Staff Meetings of US Army Strategic Air Force for 2 & 11 August 1945

8/12/2019 Staff Meetings of US Army Strategic Air Force for 2 & 11 August 1945

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PRESEiil I :

11 August 1945Lt . General Dooli t t leLt . General Twining . .

~ 1 a . j General Le:lqBrig . General KissnerBrig . General PowerBrig . General HarboldDrig . General n k e n ~ ~ ~ tBrig . General Hetze l

.... I LColonel IrvineColonel GrussendDrfColonel f:S.ddoxColonel Z i m n e ~ n

1. General LeiiAY stated that from the t::..m.e of his arrival. to theXXI .3omber Command in Jal lUB.ZJ until o.bout three c.nth::; ' o.go, it we.s notpossible to def ini te ly establ ish a certain number of couba.t crew sor t ies .Present 20th Air Porce policy r e q u i : . ~ e s a crew to complete thir ty- f ive (.35)Cf missions during his combat tour. General DOOLITTLE propooes thl.rt;r- seven

, . , . , i , . ~ (37) or th i r ty-e ight {38) miosions ::or ~ h Air lorce cr ews.~ : ~ 2. General Le JAY advised General DGO:UTT LE tha t present po: cy for. presentat ion of Air Meda l in 2oth Air Force per.:1its a crew to receive ~ h ef .Air :eda l and three Oak Leo.f Clusters curing his combat tour of duty . Thepro cedure i s to normally award the Air .:edal af ter a crew :ms f l orm a minimum of f ive missions and make a survey ovary e ~ g h t ~ s s o n s t hereaf terto determine e lg ib i l i ty for the Oak Leaf Cluster. This system g e n e r a l l y ~

a 1 p . ~ e e d upon and i s lie be ~ o n i : . i n u c . d ir. beth the 2oth and Sth Air Forces. CJ03 . General Le AY outlined tl .at the prese:c.t 20th A.i..r Force prac i ce ;....:i s to award the Dis vingu..:_shed FlY:...ng Cros::; wl en ... crew l'aS Bucc ess.t'ul ly trt

completed his comba11 tou:r, baced en the fact tha t such a. crew has , un-doub'Ledly, dis t ngu:LsLed themselves in the course of the Genera lDOOLL fLE said he did. not t.h:;..r..k the DFC should be awarded autornaticaJly.I t was decided that Ghe present syo t em used by 20th Air Force vtould becont inued, however recipient must have accomplj.shcd E)xtraordinary a chieve-ment in the a i r

4. Gener3l PO\VER suggested that a plan be f ollowed. so tha t crevsof the 2oth and Sth Air Forces would complete ,L.eil' tour c f duty in about


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Genera l O O L I T T ~ also informed Colonel ITTINE that he f e l t 8th Air Foreereplacement aircraft should f ly strairht through to OkilLawa unless d i f f iculty was encountered whence they "' ould :::top a t Guan Air De::JOt .6. Plan was discussed to have necessary per:o.onncl a t Guam Air De' )Otto handle .f ighter r e p l c e ~ e n t aircrv.ft coming through for 8th Ai r Force.7. General LeiJA i ~ o r m e d Generql DOOLITTLE tha t a C-46 outf i t v10uldbe assigned to 8th Air Force for trans-ort use us soon as the Troop CarrierSquadrons are assigned to USASTAF.

L ~ e t i adjouxned.

DISTRIBUTI ON : cc personnel present .

A .. ::: I I ..... - 1\ f T 1, -; 1 \ - '- \ , , 1 r t\ _ __ . l \; f - . . I


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der

Present:

STAFF l[ gETING NO 12 August 194.5.General p a a ~ z (presiding)Lt. Gen. GilesLt. Gen. Twiningda j Gen. LeMayBr ig . Gen. BoothBrig. Gen . LindsayBrig . Gen. TiarboldBr ig . Gen. .AnkenbrandtBrig . Gen. McNaughtonBrig. Gen. KissnerBrig. Gen. PowerColonel Coerz

1. Gen. A ~ advised those p r e s n t of the resul ts of hisconference wi th Generals Tao RTHUR and CENNEY. Plan o coordinationof flying opera t ions among Gen. KENNLY, US.AST.>F and ~ a v y establislled .Gen . Mac .\RTHUR through Gen. ICll lNEY will have operational control of USAf TAF during softening-up phase for O L Y ~ I C probably ten days in \advance of landing. Basis established for clo se cooperc tion between \Gen. ~ l Y end USAfTAF. Tonnar e r e q u i r e ~ e n t s etc for Okinawa unitsresponsibility of Cen. K J 1 U I T ~ in order to present united front toTenth Army. Advance headquarters to be esta blished on Okinawa priorto OLYMFIC. ublic r ela t ions plan was discus r ed and ,cCrary wil lmeet with Cen. Kllfif GY's rno as t oon as possible . I t was agreed that50th and 358th Fishter Groups should be assigned to USASTAF. OkinawaDepot Bertrandis) wil l function under oper3tional control of Gen .KENNEY unt i l l s t December; t uereafter , t;S \ f T.JF.

