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Far East Air Forces

The Far East Air Forces (FEAF) was a significant command within the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II, playing a crucial role in the Pacific Theater. Originally formed on 16 November 1941 it was comprised of both men an aircraft of the Army Air Corps and Philippine Air Force. Following hte Japanes attacks of 7th and 8th December and the evacuation of the Philippines to Australia. The FEAF was discontinued and reconstituted as the Fifth Air Force on 5 Feburary 1942.

On 15 June 1944, the Far East Air Force command was relaunched. The command structure of the FEAF included several numbered air forces, such as the Fifth Air Force, the Thirteenth Air Force, and later, the Seventh Air Force. These units were equipped with a variety of aircraft, including fighters, bombers, and transport planes, which allowed them to execute a wide range of missions effectively.

The FEAF was responsible for conducting strategic bombing, air superiority, and close air support missions across a vast area, including New Guinea, the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies, and eventually parts of mainland Asia. Its primary objectives were to disrupt Japanese supply lines, destroy enemy air and naval assets, and support ground operations through tactical bombing and reconnaissance missions.

Under the leadership of General George C. Kenney, the FEAF developed innovative tactics and made extensive use of air power to achieve its goals. Notable achievements include the destruction of Japanese airpower in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea and the extensive use of paratroopers and air-dropped supplies to support ground forces. The FEAF also played a vital role in the recapture of the Philippines and contributed significantly to the eventual Allied victory in the Pacific.

Throughout its operations, the FEAF demonstrated the strategic importance of air power in modern warfare, showcasing how air superiority could be leveraged to achieve comprehensive military objectives. The successes of the FEAF significantly weakened Japanese resistance and facilitated the eventual Allied advances towards Japan.

 

 Air Forces
 1941-1947

VOLUNTEERING

Are you an AAC, AAF or USAF Veteran, family member, historian or WW2 enthusiast? We Need YOU! Contact us today to see how you can help the Army Air Corps Library and Museum, a Texas Not-For-Profit Corporation. We need your help! We are looking for volunteers that can help us with the following tasks. Typing and Transcriptionists: One of our big projects is extracting data from the thousands of documents we have and putting this data into a database where we can display the information on a website such as this one. We also need assistance with retyping unit history documents.

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