The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1934-10-05
NEW SKY FIGHTING UNIT SHOULD
INCLUDE ALASKA.

General Douglas Macarthur, Chief of Staff of
the United States Army, in his outline of the War
Departments new sky fighting unit, advises that it
will consist of at least 900 bombing pursuit and
attack planes. This air armada will be divided
into five wings based the Atlantic and Pacific
Coasts and in the Middle West, planned to give the
greatest possible mobility to the nations aerial
defense The brief press dispatches thus far re-
ceived do not mention Alaska. From a strictly
tactical and strategical national defense viewpoint
considerable portion of this force should be based
in Alaska to famiarize the flying personnel with
the defense of Alaskas 5S64OO square miles of
territory and 10000 miles of shore-lne including
islands with harbors and possible bases for hostile
flying forces Wei rs for the protection of
Alaskans
In the past some strategists have contended that
the vast territory and shoreline of Alaska would be
too difficult to defend from an invading force and
in consequence hostile power would not want it
because of the difficulty of holding it. Possible
in the air has weakened if not entirely destroyed
their theory when considers the potent effective
ness against the continental United States, hostile
air bases in the Territory would have.
Ten Martin seven-ton Army bombing planes,
equipped with wheels landed in Seattle this Summer
five hours and forty minutes nonstop, after leay
ing Juneau The present speed and perfection of
modern fighting planes and the rapid progress in
development of speed brings the entire Pacific Coast
including the important cities of Seattle, Tacoma,
Bellingham Portland San Francisco and Los Angeles
within possible and relatively close threat of any
enemy force with air bases in Alaska.
commercial plane has flown from Juneau to
Nome in one day.
From Nome to parts of Siberia is relatively
short hop and has been made several times. The
Aleutians reach relatively close to Kamchatka
Lieut. Col. Henry H Arnold in command of the
bombing squadron, in an interview while in Juneau
this Summer most enthusiastic about Alaskas
air transportation opportunities and urged Juneau
and other Alaska cities to prepare for the develop
ment that sure to come, urging the establish
ment of airports in numerous points throughout
the Territory.
BY basing portion of this Army unit in
Alaska, hundreds of Army pilots could familiarize
themselves with the flying conditions in Alaska at
all seasons AS part of their manuevers complete
aerial mapping of the Territory could be
pshed, upper air meteorological data could be gath
cred The squadrons could be rotated in such a
manner that large portion of the entire flying
force would eventually be veterans of Alaska flying
Much OF the data gathered by the Army fiers
would be most valuable contribution to the safety
of commercial flying in Alaska, which is of direct
Importance to almost every person in Alaska. be-
of the great possibilities for future develop
ment of the Territorys resources it affords
The War Department has definitely announced
the sky fighting unit and its general distribution;
Alaska should strongly actively urge that portion
of this new unit be based in Alaska
Alaska should unite in calling the War Depart
ments attention to the vital Importance of basng
part of this new air force in Alaska. Individuals,
communities towns cities, civic and other organza-
lions should act Immediately