September-October - Air Defense Artillery
September-October - Air Defense Artillery
September-October - Air Defense Artillery
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hoW it feels to be attacked by planes and tanks. Lowng<br />
planes from the Deming <strong>Air</strong> Base at Deming, New<br />
exico,demonstrate low-level bombing and strafing tactics,<br />
simultaneously a light tank, belonging to the AARTC,<br />
lulates firing, while throwing colored smoke bombs at<br />
inees who are taught to seek protective cover while em-<br />
~'ingsmall-arms fire against the ('nemy.<br />
J '" '" '"<br />
1<br />
2273d 7StA7StCommand<br />
t As the number of days left in the war rapidly became<br />
~\rer and fewer, the Hawaiian Antiaircraft <strong>Artillery</strong> Com-<br />
\nand began planning for the postwar period. The problem<br />
~fredeployment of many officers and men with long periods<br />
Mduty overseas and with high ASR scores was paramount.<br />
ibe establishment of schools and classes under the Informationand<br />
Education program, and widespread recreational<br />
activities under the Athletic and Recreation Office were<br />
oeingplanned. But in the midst of working and planning<br />
forthe post-V-J Day period, a high degree of combat efficiencywas<br />
being constantly maintained.<br />
One of the factors contributing to training in this comt<br />
mand over the last t\VOyears has been the cooperation of<br />
he Navy in a monthly "Joint Army-Navy Exercise." These<br />
xerciseswere designed to test all the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Defense</strong> agencies<br />
onOahu. The Navy provided many carefully planned and<br />
executed saturation attacks utilizing hundreds of carriertypeplanes<br />
simulating the enemy. Radio and radar counter-<br />
~neasureswere freely employed by the "drill-hostile" forces<br />
in an effort to confuse the defenders, to protect the attacker:;,<br />
pnd to add realism to the exercise. The defending forces inc1udedall<br />
those available to the <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Defense</strong> Commander<br />
linaddition to those strike groups available to the Hawaiian<br />
. SeaFrontier. A monthly night battle practice utilizing four<br />
~r more tow-target planes, both high and low altitudes, was<br />
held in conjunction with the Joint Army-Navy Exercises.<br />
~eneral Perkins has said, "The fine spirit of cooperation<br />
tween the services exhibited in the planning and carrying<br />
out of these exercises is commendable. The training<br />
received has greatly benefited antiaircraft units." Participating<br />
navy units have also received much valuable training<br />
I from the exercises.<br />
Other out-of-the-ordinary training activities engaged in<br />
by the command included the indoctrination of Navy<br />
c~rrier pilots in low-level night flying in searchlight-d~fended<br />
areas. Of great training value to antiaircraft units<br />
engaged in spread-beam defense, these problems trained<br />
'carrler pilots who soon were scheduled to fly against similar<br />
defenses in Japan.<br />
Problems confronting units equipped with 120mm antiaircraft<br />
guns are constantly being studied by the command.<br />
Current projects include the development of a forwarclarea<br />
sight for firing against close-in targets by gun commanders'<br />
action. A study of the rate of wear on the 120mm<br />
tubes and the correspond ng loss of muzzle-velocity has also<br />
en undertaken.<br />
Extensive tes,s of the use of searchliohts for furnishino<br />
o 0<br />
"artificial moonlight" in dense jungle terrain have been<br />
completed at the Pacific Combat Traininoo Center. _<br />
An antiaircraft gun battalion commanded by Lt. Col.<br />
\Villiam H. Vail, CAC, for a long time a part of this command,<br />
has established an enviable record since going into<br />
action in the Ryukyus. In a single night's action this one<br />
battalion set a new Pacific record when it shot down fifteen<br />
enemy planes. During one four-minute period the battalion<br />
was credited with a plane a minute. As of 1 August<br />
1945, the battalion was credited with 35 planes destroyed<br />
and 24 probably destroyed. Colonel Vail was recently commended<br />
by Fleet Admiral Chester \V. Nimitz for the<br />
fine record his battalion has established.<br />
After a very successful Tennis Tournament conducted<br />
by the AAA Special Service Office, the singles crown W:1S<br />
awarded Pvt. Jack Bodgers, former \Visconsin State Singles<br />
Champion. Co\. F. T. Folk, Chief of Staff, and Capt. Paul<br />
S. Burger of the G-3 Section teamed up to win the doubles.<br />
Rodgers represented the quarter finals. In the CPBC Summer<br />
Baseball League the Command Team finished fourth.<br />
This AAA nine was the only team in the league to defeat<br />
the strong Bellows Field team headed by big league players<br />
from the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis<br />
Browns and the Boston Braves. An AAA team also came<br />
away with honors in the CPBC Horseshoe Tournament.<br />
Sgt. Frank De Luccia, Lt. Co!. William Vail,' and Captain<br />
Robert Cannon discuss action in the Ryukyus.<br />
87
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