5th U.S. Army Air Force HQ : PHILIPPINES Order: Patrol the south-west Pacific Ocean Version: 21-01-10 (D-M-Y) - 18 profiles to see here |
| V. USAAF Command |
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Lt.-Gen. George C. Kenney 3 Sep 1942 Lt.-Gen. Ennis C. Whitehead 15 Jun 1944 Maj.-Gen. Kenneth B. Wolfe 4 Oct 1945 |
| Boeing B-17E FLYING FORTRESS |
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71st
Tactical Recon Group |
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First formed as the 71st Observation Group in August
1941, becomimg operational in October of that year 1941. The Group flew anti-submarine patrols off the west coast of the United States during December 1941 until January 1943. The Groups name was changed to the 71st Reconnaissance Group in April 1943 and then the 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group in May 1944 and yet again to the 71st Reconnaissance Group in May 1945. |
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B-25 Mitchell 17th Reconnaissance |
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17th
Recon Squadron |
82nd
Recon Squadron |
110th
Recon Squadron |
128th
Recon Squadron |
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The Group moved to the Southwest Pacific in late 1943 and was
assigned to 5th US Airforce. Based on New Guinea and Biak, they flew reconnaissance missions over New Guinea, New Britain, and the Admiralties to provide target and damage-assessment imagery, they also bombed and strafed Japanese installations, airfields and shipping. |
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| 1943, November - Dobudura, New Guinea | |||||||||||
| ? | Bell P-39Q AIRACOBRA | Bell P-39Q AIRACOBRA | ? | ||||||||
![]() ''Snooks'' P-39Q-5-BE (42-20351) 2nd Lieutenant William A. Shomo (Medal of Honor winner) Dobodura, 1943 Fate: Lost May 21, 1944. MACR 5063 |
![]() 23 "?" P-39Q-10-BE (42-21192) beginning of 1944 |
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![]() ''Snooks 2nd'' / "Betty Lou 3rd" P-39Q-5-BE (42-19995) 2nd Lieutenant William A. Shomo (Medal of Honor winner) Dobodura, Nov. 1943 Fate: Abandoned at Tadji Dec 1944. Recovered by David Tallichet's team in 1972-73 and stored at Yesterday's Air Force until 1980. Donated to Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Serviceman's Park. |
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| 1944, November - Leyte, central Philippines | |||||||||||
| Next, they moved to the Philippines in Nov 1944, were they flew reconnaissance missions to provide information on Japanese troop movements, gun positions and supply routes. They also photographed airfields in Formosa and China and attacked enemy shipping off the Asiatic coast. | |||||||||||
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![]() 23 "?" P-40N (4?-...) Leyte, December 1944 |
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| 1945 - Binmaley, Pangasinan, Luzon, northern Philippines | |||||||||||
| North American B-25D MITCHELL | North American P-51D MUSTANG | Curtiss P-40N WARHAWK | ? | ||||||||
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On 11 January 1945 Captain Shomo performed the feat that earned
him the Medal of Honor. While he and his wingman, Lt. Paul
Lipscomb, were heading north for the Japanese airfields at
Tuguegarao, Aparri, and Laoag, they saw several enemy planes
flying south at about 2,500 feet. Despite being obviously
outnumbered, they immediately pulled Immelmann turns and found
themselves behind 11 Ki-61 "Tonys" and 1 Ki-44 "Tojo" escorting a
G4M "Betty" bomber. On their first pass through the formation Shomo closed to less than 40 yards before opening fire. He shot down four Tonys, then came up under the bomber, firing into its belly. The bomber caught fire and began to lose altitude as its pilot attempted to crashland the plane. Two of the Tonys escorting the bomber stayed with it as it went down. Shomo pulled up in a tight vertical spiral to gain altitude while the Tojo turned to engage him. The Japanese fighter fired until it stalled and slipped into the clouds. The Betty exploded as it bellied in, and the two escorting Tonys broke away, staying low. Shomo made a second diving pass at the two Tonys and downed them both. In under six minutes, Bill Shomo had shot down seven enemy planes, becoming an "ace in one day." No other American pilot scored as many confirmed victories in a single mission. Meanwhile, his wingman shot down three of the remaining six planes. The surviving three Japanese planes fled the encounter. |
