General Orders 1946 - Fort Benning

point, and return to their base. On 7 Norember, thirteen P38 aircraft of the
group were dispatched on a mission to destroy eoemy air Dower in that area.
SO that substyuent strikes on encmy shipping could be acmmplishrd without
interference. Arriving over Mandai airdrome, the pilots of the 847th Fightn'
Group (TE) shot down 3 Japanese fighters, then proceeded to make a total of
63 strafing passes at airplanes on the ground and at airdrome installations.
They destroyed 13 tlghters arid 4 twin-engine bombers on the ground and probably
destroyed 3 additional fgihters and 2 bombers. Although their fuel arid ammunition
supply was running low, they attacked and destrmd a large hangar
before heading back to the island of Morotai. Having in one strike virtrlally
eliminated enemy air strength arormd Mnliassar, the group returncd on 20
Novenlber to attark a large concentration of Japanese shigping in the harbor.
Flying through a hail of inrcnse and accurate antiaireraft fire, the pilots of the
eight P38's made strafing runs on the vessels and succeeded in sinking five
freighters and a fuel barge and prababiy sinking three additional freighters and
a two-masted sailboat, besides setting flre to a freighter-transport and a gunboat.
As they finally retired fmm the area, because of a shortage of fuel and nmmunition,
they encountered and shot down one enemy fighter. Two days later twcntythree
P-38's of the group returned to Makassar to attark an enemy who this
timc.was fully anticipating their arrival. Arriving over Jlandai airdrome, they
destroged with a few strafing passes the aircraft that still remained on the strip.
Then. when a lal-e force of merchant vessels. mans of them armeri. and nrotected
hy a marship and six gunboats. was discovered in the harbor, the group
messed an attack. A withering barrage of antiaireraft fire brought down three
of the P-38'5, the first lost in this series of missions. In the furious battle that
ensued, the group sank a freighter-traneprl, a gunboat, a three-masted schooner,
and a seaplane at anchor; set fire to nine other merchant vessels; and caused
one merehnnt vessel to be beaclled. In these three strikes, this group so effectively
smashed enemy air and sen wwer at Makassxr that the Japanese never
recovered their strength in that area and were uunble, therefore, to harass
American forces moving into the Philippines. The superb airmanship and excep
tionnl courage of the P38 pilots of the S'litl,, h'iyhlcr Group (T8) and the skill
and dcvotiou to duty of the menlbers of the ground ectlelan who prepared both
airplanes and airmen for these Iring and difficult missions reflect great credjt on
the armed forces of the United States. (Gcneral Orders 2042, Headquarters Far
East Air Forces, 28 Septenlhrr 1945, as approved by the Commmder in Chief,
United States Army Forces, Pacific.)
8. The GS7th Tank Destroller Battalion is cited for outstanding performance
of duty in action from 8 February to 2 March 1945. at Manila. Luaorl. Philinnine . Islands. During this period the battalion aistinguished itself by a display of
fearless courage, aggressiveness, and remurcefulness in brilliantly accumnlishing
lnnllg varicd and difficult missions which required the complete and exhaustive
aprJlication of every man and weapon through extended and iintcnsivc combat.
AS ~neci~l Becurits fmce in an extremeig active area of approximately 8 square
miles, north of the Pasig River and east of Manila Bay, every wssible Inan was
pressed into combat duty; coulcs, truck drivers, mechanics, and headquartera
persollnel nidcd in manning ere?? available weawn on a 24-hour basis day after
day with little or no I.est, and a~li~ihiletrd riumerous pockets of fanatically resisting
.Japanese, destroped mans heavily armed infiltrating demolitinn pnrties, and
rrsened from the water nndcr cncmv fire scores of refnaees escanine from Fort
direct tire on henviig fortiEPd modern concrete and steel buildings; to assure
AGO 2901B