5TH AIR FORCE USAAF
IN AUSTRALIA
1942 - 1945
NOTE:- The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was re-titled as the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) on 20 June 1941. Many units kept using old letterheads etc until new ones arrived and some units could not get out of the habit of using USAAC for quite some time.
The 5th Air Force had its early beginnings as the Philippine Department Air Force on 20 September 1941 under the command of Brigadier General Henry B. Clagett.
It was renamed to the Far East Air Force (FEAF) on 28 October 1941 and was under the command of Major-General Lewis Hyde Brereton. The FEAF fought in the Philippines at the outbreak of the Pacific War. They covered the retreat south to Java and then escaped back to Australia where they played a small part in the Battle of the Coral Sea (7-8 May 1942) and went on to became the nucleus of the new Fifth Air Force.
Allotment of USAAF Units
In Australia on 27 May 1942
On 9 August 1942, the American Chief of Staff, General Marshall gave orders to establish the 5th Air Force and gave George C. Kenney immediate command of this new air force and all other Allied air units in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Kenney's headquarters were located in Brisbane.
The 5th Air Force USAAF was established in Australia on 3 September 1942 under the command of Major General George Kenney who had arrived in Brisbane, in the State of Queensland in Australia on 29 July 1942. Kenney made a lightning tour of bases in northern Queensland and summarily fired the entire command air staff.
At the time that Kenney had arrived, there were three fighter groups, 5 bombardments groups, two transport squadrons and one photographic squadron operational in the SWPA comprising 1,602 officers and 18,116 men.
| FIGHTER GROUPS | BOMBER GROUPS |
| 8th FG (P-39's) in Australia | 3rd BG (B-25's, A-20's, & A-24's) |
| 49th FG (P-40's) in Australia | 19th BG (battle scarred from Philippines & Java) |
| 35th FG (P-40's) in Port Moresby | 22nd BG (B-26's) |
| 43rd BG (no planes) | |
| 38th BG (B-25's not operational yet) |
The following two units were
heavily hit by the Japanese when the war in the Pacific broke out
and some members escaped to Australia to join up with units of the 5th Air
Force.
| 7th Bomb Group | LB-30s and B-17s | Moved to 10th Air Force in India in early 1942 |
|
27th Bomb Group
- HQ
Squadron |
A-24s | 27 BG were in Australia for a short time en-route Java |
Kenney's Deputy was Ennis Whitehead who was to command the advance base in Port Moresby. Brigadier General Ken Walker was placed in charge of the 5th Bomber Command, based in Townsville. "Squeeze" Wurtsmith (49th Fighter Group) was placed in charge of the 5th Fighter Command. Major Victor Bertrandais was placed in charge of the Services Command, also based in Townsville.
Kenney started construction of a central depot at Townsville and began planning the replacement of the battle scarred 19th Bomb Group with the 90th Bomb Group.
Brigadier General Walker had earlier been told by Kenney to take charge in Townsville and reorganise the Northeast Area Command.
On 4 November 1942, the 5th Air Force commenced sustained action against the Japanese in Papua New Guinea.
The Fifth Air Force and the Thirteenth Air Force were combined to become the Far East Air Forces FEAF (not to be confused with the Far East Air Force - singular, under General Brereton in the Philippines in October 1941) under General George C. Kenney on 15 June 1944. General Ennis C. Whitehead was appointed to command the Fifth Air Force. Major General St. Clair Street was in command of the Thirteenth Air Force. Some US Navy search squadrons from the 7th Fleet and Aircraft Northern Solomons of the US Marine Corps air units were attached to the Fifth Air Force. Far East Air Service Command was also formed on the same date.
