Pacific Counterblow - Air Force Historical Studies Office

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latter were accordingly withdrawn.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