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Headquarters Hawaiian Air Force office of the Air Force commander Fort Shafter, T.H.
31 May 1941
Subject: Report, DM-41
TO: commanding general Hawaiian department Fort Shafter, T.H.
Section 1- Narrative.
1. This command was alerted at 0031, 12 May 1941, and CP opened at 0035. The 18th Bombardment Wing and the 14th Pursuit Wing CP's opened at 0035 and 0040 respectively. FO 1-DM was placed in effect at 0115. All Staffs and subordinate units were organized for 24 hour operations. Airplanes were dispersed at Hickam Field and Wheeler Field.
2. The mission of the 14th Pursuit Wing was to operate from Wheeler Field and to destroy hostile aircraft operating over or in the immediate vicinity of Oahu by the interception of enemy air forces in route to their targets and during withdrawal therefrom. Our pursuit control unit was established in order to accomplish successfully this mission. Pursuit airplane picket controls were established around the perimeter of Oahu. During the intermediate phase, 1200, 14 May to 2400 21 may, defense measures in the form of airplane bunkers and shelter trenches were established. During the period 0001 22 may to the end of maneuvers this wing was employed as a red Air Force.
3. a. During the period 0549, 12 May 1941 to 1555, 13 May 1941 the 18th Bombardment Wing operated under Navy control in accordance with Naval Base Defense Air Force operations order A-1A-41. Two attacks were made on red carriers by 24 bombardment airplanes, both were successful.
b. During the period 0800, 14 May 1941 to 2130, 20 May 1941 the wing concentrated on normal training transition to new equipment and flew missions in connection with the maneuvers in blackout.
c. During the period 0115 to 1800, 21 May 1941, the wing again operated under Navy control in accordance with Naval Base Defense Air Force operations order A-1A-41, performing two successful attacks on carriers.
d. With the exception of patrol airplanes from patrol wing 2 there was no Naval Air participation as blue aviation.
e. During the period 0001, 22 May 1941 to 0745, 24 May 1941 the wing was considered nullified as a blue Air Force and flew as red aviation.
SECTION II- Time and Space Factors
1. a. The time required to arm a single pursuit airplane with machine gun ammunition was P-36 airplane, 20 minutes with 500 rounds of caliber 30, 200 rounds of caliber 50; P-40 airplane, 30 minutes with 2000 rounds of caliber 30, 800 rounds of caliber 50. The time required to arm a single B18 aircraft with 600 lb bombs at night averaged about one hour and 10 minutes. With bomb trucks and trailers available about 10 could be armed simultaneously. 20 airplanes took about two hours and 20 minutes. An additional one hour and 10 minutes would be required for each additional 10 airplanes.
b. Two actual troop movements occurred during this.: 16 officers and 350 enlisted men moved from Wheeler Field to Schofield barracks to take over the sabotage area formerly occupied by the 2nd battalion of the 21st infantry. The order to move was received at 0744, 22 May1941 and the 2nd battalion, 21st infantry was relieved at 0956. The movement of this unit was by motor vehicle. There was no delay in either movement due to transportation.
SECTION III – Tactical Organizations.
1. a. The 14th Pursuit Wing, as organized, is suitable and adequate for tactical operation. It is maneuverable and controllable under existing tables of organization, there are no suggested changes in organization. Additional personnel would be required to operate over a long period of time on a 24 hour basis during an actual emergency.
2.a. The tactical organization of the 18th Bombardment Wing is inadequate in view of information from the war department indicating a 50% increase in airplanes per squadron. This expansion will create a shortage of trained specialists that the present organization does not fill. It is believed that the organization will prove maneuverable and controllable with B-17 D equipment. There are no suggested changes in type of organization. Double combat crews would be required for continuous operations.
SECTION IV-Anti-Sabotage Defense.
1.a. The anti sabotage defense of Wheeler Fields consists of the permanent guard of 16 post and two outposts which guard all installations at all times. When alerted, the ground defense units occupy positions covering the approaches to the airdrome, hangers and vital installations. This defensive organization consists of 15 caliber 30 machine gun positions generally on the perimeter of the field. These positions supported locally by riflemen, automatic riflemen, and patrols. In addition to the caliber 30 ground defense machine gun positions there are 8 caliber 50 anti aircraft gun positions.
b. The ground defense unit is a provisional battalion consisting of three companies, one company coming from each of the following groups: 18th air base group, 15th pursuit group and 18th pursuit group. Total strength is 16 officers and 350 men.
c. It is believed that the Wheeler Field airdrome and vital installations are adequately protected from sabotage attack.