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![]() 66 P-51D-10-NA (F-6) (44-14841) Captain William A. Shomo lost Mar 5, 1945, SW Pacific |
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| 1945, February-April - Pangasinan province , Luzon, northern Philippines | |||||||||||
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By 1 April 1945, Shomo had been promoted to Major and was
awarded the Medal of Honor for leading an attack against heavy odds and destroying seven enemy aircraft. (Wikipedia) |
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![]() "Mitch the Witch" B-25D-25-NC (42-87293) Lt. Bill Goodrich Lingayen, Pangasinan in May 1945 Survived 190 missions in PTO Fate: Believed scrapped in theatre after war's end. |
![]() 66 "The Flying Undertaker" P-51D-20-NA (44-72505) Major William A. Shomo Binmaley, Pangasinan, 1945 |
![]() 27 "-" P-51K-15-NT (F-6K) (44-12813) Binmaley, Pangasinan, 1945 |
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| 1945, August - Ie Shima | |||||||||||
| After the Group moved again, this time to Ie Shima, they were used to attack transportation targets on Kyushu and fly over southern Japan to locate prisoner of war camps, to assess bomb damage and to obtain information on Japanese movements. | |||||||||||
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| With their last move to Japan in Oct 1945 the Group became non-operational in Febuary 1946. | |||||||||||
| 2nd Emergency Rescue Squadron |
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| 1944 - Canadian Vickers OA-10A CATALINA |
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| Later to 13th Air Force |
20th Combat Mapping Squadron |
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| 1945 - Consolidated F-7A (Photo-)LIBERATOR | |
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| V. Bomber Command |
| To see on an own page, klick above to go there |
| 3rd Bombardment Group |
| 12th Bombardment Group |
| 19th Bombardment Group |
| 22nd Bombardment Group |
| 38t Bombardment Group; B-25 |
| 43th Bombardment Group (H); B17, B-24 |
| 90th Bombardment Group (H); B-24 |
| 312th Bombardment Group; A-20 |
| 345th Bombardment Group; B-25 |
| 380th Bombardment Group (H); B-24 |
| 417th Bombardment Group; A-20 |
| V. Fighter Command |
| To see on an own page, klick above to go there |
| 8th Fighter Group |
| 35th Fighter Group |
| 49th Fighter Group |
| 58th Fighter Group |
| 348th Fighter Group |
| 475th Fighter Group |
| 418th Night Fighter Squadron |
| 421st Night Fighter Squadron |
| 547th Night Fighter Squadron |
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3rd Air Commando Group |
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The 3rd Air Commando Group was constituted on 25 April 1944 and
activated on 1 May 1944 under Commanding Officer Colonel Arvid Olsen. It was initially assigned to the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics and was assigned to the 5th Air Force in December 1944. The 3rd Air Commando Group moved from Drew Field, Florida to Mangaldan Airfield, at Luzon then. |
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Beside the Squadrons not shown here yet due to lack of material: -
157th Liaison Squadron (C) ...the 3rd Air Commando Group operated two Fighter Squadrons |
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3rd Fighter Squadron (Commando) |
4th Fighter Squadron (Commando) |
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1944, December - North American P-51D MUSTANG - Mangaldan Airfield, Luzon, northern Philippines |
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![]() 2 P-51D-30-NA (44-74279) Leyte (Philippines), 1945 |
![]() Q P-51D-30-NA (44-14984) Leyte (Philippines), 1944 |
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1945, end of January - North American P-51D MUSTANG - Luzon, northern Philippines |
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![]() C ''Bad Angel'' P-51D-20-NA (44-63272) Lt. Louis E. Curdes |
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![]() O ''Jumpin Jaques'' P-51D-20-NA (44-64076) Lt. J.E. Young |
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1945, April - North American P-51D MUSTANG - Laoag Airfield, Luzon, northern Philippines |
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| The Group moved to Laoag Airfield in Luzon in April 1945 and then to Ie Shima Airfield, Okinawa, Japan in August 1945. | |
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1945, April - North American P-51D MUSTANG - Laoag Airfield, Luzon, northern Philippines |