2 . Gen. SPAATZ brought up the question of medals, par t icular lyAir Uedal and Distinguished Flying Cross. A-1 under nen . Kt :NlrEY ispreparing a policy anc USA8TAF will pre pare a tentative policy also,both to be studied in making up a unitorm policy for a l l . Gen.U G H T O N to take nece r sary action.

:;. Gen. GI LES advised Gen. SP I\AT':. of answer to Gen. DOOLI'l'TLE tsmessage in which he questioned cont rol of 30lst Fi ghter '11ng andf roups in wing. Gen. DOOLITTLE was advised that he ~ ~ d no responsib i l i ty for t h e e units w a s asked i f he was prepared to acceptadministrative control. 0perationally they b e l o n to Gen. ~ Yunti l :Zighth A i' reauires them for miss ion as escort. Cen. KE Nl1EY andGen . DOOLITTL1 to work out and advise T


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5. Gen. GILuS advised Gen. SFA ATZ that an Operations Summaryi s belne worked up and ~ i l l be ~ o n t to his house every mornin a t0800 . ie wll welcome any suggel."tions on t h i ~ ' w.nrnary and alsothe Radio Log .

6. Gen . GILE 0 submitted suggested i t inerary tor inspectiont r ip by Gen. SPAATZ . Gen. s r J ~ T Z approved the schedule but requestedthat there be no formality ~ r interruption of operations in connection\ ' lith the t r ip7. Administrative direct ive tor the Eighth and ~ n e n t i e t h hi r

Forces wil l be completed in about three days.8. Replacement for ~ r i k e y Ioore was discuss ed. nswer not yetreceived from fnrep.ardin Zemke or \ndereon. a t t e r to be expedited.. .9. Promotions for combat crews. i r Department has been request-ed to dele;:ate authority to t ~ i l . 'orces to promot deserving personnelon the spot. I t was reco.m:nended that deservine personnel in .509thGroup be promoted . This gro up i s under ~ n e n t i e t n Air Force , butdifferen t T / "Je10. Gen GILZS advised that the building p r o g r ~ m requirementshave bGen sent through and i f turned d m ~ n t wil l be n3cessary togo to Admiral ~ t z Gen . BOOTH taking ac t ion.

. A- 4. 11. Gen. McNAUGHTON requested that General Stace be assi gned to12. Gen. M N U G h ~ O N wil l take up proposed organization chart forHq USAf 'l.AF and l e t t e r of ineliruation with Gen. LeMAY.13. Gen. McNAUGHTON said i t was necessary to have twelve addition-a l Quonset auts buil t by tne 1st of e p t . to provide addit ional officespace for personnel coming from Oahu. A Z and -3 are in urgent needot per soll.Ilel.14 . A new c i ar t s h m v i ~ e our telecon circui ts and tnose avai lab leto us was explained by Gen. l U ~ l u : J B R A N D T

Meeting ad,jou.rned.DISTRIBu'"'TION: cc to t ~ o s e present.


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Pre::3ea.t:General Carl ~ t zLt.Gt. lerc..j_ Edmey u GU-.e

- ~ a j o r Gene '-'ll J C ~ a e s h P3dccrfTig. Gener.:ll ll . C. Lind.seyBrig. Ch:nercl c. L. BoothBrie . e n ~ r : l l N. B. Harbo.ld. _Brig . Gcneral .Kenneth P. Mdlaughton

~ g ~ < 1 m > C r E. s. 1.'et7.elColonel J u l i . ~ - l . B AllenColonol P. 1. hitnayColonel Kc.rl L. Polii'kaColonel i l l i J . C L U 1 ~ hColo..'1e1 J ~ l f J H. ?ri: c: ,lla j or Han-J C h o e l ~ yUr.. jor t..,:r::.h Bat;byt a i n Jaek A. D t c f f a a s ~ n

HG : :leo ~ c the i.GO l e t t e r dclteci 13 July l9L:.5, t i l ~ : ~ G ::32 4 { l l Ju.l ~ ) . . z _~ rS . . l b j < . i ~ t ; 11P.eC:esigautio.n, Assigu:.atrt. ~ lii.ub;Jndm.cut of Certtin Air 0zorce Unit:s . " "'T" l


