86 "Medical Plan For Air Evacuation," dated 8 Jan 1943.

87 AAF Letter 704 to CG's all AF's and AAF Cmds in Continental U. S., sub: Air Evacuated Casualties, 13 Mar 1943.

8 Unless otherwise stated, this section incorporates the following narrative histories prepared by Capt. Charles C. Moore, MAC, Off. of The Surg., Hq., North Atlantic Div.: Med. Hist. Rec., AAF, North Atlantic Div., ATC, July 44-Sep 44, pp. 1-46. Arctic Laboratory AAF, North Atlantic Wing, ATC, Sep 41-Jun 44, pp. 1-69.

89

Post History of Harmon Field, dated 4 Nov 1943, p. 9.

Ltr., TAG, Wash., D. C., to CG, NAW-ATC, sub: Change of Status of Gander Airport and Harmon Fld., Newfoundland Base Command, dated 6 Aug 1943.

92 Ltr., WD, Wash., D. C., to CO, USEC, sub: Troop Basis, NAW-ATC, 11 May 44. See Appen. A., pp. 4-6.

93

"Rpt. of Patients Evacuated by Air," File, Off. of the Surg., Hq., NAW-ATC, Manchester, N. H. 94 Ibid.

95

Capt. John A. Iranacons, MC, Med. Hist. Off., Gander Bay, Newfoundland, Medical History of Gander Airfield, 15 Aug 44, P. 7.

101 "ATC Uses Azores Base," Impact, published by Asst. C/S, Intelligence, Jul 44, Vol. 2, No. 7.

102 Ibid.

103 Ibid.

104 Ibid.

105 Ibid, p. 73.

106 Ibid.

107

See n. 94.

108 "Bermuda," Britannica Book of the Year, 1941, p. 91.

109 Ibid., 1942, p. 97.

110

111

GO 11, Hq., NAW-ATC, Presque Isle, Maine, 26 Jan 44.

Capt. Jules B. Aaron, MC, Surg., 1389th AAF BU, NAD-ATC, Medical History of the ATC in Bermuda, 15 Aug 44.

Historical Data, Hq. Grenier Fld., Station No. 16, NAW-ATC, May 44.

Ltr., Hq. AAF, Wash., D. C., to CG, ATC, sub: Debarkation Hospitals, 23 Jun 44.

'GO 5, Hq. NAW-ATC, Manchester, N. H., 3 Mar 44.

SO 1, Hq. Station No. 18, NAW-ATC, La Guardia Fld., N. Y., 1 Apr 44.

124 Vocal instructions by Surg., ATC to Surg., NAW, about 25 Mar 44.

Confirmed by 1st Ind. Hq.,

ATC, in ltr., Hq. NAW-ATC to CG, ATC, sub: C-54A Passenger Equipment, 1 Apr 44.

125 Ltr., Hq. NAW-ATC Manchester, N. H., to all stations: sub: Evacuation Plan, 29 Mar 44.

126

"Evacuation Plans," from Lagens, Goose Bay, Harmon Fld. and Meeks Fld., on file at Hq., NAW-ATC, Manchester, N. H.

127 See n. 125.

128

Ltr., Hq. NAW-ATC, Manchester, N. H., to CG, ATC, sub: Rpt of Inspection, Air Evac. Activities, North Atlantic Route, ATC, 10 Jun 44.

129 Ibid. 130 Ibid.

131 Ibid.

132 Personnel Records, Off. of the Surg., NAW-ATC.

133

Ltr., Hq., NAW-ATC, Manchester, N. H., to stations concerned, sub: Termination For AirEvacuated Patients, 1 Jun 44.

See n. 94.

136 Ltr., Hq.

Patients, 7 Jul 44.

137 See n. 134.

138

139

ATC, Wash., D. C., to CG, NAW-ATC, sub: Arrival Notice of the Evacuation of
See Appendix A, p. 14.

SO 97, AAF SAE, Bowman Fld., Ky., 6 May 44.

See n. 132.

140 Ibid.

141

142

Ltr., Hq. IX TCC, to H. KC, sub: Trans-Atlantic Air Evacuation from U. K., 2 May 44.

See n. 94.

143 Ibid.

144

"Ltr., Hq. NAW-ATC, Manchester, N. H., to NAW stations concerned, sub: Evacuation of Wounded, Order of Preference for Alternates, 8 Jun 44.

145 See n. 94.

146

Planning papers on this topic include: Memo for CG, AAF, from Maj. Gen. LeRoy Lutes, Dir/Plans & Opns, TAS, sub: Possibilities of Air Evac. of Patients to the U. S. from Overseas, 2 Mar 44; Memo for AAG from Col. H. C. Chennault, MC, Exec. Off., TAS, same sub, 5 Mar 44; Draft Memo for C/S from TAS, sub: Air Evac. of Casualties from Theaters of Opns. to the U. S., 17 Mar. 44; Memo for CG, AAF, from Lt. Col. Laigh C. Parker, (AC), Actg. AC/S, Priorities and Traffic, sub: Evac. of Wounded, 7 Apr 44; and Memo for CG, AAF, from Maj. R. C. Love, (MC), Opns. Div., TAS, sub: Air Evac. of Sick and Wounded to Continental U. S. from Certain Overseas Theaters.

