Had the first Medical Evacuation Squadron organized by the Army Air Forces. Flew in combination with four other air forces (Royal New Zealand, Royal Australian, U.S.Navy, and U.S.Marine Corps.). The first to develop, in combat, radar bombing with B-24s. The longest flight ever made by B-24s in strike formation was made in a mission by "Snoopers" from Palawan to Batavia and back. (see below ) The longest flight ever made by P-38s was made in a mission from the Philippines to Singapore and Borneo. (see above ) Click this link to see a period newspaper article about the long distance P-38 flight. Click this link to see additional pages about the Fighting 13th's long distance missions. The first fighter group to land and operate from Luzon since the fall of the Philippines. B-25s, in a strike against Kahili, flew the first parafrag mission in the South Pacific. Brilliantly consumated the mission that resulted in the downing of Admiral Yamamoto. Fighters that were later to become part of the 13th AAF participated in the first offensive against the Japanese, at Guadalcanal. Operated over an area of at least 4,000,000 square miles. Flew over twelve seas: Coral, Arafura, Tasman, Banda, Celebes, Sulu, Ceram, Mindanao, South China, East China, Java, and the Sea of Japan. Units were spread over at least 45 islands in the South and Southwest Pacific. From Bora Bora to the 868th Bombardment Squadron's base on Okinawa 13th AAF units traveled approximately 7,900 statute miles. Over the course of the war the 13th AAF flew 97,038 combat sorties, dropped 61,929 tons of bombs on targets, claimed 355,745 tons of shipping sunk, 213,325 tons probably sunk, and another 780,060 tons damaged. 1,439 enemy planes were claimed downed or destroyed on the ground with a loss of 490 13th AAF aircraft.

Main MenuSite Map