US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

100 Amphibians Came To Conquer
Asiatic Station, but they waxed and waned depending on the spirit of cooperation
between the top echelons of command. Admiral Bristol in his first
yearly summary of operations after taking command reported:
Measures have been taken with the Army authorities to greatly extend the
scope of these Joint maneuvers for next year (July 1, 1928 to June 30, 1929).
His future plans specifically included “scouting for the approach of the Fleet
by combined Army-Navy planes, followed by a combined air attack.” 5’
These operations brought Commander Turner into close working relations
with the senior officers of the Army Air Corps, and with the staff of the
Commander in Chief, as well as with Admiral Bristol himself. In due time
and ; fter much preliminary communication training, during which “reliable
radio ranges between planes up to 200 miles” were achieved, the planned
operations were carried out on 12, 13, and 15 November 1928. The November
15 operation resulted in the following despatch to the Chief of Naval
Operations.
Setting a precedent in the Asiatic Station, and it is believed for the first
time in history, Army and Navy planes in a single formation, under a unified
command performed a simulated attack on an assumed hostile fleet.
COMAIRONS with six T3M2 planes, 2 UO planes, 8 Army pursuit planes,
6 Army attack planes, and 6 Army bombers at 0800, 15 November 1928
made rendezvous at Corregidor, and, acting on the information supplied by
4 Army scouts, delivered a simultaneous attack, involving torpedoing, bombing
and strafing on the light cruisers, which were defended by their own
planes and a force of fifteen destroyers, at a point about 30 miles to the
southwest of Corregidor.
The operation appeared successful in every phase and was marked by
excellent radio communication and coordination.
A total of 32 planes simultaneously conducted the operation, in addition to
the six defending planes of the attacked crusiers.
This maneuver marks a distinct advance in the efficiency of the defense of
the Philippine Islands and it is believed the spirit of cooperation existing
between the Army and Navy Air Services could not be higher.’”
The Secretary of the Navy was quick to snap back with:
The Department is much gratified at success of Joint Air Operations and
especially because of the high spirit of cooperation existing between Army
and Navy in Philippines.sl
This was followed by a warm congratulatory personal letter to Com-
m (a) Ibid., 1928, p. 36; (b) COMAIRONS, A.R., 1929, p. 6.
“0Paraphrased copy of a coded despatch, COMAIRONS, AR., 1929, p. 28.
m SECNAV to CINC, Asiatic, Plain Language message 0019-0847 of November 1928.