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The various Squadrons operated from Atsugi Airfield, Japan from
20 September 1945 until 7 October 1945. They then relocated to Chitose AB, Japan from 27 October 1945 until 25 March 1946. |
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| At the end of the war it had claimed 6 confirmed aerial victories. | |
| 54th Troop Carrier Wing | ||||
| Shown here for comparison, single Groups below | ||||
| 2nd Combat Cargo Group | 317th Troop Carrier Group | 374th Troop Carrier Group | 375th Troop Carrier Group | 433rd Troop Carrier Group |
| 5th CCS | 39th TCS | 6th TCS | 55th TCS | 65th TCS |
| 6th CCS | 40th TCS | 21st TCS | 56th TCS | 66th TCS |
| 7th CCS | 41st TCS | 22nd TCS | 57th TCS | 67th TCS |
| 8th CCS | 46th TCS | 33rd TCS | 58th TCS | 68th TCS |
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| - | - | - | - | 70th TCS |
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2nd Combat Cargo Group - |
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| 5th Combat Carrier Sqd. | 6th Combat Carrier Sqd. | 7th Combat Carrier Sqd. | 8th Combat Carrier Sqd. |
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317th Troop Carrier Group "Junge Skippers" |
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The 317th Carrier Group moved to Australia in December 1942. At this time it received some C-47 but soon those planes were transferred to the 374th TCG. Because of this, the 317th TCG was equipped with a lot of different material including: transformed civilian DC-3, a hollandish Lodestar, a LB-30 Liberator and a B-17. They went right to work flying troops and supplies from
Australia to Port Moresby , New Guinea . |
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| 39th Troop Carrier Sqd. | 40th Troop Carrier Sqd. | 41th Troop Carrier Sqd. | 46th Troop Carrier Sqd. |
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| 1942, December - Douglas C-47A SKYTRAIN - Australia | |||
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| 1943, end July - DC-3, Lockheed LODESTAR, LB-30 LIBERATOR & a B-17 FLYING FORTRESS - PNG | |||
| From Port Morsby the Jungle Skippers moved to Finchhafen and then to Hollandia, New Guinea, as the Japanese were pushed out of New Guinea. | |||
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| 1944 - Douglas C-47A SKYTRAIN - Mindoro, Philippines | |||
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General McArthur had his eye on the Philippines and the Jungle Skippers
would have a part in his return. They towed gliders and dropped paratroopers at Leyte in the Philippines . It was the 503rd Parachute Regiment airdropped by the Jungle Skippers that secured Corregidor and led to the opening of Manila Bay. |
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![]() X16A ''Oklahoma Gal'' C-47A-30-DK (43-48234) At the Aviation Museum in Australia. Noted 1988 in Air World, Wangaratta, Australia |
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| 1945 - Douglas C-47A SKYTRAIN - Camalaniuga, Philippines | |||
![]() X9A ''Cleo C'' C-47A-85-DL (43-15460) Camalaniuga (Philippines) 23 June 1945 |
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| 1945 - Douglas C-47A SKYTRAIN - Okinawa | |||
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| 1945, August - Douglas C-47A SKYTRAIN - Japan | |||
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In August of 1945, after the two atom bombs were dropped on Japan , the
Japanese agreed to surrender. When word of this reached Allied Headquarters, arrangements were made to establish a secure communications link with Japan and set up the formal surrender. This surrender would take place in Tokyo Bay on the battleship Missouri in Sept. of 1945, sixty years ago this month. Six C-47 Jungle Skippers from the 41 st Troop Carrier Squadron flew the communications equipment from Okinawa to Japan to establish this communications link to Allied Headquarters. They were the first American aircraft to land in Japan since the war began. |
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The unit received two Distinguished Unit Citations during WW2. Three Squadrons of the Jungle Skippers are still active today. The 46th was deactivated after the Korean War. The patches of the three remaining squadrons all speak of their experience in the Pacific during WW2. |
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| 374th Troop Carrier Group | |||
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The 374th Carrier Group was declared operationnal in November 1942 and
