TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Foreword v Preface vii Foreword to the 1946 Edition ix Acknowledgments, 1946 Edition xi Maps xviii Charts xix Chapter I. — Introduction 1 Chapter II. — A Critical Review of Ninth Air Force Operations 7 A. General Operational Considerations 7 B. Pre-Invasion Tactical Air Offensive. (16 October 1943-5 June 1944) 12 C. Campaign of Normandy. (6 June 1944-24 July 1944) 19 D. Campaign of Western France and Brittany. (25 July 1944-25 August 1944) 26 E. Campaign of Eastern France and the Siegfried Line. (26 August 1944-15 December 1944) 31 F. Campaign of the Ardennes. (16 December 1944-28 January 1945) 40 G. Campaign West of the Rhine River. (29 January 1945-24 March 1945) 43 H. Campaign of Central Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia. (25 March 1945-7 May 1945) 46 I. Maps of Abbve Campaigns Chapter III. — A Critical Review of Ninth Air Force Organization 49 A. Organization and Build-Up 49 B. Organization of Commands: 1. IX Fighter Command 66 2. IX Tactical Air Command 68 3. XIX Tactical Air Command 69 4. XXIX Tactical Air Command 70 5. XII Tactical Air Command 72 Chapter III. — A Critical Review of Ninth Air Force Organization — Continued B. Organization of Commands — Continued 6. 9th Bombardment Division 72 7. IX Troop Carrier Command 74 8. IX Air Defense Command 76 9. IX Engineer Command 79 10. IX Air Force Service Command 84 C. Summary of Organization 90 D. Charts: 1. Organization of the Ninth Air Force as of 8 December 1943 2. Organization of the Ninth Air Force as of 29 February 1944 3. Organization of the Ninth Air Force as of 9 June 1944 4. Organization of the Ninth Air Force as of 24 November 1944 5. Organization of the Ninth Air Force as of 8 May 1945 Chapter IV. — Conclusions and Recommendations: External 93 (Derived from an analysis of Ninth Air Force relationships with lateral and higher headquarters of the ground and air forces). A. General 93 1. "Aviation in Support of Ground Forces" (FM 31-35) 93 2. Control of Air Power 94 3. Troop Basis of the Original Organizational Plan 94 4. Requirement for Theater Air Headquarters and Statement of War Department Policy for Co-Equal Air- Ground Headquarters 96 5- Authorized Representation of WD and Hq AAF in the Theater 98 6. Comparative Rank — Air Forces and Ground Forces 98 7. Replacement Training 99 8. Basic Air Defense Doctrine and Policy 100 9. Procurement, Screening and Dissemination of Intelligence 101 10. Intelligence Officers 101 11. Air Forces Class I, II, III and IV Supply 102 12. Requirement for Joint Air-Ground Traffic Priority Board 103 13. Requirements for Theater Weather Service 103 14. Internal Combustion Engine Types 104 15. Experimental Photography 104 Chapter V. — Conclusions and Recommendations: Internal 105 (Derived from an analysis of the general internal organization and operation of the Ninth Air Force). A. General 1. Tactical Air Command — Army Team 105 2. Operational Air-Ground Headquarters Proximity 105 3. Air-Ground Planning 105 4. Exchange of Air-Ground Personnel for Orientation 106 5. Tactical Bombardment Employment 107 6. The Medium and Light Bombardment Combat Wing Headquarters 107 7- Requirement for a Weather Reconnaissance Squadron 108 8. Organization of IX Engineer Command 108 9. Engineer Aviation Units 109 10. Signal Equipment and Aircraft for Engineer Command 109 11. Establishment or an Air Defense Command 109 12. Area of Air Defense Command Responsibility 110 13. AAA Under the Tactical Air Command 110 14. Close Association of AAA Units with Air Force Units 111 15. Administration and Supply of Air Defense Command 112 B. Air Force Headquarters 112 1. Division of Headquarters 112 2. Air Force Headquarters under Directorate System 112 3. Reorganization in Combat 113 4. Operational Coordination Between Air and Ground Staffs 11$ 5. Duplicate Operations Equipment for Air Force and TAC Headquarters 114 C. Personnel 115 1. Filler Replacements 115 2. Replacement Pools 115 3. Specialists 116 4. Flow of Replacement Crews 116 5. Rotation of Combat Crews 116 6. Rotation of Non-Combat Crew Personnel 117 7. Decorations 117 8. Battle Honor Awards 118 D. Intelligence 118 1. Intelligence Reports 118 2. Post-Mission Reporting 118 3. Intelligence Publications 119 4. Aircraft Identification 119 Chapter V. — Conclusions and Recommendations: Internal — Continued D. Intelligence — Continued 3. Signal Intelligence 119 6. Intelligence Communications System 120 7. Photo