Strana 11
Philippines and Java
P-40Es continued to fight in ever
decreasing numbers in the Philippines for four
excruciating months. The U.S. military’s first
ace of World War II, Lt Boyd “Buzz” Wagner
of the 17th Pursuit Squadron, scored his
fifth victory in a P-40E on December 16, 1941.
The 37th and last confirmed victory by a P-40
pilot in the Philippines occurred on April 12,
when Lt. John Brownewell of the 17th Pursuit
Squadron shot down a Japanese floatplane
near Del Monte on Mindanao. The campaign
ended on May 6, 1942, when starving American
forces in the island fortress of Corregidor
surrendered. Meanwhile, P-40Es also had
been heavily engaged in the defense of Java,
a six-week campaign that again ended badly
for the United States and its allies. On January
25, 1942, 13 P-40Es of a new provisional
pursuit squadron, also named the 17th, arrived
in Soerabaja, Java, to provide air defense
against the expected Japanese invasion of
this oil-rich island. 1/Lt. George E. Kiser, one
of several veterans of the early fighting over
Luzon who flew in the 17th throughout the Java
campaign, wrote this account:
“Soon after we
arrived in Soerabaja, we moved to Blimbing,
a newly constructed (and well camouflaged)
field. … We flew many missions from Blimbing
Field. In fact, a lot of us flew about 150 hours
during the short stay there. At all times we
were outnumbered at the least 10 to 1, but still
we managed to get official credit for in excess
of 65 victories (author’s note: the currently
accepted total is 49) with only a loss of nine
pilots killed or missing. … On March 1, 1942,
the Japanese landed on Java in force, and
after attacking this huge armada of ships
with only ten P-40s, it was decided that the
situation was hopeless, so the entire squadron
retreated, along with the 19th Bombardment
Group, to Australia.”
Darwin
Australia suffered its own version of the
Pearl Harbor attack on February 19, 1942,
when JNAF land- and carrier-based aircraft
struck the northern port city of Darwin in two
devastating raids. A convoy of ships, loaded
with equipment and troops bound for the
defense of Timor Island, was caught in the
harbor and mostly destroyed. Dock facilities,
a nearby airfield and even a hospital were
bombed as well, with a great loss of life
incurred.
Ten P-40Es of the just-formed 33rd Pursuit
Squadron (Provisional) were in Darwin at the
time to escort the convoy while enroute to
reinforce the 17th squadron in Java. But nine of
these planes were destroyed in air and on the
ground during the day. Only one American pilot
was able to make a claim.
The first Darwin attack, followed on March
3 by a strafing attack on the west coast port
of Broome and the fall of Java three days later,
stirred a wave of invasion panic throughout
Australia. Operational training of the green
pilots of the USAAF 49th Pursuit Group, many
of them recent graduates of flying school,
was cut short so they could be deployed to
provide air defense. The 49th had arrived by
ship on January 28, 1942, and immediately
began assembling 100 P-40Es while its pilots
put the finishing touches on their training.
Fortunately, a cadre of 12 pilots just back from
Java, including George Kiser, was available
to provide experienced flight leaders for the
three squadrons of the 49th.
Japanese air attacks on northern Australia
continued sporadically throughout the spring
and summer of 1942. The last air raid against
Darwin opposed by the 49th (redesignated as
a fighter group in May) came on August 23.
In this combat, aces George Kiser and Jim
Morehead scored their final victories before
completing their tours in the Pacific. The
total of 15 kills on the day brought the 49th’s
final tally during the defense of Darwin to
78 confirmed victories, eight probables and
four damaged.
New Guinea and Aleutian Islands
In September, with RAAF fighter squadrons
now available to assume air defense duties
at Darwin, the 49th FG began the next
chapter in its remarkable history. The fight
for Port Moresby was approaching its climax,
and the 7th Fighter Squadron was ordered
up from Darwin to fight alongside No. 75 and
No. 76 squadrons RAAF in New Guinea.
Under the command of Java veteran Capt.
Bill Hennon, the 7th Fighter Squadron arrived
at 14-mile Drome outside Port Moresby on
September 14 and immediately began flying
fighter-bomber missions in support of the
Australian troops fighting along the Kokoda
Trail. These missions, which included strafing,
dive-bombing and escort duties, were very
effective at helping the Aussies halt the enemy
advance.
At the start of its operations, the 343rd FG was led by Lt. Col. John Stephen Chennault, the son of legendary
“Flying Tigers” leader Col. Claire Lee Chennault. The “Aleutian Tigers” adopted the tiger motif and adorned noses
of their aircraft with stylized tiger heads. (photo: NARA)
HISTORY
INFO Eduard
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February 2025