V Bomber Command
Encyclopedia
The V Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. It was last assigned to Fifth Air Force
, based at Irumagawa AB
, Japan. It was inactivated on 31 May 1946.
During World War II
the unit initially controlled Fifth Air Force bomber units in the Philippines
. It was largely destroyed in the Battle of the Philippines (1941–42), and withdrew to Australia at the end of December 1941, although elements of some units remained in the Philippines until April 1942. Re-equipped, the command provided command and control authority of Army Air Force bombardment organizations within the Fifth Air Force Area of Responsibility (AOR).
Afterward, served with the occupation force in Japan before being inactivated in 1946.
*Note; Does not include periods detached to combat wings
to help delay the Japanese
advance in the Netherlands Indies.
The command ceased to function in March 1942 (the AAF bombardment organizations in the Southwest Pacific being under the control of American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDA
) and later Allied Air Forces). Headquarters was remanned in September 1942 and shortly afterward it assumed control of AAF bombardment groups in Australia and New Guinea
.
The command served in combat with Fifth Air Force
until the end of the war. Brigadier General Kenneth N. Walker, who was killed during a mission over Rabaul
on 5 January 1943, was awarded the Medal of Honor
; he had repeatedly taken part in combat missions and had developed an effective technique for bombing when opposed by enemy interceptors and antiaircraft fire. After the war the command became part of the occupation force for Japan. Inactivated on 31 May 1946. Disbanded on 8 October 1948.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. It was last assigned to Fifth Air Force
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
, based at Irumagawa AB
Iruma Air Base
is a Japan Air Self-Defense Force base located in the city of Sayama, Saitama Prefecture, north of western Tokyo, Japan.Iruma Air Base is currently home to the Air Defense Command Headquarters Flight Group...
, Japan. It was inactivated on 31 May 1946.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the unit initially controlled Fifth Air Force bomber units in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. It was largely destroyed in the Battle of the Philippines (1941–42), and withdrew to Australia at the end of December 1941, although elements of some units remained in the Philippines until April 1942. Re-equipped, the command provided command and control authority of Army Air Force bombardment organizations within the Fifth Air Force Area of Responsibility (AOR).
Afterward, served with the occupation force in Japan before being inactivated in 1946.
Lineage
- Constituted as V Bomber Command on 28 October 1941
- Activated on 14 November 1941
- Inactivated on 31 May 1946
- Disbanded on 8 October 1948
Stations
- Clark Field, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, 14 November 1941 - RAAF Base DarwinRAAF Base DarwinRAAF Base Darwin is a Royal Australian Air Force base located in the city of Darwin, Northern Territory. The base shares its runway with Darwin International Airport.-History:...
, Australia, December 1941 - JavaJavaJava is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, January–March 1942 - RAAF Base TownsvilleRAAF Base TownsvilleRAAF Base Townsville is, along with RAAF Base Tindal and RAAF Base Darwin, one of northern Australia's primary defence installations. It is also Headquarters for No...
, Australia, 5 September 1942 - Jackson AirfieldJacksons International AirportJacksons International Airport , also known as Port Moresby Airport, is located 5 miles outside Port Moresby, in Papua New Guinea...
, Port MoresbyPort MoresbyPort Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
, New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, December 1942 - Nadzab AirfieldLae Nadzab AirportLae Nadzab Airport is a regional airport located in Lae, Papua New Guinea. It is served by regional aircraft with domestic flight.-Airlines and destinations:-History:...
, New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, 21 February 1944 - Owi AirfieldOwi AirfieldOwi Airfield is a World War II airfield located on Pulau Owi island in the Schouten Islands, Indonesia.The airfield was built by the Americans and used as a major command and control, as well as an operational fighter and bomber base in from the summer of 1944 until the end of the war in September...
, Schouten IslandsSchouten IslandsThe Indonesian Schouten Islands are an island group of Papua province, eastern Indonesia in the Cenderawasih Bay 50 km off the north-western coast of the island of New Guinea...
