Pacific Counterblow - Air Force Historical Studies Office
Pacific Counterblow - Air Force Historical Studies Office
Pacific Counterblow - Air Force Historical Studies Office
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canopies covered with mist as warmer air was reached, and one pilot,<br />
blinded, continued down into the sea. He was the 67th's only loss as<br />
against one Zero and one torpedo bomber to its credit. Altogether,<br />
three Zeros and one torpedo plane got away; none of the American<br />
ships sustained serious damage.<br />
Scout planes up The Slot, meanwhile, had discovered that the Japanese<br />
were moving down a task force, probably with the intention<br />
of attacking the transports off Guadalcanal, and towards evening the<br />
latter were accordingly withdrawn. Then Admiral Callaghan headed<br />
back for Savo, where he fought against odds, one of the wildest<br />
night actions in naval history. Both sides suffered heavily, the<br />
Japanese more heavily, and Henderson took no shelling that night.<br />
<strong>Air</strong> Reinforcements<br />
Thus far the defense had succeeded, but the main Japanese onslaught<br />
had not yet been met. To counter it, the Enterprise, South<br />
Dakota, and Washington had moved out from Noumea on the iith.<br />
COMSOPAC began to concentrate land-based aircraft on Guadalcanal.<br />
Fresh SBD's, TBF's, and Wildcats were flown in and on<br />
12 November, at 1530, something new was added. Eight Lightnings<br />
landed on the fighter strip just east of Henderson.<br />
There is a pleasant story about the advent of these P- 38's. It holds<br />
that as the Marines on the field spotted the Army pilots climbing<br />
out of their formidable fighters they cheered wildly and rushed out<br />
to greet them-with reason, for old friends had come. Leading the<br />
flight was Maj. Dale Brannon, who back in August had brought the<br />
first P- 4oo's, the "klunkers," into the strip the Japanese had begun.<br />
With him were other former 67th pilots, veterans of the Jagdstaffel.<br />
The eight P-38's belonged to the 339th Fighter Squadron. Late<br />
in August it had been decided to activate a fighter group in New<br />
Caledonia, to comprise the 67th, 68th, and 7oth Fighter Squadrons<br />
and another yet to be activated. By the end of September the orders<br />
had gone out; on 3 October, the 347th Fighter Group and the 339th<br />
Fighter Squadron were officially in existence. As cadre for the 339 th,<br />
the old 67th provided 29 officers and io6 enlisted men, with Major<br />
Brannon in command. With him to the new organization passed<br />
the four lieutenants who had accompanied him on the pioneer hop<br />
49