US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

346 Amphibians Came To Conqiver
and a half squadrons (18 planes) of dive bombers continuously for striking
gun positions in the assault areas and a varying number of fighters, normally
one-half squadron (6 planes), continuously for air cover. Additionally, the
Air Support Group provided one plane over Guadalcanal and one over
Tulagi for air ground liaison with the forces in those areas, as well as an
artillery spotting plane over Guadalcanal, until it was known that the
Marine artillery was not to be used. Both the fighters and dive bombers
carried out close air support of the Marines or dropped their bombs on
targets of opportunity before returning to land on the carriers.
The basic plan provided that air support for the Marines during the
amphibious. assault phase would be controlled by an air support group
temporarily attached to the staff of the amphibious force commander.
Fighter cover over the assault area was to be controlled by a fighter director
group attached to the staff of the Second-in-Command to the Amphibious
Force Commander. Specifically this meant that control and coordination of
air units in the assault area was exercised by the Air Support Director Group
in the McCawiey, working through the Senior Carrier Air Group Commander
on station over the assault area, who was in airborne command of the aircraft
from the Air Support Group.
The Air Controller of the Fighter Director Group from the Air Support
Director Group, at the last moment, had to be stationed in the heavy cruiser
Chicago rather than in Rear Admiral Crutchley’s flagship, the Australia,
because the Australia had a completely inadequate aircraft radar with a
working range of 15 miles. The McCawley could not pick up this additional
chore because of inadequate aircraft radio communication channels.
The Air Controller in the McCawley had radio communication with the
home base-the carriers—and up and down the naval chain of command
in the combat area, as well as with the Marine chain of command, and with
the Senior Carrier Air Group Commander and the liaison planes in the air,
but in part it was step by step communication. He did not have direct voice
communication with all ships nor with lower echelon Marine units. These
Marine ground units did not have direct communication with the individual
planes circling overhead.
All scheduled air strikes were delivered on time and largely on target.
Some targets had not been minutely described or pin-pointed and so were
not recognized. The carrier pilots, not specially trained for this exacting
and difficult air support chore, did not always come up to the expectations
of the Marines, their own desires, or the desires of the top command.