147

'Ltr., Hq. NAW-ATC, Manchester, N. H., to NAW stations concerned, sub: Evacuation of Wounded, 25 Apr 44.

152 From the Evacuation Records File maintained in the Off. of the Surg., Hq. NAD-ATC. Weekly breakdown for the period follows

153 Personal information from Col. Gordon G. Bulla (MC), Surg., NAD-ATC, 30 Jun 44. Late in May, Colonel Bulla personally conferred with the Surg., European Div., ATC, as well as with various ETOUSA medical authorities.

155

Ltr., Hq. NAW-ATC, Manchester, N. H., to all stations, sub: In-Flight Meals for Patients, 3 May 44. 15 Memo for C/Opns. from Hq. NAW-ATC, Manchester, N. H., 12 Aug 44.

157

Ltr., Hq. NAW-ATC, Manchester, N. H. to CG, Materiel Comd., sub: Deodorization of Aircraft,

17 Jul 44.

103

159

Flight Traffic Clerk Bill No. 32, Hq. NAD-ATC, Manchester, N. H., sub: Litter Belts, 16 Aug 44.

'Ltr., Hq. ATC, Wash., D. C., to CG, NAW-ATC, "Transport Schedules," 1 Jun 44.

See n. 133.

160

163

'Ltr., Capt. A. B. Cronkright, SnC to CG, NAW, "Medical Air Evacuation at Station No. 18,"

18 Jul 44.

164 TWX No. 1048 Hq. ATC to CG, NAW, 20 Jul 44 in ATC Classified Message Files; and TWX NAW to stations concerned, 21 Jul 44.

165 See n. 94.

166

167

See n. 164.

TWX No. 8438, Hq. ATC to NAD, 22 Aug 44. This warning message stated that patient evacuation from North Africa would be increased at once, and that two additional flights of MAE personnel would be assigned to NAD.

160

'SO # 196, Hq. AAFSAE, Bowman Fld., Louisville, Ky., 20 Sep 44. The assignment of these personnel provided the following disposition of MAE personnel assigned to the NAD.

170 Ltr., Surg. NAD to Surg., ATC 30 Oct 44, "Weekly Activity Rpt". Whenever possible, NAD-MAE personnel were to replace European MAE personnel at Sephenville and NAFD-MAE personnel at Lagens. However, this seldom occurred because of the shortage of NAD-MAE personnel.

*Of this total, 1,732 patients were evacuated through Casablanca and the Azores; a sharp increase over previous months.

172

173

Personal information from Lt. Col. Joseph Nagle (MC), Ex. Officer Med. Sec., NAW, 13 Sep 44.
Notes of Hq. NAD Staff Meeting, 28 Sep 44.

174 Ltr., "Air Evacuation," op. cit., 25 Sep 44.

175

"Medical Air Evacuation in the Pacific Division, ATC", A critical analysis prepared by Surgeon's Office, Pacific Div, ATC, Dec 45.

176

Excerpts from Maj. Gen. David N. W. Grant, TAS, "Air Evacuation of One Million Patients," Air Surgeon's Bulletin, II (Oct 45), 334-336.

177

Emergency treatment in the forward area and definitive medical and surgical treatment in the rear area were linked by the care in flight provided by the 806, 810, 811, 813, 814, 816, 817, 818, and 819th MAE Sqs. of the IX AF, the IX TCC and the 302d Trans. Wg, USSTAF. The C-47, equipped with a maximum of 24 webbing-strap litter installations, was the backbone of the system in this theater, as in others.

178

179

Interview, General Grant by Mae M. Link, 27 Oct 52 and 30 Apr 53.

As cited, Incl. 3, Air Surgeon's Detailed Presentation to Committee on National Security Organization, 1948.

180

p. 652.

"Campaign to Replenish Blood Plasma Reserve," The Military Surgeon, Vol. 109, No. 5 (Nov 51),

Chapter VI

MEDICAL SUPPORT OF AIR COMBAT IN NORTH AFRICA AND THE MEDITERRANEAN

In the summer of 1942 Allied strategy which had tentatively projected a cross-Channel attack as the major effort in western Europe in 1943 was reoriented to a new plan, TORCH. Made necessary by the crisis in the Middle East and other strategic considerations, this hurried plan called for landings at three points in Northwest Africa. Resources would be drawn from the United States and from the United Kingdom where BOLERO, the logistical build-up to support the projected cross-Channel attack, had already gotten under way. Tactical air support for the landings would be provided by the Twelfth Air Force.

Twelfth Air Force and TORCH1

The formation of the Twelfth Air Force in the United States and the United Kingdom began on 20 August 1942, with activation of the Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, XII Fighter and XII Service Commands, at Bolling Field, Washington, D. C. These existed as little more than cadres. Shortly following the inception of the Twelfth Air Force, the XII Fighter Command and XII Air Force Service Command were activated, and soon thereafter the XII Bomber Command was created and assigned to the Twelfth Air Force. In September cadres of these organizations were moved to England. On 14 September 1942 the Twelfth Air Force received its first major increment of tactical units from the Eighth Air Force, and was itself attached to the Eighth Air Force for training. At this time, the Twelfth Air Force was largely dependent upon and subordinate to the Eighth Air Force, an arrangement which was designed to expedite the activation and training of new units.