Moresby to Manila via Troop Carrier

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Publisher: Angus & Robertson Ltd Aus
Edition: First
Cover: Hardcover
Published: 1946
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Synopsis: This detailed account documents the extensive troop carrier operations in the Pacific Theater from the critical base at Port Moresby, New Guinea, through the island-hopping campaign that ultimately led to the liberation of Manila in the Philippines. The book examines the unique challenges and crucial importance of transport aviation in the vast Pacific theater, where distances between operational bases and the lack of suitable airfields created unprecedented logistical and operational challenges. The narrative traces the development of Port Moresby as a major Allied air base and transportation hub, showing how engineers and support personnel overcame extreme tropical conditions, limited infrastructure, and constant enemy pressure to create one of the Pacific's most important aviation facilities. Operational chapters document the extensive airlift operations that supported Allied advances across the Pacific, including the transportation of troops, equipment, and supplies to forward bases and combat zones throughout New Guinea, the Philippines, and other strategic locations. The book covers the specialized challenges of tropical operations including extreme weather conditions, disease, equipment deterioration, and the constant threat of enemy interception over vast ocean expanses. Technical aspects of Pacific theater transport operations are thoroughly examined, including aircraft modifications for long-range overwater flights, navigation challenges in areas with limited radio aids, and maintenance procedures under extreme environmental conditions. The work includes detailed accounts of specific operations including the support of ground forces in New Guinea, the transportation of troops and supplies during the Philippines campaign, and the complex logistics of maintaining air supply lines across thousands of miles of ocean. Personnel accounts provide insights into the daily realities of transport operations in the Pacific, including the challenges of flying in tropical conditions, dealing with limited facilities at forward bases, and maintaining aircraft under difficult field conditions. The book documents the evolution of Pacific theater transport tactics and the development of specialized procedures for overwater navigation, weather flying, and emergency operations in remote locations. Post-combat operations are covered including the massive redeployment of personnel and equipment following the Japanese surrender, showing the continued importance of transport aviation in Pacific operations even after combat ended.

Moresby to Manila via Troop Carrier, is one of the many primary source materials in the Army Air Corps Museum collection.