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e. lengthy ciiscusaicn ffit.h Gemelu.l Sw"lee in .Va::Jhington w o l i c i e ~ I t t e N ~ v y does pr e.eat h ~ Uitt.ur t W:18 fe l t tr..::a.t. ~ o r l Surles ~ u l t 1 .dvi:1e GEnercl?J.:;rshall not to go cl.on.g 'r.i'th the irlea . Gencrcl. Spaat:: inqui.redab:out ...ny ciit 'i'.:'Ultieo in USAST.AF c


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t . h ~ St.h l ~ n d ;(.,1th 11.ir Fo. co3 ~ : 1 c tha t o r d e r ~ h ~ l be(;..'l. i o ~ m e d . He.further nt.at.ed thnt a r d e r ~ : : . s d . g u i " ~ per:let ... 1 frrn.'l . F ? O . t ~ Ht a

e m ~ r d s R i c h . ~ r d P O l l e.nd P.:..rkc:r t.hat U S ~ . S ' f i , J ' i oult.i 'te.:.


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up his tools with -r-hich to curry out tn1.s i esponsibility. He i s

ch.u-ged \ 'dth th is responsibil i ty by the War Depart:rwnt so be:tore adecision -could be reachea here in Oahu, before any decision can bemade ~ a directive h a ~ to be chaneed in ;.achi.. lgton. He suggestedtha t in G e n e r S_paatz c"tiscussion Ydth General Richardson scheduledfor l ~ t e r in the day that he d e t e r ~ e along ~ h a t l ine8 ~ j D P A C.,,ould contimi.e to suppoJ.""'t USASTAF and asked i he w&lted that planfollm;ed or i s USAST.AF v:anted to assume the responsibility.. Genera.lMacUaughton further stated th.:...t General R i c h e r ~ son i M v. 'illing togiva up the units i A r ~ D P A C does not have th i s co.11.tinued respon-s ib i l i ty . He did feel however, tha t :.he matter .should be discussedby General Spa.atz with General R.ichardson for clarificat. .on .

General Giles f e l t th t USASTAF wanted th is responsibi l i ty.Genersl Spaatz referred ~ a i n to the basi a direct ive which ~ t a t e dtha t COMG.EllliS.ASTJ.F would be responsible for the in ternal admi.nis-t rat ion and internal logis t ics l ~ p ) o r t of forces as signed toUSASTAF and asked i:f t ha t 'iid. not include construction of airdromes?Generd Glle.s said that it i s not in the basic 9lan. to build a i r -drones , that :naintenence i s perforued lli 'ter units go in by engineertroops u i r e d maintain thuse ~ r d r o n e s and he fe l t these units c ~should be unde r USASTAF control . G era.l Spao,t::; f e l t t ~ t thi:oJ re - ~ -?Onsibility i s a s s ~ g n e d in the basio direct ive to US.ASTAF, pointing :::J out thut other engineer bc;..ttalions would move i'orat .rd to another a r e a ~I .i they were not under US.ASTAF c,Jntrol. General Y; ::.Naughton pointed . . .


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u ld not.turJ.l thoDe u n i t O V ~ l to u:::.eT.t.F 1 it.hout. ... dirc..:t.:.vo.. It, .. s brought

1n tne ~ r i a r u : 3 (k:neru..t Spu.at f ~ l . t tru t C-t:u :r l Richll' eon ',:, r

.::ny ?ther release :Jt 'lU.ch resp;mdbil . i ty fro:n :.Jl ID? C u u l ~ s c t ~ n

the t .o iW.m.bo.r::r fro OP ; ..ho .c:re here recently irou.lu Ot.. c-..kc a do-


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tn.:::in.; i1. l'rom t h e : ~ . ~ to t i n i r ~ e s .-;ou.lJ oe the 'e.Jponsibility ofU S . A S l l ~ . F aa well as ll.:lintonz.nce of ~ i r d r o m e o . The uni ts r e ~ u i r e a forconstructio11 under the base development pl.....n .ould be Eiclll..rd:>on rsresponsibi l i ty , t ~ l o c e 1.m ~ ..1ti.intene.nce bas is y,ocld be USl.S'i'JH s re -

no d v i ~ l n of tno: e battcUld h.:.ve ~ o t . h . i n . , g d a l l .Ge:1er.u JicNaught.on fel t it . vould t ~ t : a b


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0

would be t . l ~ focal ct1ntcr of c ll pl.a.ns W d h ~ v e n ~ op-er -

:->)? \...f ,.- =y ;.... :


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0

.. en


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He said tha t ':;hen USAST.J..F m.ovea fonrard tha t AirForliidPac wouldbegin operationc QIJ.d General Soaatz said he would leave in Oahu v.hat-ever W&D necessarf to take care of administration, supply t rans-portation . Wth regard to supply, Gener


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GGneral S p a a t ~ ~ : d . d ho \>.'O'Uld tcl.k th e m::.:.te1 crver r.ith liener:llsU c . y enc. 1\-.i.nin.g before nUl.ki.:11 a decidon . Gener


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....