Intelligence 120 E. Operations, Plans, Organization and Training 121 1. Air Force Control of Tactical Air Operations 121 2. Mobility and Flexibility in Operational and Organizational Planning 122 3. Application of Air Power During Static Ground Situation 122 4. Isolation of the Battlefield: Phase 2 Operations 122 5. Close Air Cooperation: Phase 3 Operations 123 6. Ground Direction of Aircraft to Targets 123 7. Armored Column Cover 123 8. Tactical Air Liaison Officer Qualifications 124 9. Ground Liaison Officers with Air Units 124 10. Filtering of Army Requests for Close Cooperation 124 11. Counter-Flak Fire 124 12. Bombers in a Tactical Air Force 125 13. Provision for Precision Instrument Bombing 125 14. Targets of Opportunity for Airborne Medium Bombers 125 15. Inadequacy of Night Striking Forces 126 16. Coordinated Control of AAA 126 17. Combat Crew Training 126 18. Headquarters Administrative Type A/C Allotment 127 19. Movement Authorization Within the Air Force 127 20. Desirability for Close Relationship of Combat Operations, Flak and Target Intelligence Sections 128 21. Separate Combat Operations Section 129 22. Establishment of the Operational Research Section 129 23. Supervision of Operational Research Activities and Reports 129 F. Supply, Maintenance and Transport 130 1. Air Force Supply and Maintenance Section 130 2. Combat Commander — Service Commander 130 3. AADA versus Air Depot Group System of Operation 131 4. Service Group, Special, versus Service Group 131 5. Assignment of Service Group, Special 131 6. Utility of Mobile Reclamation and Repair Squadrons 132 7. Inadequacy of Truck and Motor Transport in Air Force 132 F. Supply, Maintenance and Transport — Continued 8. Requirement for Two Drivers per Vehicle in Truck Companies 133 9. Air Transport Shortage 133 10. Utilization of Air Force Beach Detachments 133 11. Chemical Maintenance Company in Air Force 134 12. Photographic Supply and Repair 134 G. Reconnaissance and Photography 134 1. Requirement for Separate Reconnaissance and Photo Section 134 2. Reconnaissance Allotments to a Tactical Air Force 134 3. Need for Reconnaissance at Air Force Level 135 4. Night Photo Reconnaissance Requirement 135 5. Need for a Photo-Interpretation and Reproduction Center 136 6. Gut Camera Film Processing 136 7. Integration of Reconnaissance and Photo Sections 136 H. Communications 137 1. Signals Consideration in Headquarters Siting 137 2. Signals and Communications Organizations 137 3. VHF Radio for Medium and Light Bombardment Aircraft 139 4. "Y" Service 139 I. Air Inspector (Special Staff) 139 1. Tactical Air Force Inspection System 139 J. Public Relations (Special Staff) 140 1. Requirements for Ground Photo Units Assigned or Attached to PRO Section 140 2. Availability of Information of Operational Nature to PRO Section 141 3. Press Camps 141 K. Finance (Special Staff) 141 1. Finance Column in Command Headquarters T/O 141 L. Medical (Special Staff) 142 1. Effective Use of the Medical Dispensaries (Avn) 142 2. 1 Expeditious Movement of Hospitals 142 3. Simplification of Medical Reports 142 4. Rotation of Medical Officers to Hospitals 143 5. Promotion of Medical and Dental Officers 143 Bibliography 144 Abbreviations 146 MAPS Facing page 48 1. Campaign of Normandy, Air & Ground Operations, Phase I, 6 June-24 July 1944. 2. Campaign of Western France & Brittany, Air & Ground Operations, Phase II, 25 July-26 August 1944. 3. Campaign of Eastern France & Seigfreid Line, Air & Ground Operations, Phase III, 26 August-16 December 1944. 4. Campaign in the Ardennes, Air & Ground Operations, Phase IV, 16 December-28 January 1945. 5. Campaign West of the Rhine River, 'Air & Ground Operations, Phase V, 28 January-24 March 1945. 6. Campaign of Eastern Germany, Austria & Czechoslovakia, Air & Ground Operations, Phase VI, 24 March-9 May 1945. CHARTS Facing page 92 1. Organizational Chart of the Ninth Air Force, 8 December 1943. 2. Organizational Chart of the Ninth Air Force, 29 February 1944. 3. Organizational Chart of the Ninth Air Force, 9 June 1944. 4. Organizational Chart of the Ninth Air Force, 24 November 1944. 5. Organizational Chart of the Ninth Air Force, 8 May 1945. Page 97 Suggested Theater Level Organization Digitized by http://www.afhso.af.mil/

Reprint. Originally published: Washington, D.C. : Headquarters, Army Air Forces, Office of Assistant Chief of Air Staff, 1946. (Special study)

Bibliography: p. 144-145

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