COMMANDING OFFICERS OF THE 5TH AIR
FORCE
AND ITS PREDECESSORS
PHILIPPINES DEPARTMENT AIR FORCE
| Brig. Gen. Henry B. Clagett | 20 Sep 1941 |
FAR EAST AIR FORCE
| Maj.-Gen. Lewis H. Brereton | 28 Oct 1941 - 18 Jan 1942 |
MacARTHUR'S ALLIED AIR FORCE
| Lt. Gen. George H. Brett | 23 Feb - 4 Aug 1942 |
| Lt.-Gen. George C. Kenney | 4 Aug 1942 |
5TH AIR FORCE COMMANDERS
| Lt.-Gen. George C. Kenney | 3 Sep 1942 |
| Lt.-Gen. Ennis C. Whitehead | 15 Jun 1944 |
| Maj.-Gen. Kenneth B. Wolfe | 4 Oct 1945 |
STATIONS
| Nichols Field | Luzon, Philippines | 20 Sep 1941 |
| Darwin | Northern Territory, Australia | Dec 1941 |
| Java | Java | Jan - Feb 1942 |
| Brisbane | Australia | 3 Sep 1942 |
| Nadzab | New Guinea | 15 Jun 1944 |
| Owi | Schouten Islands | 10 Aug 1944 |
| Leyte | Philippines | 20 Nov 1944 |
| Mindoro | Philippines | Jan 45 |
| Clark Field | Luzon, Philippines | Apr 45 |
| Okinawa | Japan | Jul 45 |
| Irumagawu | Japan | 25 Sep 45 |
5TH
BOMBER COMMAND
28 OCTOBER 1941 - 1946
BOMBARDMENT GROUPS IN THE 5TH AIR FORCE
| 3rd
Bomb
Group "The Grim Reapers"
- HQ Squadron |
A-24s, A-20s & B-25s | One of the oldest Groups in Air Force. 8th, 13th & 90th Aero Squadrons were forerunners of the Gp. and saw action in France in WW I. |
| 19th Bomb Group
- Headquarters Squadron |
LB-30s and B-17s | Came out of P.I., returned to states in late 1942. Later returned to Pacific with B-29's in 20th Air Force. |
| 22nd Bomb
Group "The Red Raiders"
- HQ
Squadron |
B-26s, B-25s & B-24s | |
| 38th Bomb
Group "The Sun Setters"
- 71st Squadron - "The Wolf Pack" |
B-25s | 1940-1946 Note:- The ground echelons of the 69th and 70th Bomb Squadrons arrived in Australia on 15 January 1942 and were attached to 38th Bomb Group of the FEAF. The Air Echelon of the 69th BS flew from Hawaii to New Caledonia on 20 May 1942 and the 70th BS operated from Espiritu Santo and Guadalcanal both as independent squadrons with the 7 Air Force. |
| 43rd Bomb Group
"Ken's Men"
- 63rd Squadron "The Sea Hawks" |
B-17s & B-24s | |
| 90th Bomb Group
"The Jolly Rogers"
-
319th Squadron |
B-24s | |
|
312th Bomb Group
- HQ Squadron |
V-72s A-24s A-36s P-40s A-20s B-32 |
1942-45 |
| 345th Bomb
Group "The Air Apaches"
- 498th
Squadron - "Falcons" |
B-25s | |
| 380th Bomb Group
-
528th Bomb Squadron |
B-24s | Operated under Australian operational control, provided operational training for Australian crews and was replaced by RAAF squadrons when they left Australia. |
| 417th Bomb Group | A-20s |
5TH
FIGHTER COMMAND
AUGUST 1942 - 1946
1st Fighter Control
Amberley
FIGHTER GROUPS IN THE 5TH AIR FORCE:
| 8th Fighter Group
-
Headquarters |
P-39's, P-40's & p-38's | 1942-46 |
| 35th Fighter Group
-
39th Pursuit Squadron - "The Cobra Squadron" |
P-38,P-39's,P-47's & P-51's | 1942-45 |
| 27th Fighter Group | ? | ? |
| 49th Fighter Group
- Headquarters Squadron |
P-38's, P-40's & P-47's | 1942-45; Major Bong's outfit, our Ace of Aces |
| 58th
Fighter Group
- 67th Fighter
Squadron |
||
| 348th Fighter Group
- 340th Fighter Squadron |
1943-45 | |
| 475th Fighter Group
- 431st Squadron
"Hades" |
1943-45 |
AIR COMMANDO GROUPS
|
3rd Air Commando Group
- 3rd Fighter Squadron
(C) |
P-51D's, C-47's, Stinson L-5's | 1944-45 |
NIGHT FIGHTER GROUPS
| 418th Night Fighter Squadron | P-61's | |
| 421st Night Fighter Squadron | P-61's | |
| 547th Night Fighter Squadron | P-61's |
RECCE AND PHOTO GROUPS
| 6th Photographic