was immediately engaged in New-Guinea Campaign. It was then involved in all campaigns fought in the south-west Pacific. |
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| 6th Troop Carrier Sqd. | 21st Troop Carrier Sqd. | 22nd Troop Carrier Sqd. | 23rd Troop Carrier Sqd. |
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| 1942, November - Douglas C-47A SKYTRAIN - Port Moresby, PNG | |||
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| 1943 - Douglas C-47A SKYTRAIN - etc. | |||
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| The unit received three Distinguished Unit Citations during the conflict. | |||
| 375th Troop Carrier Group | |||
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The 375th Carrier Group was created in the USA in November 1942 and
moved to Australia in July 1943 after having trained on C-47. At the end of July it moved to Port Moresby and was involved in the aerial operation against Nadzab on 5 September 1943. For the most dangerous missions it used armed B-17. The 375th moved then to Biak (September 1944), Mindoro (March 1945), Luçon (May 1945) and Okinawa (August 1945). |
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| 55th Troop Carrier Sqd. | 56th Troop Carrier Sqd. | 57th Troop Carrier Sqd. | 58th Troop Carrier Sqd. |
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| 1943, July - Douglas C-47A SKYTRAIN - Australia | |||
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| 1943, end July - Douglas C-47A SKYTRAIN - Port Moresby, PNG | |||
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| 1944, September - Douglas C-47A SKYTRAIN - Biak, PNG | |||
![]() 104 ''Classy Chassis'' C-47A-90-DL (43-16119) Mindoro 1944 55th TCS (??) |
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| 1945, March - Curtiss C-46D COMMANDO - Mindoro, Philippines | |||
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? C-46D-5-CU (44-77339) 375th TCG Lost Jan 25, 1945, SW Pacific |
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| 1945, May - Curtiss C-46D COMMANDO - Luçon, Philippines | |||
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? C-46D-5-CU (44-77336) 375th TCG MIA May 26, 1945, SW Pacific |
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| 1945, August - Curtiss C-46D COMMANDO - Okinawa, Japan | |||
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| After the war it was based in Japan. It was first equipped with C-47, C-53 and B-17; before moving to the Philippines it was transformed on C-46. | |||
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433rd Troop Carrier Group "Frontline Airline" |
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The 433rd Carrier Group arrived in Australia in September 1943 and was
send at the end of the month to Port Moresby. Its operationnal parcour is similar to the 375th. |
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| 65th Troop Carrier Sqd. | 66th Troop Carrier Sqd. | 67th Troop Carrier Sqd. | 68th Troop Carrier Sqd. | 69th Troop Carrier Sqd. | 70th Troop Carrier Sqd. |
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| 1943, September - Douglas C-47A SKYTRAIN - Australia | |||||
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| 1943, end September - Douglas C-47A SKYTRAIN - Port Moresby, PNG | |||||
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| 1944, September - Douglas C-47A SKYTRAIN - Biak, PNG | |||||
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| 1945, March - Curtiss C-46D COMMANDO - Mindoro, Philippines | |||||
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? C-46D-5-CU (44-77367) 433rd TCG Lost Mar 10, 1945, SW Pacific |
? C-46D-5-CU (44-77373) 433rd TCG Lost Mar 12, 1945, SW Pacific |
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? C-46D-5-CU (44-77341) 433rd TCG Lost Mar 10, 1945, SW Pacific |
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| 1945, May - Curtiss C-46D COMMANDO - Luçon, Philippines | |||||
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? C-46D-5-CU (44-77353) 433rd TCG MIA Jun 11, 1945, SW Pacific. |
? C-46D-5-CU (44-77369) 433rd TCG Lost May 17, 1945, SW Pacific |
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| 1945, August - Curtiss C-46D COMMANDO - Okinawa, Japan | |||||
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| After the war it was based in Japan. It was first equipped with C-47, C-53 and B-17; before moving to the Philippines it was transformed on C-46. | |||||
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References |
| USAAF - Serial numbers collection by Joseph F. Baugher |
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