Combat operations Far East Air Force (United States)

1 combat operations

1.1 philippines campaign

1.1.1 surprise attack
1.1.2 defense of bataan


1.2 netherlands east indies campaign

1.2.1 rebuilding feaf
1.2.2 operations on java

combat operations
philippines campaign
surprise attack

curtiss p-40es

japanese air operations against feaf airfields on luzon scheduled take off formosan bases beginning @ 1:30 am on 8 december, attacks commence 21 minutes after dawn (and approximately 4 hours after offensive operations began in hawaii), @ 6:30 am. however, reconnaissance flights dispatched check weather conditions between formosa , luzon neither returned nor reported launch time approached, , thick fog on southern formosa set timetable 90 minutes. commanders of japanese units disturbed when monitoring of american radio traffic indicated weather flights had been detected despite darkness , attempts made iba-based p-40s intercept. although interceptions failed, iba field substituted target in place of nichols (where assumed 2 squadrons of b-17s had dispersed) deal new interceptor threat. further radio monitoring revealed japanese u.s. asiatic fleet had been alerted @ 4:00 am of attack on pearl harbor, , expected attacks on own bases b-17s (bombing through fog undercast) @ time after 7:00 am. air defense weaknesses of feaf mirrored of japanese, had prepared offensive operations, no attack came before final revised plan issued @ 7:50 am, ordering main attack force of japanese land-based aircraft launch @ 9:15 am , attack @ 12:30 pm

brereton attempted in person obtain authorization attacks on formosa after word of events in hawaii reached manila, twice prevented speaking macarthur sutherland. authorization refused, apparently misinterpretation of standing orders not make first overt act. p-40 squadrons @ clark, iba, , nichols moved alert takeoff positions @ 6:00 am news of war spread among units. large force of aircraft detected flying south towards luzon, prompting takeoff @ 8:30 am of 15 of 19 b-17s @ clark orders patrol within communications range of control tower, while 24th pursuit group launched 3 p-40 squadrons , p-35 squadron @ del carmen patrol central luzon intruders. @ 8:50 am , 10:00 am, telephone attempts obtain authorization usaffe headquarters b-17 attack rebuffed sutherland. macarthur himself called brereton @ 10:15 am , released bomber force employ @ discretion. brereton ordered 2 bombers conduct reconnaissance flights , recalled rest prepare late afternoon bombing mission. b-17s , fighters, low on fuel, landed 11:00 am refuel , prepare afternoon operations.

japanese naval bombers , fighters took off according revised schedule , approached luzon in 2 well-separated forces, both of detected iba radar detachment before 11:30 am. despite hour s warning, p-40 squadron @ iba took off, , ran low on fuel in futile response confusing instructions 24th pg resulted changing analyses of japanese intents. iba p-40s in landing pattern when japanese struck. aircraft @ clark , iba caught on ground when attack began @ 12:35 pm. 1 hundred , 7 two-engined bombers divided 2 equal forces bombed airfields first, after 90 0 fighters conducted strafing attacks until 1:25 pm (the fighters strafing iba concluded @ 1:05 pm, after flew clark , resumed attacks). entire b-17 force @ clark, one-third of u.s. fighters , operational radar unit destroyed. japanese lost 7 fighters , single bomber combat.

follow-up attacks on nichols , del carmen fields, not targeted on 8 december, followed 2 days later, completing destruction of aaf offensive , defensive opposition japanese in pacific. decision made late day save surviving fighters reconnaissance use avoiding direct combat. fourteen surviving b-17s, after 2 days of small , unsuccessful attacks on japanese amphibious forces, transferred batchelor field, australia, maintenance between 17 , 20 december, bringing clagett them. resumed bombing missions australia against japanese shipping in philippines, landing @ del monte, beginning december 22 , continuing through 25 december. on january 1, 1942, remaining ten operational bombers forward located java.

brereton evacuated feaf headquarters on 24 december darwin, northern territory way of netherlands east indies, leaving new head of 5th interceptor command, col. harold h. george (promoted brigadier general 25 january 1942) in command of units in philippines. reduced single squadron-sized composite force, pursuit fighters husbanded reconnaissance duties , forbidden engage in combat until forced evacuate fields hurriedly built on bataan peninsula, usaffe , feaf ordered withdraw on 24 december, last aircraft arriving on 2 january 1942.

defense of bataan

aircraft mechanics of 24th pg 1 of last p-40es @ bataan field in january 1942

combat , accidents reduced did not eliminate p-40 complement, , group of pursuit pilots, called bataan field flying detachment, continued fly missions until last day of campaign, employing 30-pound fragmentation bombs , machine gun fire ordnance. 4 of 6 p-40s sent del monte on 8 january recalled bataan 2 weeks later, 3 arrived, leaving detachment still 7 p-40es , 2 p-40bs. small detachment, gradually attrited, had few notable successes:

26 january 1942, morning missions strafed boats attempting reinforce japanese landings behind usaffe lines on west coast of bataan, , shot down 3 mitsubishi ki-30 (army type 97) ann dive bombers trying support landings. night detachment conducted successful attack on japanese aircraft @ nielson field, shot truck convoy on north shore of manila bay.
1–2 february 1942, night attack 4 p-40s flying 2 sorties each bombed , strafed 13-barge convoy attempting delivery 700 reinforcements japanese beachheads, destroying 9 , killing approximately half troops aboard, confirmed later japanese records.
2 march 1942, all-day attack on shipping in subic bay , supply dumps on grande island resulted in 12 sorties. claims included total destruction of ammunition ship, japanese records not located corroborate more subchaser sunk. apparently extensive damage @ least 4 large ships made. 4 of 5 remaining p-40s used in attacks, 1 shot down , pilot killed, , 2 others destroyed in landing accidents @ mariveles.

a single flyable p-40e remained @ bataan field, although 5 march mechanics had repaired damaged p-40b @ cabcaben using p-40e parts, facetiously calling composite p-40 . occasional individual reconnaissance flights made in following month 2 craft. brig. gen. george evacuated pt boat on 11 march, ending effective usefulness of detachment, pilots severely debilitated starvation , disease. churchill succeeded nominal command 12 days before surrender, unable evacuate , became prisoner of war.

accidents put 3 p-40s based on mindanao out of commission 9 february, leaving 2 p-35s had escaped bataan. transfer of propeller put p-40 in commission 2 days later, , shipment cebu submarine of parts taken wrecks on bataan put in operation mid-march, when fire destroyed 1 of them on ground. 3 new p-40es, still in crates, shipped brisbane, australia, blockade runner on 22 february ran aground on 9 march on reef between bohol , leyte. hidden , moved barge @ night, crates reached mindanao on 26 march, makeshift air depot had been established in coconut grove @ buenavista airfield using mechanics of 19th bomb group , 440th ordnance company. 2 april, 3 p-40s assembled , flight-tested, making mindanao p-40 force twice large on bataan.

the 2 p-40s on bataan both flew out on 8 april, p-40e iloilo city on panay, landed wheels up, , p-40b cebu. 2 p-35s on mindanao flew bataan field on 4 april , evacuated 3 pursuit pilots in baggage compartments. navy grumman j2f duck 20th pursuit squadron raised mariveles bay , placed in service again on 24 march evacuated 5 officers. bataan surrendered next morning. p-40b reached mindanao crashed on 14 april trying land @ dalirig in heavy rain.

although feaf no longer existed command, p-40s , service troops on mindanao supported final offensive air operations of campaign. on 11 april ten b-25 mitchell medium bombers of 3rd bomb group , 3 b-17es of 40th reconnaissance squadron took off batchelor field , arrived evening @ del monte. small task force, commanded maj. gen. ralph royce, had planned break japanese blockade of luzon long enough supplies delivered sea bataan. surrender obviated mission , instead aircraft flew 2 days of attacks against landing forces @ cebu city , davao on 12 , 13 april.

the 3 new p-40es , sole remaining p-35 operated out of maramag field until 3 may. p-35 transferred philippine army air corps , 2 surviving p-40es captured intact japanese army on 12 may.

against loss causes of 108 p-40s , 25 p-35s (25 in air-to-air combat), feaf pilots credited usaf historical study no. 85, usaf credits destruction of enemy aircraft, world war ii, 35 aerial victories between 8 december 1941 , 12 april 1942. 33 pursuit pilots killed in campaign , 83 surrendered become prisoners of war, 49 of dying in captivity. 95% of enlisted men became pows, , 61% of died before repatriated.

netherlands east indies campaign
rebuilding feaf

on 29 december 1941, brereton , staff arrived in darwin , reestablished feaf headquarters. combat forces 14 b-17s of 19th bomb group sent south del monte. 1 january 1942, ten of bombers had been shifted northwest singosari airfield on java, 19th bg flew next combat mission on 4 january against japanese shipping off davao city, using samarinda airfield on borneo staging base. on 11 january first aircraft of 7th bomb group arrived via india , date on feaf conducted operations solely defense of netherlands east indies. feaf became part of american-british-dutch-australian command (abda) created unify forces in defense of nei. on 18 january, feaf headquarters moved bandoeng.

a-24 dive bomber being assembled @ archerfield

the pensacola convoy philippines diverted on 13 december brisbane, disembarked air corps personnel , crated a-24 dive bombers on 23 december, continued darwin field artillery reinforcements on 29 december. pursuit , partially trained pilots began training assembly of crated aircraft went forward @ archerfield , amberley airdromes. 21 pilots of 27th bomb group , 17 24th pursuit group flown australia in last 2 weeks of december ferry assembled aircraft, no engine coolant had been sent fighters , guns of dive bombers missing key electrical , mounting components, hampering not reinforcement of feaf limiting flight training of new pilots. president garfield, 500 miles @ sea en route honolulu, reversed course after receiving word war had begun in hawaii , returned san francisco. usat president polk, cargo liner impressed service army transport, embarked 55 p-40s, equal number of pilots , ground crews gathered 4 groups based in california (including 27 pilots off president garfield), , sailed without escort on 18 december, reaching brisbane on 13 january 1942, assembly of p-40s began aircraft mechanics of ground crews. president polk embarked ground echelons of 2 squadrons of 7th bomb group (based @ jogjakarta) , continued java, escorted heavy cruiser uss houston, arriving in surabaya on 28 january.