General Spaatz favored the plan for USASTAF H e ~ a q u a r t c r s but aidnot feel t ha t hP. ooula. d.o away ui th the Service C.01ll IWld. &.ch AirForce should have a Service Cox:cna.nd wns his expressed opinion end. th isSergice CoiiilllAmd shoula. operata the ir own depot . I t r.aa brought outtha.t they could do ~ e than th i s they should include the a v i ~ t i o nengineers in the picture . Each .Air Force should h


17/23

0 ----~General Lindsay o i : 1 t c C . out tha t hac. i.. en t..:ken in fazhi..."lgton

to act ivc.te a He,.. ~ or ... ser1ice c o f f i l t m c . i 'or et .cll 1 . . - Force, .:nC.Gener&l -Spc.t:..tz remL.lked. th tit t T/0 for am l i r Farce providos for a.Service Com::-.nd .

Geaer.?. l Spac.t.t to l tl Gt:.:.>'\er l ~ c l l t . l . U ; . h t o n tlw.t in r.orking upthe .numb r o pe-raoonel needea thdt he ~ : a n t e a to cut dom tha to ta l

~ r c..s low Ci8 posnible . Th t he : ~ ' 1 i . , e d to delegc:te as .::ruch res;;onsibili.ty to t.he .Air Forces as o a s i b l e ~ h vi.ng a Service CollC.:Ule

ill.ul 2ro-poscd by Gcner:.J. Mcll8ughton COVered a large he&dc_unr tere , buthe re:: ..ark6 d thE;.t he could cut i t do1'in in s e v e r ~ plr..cea . I t was General

staff ~ 1 c t build up ~ ~ t h e r ~ ~ e n cror,a so ~ ~ people L ~ t o the exist ingfaci l i t ies on Gua:t. Ger eral Spav:cz ::rtated that US;.STAF has a cer tainauthorization for the s ize cf i t s h . e " ' " d ~ U E . r . . e r s - 267 officers and 599

e n l i ~ t e d nen were tht: f.ic'l Ures mentioned by Oenero.1 Y c N u u ~ t o n pluna1;td.cht:d units . He aloo mt:ntio.1ed t . ' l r - ~ t he i t l a nona l e t t e r .unoff icial nnnounccruent o 2 38 more off i ,. er3 as an al.lotz:lent .. A th i rd plan was ~ o n 1 . . i o n e d ui l t upon T/0 and aci.ded column to run the head-quurters, but the T/0 E ~ t J over a year old c;.nd c:;rtain unctions':' ere a.c ded t n up General :UcNauehton dit ' fers inc.baut 200 people . ~ n e r . : : : . l Gilfl:; conr.J.enteu tha t th i s was p lus thebulk llotmmt. v: hiGh i:J i."'ldeiinite in amount . The i.nteri...m t.eble un.a.er


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(}A...nerc l Li11daay _?ointed out that the princip..U reason .f'or t h ~ twas that under the.t bulk lillotmcnt hc:..ve to co.Gle people Gtneru Parker.,..,ill end up 11:i t,h s.s J..irForlliaPac. Anc Gener:.:.l Spc;..atz saici USAST.AFwould drop the re3ervc for .tirForM.idPe.c .

A discussion was held about not being ~ l to ~ k e promot ionan the Provisional Head .uarters of lirFo.rMidPac t.nd it Ytc..S the

consensus of opinion t:.hat under the Ua.ming Table under h i c hGeneral Parker l ' i i . l l operate thet promotions could be mad.e . fAirForlfidP::c i s to operate under T/0 E, approvcl. woulu. hsve tobe gotten from i' a.shjnt:ton and th is 1110ul:i toke quite long t' hile ,poaeibly several months . General Pioirker pointed out thL.t he waspla:m:Lng to u ee the '.tanning Table being cira-wn up in Or&gniz.ationi.l.Control to oper te AirForMidPac. Colonel ' ilhitney askea. GenerdParker i he had an idea of tho strength he '? oulci wa.ntmd Gener.:U

P s r ~ e r sa id be wa.s r:orning on 70 or 80 offic(ns and OO or 400 enl i s t ed :nen.

