Professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction, this Air Force publication presents a classic account of a combat commander in action. General George Churchill Kenney arrived in the Southwest Pacific theater in August 1942 to find that his command, if not in a shambles, was in dire straits. The theater commander, General Douglas MacArthur, had no confidence in his air element. Kenney quickly changed this situation. He organized and energized the Fifth Air Force, bringing in operational commanders like Whitehead and Wurtsmith who knew how to run combat air forces. He fixed the logistical swamp, making supply and maintenance supportive of air operations, and encouraging mavericks such as Pappy Gunn to make new and innovative weapons and to explore new tactics in airpower application.
The result was a disaster for the Japanese. Kenney's airmen used air power—particularly heavily armed B-25 Mitchell bombers used as commerce destroyers—to savage Japanese supply lines, destroying numerous ships and effectively isolating Japanese garrisons. The classic example of Kenney in action was the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, which marked the attainment of complete Allied air dominance and supremacy over Japanese naval forces operating around New Guinea.
In short, Kenney was a brilliant, innovative airman, who drew on his own extensive flying experiences to inform his decision-making. General Kenney Reports is a book that has withstood the test of time, and which should be on the shelf of every airman.
Chapter I - Assignment to the Pacific * July 1942 * Chapter II - With MacArthur in Australia * August 1942 * Chapter III - New Guinea * August-September 1942 * Chapter IV - The Buna Campaign: I * September-October 1942 * Chapter V - The Buna Campaign: II * November-December 1942 * Chapter VI - "Our Losses Were Light" * January-February 1943 * Chapter VII - The Battle of the Bismarck Sea * March 1943 * Chapter VIII - First Trip to Washington * March 1943 * Chapter IX - Slugging Match: Dobodura * April-May 1943 * Chapter X - Air Supremacy: Marilinan and Wewak * June-August 1943 * Chapter XI - Nadzab and Lae * September 1943 * Chapter XII - Markham Valley * September-October 1943 * Chapter XIII - Taking Out Rabaul * October-November 1943 * Chapter XIV - Cape Gloucester * December 1943 * Chapter XV - Second Trip to Washington * January 1944 * Chapter XVI - Los Negros * February 1944 * Chapter XVII - The Hollandia Operation * March-April 1944 * Chapter XVIII - Hollandia to Noemfoor * May-June 1944 * Chapter XIX - Sansapor and Morotai * July-August 1944 * Chapter XX - Balikpapan * September-October 1944 * Chapter XXI - The Battle for Leyte Gulf * October 1944 * Chapter XXII - The Philippines: I. Leyte * November-December 1944 * Chapter XXIII - The Philippines: II. Mindoro * December 1944 * Chapter XXIV - The Philippines: III. Lingayen to Manila * January-February 1945 * Chapter XXV - Third Trip to Washington * March 1945 * Chapter XXVI - Okinawa and the Kyushu Plan * May-July 1945 * Chapter XXVII - The Japanese Surrender * August-September 1945