, Netherlands East Indies, c. 15 August 1944
- Bayug AirfieldBayug AirfieldBayug Airfield is a World War II airfield located in the east of Burauen, Leyte, Philippines, and to the west of San Pablo Airfield, to the north of the Marabong River in the province of Leyte, Philippines. It was closed after the war.-History:...
, LeyteLeyteLeyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
, Philippines, November 1944 - McGuire FieldMcGuire FieldFor the airport in the United States, see San José International AirportSan Jose Airport , formerly known as McGuire Field, is an airport serving the general area of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro in the Philippines. It is one of three airports in Occidental Mindoro, the others being Mamburao...
, MindoroMindoroMindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...
, Philippines, January 1945 - Clark Field, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, March 1945 - Hamasaki (Motobu Airfield)Motobu AirfieldMotobu Airfield is a World War II airfield on the Motobu Peninsula of Okinawa, near the East China Sea coast. The airfield was deactivated after 1945.-History:...
, Okinawa, August 1945 - MurayamaMurayama, Yamagatais a city located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 27,380 and a population density of 139 persons per km²...
, Japan, October 1945 - Irumagawa ABIruma Air Baseis a Japan Air Self-Defense Force base located in the city of Sayama, Saitama Prefecture, north of western Tokyo, Japan.Iruma Air Base is currently home to the Air Defense Command Headquarters Flight Group...
, Japan, c. 15 January – 31 May 1946
Units
- 3d Bombardment Group: 5 September 1942 – 31 May 1946
- 6th Reconnaissance Group6th Reconnaissance GroupThe 6th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with Fifth Air Force, stationed at Irumagawa Air Base, Japan...
: 10 October 1943 – 1 March 1944 - 7th Bombardment Group: 22 December 1941 – March 1942
- 8th Fighter Group: September–November 1942
- 19th Bombardment Group*: 16 November 1941 – September 1942
- 22d Bombardment Group*: 5 September 1942 – November 1945
- 27th Bombardment Group: c. 20 November 1941 – 4 May 1942
- 35th Fighter Group*: 10 November 1945 – 25 May 1946
- 38th Bombardment Group38th Bombardment GroupThe 38th Bombardment Group is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. It was most recently assigned as the operational component of the 38th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Laon-Couvron Air Base, France, where it was inactivated on 8 December 1957.During World War II the 38th Bomb Group...
*: 18 January – 1 August 1942
- 43d Bombardment Group: 5 September 1942 – 3 December 1945
- 49th Fighter Group: 10 November 1945 – 1 June 1946
- 71st Reconnaissance Group*: November 1943-1 March 1944
- 90th Bombardment Group*: November 1942-23 November 1945
- 312th Bombardment Group*: 16 January 1944 – 18 October 1945.
- 345th Bombardment Group*: 5 June 1943 – 10 December 1945
- 380th Bombardment Group*: May 1943-20 February 1946
- 417th Bombardment Group417th Bombardment GroupThe 417th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with V Bomber Command, being stationed at Itami Airfield, Japan, where it was inactivated on 5 November 1945....
*: 28 January 1944 – 1 November 1945.
*Note; Does not include periods detached to combat wings
Operational history
Participated in the defense of the Philippines in December 1941. Late in December the remaining bombers and some men were evacuated to Australia, and in January 1942 they were moved to JavaJava
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
to help delay the Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
advance in the Netherlands Indies.
The command ceased to function in March 1942 (the AAF bombardment organizations in the Southwest Pacific being under the control of American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDA
Abda
Abda may refer to:People*Abda , a personal name, given to two biblical figures*Abda of Edessa, saint of the Assyrian Church of the East*Abda of Dair-Koni, also known as Rabban Mar Abda, abbot and saint...
) and later Allied Air Forces). Headquarters was remanned in September 1942 and shortly afterward it assumed control of AAF bombardment groups in Australia and New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
.
The command served in combat with Fifth Air Force
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
until the end of the war. Brigadier General Kenneth N. Walker, who was killed during a mission over Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
on 5 January 1943, was awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
; he had repeatedly taken part in combat missions and had developed an effective technique for bombing when opposed by enemy interceptors and antiaircraft fire. After the war the command became part of the occupation force for Japan. Inactivated on 31 May 1946. Disbanded on 8 October 1948.