Group, Reconnaissance - 8th Photo Reconn. Squadron - 25th Photo Reconn. Squadron - 26th Photo Reconn. Squadron - 20th Combat Mapping Squadron |
F-4, F-4A, F-5' & F-7A, F-7B | |
| 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group
(71st RCN TACT) - 17th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bomb) - 25th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bomb) - 82nd Reconnaissance Squadron (Bomb) - 110th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bomb) |
B-25's, P-38's, L-4's, L-5's & L-6's |
TRANSPORT GROUPS
| 54th
Troop Carrier Wing
- Headquarters Squadron
- 2nd Combat Cargo Group
- 317th Troop Carrier Group
- 374th Troop Carrier Group
- 375th Troop Carrier Group
- 433rd Troop Carrier Group - 333rd Signal Corps - 415th Signal Corps - 21st Service Group - 801st Medical Air Evacuation Squadron - 804th Medical Air Evacuation Squadron - 820th Medical Air Evacuation Squadron |
IV Air Service Area Command
|
7th Service Group - 10th
Service Squadron |
5TH AIR FORCE SERVICE COMMAND
|
- HQ & HQ Squadron |
|
12th Air Depot Group
- HQ & HQ Squadron |
|
|
- HQ & HQ Squadron |
|
22nd Service Group
|
|
| 45th Service Group
- HQ & HQ Squadron |
|
| 5th Air Service Area Command
- 8th Service Squadron |
United States Air Transport Command
Air Industry Section AIRIND, Allied Air Force
US and Dutch aircraft that arrived in Australia by ship
13th Air Task Force (Provisional)
Assigned to the Fifth Air Force
ACES OF THE 5th AIR FORCE
| Maj. Richard I. Bong | 40 kills | 35th/49th/475th Fighter Group |
| Maj. Thomas B. McGuire Jr. | 38 kills | 475th Fighter Group |
| Col. Charles H. MacDonald | 27 kills | 475th Fighter Group |
| Lt.-Col. Gerald R. Johnson | 22 kills | 49th Fighter Group |
| Col. Neel E. Kearby | 22 kills | 348th Fighter Group |
| Maj. Jay. T. Robbins | 22 kills | 8th Fighter Group |
| Lt.-Col. Thomas J. Lynch | 20 kills | 35th Fighter Group |
| Maj. George S. Welch | 16 kills | 8th Fighter Group |
| Lt.-Col. William D. Dunham | 16 kills | 348th Fighter Group |
| Maj. Edward Cragg | 15 kills | 8th Fighter Group |
| Capt. Cyril F. Homer | 15 kills | 8th Fighter Group |
| Maj. Daniel T. Roberts Jr. | 15 kills | 475th Fighter Group |
| Capt. Robert M. DeHaven | 14 kills | 49th Fighter Group |
A
case of mistaken identity
USAAC emblem mistaken for Japanese
Rising Sun
American Base Sections in Australia during WW2
E-mails
from Judy Bousquet
regarding her father, Howard Hovland
OTHER INTERNET SITES ON THE 5th AIR FORCE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I'd like to thank Bob Livingstone for his assistance with this home page.
I'd also like to thanks Philip C. Marchese, Jr for his assistance with information on the 69th and 70th Bomb Squadrons.
BOOK REFERENCES
"The Menace from Moresby; a pictorial history of the 5th Air Force in World War II"
2004 REUNION
A Fifth Air Force Reunion was held on 19 - 23 September 2004, in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. This reunion also included HQ. 5th Bomber Command, 5th Station Hospital, 405th Signal Co. (AVN), 80th Service Group, 502 Tac Con Group, HQ & HQ 314th Comp. Wing
The contact person was Lou Buddo, 5th Air Force, Box 270362, St. Louis, MO 63127.
"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products
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© Peter Dunn OAM 2020 |
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This page first produced 8 November 1998
This page last updated 25 September 2022
