U.S.A.A.F.
"DUMBO"
MISSIONS |
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In the Mediterranean, the USAAF assigned three or
four worn-out Catalinas to ASR in the summer of 1943. Administratively, they were assigned
to the Twelfth Air Force; operationally, they were under the Northwest African Air Force's
Coastal Command. In late 1943, the crews were sent back to the States to serve as
instructors at the newly established Emergency Rescue School at Keesler Field, Biloxi,
Mississippi. The first unit formed, the 1st Emergency Rescue Squadron was sent to the
Mediterranean in April 1944; early in 1945, two of its three flights were reassigned to
India as the nucleus of a newly established 7th Emergency Rescue Squadron assigned to the
Tenth Air Force. In July 1944, the 2nd Emergency Rescue Squadron was sent to the SWPA under
the Fifth Air Force; in September 1944, the 2nd was reassigned to the Thirteenth Air Force
and the 3rd Emergency Rescue Squadron was assigned to the Fifth Air Force. In April 1945,
the 4th Emergency Rescue Squadron began supporting the B-29s of the Twentieth Air Force
with three of it's OA-10s at Peleliu and the remaining aircraft on Iwo Jima. The Navy also
supported the B-29 raids with submarines and surface craft. As the end of the war
approached, the 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron was scheduled to be re deployed from England
to the Pacific. The 6th Emergency Rescue Squadron was assigned to the Fifth Air Force and
part of the squadron began operations from Okinawa. In August 1945, two flights of the 7th
Emergency Rescue Squadron were transferred from India and were
assigned
to the Seventh Air Force on Okinawa.
Jack McKillop |
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