Contents FOREWORD y PREFACE vi CHAPTER I. BACKGROUND 1 Organization of Far East Air Forces, p. 1 High-Level Planning, p. 4 June Proposals of the JCS, p. 5 The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing on Bougainville, p. 6 Search for a Combat Mission, p. 8 The Timetable Moves Up, p. 9 Landings at Peleliu and Morotai, p. 11 Plans for the Leyte Assault, p. 12 Air Forces, p. 12 Third Fleet, p. 12 Seventh Fleet, p. 12 Assault Air Force, p. 12 Supporting Air Forces, p. 12 Ground Forces, p. 18 Seventh Fleet, p. 14 Situation of Japanese Forces — Fall 1944, p. 14 Japanese Plans for Defense of the Philippines, p. 14 Disposition of Japanese Forces, p. 16 U. S. Air Intelligence, p. 16 CHAPTER II. LEYTE AND SAMAR CAMPAIGNS 19 The Leyte Landings, p. 19 The Battle for Leyte Gulf (28-26 October), p. 20 Tacloban Airdrome, Leyte, p. 22 Kenney Assumes Responsibility For Air Operations Over Leyte, p. 23 The November Stalemate, p. 26 MacArthur and Halsey Request Marine Squadrons, p. 28 Marine Night Fighters Ordered to Leyte from Peleliu, p. 29 Marine Aircraft Group 12 Moves to Leyte, p. 30 First Marine Air Action Over Leyte, p. 31 The Big Job : To Attack Japanese Reinforcements, p. 33 Convoy Strike — 7 December, p. 33 Convoy Strikes — 11-12 December, p. 34 Air Cover Over U. S. Shipping - 11-12 December, p. 37 Operational Accidents, p. 39 Air Cover For Mindoro, p. 40 Ground Support Mission, Leyte, p. 43 Sixth Army Relieved, p. 44 Closing Marine Air Operations, 1944, p. 44 Marine Night Fighters Return to Palaus, p. 45 Preparations For Landings on Luzon, p. 46 Luzon Attack Force Convoy: The Kamikaze Attacks, p. 47 Carrier-Based Marine Squadrons, p. 48 Assignment of Marine Aircraft Group 14 to the Philippines Campaign, p. 48 MAG-14 Begins Combat Operations, p. 50 Operational Difficulties and Accidents at Guiuan, p. 51 Work of MAG-14 Ground Crews, p. 52 Routine Operations, p. 53 CHAPTER III. LUZON CAMPAIGN 56 Assignment of a Mission, p. 56 A Study of Close Air Support, p. 59 Training for the Mission, p. 61 Luzon Landings to be Delayed, p. 63 Movement to Lingayen Gulf, p. 63 Lingayen Landings and Development of an Airbase, p. 65 Marine Aircraft Groups, Dagupan, p. 67 Arrival of Flight Echelons at Mangaldan, p. 69 Combat Operations Begin, p. 70 The Final Drive to Manila, p. 73 Plans are made to use Marines on Mindanao, p. 80 Close Air Support Takes Hold, p. 81 Operational Difficulties and Innovations, p. 91 Departure of MAG-32 Ground Echelons from Luzon, p. 94 Enemy Air Raids on Mangaldan, p. 95 Close Support Along a Sprawling Front, p. 96 Supporting the Guerillas, p. 98 MAG-32 Airmen leave for Zamboanga, p. 102 Luzon Finale for MAG-24, p. 104 Summary of Marines’ Luzon Operations, p. 106 CHAPTER IV. SOUTHERN PHILIPPINE OPERATIONS 107 Strategic Backgrounds for the Victor Operations, p. 107 Prelude to Zamboanga, p. 109 The Landings at Zamboanga — Victor IV, p. 112 Close Air Support — Magszam, p. 114 Marine Bombing Squadron 611 Joins Magszam, p. 117 The Southern Visayas — Victor I, p. 118 The Southern Visayas — Victor II, p. 119 Drive into the Sulu Archipelago begins, p. 121 Close Air Support at Jolo, p. 122 Strategic Background of Victor V, p. 123 The Landings at Malabang — Victor V, p. 125 Air Support on Mindanao, p. 128 Closing Operations of the Philippines Campaign, p. 131 APPENDICES 136 I. Bibliography, p. 136 II. Chronology, p. 140 III. Casualties, p. 142 IV. Command and Staff, Marine Aviation Units, p. 143 V. Marine Ground Troops in Leyte Action, p. 146 VI. Pilot Survival Reports, p. 151 VII. Performance Data on Types of Aircraft Used by Marines in the Philippines, p. 158 VIII. Navy Unit Commendations, p. 159 IX. Index, p. 161 Digitized by https://www.mcu.usmc.mil

Includes bibliographical references (pages 136-139) and index

Background -- Leyte and Samar campaigns -- Luzon campaign -- Southern Philippine operations

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Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002

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