5th Air Force USAAF in Australia 1942

5TH AIR FORCE USAAF
IN AUSTRALIA
1942 - 1945

visits since 8 November 1998

The 5th Air Force are due to have their Fifth Air Force Reunion 2004 on

19 - 23 September 2004

in Louisville, Kentucky.

5th Air Force Reunion, to also include 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.

Plaque in the Passenger Terminal at Archerfield airport commemorating the United States Fifth Air Forces' involvement at Archerfield

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.

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)

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.

No. 2 U.S. Air Command

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 - 8th Squadron - 13th Squadron - 89th Squadron - 90th Squadron - 46 Ordinance Co. - 2 Chemical Co.	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.
7th Bomb Group	LB-30s and B-17s	Moved to 10th Air Force in India in early 1942
19th Bomb Group - Headquarters Squadron - 28th Squadron - 40th Recon. Squadron (redesignated the 435th Squadron on 22 Apr 42) - 30th Squadron - 93rd Squadron - 435th Squadron "The Kangaroo Squadron" (Previously the 40th Recon. 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 - 2nd Squadron (1940 -1952) - 18th Recce Squadron - 19th Squadron (1940 -1952) - 33rd Squadron (1940 -1952) - 408th Squadron (1940 -1952) - 46 Ordinance Co., 3 Platoon - 453 Ordinance Co., - 484 Ordinance Co. - 1 Chemical Co Detachment	B-26s, B-25s & B-24s
27th Bomb Group - HQ Squadron - 16th Squadron - 17th Squadron - 91st Squadron - 2nd Observation Squadron - 454th Ordinance	A-24s	27 BG were in Australia for a short time en-route Java
38th Bomb Group "The Sun Setters" - 69th Squadron (eventually transferred to another bomb group) - 70th Squadron (eventually transferred to another bomb group) - 71st Squadron - "The Wolf Pack" - 405th Squadron - "The Green Dragons" - 822nd Squadron - "The Black Panthers" - 823rd Squadron - "The Terrible Tigers"	B-25s	1940-1946
43rd Bomb Group "Ken's Men" - 63rd Squadron "The Sea Hawks" - 64th Squadron - 65th Squadron "The Lucky Dicers" - 403rd Squadron "The Mareeba Butchers"	B-17s & B-24s
90th Bomb Group "The Jolly Rogers" - 319th Squadron - 320th Squadron "Moby Dick" - 321st Squadron - 400th Squadron	B-24s
312th Bomb Group - HQ Squadron - 386th Bomb Squadron - 387th Bomb Squadron - 388th Bomb Squadron - 389th Bomb Squadron	A-31s, A-24s, P-40s, A-20s	1943-44
345th Bomb Group "The Air Apaches" - 498th Squadron - "Falcons" - 499th Squadron - "Bats outa Hell" - 500th - "Rough Raiders" - 501st - "Black Panthers"	B-25s
380th Bomb Group - 528th Bomb Squadron - 529th Bomb Squadron - 530th Bomb Squadron - 531st 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

FIGHTER GROUPS IN THE 5TH AIR FORCE:

8th Fighter Group - Headquarters - 35th Fighter (Pursuit) Squadron - 36th Fighter (Pursuit) Squadron - 80th Fighter (Pursuit) Squadron - 683 Ordinance	P-39's, P-40's & p-38's	1942-46
35th Fighter Group - 39th Pursuit Squadron - "The Cobra Squadron" - 40th Pursuit Squadron - "Fightin' Red Devils" - 41st Pursuit Squadron - 679 Ordinance Co., 1 & 2 Platoon	P-38,P-39's,P-47's & P-51's	1942-45
49th Fighter Group - Headquarters Squadron - 7th Squadron "Screamin' Demons" - 8th Squadron "Blacksheep" - 9th Squadron "Flying Knights" - 49th Interceptor Squadron (radiomen)	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 - 68th Fighter Squadron - 69th Fighter Squadron - 310th Fighter Squadron - 311th Fighter Squadron - Mexican Squadron
348th Fighter Group - 340th Fighter Squadron - 341st Fighter Squadron - 342nd Fighter Squadron - 460th Fighter Squadron		1943-45
475th Fighter Group - 431st Squadron "Hades" - 432nd Squadron "Clover" - 433rd Squadron "Possum"		1943-45

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 RCN	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
               - 5th Combat Cargo Squadron
               - 6th Combat Cargo Squadron
               - 7th Combat Cargo Squadron
               - 8th Combat Cargo Squadron

       - 317th Troop Carrier Group
               - 39th Troop Carrier Squadron
               - 40th Troop Carrier Squadron
               - 41st Troop Carrier Squadron
               - 46th Troop Carrier Squadron

       - 374th Troop Carrier Group
               - 6th Troop Carrier Squadron
               - 21st Troop Carrier Squadron
               - 22nd Troop Carrier Squadron
               - 33rd Troop Carrier Squadron

       - 375th Troop Carrier Group
               - Headquarters Squadron
               - 55th Troop Carrier Squadron
               - 56th Troop Carrier Squadron
               - 57th Troop Carrier Squadron
               - 58th Troop Carrier Squadron

       - 433rd Troop Carrier Group
               - 65th Troop Carrier Squadron
               - 66th Troop Carrier Squadron
               - 67th Troop Carrier Squadron
               - 68th Troop Carrier Squadron
               - 69th Troop Carrier Squadron
               - 70th Troop Carrier Squadron

- 333rd Signal Corps

- 415th Signal Corps

- 21st Service Group

- 801st Medical Air Evacuation Squadron

- 804th Medical Air Evacuation Squadron

- 820th Medical Air Evacuation Squadron

15th Weather squadron

United States Air Transport Command

Directorate of Air Transport

5th Air Force Service Command

IV Air Service Area Command

7th Service Group

- 10th Service Squadron
- ?

5TH SERVICE COMMAND

Located at Depot #2 at Mount Louisa

4th Air Depot Group - HQ & HQ Squadron - 83rd Depot Repair Squadron - 4th Depot Supply Squadron - 911th Signal Co. Dept. Av. - 1125th M.P. Co. Av.
12th Air Depot Group - HQ & HQ Squadron - 12th Depot Repair Squadron - 317th Depot Repair Squadron - 12th Depot Supply Squadron - 1699th Ordnance Medium Maintenance Co. Av. - 2483 Q.M. Truck Co. Av.
15th Air Depot Group - HQ & HQ Squadron - 15th Depot Repair Squadron - 29th Depot Repair Squadron - 15th Depot Supply Squadron - 194th Ordnance Dep. Co. - 1702nd Ordnance Medium Maintenance Co. Av. - 2486th Q.M. Truck Co. Av.
45th Service Group - HQ & HQ Squadron - 1058th Signal Co. Services Group - 1158th Q.M. Co. Service Gr. Av.
5th Air Service Area Command - 8th Service Squadron - 760th Chem. Dept. Co. - 1909th Ordnance Co.

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