2.a. The anti sabotage defense of Hickam Field consists of the permanent guard of 10 posts plus a bomb dump and hangar line guard. Organizations provide their own hangar line guards. The ordinance personnel man the bomb dump post. When alerted, the ground defense units occupy positions covering approaches to the airdrome, hangers and vital installations. This defensive organization consists of 30 caliber 30 machine guns strategically located. These positions are supported by riflemen and patrols. Total strength: eleven officers and 482 men.
b. The airdrome is not properly protected against sabotage. A man proof fence around the east and south boundaries of the field and along the hangar line should be constructed and lighted without delay. Machine gun positions should be of permanent concrete construction.
SECTION V – Air Defense.
The air defense of Wheeler Field is inadequate for protection of command, supply and signal installations. No air raid shelters for personnel are provided. Protective measures for aircraft in the form of airplane bunkers have been taken. 12 caliber 50 AA machine guns manned by Hickam Field personnel with additional positions in the Hickam Field area manned by the coast artillery and marines provide protection against low flying aircraft. The emplacement should be of permanent concrete and steel construction with a tactical telephone in each emplacement.
SECTION VI – Supplies and Logistics.
1.a. Ammunitions, gasoline and general supplies were adequate. No serious difficulties were encountered in the drawing and distribution of supplies. There was, however, a shortage of men for these functions. At the commencement of the maneuvers, 147 men were assigned to the supply duties at all fields, but 47 were reassigned to other duties leaving only 100 men for supply. Based on gasoline and wrecking truck operations at all fields, 146 men would be required actually to operate on a 24 hour basis.
b. 3rd echelon maintenance was conducted by the Hawaiian air depot with 480 men. This force was capable of making major overhauls on 4 planes in two weeks. The proposed full complement, consisting of three times the present strength could turn out a correspondingly greater amount of work on a 24 hour basis.
c. The 18th Bombardment Wing drew two sets of entrenching tools and the 14th Pursuit Wing one set. The tools were employed in the construction of personnel trenches.
2. a. The ability of the aviation ordinance service to belt and supply ammunition was not thoroughly tested and with present equipment, it is not believed that it could be done. For example, a modern pursuit airplane carries about 2000 rounds of caliber 30 and 750 rounds of caliber 50 ammunition. At present there are three squadrons in the 15th group and four squadrons in the 18th group. War department contemplates the addition of 1 tactical squadron and one training squadron to each group. Using a four squadron group as the standard, it would have 72 airplanes for a mission. This would require 144,000 rounds of caliber 30 and 54,000 rounds of caliber 50. A group is served by 1 ordinance company (T/O) 83 men, authorized 50), and the present loading equipment is hand operated. During the maneuver a crew of 30 men was used on ammunition supply. This included handling ammunition from Schofield to Wheeler, belting and delivering to the squadron. It would have required this crew 22 hours to deliver the caliber 30 and 20 hours to deliver the caliber 50 for one mission. This is a critical situation and the need for more efficient belt loading equipment is urgently needed. 4 belted missions are kept on hand but they would soon be used.
b. Naval maneuver rules give a 300 pound bomb for carriers, destroyers and light cruisers. On this exercise the Navy ordered 600 pound bombs for carriers. Information received from the Navy is that 300 pound bombs are adequate for attack of airplane carriers but the Navy having no bombs of this size prescribed 500 pound bombs corresponding to our present 600 pound bombs.
c. Maintenance and the supply of spare parts was not tested. This will be done during target season when the armament is actually used.
d. There is an insufficient number of bomb trucks and tractors to permit quick loading of all airplanes of the 18th Bombardment Wing with demolition bombs. With proper loading equipment the time could be reduced two-thirds. This will still be true when the ordinance gets its complete supply of trucks and trailers and the 18th wing its complete supply of aircraft.
SECTION VII – Movements and Concentrations.
There was an adequacy of motor transportation at all stations of this command throughout the maneuvers. At their conclusion, however, a shortage of transportation was experienced due to the fact that the 299th infantry was provided with 11 trucks from Hickam Field in 19 trucks from Wheeler Field. This condition was improved when department headquarters released, upon request from this headquarters, the 11 Hickam Field trucks for use of that command.
