Fifth Air Force Light and Medium Bomber Operations During 1942 and 1943: Building Doctrine and Forces that Triumphed in the World War II Battle of the Bismarck Sea and the Wewak Raid, Skip-Bombing

Nonfiction, History, Military, Aviation, World War II
Cover of the book Fifth Air Force Light and Medium Bomber Operations During 1942 and 1943: Building Doctrine and Forces that Triumphed in the World War II Battle of the Bismarck Sea and the Wewak Raid, Skip-Bombing by Progressive Management, Progressive Management
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Progressive Management ISBN: 9781370570515
Publisher: Progressive Management Publication: September 23, 2016
Imprint: Smashwords Edition Language: English
Author: Progressive Management
ISBN: 9781370570515
Publisher: Progressive Management
Publication: September 23, 2016
Imprint: Smashwords Edition
Language: English

This important report has been professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction. When Generals George C. Kenney and Ennis C. Whitehead became the two senior commanders of the US Fifth Air Force in July 1942 their work was cut out for them. The previous January, the Japanese secured the port of Rabaul in eastern New Britain. They immediately began the drive down the east coast of New Guinea with the objective of driving the Allies from Port Moresby. For the next year and a half, in some the harshest climate of World War II, the Fifth Air Force helped to reverse the tide and drive the Japanese from eastern New Guinea. This was accomplished despite the Europe-first policy and an inappropriate doctrine based on high altitude, daylight, precision bombing.
Kenney and Whitehead's first task was to modify existing aircraft and develop a suitable doctrine to interdict Japanese shipping between New Britain and New Guinea. In order to suppress ship-borne antiaircraft artillery, forward-firing machine guns were mounted in the nose of Douglas A-20 light bombers and North American B-25 medium bombers. Low altitude skip-bombing tactics were borrowed from the British and perfected by constant practice and refinement.
By February 1943, Allied intelligence, greatly aided by ULTRA intercepts, predicted the movement of a Japanese convoy destined for New Guinea. Kenney and Whitehead were determined to destroy the convoy with their recently modified commerce destroyer fleet and focused all their energies on doing so. A dress rehearsal featuring the Fifth Air Force light and medium bombers as the main striking force was conducted in the Port Moresby Harbor. On March 3rd after being hit twice by mass, coordinated attacks, the convoy was virtually wiped out in what became known as the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.
That same fleet of light and medium bombers also proved deadly against enemy airfields. Aircraft combat range was extended and modifications were made to the bomb bays to accept parachute fragmentation bombs. Airfield attack profiles were developed and once again, ULTRA provided a suitable target. In preparation for the anticipated Allied ground invasion of the Huon Peninsula, the Japanese moved the 4th Air Army to their four bases near Wewak. Beginning on August 17th, in a carefully- planned attack, Fifth Air Force bombers caught the enemy on the ground. By August 21st, nearly every aircraft at Wewak was destroyed. The subsequent Allied invasion was carried out virtually unopposed from the air.
Fifth Air Force light and medium bomber operations during 1942 and 1943 are textbook examples of doctrinal flexibility and extraordinary innovation. The unprecedented success of both the Battle of the Bismarck Sea and the Wewak Raid illustrate how airpower became the dominant force in the Southwest Pacific.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

