From Fiji Through the Philippines With the 13th Air Force
Author: Lt Col Benjamin Lippincott
Publisher: Newsfoto Pub TX
Edition: First
Cover: Hardcover
Published: 1948
Bomb
Synopsis: Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Lippincott's firsthand account provides an authoritative chronicle of the 13th Air Force's operations throughout the Pacific Theater during World War II. Writing from his personal experience as a participant in these operations, Lippincott documents the force's evolution from its early defensive operations in the South Pacific through its participation in major offensive campaigns that ultimately led to Japanese defeat. The narrative traces the 13th Air Force's deployment from initial bases in Fiji and other South Pacific islands through their advance northward as Allied forces seized strategic airfields and established bases closer to Japanese strongholds. The book provides detailed coverage of the unique challenges faced by air units operating in the Pacific Theater, including logistics over vast oceanic distances, construction and maintenance of airfields on remote islands, and adaptation to tropical conditions that tested both equipment and personnel. Through extensive mission accounts and personal observations, Lippincott captures the ingenuity and determination required for successful air operations in a theater where conventional military doctrine often proved inadequate to local conditions. The narrative documents the 13th Air Force's participation in major Pacific campaigns, including operations against Japanese positions in the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, and the Philippines, where their tactical bombing and close air support proved essential for Allied ground and naval forces. Personal accounts reveal the courage and skill of pilots and aircrew who conducted dangerous missions against heavily defended targets, often with limited fighter escort and minimal support facilities. The book examines the development of tactical air warfare in the Pacific and the innovations in close air support that became standard practice for modern military operations. Lippincott provides insights into the strategic planning and coordination required for successful air-ground cooperation, including the integration of air power with amphibious operations and jungle warfare. Technical discussions of aircraft performance and maintenance in tropical conditions illustrate the challenges of keeping complex military equipment operational under harsh environmental conditions. The narrative also explores the human dimension of Pacific air operations, including the psychological challenges of operating far from home bases and the strong unit cohesion that developed among personnel facing shared hardships and dangers. This work serves as both a military history and a personal memoir, providing authentic insights into air warfare in the Pacific while preserving the experiences of the men who participated in one of World War II's most challenging theaters of operations.
From Fiji Through the Philippines With the 13th Air Force, is one of the many primary source materials in the Army Air Corps Museum collection.
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