SECTION VIII – Communications.
1. Communications for headquarters Hawaiian Air Force with Hawaiian department and with the two wings was via Telegraph printer, radio, telephone and mounted messenger. For the purpose, the system was adequate.
2. 1282 messages of various lengths, consisting of 41,600 words, were handled in Hawaiian Air Force headquarters during the period of the maneuver with a few minor errors which were immediately corrected. There was no transmission delay as such. The method of message center deliveries and recordings wherein only identifying records of messages were kept by message center personnel, worked very well and resulted in messages being routed through the message center in from five to fifteen seconds.
3. 75 men were required to work the agencies of signal communication for the Air Force message center. This exceeds the strength of the 328th Signal Company Aviation.
4. Communications facilities between the 18th Bombardment Wing and Naval Base Defense Air Force were inadequate and that there were no command teletype circuits or direct radio communications between Patrol Wing Two and the 18th Bombardment Wing.
SECTION IX – Construction of Field Works.
1. At Wheeler Field the 14th Pursuit Wing under supervision of the 804th Engineer Company, completed 51 bunkers and 256 shelter trenches by moving 24,789 cubic yards of dirt. In this operation, 3 bulldozers, one carry all, 10 dump trucks and two shovels were employed. This construction required 5600 man hours. Camouflage operations consisted of covering their revetments with vegetation and one engine bunker with netting. 1128 man hours were expended on this operation.
2. At Hickam Field, an attempt was made to camouflage planes by painting. No efforts of any consequence were made to camouflage grounds and installations due to the magnitude of the project. Labor, materials and skill that were not available would have been required to effectively camouflage even a small section of the field.
3. For similar reasons, no camouflage work was performed by the Hawaiian air depot.
SECTION X – Naval Participation.
1. Joint Army-Navy air action as prescribed in FO 1-NS, Hawaiian department, was tested three times during the maneuver.
2. Joint employment under Navy command function satisfactorily between the 18th Bombardment Wing and the Naval Base Defense Air Force. No test of joint action and communications between Navy and Marine Corps combat planes and the 14th Pursuit Wing was made because no fighters were released to army control. One obstacle to smooth mutual operation was the limited facilities for communication between the 18th Bombardment Wing and the Naval Base Defense Air Force.
SECTION XI – Black-out.
Blackout plans for both Hickam and Wheeler Fields have been published and frequently tested with satisfactory results. However, the lack of a distinctive blackout signal sometimes leads to temporary confusion.
SECTION XII – Comments and Recommendations.
1. There is an insufficient number of bomb trucks and tractors four quick loading of bombers of the 18th Bombardment Wing.
2. There is not sufficient ground available now at Hickam Field for proper dispersion of 50 airplanes. Consideration should be given to using the waste area between Hickam Field and John Rogers airport for dispersion.
3. Better wire and radio communication between the Navy and the 18th Bombardment Wing is required for continuous joint action.
4. There are sufficient anti aircraft machine gun emplacements for protection against low flying aircraft at Hickam and Wheeler Fields. However the emplacements should be of permanent concrete and steel construction with a tactical telephone in each emplacement.
5. The air raid warning system should not report friendly aircraft. Only enemy information should be given.
6. No provision was made in DM-41 to exercise chemical defense units at Hickam and Wheeler Fields. It is believed that this phase of the ground defense should be tested at least once in every maneuver that simulates their attacks on these airdromes.
7. The proposed underground command post for this headquarters, wing and air defense stations, should be completely equipped with teletypewriters and other means of communication so that no time will be lost when a move to that position is necessary. Preferably, all operations should be conducted from underground installations at all times.
8. Every effort should be made to increase signal corps personnel for the Air Force as requested 1 May 1941.
9. A distinctive blackout signal should be used at all army installations. It would be highly desirable if this same signal were used by the Navy and civilian agencies.
10. Training of additional specialists should be stimulated so that trained personnel may be available to meet the new augmented program which increased units of the Hawaiian Air Force as follows: each pursuit group to be increased by one training squadron and one combat squadron. All squadrons of the 15th pursuit group fighter to be increased from 13 airplanes to 25 airplanes. Each heavy bombardment group to be increased by one training squadron. All squadrons of the 18th Bombardment Wing to be increased from 8 airplanes to 12 airplanes.
For the commanding general; Cheney L. BERTHOLF, Lt Col, AGD, Adjutant General
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