This important report has been professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction. When Generals George C. Kenney and Ennis C. Whitehead became the two senior commanders of the US Fifth Air Force in July 1942 their work was cut out for them. The previous January, the Japanese secured the port of Rabaul in eastern New Britain. They immediately began the drive down the east coast of New Guinea with the objective of driving the Allies from Port Moresby. For the next year and a half, in some the harshest climate of World War II, the Fifth Air Force helped to reverse the tide and drive the Japanese from eastern New Guinea. This was accomplished despite the Europe-first policy and an inappropriate doctrine based on high altitude, daylight, precision bombing.
Kenney and Whitehead's first task was to modify existing aircraft and develop a suitable doctrine to interdict Japanese shipping between New Britain and New Guinea. In order to suppress ship-borne antiaircraft artillery, forward-firing machine guns were mounted in the nose of Douglas A-20 light bombers and North American B-25 medium bombers. Low altitude skip-bombing tactics were borrowed from the British and perfected by constant practice and refinement.
By February 1943, Allied intelligence, greatly aided by ULTRA intercepts, predicted the movement of a Japanese convoy destined for New Guinea. Kenney and Whitehead were determined to destroy the convoy with their recently modified commerce destroyer fleet and focused all their energies on doing so. A dress rehearsal featuring the Fifth Air Force light and medium bombers as the main striking force was conducted in the Port Moresby Harbor. On March 3rd after being hit twice by mass, coordinated attacks, the convoy was virtually wiped out in what became known as the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.
That same fleet of light and medium bombers also proved deadly against enemy airfields. Aircraft combat range was extended and modifications were made to the bomb bays to accept parachute fragmentation bombs. Airfield attack profiles were developed and once again, ULTRA provided a suitable target. In preparation for the anticipated Allied ground invasion of the Huon Peninsula, the Japanese moved the 4th Air Army to their four bases near Wewak. Beginning on August 17th, in a carefully- planned attack, Fifth Air Force bombers caught the enemy on the ground. By August 21st, nearly every aircraft at Wewak was destroyed. The subsequent Allied invasion was carried out virtually unopposed from the air.
Fifth Air Force light and medium bomber operations during 1942 and 1943 are textbook examples of doctrinal flexibility and extraordinary innovation. The unprecedented success of both the Battle of the Bismarck Sea and the Wewak Raid illustrate how airpower became the dominant force in the Southwest Pacific.

More books from Progressive Management

Cover of the book 21st Century FEMA Study Course: Introduction to Debris Operations (IS-632.a) Public Assistance Grants, Debris Management Plans, Sites, Estimating Procedures, Recycling, Environmental Considerations by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Confronting the Ghost of Stalin: Euro-Atlantic Efforts to Secure Georgia - NATO Enlargement, Russia and Putin, Caucasian Legacy, Transcaucasus, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Pankisi Gorge, Tsitelubani by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Wildland Fire in Ecosystems: Fire and Nonnative Invasive Plants (Rainbow Series) Part 2 - Invasion Ecology, Use of Fire to Control Plants, Northeast, Southeast, Central, West Bioregions by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Circling the Earth: United States Plans for a Postwar Overseas Military Base System, 1942-1948 - Projecting Military Power after World War II by Progressive Management
Cover of the book An Operational Analysis of the Pearl Harbor Attack: World War II Deception to Achieve Surprise, Reconnaissance and Intelligence Execution, Admiral Yamamoto, Japanese Aircraft Carriers Akaqi and Kaga by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Deterring North Korea from Using WMD in Future Conflicts and Crises: Nuclear, Chemical, Biological Weapons, Deterrence by Punishment, Understanding North Korean Provocations, Escalatory Brinksmanship by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Turning on the Dime: Diplomacy's Role in National Security - Role of State Department in Preventing Conflict and Advancing National Interests, Improving Interagency Cooperation for Policy Objectives by Progressive Management
Cover of the book 21st Century Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute (PKSOI) Papers - U.S. Military Forces and Police Assistance in Stability Operations: The Least-Worst Option to Fill the U.S. Capacity Gap by Progressive Management
Cover of the book A Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA): Anti-Bribery Provisions, Definitions, Payments to Third Parties, Extortion, Accounting, Reporting, Anti-Fraud Violations, Penalties by Progressive Management
Cover of the book The Air Force Role in Low-Intensity Conflict: Morocco-Polisario War, Special Air Warfare Center by Progressive Management
Cover of the book A Tradecraft Primer: Structured Analytic Techniques for Improving Intelligence Analysis - Cognitive and Perceptual Biases, Reasoning Processes by Progressive Management
Cover of the book U.S. Army Equipment Encyclopedia: Weapons, Tracked and Wheeled Vehicles, Helicopters, Artillery, Programs, and Systems - plus the Army Posture Statement, Weapon Systems Document, Acquisitions by Progressive Management
Cover of the book 21st Century U.S. Military Manuals: The U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Concept Development Guide - TRADOC Pamphlet 71-20-3 (Professional Format Series) by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Countering Naval Guerrilla Warfare: Are Convoys Obsolete? Theory, History, Analysis, Implications, Mahan, Corbett, Command of the Seas, Commerce Raiding, Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigate by Progressive Management
Cover of the book 21st Century U.S. Military Manuals: Maritime Prepositioning Force Operations Marine Corps Field Manual (Value-Added Professional Format Series) by Progressive Management
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy