Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army | |
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Active | 21 November 1944 - 14 July 1945 [1] |
Country | United States of America |
Engagements | Battle of Okinawa |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Francis P. Mulcahy Louis E. Woods |
The Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army (TAF) was a joint aviation command of the Tenth United States Army that was responsible for commanding all land-based aviation and aviation command and control units during the Battle of Okinawa. [2] The TAF's headquarters was provided by the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and it was the largest joint aviation unit under Marine Corps command during World War II. [3] During the battle, the TAF was commanded by Major General Francis P. Mulcahy until ill-health forced him to be relieved by MajGen Louis E. Woods. [4] According to United States sources, TAF aircraft were responsible for shooting down 637 Japanese aircraft during the battle. [5]
The Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army (TAF) was activated at Schofield Barracks, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii on November 21, 1944 under the command of Major General Francis P. Mulcahy, then commander of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. [8] 2nd MAW was chosen to lead the TAF because it had recent combat experience from Peleliu and more importantly it was available in Hawaii as planning for the invasion began to ramp up. [9] When first formed, TAF's Marine Corps and United States Army Air Forces units were scattered across the Pacific Theater. [8] Expecting a very large number of kamikaze attacks, MajGen Mulcahy selected his Chief of Staff, Brigadier General William J. Wallace, to serve as the head of TAF's most important task unit, the Air Defense Command. [9] The ADC was initially responsible for overseeing the day and night fighters squadrons from three Marine Aircraft Groups and the four ground based early warning squadrons. [10] BGen Wallace was a seasoned veteran who had previous combat experience as a Marine Air Group commander during the Guadalcanal Campaign. Marine Aircraft Group 43 (MAG-43), under the command of one of the most experienced radar officers in the Marine Corps Robert O. Bisson, was also brought from Marine Corps Air Station El Centro, California to Hawaii to serve as the administrative headquarters for the TAF. [11]
Planning for Okinawa continued while TAF struggled to get its staff together. The headquarters was not basically organized until December 1944 by which time the invasion plan was well along. [10] By the time that the first echelon of TAF personnel embarked upon naval shipping at Pearl Harbor in late February 1945, TAF consisted of 112 officers and 398 enlisted personnel. [2]
The plan that developed for the invasion of Okinawa was very straight forward with only a few modifications installed to improve air to ground coordination, incorporate more than one ground based radar squadron and integrate a large number of night fighter squadrons. [12] TAF planners envisioned the units primary missions as follows:
TAF's Air Defense Command was tasked with the following missions: [14]
Kadena and Yontan Airfields were seized by 1230 on L-Day, April 1, 1945. Engineers immediately began to expand and repair the runways. The first TAF aircraft to come ashore on Okinawa were Marine Corps OY-1 Grasshoppers from VMO-3. [15] MAG-43's Air Defense Control Center (ADCC), callsign "Handyman", established itself in a position between Yontan Airfield and Kadena Airfield and took control of the air defense fight ashore on April 7, 1945. [15] [16] The ADCC was initially operated from the back of two LVTs. [17] On April 16, MAG-43 established its full ADCC in a farmer's house about a half mile southeast of Yontan Airfield in the village of Yomitan. [18] Initially Air Warning Squadron 7 and Air Warning Squadron 8 were the only two ground based early warning units detailed to land during the first few days after D-Day. AWS-7 moved north with the Marine Divisions and established itself at Hedo Point once it was secured. AWS-8 landed with the 77th Infantry Division before D-Day to secure Zamami Shima on March 27, 1945. [19] Air Warning Squadrons 1 and Air Warning Squadron 6 were scheduled to land later in April. [20] [21] These units were tasked to work in conjunction with the Navy's radar picket ships off the coast. [22] Because of the kamikaze threat it was quickly determined that the initial two air warning squadrons were insufficient for the task. One of the Navy's great lesson's learned from the Battle of Okinawa was that failure to secure outlying islands and install adequate ground based radar coverage was partially responsible for the devastating losses that the radar picket ships suffered. [23] By June 30, MAG-43 consisted of 1,926 Marines with another 505 attached US Army personnel. [18]
HEARTIEST CONGRATULATION TO YOU AND YOUR FIGHTER COMMAND FOR HAVING SHOT DOWN YESTERDAY EVENING A FORCE OF 32 ENEMY PLANES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN IN POSITION TO INFLICT SERIOUS DAMAGE TO OUR SHIPPING AND GROUND FORCES HERE X MORE POWER TO YOU ALL XX BUCKNER
Marine Aircraft Group 31 (MAG-31) was the first Marine air group ashore landing on Yontan Airfield on April 7. [25] Flying in from the escort carriers USS Sitkoh Bay and the USS Breton (CVE-23), the group was able to immediately put 80 of 109 F4U Corsairs into the fight and maintained a combat air patrol from 1750 until dark to aid in the fight against the kamikaze attacks that were devastating the American fleet. [17] [26] Marine Aircraft Group 33 was next ashore on April 9. [27] On April 14, responsibility for providing CAP aircraft for Okinawa was transferred from the Navy's Task Force 58 to the TAF. [28] That same day TAF was also tasked with providing an additional two plane CAP's for three of the Navy's radar picket stations. [28]
By the end of April the TAF had two Marine Aircraft Groups ashore giving them six F4U Corsair squadrons and two night fighter squadrons equipped with Grumman F6F Hellcats [27] [22] TAF initially maintained a CAP of 12 aircraft overhead however as the kamikaze threat grew it increased to 32 aircraft overhead with an additional 12 aircraft on ground alert. [29] For the month, TAF aircraft had flown 3,521 combat air patrols sorties and were responsible for assisting in the shooting down on 143 enemy aircraft. [30]
May 1945 saw TAF strength increased with the addition of Marine Aircraft Group 22 and the 318th Fighter Group. [30] With the additional aircraft assigned the combat air patrols were pushed further north of Okinawa. During May TAF aircraft flew more than 6,700 sorties in defense of the island and naval shipping claiming 369 enemy aircraft shot down. Not all of the action for the TAF was in the skies over Okinawa. On May 24, the Japanese mounted Operation Gi-gou: a company of Giretsu Kuteitai commandos were airlifted in a suicide attack on Yomitan. They destroyed 70,000 US gallons (260,000 L) of fuel and nine planes before being killed by the defenders, who lost two men. During the same period TAF lost 109 aircraft with only three lost to direct enemy action. [30] At the end of May and into June, the remainder of the fighter squadrons from the United States Army Air Corps's 301st Fighter Wing and Marine Aircraft Group 14 arrived. [22] [30] Eventually, ADC commanded a total of 25 fighter squadrons. [31] Between June 3–7, fighters from the TAF engaged the ninth massed kamikaze attack of the campaign. Of the 118 enemy planes shot down, TAF aircraft accounted for 35 of them. [32]
The original plan for the Battle of Okinawa had called for a significant portion of assigned aviation assets to conduct close air support (CAS). This did not come to fruition during the battle because of the kamikaze threat, difficult terrain and the nature of Japanese cave defenses. The nature of the kamikaze threat also meant that the defense of Okinawa from attack by the air became their primary mission. [33] Because of the focus on air defense, approximately 60% of the close air support sorties during the battle were provided by Marine and Navy aircraft flying from Task Force 58's escort carriers. In fact, the first CAS sorties by TAF aircraft did not occur until April 13 and for the month of April only 20% of available sorties were tasked with conducting CAS. [34]
A newly established command and control agency was utilized to coordinate and direct close air support missions during the battle. Three Landing Force Air Support Control Units (LFASCU), under the command of Colonel Vernon E. Megee, came ashore on the first day of the invasion and established their agencies ashore. LFASCU 1 was in support of the III Amphibious Corps, while LFASCU-2 supported the Army's XXIV Corps and LFASCU-3 coordinated close air support for the higher headquarters of the Tenth Army. [35]
TAF's Bomber Command was originally planned to consist of the 41st Bomber Group (Medium) and the 319th Bomber Group (Light). These two groups did not begin operations on Okinawa until late June/early July. At the same time, two heavy bomber groups were also added - the 494th and 11th Bomber Groups (Heavy). With a large number of forces and a very limited mission as the fighting on Okinawa subsided in June, the Tactical Air Force began executing missions against targets in the Northern Ryukus, Kyushu, and China. [8] [36] It was at this point that the headquarters designed for the Battle of Okinawa was no longer needed and the unit was disbanded on July 13, 1945. Marine squadrons were transferred to the newly established Ryukuan Command and Army Air Corps assets reverted to the tactical control of the Far East Air Force.
During its existence TAF squadrons flew a total of 38,192 sorties and claimed shooting down 625 enemy aircraft as well as engaging Japanese shipping and providing close air support. [37] [38] During three months of combat over the skies of Okinawa, Marine squadrons assigned to the TAF accounted for 484½ planes shot down helping to create 21 new Marine Corps aces. [39] MAG-33 had the most of any single Marine air group claiming 214 shoot-downs. [40]
Units assigned to the TAF during its existence are as follows: [41]
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The Direct Air Support Center (DASC) is the principal United States Marine Corps aviation command and control system and the air control agency responsible for the direction of air operations directly supporting ground forces. It functions in a decentralized mode of operation, but is directly supervised by the Marine Tactical Air Command Center (TACC) or the Navy Tactical Air Control Center (NTACC). During amphibious or expeditionary operations, the DASC is normally the first Marine Air Command and Control System (MACCS) agency ashore and is usually categorized as the Ground Combat Element's (GCE's) senior Fire Support Coordination Center (FSCC). The DASC's parent unit is the Marine Air Support Squadron (MASS) of the Marine Air Control Group (MACG).
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 311 (VMFA-311) is a United States Marine Corps fighter attack squadron consisting of F-35C Lightning II. Known as the "Tomcats", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 11 (MAG-11) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The Wing provides the aviation combat element for the II Marine Expeditionary Force.
Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) F/A-18 Hornet squadron. Also known as the "Fighting Bengals", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 31 (MAG-31) and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. The Bengals are the only Marine F/A-18D Hornet Squadron currently operating out of MCAS Beaufort.
Marine Air Support Squadron 2 (MASS-2), is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control unit that provides the Direct Air Support Center (DASC) for the III Marine Expeditionary Force. It is the oldest and most decorated aviation command and control unit in the Marine Corps.
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Marine Air Control Squadron 1 (MACS-1) is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control squadron. The squadron provides aerial surveillance, air traffic control, ground-controlled intercept, and aviation data-link connectivity for the I Marine Expeditionary Force. It was the first air warning squadron commissioned as part of the Marine Corps' new air warning program and is the second oldest aviation command and control unit in the Marine Corps. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma and falls under Marine Air Control Group 38 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
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Marine Aviation Training Support Group 22 (MATSG-22) is a United States Marine Corps aviation training group that was originally established during World War II as Marine Aircraft Group 22 (MAG-22). Squadrons from MAG-22, were decimated at the Battle of Midway and, after reconstituting, fought during the Battle of Okinawa. The group was deactivated following the end of the war and was not reactivated until 1 May 2000, when the Marine Aviation Detachment at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas was renamed MATSG-22.
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Robert O. Bisson was a brigadier general in the United States Marine Corps who served in both World War II and the Korean War. A naval aviator and communications engineer, he was at the forefront of the Marine Corps' use of radar for early warning and fighter direction. In 1943, as a member of VMF(N)-531, he supervised the installation and operation of the Marine Corps' first ground-controlled interception (GCI) equipment utilized in a combat zone. During the Battle of Okinawa he commanded the headquarters responsible for coordinating the Marine Corps' ground-based air defense units.
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The VMF(N)-531 GCI Detachment was a short-lived aviation command and control unit that was part of the United States Marine Corps's first night fighter squadron, VMF(N)-531. This detachment was the Marine Corps' first dedicated GCI detachment utilized in a combat zone. In the early phases of World War II the Marine Corps did not have stand-alone early warning and ground-controlled intercept (GCI) units so these capabilities were initially placed in the headquarters of each Marine Aircraft Group and with individual night fighter squadrons. The detachment was deployed in the South Pacific from August 1943 through August 1944 and was responsible for the interception of numerous Japanese aircraft. Lessons learned from this deployment were instrumental in establishing tactics and procedures for the Marine Corps' newly established Air Warning Program. Upon returning from its first and only deployment, the detachment was dissolved and its members went on to serve as instructors at the 1st Marine Air Warning Group, which was responsible for training new squadrons. Many of them later served in leadership roles in these Air Warning Squadrons as they supported follow on combat operations.
The Raid on Yontan was an Empire of Japan military operation carried out on the night of May 24–25, 1945 against Yontan Airfield on Okinawa. The airfield was recently seized by American forces during the first day of the Battle of Okinawa and was being used by United States Marine Corps and Army Air Force squadrons. Five Imperial Japanese Army Mitsubishi Ki-21 bombers, carrying Giretsu Kuteitai special airborne attack troops, conducted a suicide raid against Kadena and Yontan airfields on Okinawa. Four were shot down, but the fifth belly landed on the principal runway at Yontan allowing 10-12 giretsu troops to disembark on the airfield. The raid resulted in the destruction or damaging of 38 American aircraft and 70,000 gallons of fuel. However, its overall value was minimal because Yontan Airfield was reopened at 0800 the following morning with little effect to overall allied aviation operations.