 540: 4 of 4 B-17s drop leaflets in France and Norway during the
night.
  583 fighters are dispatched to hit rail targets in France; they claim
19-0-8 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-38s and 4 P-51s are lost.
  In England, the 788th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 467th Bombardment Group
(Heavy), moves from Harrington to Rackheath with B-24s; and the 856th,
857th, 858th and 859th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 492d Bombardment
Group (Heavy) move from North Pickenham to Harrington with B-24s (the
squadrons fly CARPETBAGGER missions until Apr 45).

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, almost 200 B-26s and
A-20s bomb rail bridges and embankments in wide areas around Paris; fighters
escort bombers, support ground forces, give defensive cover, and fly armed
reconnaissance in battle areas and around Amiens, Paris, Cambrai, Meaux,
Dijon, and Troyes; HQ 362d Fighter Group and 379th Fighter Squadron move from
Lignerolles to Rennes with P-47s; and the 15th Tactical Reconnaissance
Squadron and 155th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 10th Photographic
Group (Reconnaissance), move from Chalgrove, England to Rennes with F-6s and
A-20s, respectively.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 450+ B-17s and B-24s, with
fighter escort, hit 6 oil refineries in the Ploesti, Rumania area. In
Italy, the 37th Fighter Squadron, 14th Fighter Group, ceases operating from
Corsica with P-38s and returns to base at Triolo Airfield; and the 94th
Fighter Squadron, 1st Fighter Group, based at Salsola Airfield with P-38s,
sends a detachment to operate from Aghione, Corsica.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): Medium bomber and A-20 missions
are cancelled by bad weather; fighter-bombers, operating on a reduced scale,
hit gun positions along the S coast of France in preparation for the Allied
invasion of S France (Operation DRAGOON).

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s, flying their first
mission from Saipan Island, pound Iwo Jima Island, Volcano Islands, beginning
the AAF's neutralization campaign of that island. Saipan-based P-47s hit
Tinian and Pagan Islands. All organized resistance on Guam Island ends. B-24s
from Kwajalein Atoll hit Wotje Atoll.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s attack Yap
Island, concentrating on AA positions, airfields and the town of Yap; others
hit airfields at Galela and Lolobata, Halmahera Island and Namlea, Buru
Island. In New Guinea, B-25s bomb Langgoer Airfield; fighter-bombers attack
Sorong, Manokwari, and villages along the W coast of Geelvink Bay; fighter-
bombers continue to pound forces between Aitape and Wewak; large-scale troop
carrier missions are flown to forward bases, especially on Schouten Islands;
HQ Fifth Air Force moves from Nadzab to Owi, Schouten Islands; HQ 91st
Photographic Wing (Reconnaissance) moves from Nadzab to Biak Island; HQ
308th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) moves from Owi, Schouten Islands to Hollandia;
and HQ 90th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and 319th and 320th Bombardment
Squadrons (Heavy) move from Nadzab to Biak Island with B-24s.

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

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|  Jack McKillop         |  Those who have long enjoyed such      |
|  Bellcore              |  privileges as we enjoy forget in      |
|  Piscataway, NJ USA    |  time that men have died to win them.  |
|  [email-masked]  |                       FDR              |
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10/0107Z AUG

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End of WWII-L Digest - 8 Aug 1994 to 9 Aug 1994
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