FEBRUARY 1945
- SQUADRON
HISTORY
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The 2nd Emergency
Rescue Squadron was reorganized, effective 5 February 1945, without change in station or
assignment. The authority for this reorganization is to be found in the 1st Ind.
Headquarters USAFFE 22 January 1945 on War Department Letter, AG 322 (21 Dec 44)
OB-AFB-GM, 2 January 1945, Subj. Reorganization of certain Emergency Rescue Squadrons and
Letter, Headquarters, Far East Air Forces, 28 January 1945, Subj. Reorganization of the
2nd Emergency Rescue Squadron. The Squadron was reorganized in accordance with revised
TO/E 1-987, dated 28 November 1944, plus an added "A" Flight less
"D" Flight as authorized by Section IV,
GENERAL ORDER #127, Headquarters, 13th Air Force dated 5 February 1945. Copies of the above
mentioned commo & correspondence are not available for transmittal with this history.
The new TO & E authorized a
total of 93 Officers and 328 enlisted men. This added strength in personnel was to be
supplied by the Thirteenth Air Force. A total of 8 B-17 aircraft, 12 OA-10A aircraft, 4
helicopters and 4 L-5 aircraft complete with floats were authorized. New Emergency rescue
methods had been established and the additional aircraft was for this purpose.
The Squadron detachment at Middleburg was relieved
and returned to duty at Morotai as of the 13 February 45. This movement was not completed
by the end of the month because of a lack of transportation. Twenty (20) member of
the squadron were left there to watch the supplies.
On the 26 February, four (4) planes, type OA-10A, complete with air and ground crews were
placed on D.S. with the Far East Air Forces. Two (2) of these ships were sent to Leyte and
the other two (2) were sent to Luzon.
Various members of the Squadron received awards during the month and copies of the orders
are attached to this history as supporting documents.
A total of
75 missions totaling
981
flying hours were flown during the month and
15 rescues were effected. The rescues are as follows:
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03 February
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Rescued Wing Commander Geoffrey Atherton of the RAAF when his P-40
Kittyhawk was damaged by small arms fire during a strafing mission.
along the coast of Wasile Bay. |
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10 February
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Evacuated
1 patient to the 155th Station Hospital |
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15 February
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Picked up Lieutenant
Martin B. Knox of the 17th Photo Squadron who stated his P-38 was
low on gas during a photo mission when the weather closed in. |
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22 February
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Rescued 5 Navy
crewmembers of Navy Search Squadron VPS-130 when their ship was hit
by aniti-aircraft fire on a bombing mission. |
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23 February
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Picked up
2 RAAF Beaufighter crewmembers from the 32nd Squadron. |
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27 February
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Rescued 5 crewmembers
from the 100th Bomb Squadron when their ship was struck my
automataic weapons fire while on a low level bombing run |
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28 February - |
Picked up 2 fighter pilots in Mindanao Area. |
Copies of General Orders showing awards and
decorations granted our men during the month are attached as supporting documents.
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This report was copied verbatim from the "Official" Squadron History that
was obtained via microfilm from Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. The text
that is in brackets [ ], I added to clarify the information. It is not Official.
Some documents are original and some are reproductions.
1
Official
Squadron rosters, orders, or documents
obtained from the microfilm - Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
2
APO numbers from "Numbered Army & Air Force Post Office Locations" - 7th
Edition - by Russ Carter
3
From Individual Aircraft Record Cards - Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
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