by mid-january, japanese advances southward cut anticipated aircraft ferry routes philippines , reinforcement no longer feasible. instead, using aircraft assembly completed , assigning personnel @ hand, provisional fighter squadrons organized in brisbane assist royal netherlands indies air force (ml-knil) in defending nei. 17th pursuit squadron (provisional) established on 14 january, , 13 of 17 pilots had been 24th pg. 17 p-40s delivered pensacola convoy (assembly of 18th not completed because of lack of parts), flew across northern australia brisbane darwin, java via penfoie airdrome @ koepang , den pasar field on bali between 16 , 25 january. 12 warhawks arrived @ designated feaf fighter base @ ngoro field, others lost accidents, combat, , pilot illness. 20th pursuit squadron (provisional), incorporating pilots of 35th pg, took off darwin in 25 p-40s on 2 february, 17 reached java, remainder shot down on bali or damaged on ground air raids. likewise, 25 p-40s of 3rd pursuit squadron (provisional) departed brisbane, because of accidents involving novice pilots, 18 reached darwin on 8 february. 9 reinforced ngoro; entire flight of 8 lost when exhausted fuel after lb-30 navigation guide aircraft became lost in storm trying find koepang. survivors of both 3rd , 20th provisional squadrons integrated 17th ps. 33rd pursuit squadron (provisional) en route java @ darwin when annihilated japanese air raid on 19 february. of 83 p-40s assembled , flown brisbane, 37 arrived @ ngoro field, , 15 february less 20 mustered operations.

the 91st bombardment squadron re-manned in brisbane pilots 27th bg, , dispatched eleven a-24s java on 11 february, japanese threat timor prevented other 2 squadrons of 27th following. inadequate facilities @ new airfield near malang delayed maintenance of dive bombers , prevented operational use until 19 february. 32 assembled p-40s collected @ maylands airfield near perth, western australia, towed fremantle on night of 19–20 february, , loaded on flight deck of seaplane tender uss langley. langley sailed @ noon 23 february in convoy burma diverted java, freighter ms sea witch after, carrying 27 unassembled , crated p-40s destined 51st pursuit group in china. of aircraft aboard langley lost when sunk on 27 february. 31 of 33 pilots of 13th , 33rd pursuit squadrons (provisional) perished in attack. sea witch reached tjilatjap harbor next day destroyed cargo keep p-40s being captured japanese.

operations on java

b-17e flying fortress

on 3 february japanese opened series of air attacks on abda bases on java, , 19th bg again caught on ground, losing 5 of b-17s in raid on singosari, 4 of them on ground. on 20 february, mission bomb invasion force @ bali, 7 b-17s of 19th bg caught on ground @ pasirian field in southeastern java 0 strafers while re-arming , 5 more destroyed. although 38 of more capable b-17e flying fortresses , dozen lb-30 liberators incrementally reinforced both heavy bombardment groups of feaf, losses severe , slow rate of reinforcement unable keep pace. despite dispersal , elaborate camouflage, lack of antiaircraft artillery , poor warning/communication systems resulted in loss of 65 feaf aircraft on ground alone.

evacuations of personnel java , diversion of resources india , australia began 20 february. 24 february ten heavy bombers, 4 a-24 dive bombers, , 13 p-40 fighters remained flyable against japanese forces. abda command officially dissolved next day. ground echelons of both heavy bomb groups began evacuation sea on 25 february, while bombers, carrying 20 passengers each, made daily six-hour flights broome, western australia, intermediate evacuation point aircraft fleeing java. malang/singosari closed on 28 february , jogjakarta next night, following final bomber sorties. 260 men, including remnants of 17th pursuit squadron, evacuated 5 b-17s , 3 lb-30s. 35 passengers crammed final lb-30 took off @ 12:30 am of 2 march. on 3 march, 9 japanese fighters attacked broome, destroying 2 of evacuated b-17s.

of 61 heavy bombers based on java, 23 escaped: 17 b-17es, 3 lb-30s, , 3 of original b-17ds of 19th bg. 6 had been lost in aerial combat, @ least 20 destroyed on ground japanese attacks. every fighter (39) , dive bomber (11) arrived on java destroyed. against these losses, provisional pursuit squadrons credited destruction of 45 japanese aircraft in aerial combat. heavy bombers had flown on sixty missions , @ least 300 bomber sorties, 40% of bombers turned or otherwise failed find targets. brereton s evacuation india on 23 february 1942 ended existence of far east air force, had been re-designated 5 air force on 5 february. headquarters not re-manned until 18 september 1942 in australia, when designated fifth air force.

fifth air force along thirteenth air force in central pacific , seventh air force in hawaii subsequently assigned higher echelon on 3 august 1944, newly created united states far east air forces acronym feaf. feaf subordinate u.s. army forces far east , served headquarters of allied air forces southwest pacific area.

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