Pacific Counterblow - Air Force Historical Studies Office

More documents

Recommendations

Info

the aircraft. On 6 August, all available hands-and available hands included Colonel Saunders and Brig. Gen. William C. Rose, who commanded ground forces on Espiritu and Efate-worked a bucket line for 20 hours in a driving storm to put 25,000 gallons of gasoline aboard the bombers. But such labors were not enough, and strike missions were delayed for lack of service facilities. Espiritu's airdrome was no Randolph Field. A narrow strip cut partly from a coconut grove, partly from the encroaching jungle; revetments barely deep enough to keep a B-17's nose off the runway and so narrow a man had to stand at each wing tip to guide the pilots out to the short taxiway; no lights. Bottles of oil with paper wicks flickered along the runway and jeep headlights marked its end as the early morning missions took off. The squadrons of the iith were distributed as follows: The 42d at Plaines des Gaiacs; the 98th at Espiritu, where the 26th subsequently joined from Efate; and the 431st at Nandi. Headquarters was at Efate, but Colonel Saunders maintained a command post on Espiritu and flew part of his headquarters personnel there on io August. Nandi, the most rearward of the bases, was clean and quiet and served as a rest area and a convenient place for engine changes. Colonel Saunders regularly relieved his units after i week in the forward area. Operational control defied the field manuals. The wide dispersal of the units and unreliable radio communications made contact with the squadrons exceedingly difficult. Colonel Saunders could exercise direct control only over the 14 Fortresses at Espiritu, and even this was complicated by lack of field telephones and motor transport. He was running four search missions daily and holding six aircraft for a striking force. In an emergency he might supplement the latter with six B-i7's from Efate, but he strongly doubted that the Efate contingent could hit the target at such a distance. He advised General Harmon that additional fields were needed on Espiritu. By the I8th of August, the supply situation of the group had become critical. Six ball turret doors had already broken off and no spares were available. Turbosupercharger regulators were giving trouble, as were flight and engine instruments. The dusty fields necessitated constant engine changes; Nandi's 12 spares were already in service and the next change at Plaines des Gaiacs would exhaust 13
HEADING FOR HOME. After a successful attack on the shipping shown in the lower left of the photograph, a B-i 7 of the i ith Bombardment Group (H) wings over Kahili <strong>Air</strong>field as enemy fighters taking off raise clouds of dust. The picture was taken looking southwest. The surface ships are off the settlement at Buin, and the finger of water above the wing at the left is Tonolei harbor. 14
Page 1 and 2: .. .. .. .. . .. .. ..... ..... ..
Page 3 and 4: Wings at War Series, No. 3 DISTRIBU
Page 5 and 6: Foreword Pacific Counterblow tells
Page 7 and 8: Lt. Gen. Millard F. Harmon, former
Page 9 and 10: first from Rabaul, secured by the e
Page 11 and 12: stepping stones to Australia, units
Page 13 and 14: efore the departure of the Marines
Page 15 and 16: Colonel Saunders, the Forts flew th
Page 17 and 18: Fuel was running low and the presen
Page 19: Nine maintenance men for nine aircr
Page 23 and 24: At 1745 the three-plane flight atta
Page 25 and 26: Leaving Blaines des Gaiacs on 21 Au
Page 27 and 28: the cigarettes, and even the carame
Page 29 and 30: out; seven cruised the towering cum
Page 31 and 32: No Army or Marine aircraft then ext
Page 33 and 34: gether a total of 25 landing craft
Page 35 and 36: in fact, he even asked for more P-4
Page 37 and 38: Navy turned back in the Battle of t
Page 39 and 40: were already up over Shortland Isla
Page 41 and 42: of ioo-pounders on the strip and pa
Page 43 and 44: another sustained two flat tires; a
Page 45 and 46: On instructions from Marine headqua
Page 47 and 48: of precious fuel was burned before
Page 49 and 50: These days, prelude to a big enemy
Page 51 and 52: enemy intentions clarifies the role
Page 53 and 54: o - - A -- -J (6
Page 55 and 56: quired not only to turn the Japanes
Page 57 and 58: to Guadalcanal. Command of the 67 t
Page 59 and 60: 52Z ,-0 cr- . 4) tu 41-, "r6 0Uen.
Page 61 and 62: SBD's and the B-26's. All five dive
Page 63: to clear the way. The 67th had reti

Pacific Counterblow - Air Force Historical Studies Office

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?