General .McUaugb to.1.1 as f_Ueried abou"t. the numbE:r o officersto be l e f t here as a rear echelon of USASTAF, inas:::ruc11 as about


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s . ( )----

:umi.cat ion should be .. t h o r i ~ e d for the Tra.u:Jportation sections

G e n e r ~ l llc.U.r..ughton .)()inted out "th..t these section:J . i l l c:,lso de-

1-.i'CU.la.rly in fig.Llting out J.o.,.:iiug yriorl.Lies vd. t t I ~ l n n a Com."lSUder . . .The al.r ft Hil l be h : ~ u d l . e d bc.ck here, Ge. rvl P r. ter said , . >ndnot n Gu.C : 4 General Cpaatz :scitJ ths. t t. e ~ e r v i c e c ~ n a e . r int.he rJri.an.n:::, for the ~ t h lir Force, shoulc. f ight t.he Isl.:md Com.-..w.mier on loaai.n.; pr ior i .i.eB only r:hen they r;erc n ~ t doing Y:bct hf l t tne;{ 3hould do , th..-:n ti' c r n t t t ~ ~ voul d l ~ e brought to U S . ~ W ' A l l

At th i s point. tiener.:;J_ ~ i t . u g h t o o sr...i.d he ~ a . s .rtj-O.f to get tot: Or { en the plaiH'I _ t 1t.:.. he f l t ; , . n ~ y hac t.. foundniion UlC. t.batt was tlot a question of 1.orking uul. tho a.et.ril3 .

: J ~ e : . d n g rJ. ltU "e ud t h e r ~ l:e:re none. lia st.attd :but he . -s going

.sul.t of ' ~ h ~ t . r d h e ~ u:..I.cus:seC.. Other Jllt\'ttcra c:.mld be d . s ~ s s dmr::>ute to Guam .i th Gener.U Giles &nc :JLher ccmber::o of the pa.I"t7 .


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0and then ' f t ~ l l c o : r ~ e out to t . . ~ e V< ri")U:J ngencie5 .for diccus:si.on.

wlng r ad activar..icn of ac ditionc.l. st;uadrons had arisen :n.any ti .:l.esrece .. :.ly, t l l ezcbange of radio.:., ;md fucu.:Jsion of o.ntivation o fa;;l addit ional sc;uedrcn for tho r lngs . Apparently by tha act.: .va-t ion o a s ~ ~ d r o n t h e ~ e w ~ will not g e ~ four squaarons as scheduled

days, ~ . s l t i n g nat to h ~ . o v e pbot,o r e c o . l f l ~ s s a n ~ e f;l..uadron:s activc.ted

1:ait unt i l h.f ' c011ld ai:.a up tho ?hotocrt.:>hic nituation to see ldlethert ~ e r e io ecu>U1.' on ~ : J : i d to do t,hc job. Geiter 1 1 G-ilus sa ia thil.t GenerdLQ;.y oat d t ~ e y ci.o nsvc eu ficient eC u.e.ctrone to d o the job ;;it.hout enyec ill.ticmul ao:d.st:..r.co, but tha t he -uas not. t : \C e o.f i t. He had not.obttined the:.Z. ro::.:::.ct .or.'- loeld, c.nd fe l t thr't. Gener : 1 Uacartbur 1rould

G-.-nor r coulc uo t.he jo b , ' thtn the 5 ~ ' t h


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One squadron i s t.o ---car ry the big bombs from Tinian, General. Gile:5 s tated, i anotne rcne redesigH.u.teci. to ~ . c t i v:..te o. sqU


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Genel'al. llcNaughton askea i f USAST.IT goin g t o be considereda the i t e r agency i t. can C.e.;ignate o f ( nsivea, r.nc. Ge .erG.l. Gilese 11pr esse d t.1e oplnion thc:..t v.ould tni i.k the directive stated tnc.tu1;thority . Gener...l S p ~ t i . i t:Ut th US.ltS rAF shouJ..u co1J. or.m 11henp: r t ic ipat ing rith grounc. forces to the i r dec isions . Strategic ai rl ar over .Jc:..p...n i s JUst one bc:.ttle . Colo.ntl Clinch st,_tea tha t L 1 anyev e>n t A U I J ~ . o\.lld reco.i '.rr.end. to the V.ar Depurt:nent t h ~ ~ a Cill.i.pb.ignoe de .ignated b ..t thnt.. the l' D e ~ r : : . m e n t must c . . o p ~ O V e

Staff Meetings of US Army Strategic Air Force for 2 & 11 August 1945

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Transcript of Staff Meetings of US Army Strategic Air Force for 2 & 11 August 1945