Evening star., 1943-09-08
GEN. MARSHALL'S STORY
of the
Army and the War
CHAPTER L.
Removing the One-year Service Clause
Our Unequipped Divisions-Protectin Our
Outposts-Gen. MacArthur's
Assignment

tiey pIouuCtiOn 10 De underway IN
time to meet additional troop re-
quirements. Incidentally, at this
time great lend-lease shipments to
Great Britain, Russia, China and
our other Allies were unforeseen.)
Problem of Priorities.
With our limited means the situ-
alton developed into a problem of
priorities in attempting to meet
these requirements, and it was not
until February, 1941, that additional
aircraft, antiaircraft and other items
OF modern equipment could be
shipped to the Hawaiian Islands. A
little later the first shipments of
modern aircraft were made to the
Philippines, and the Philippine Scout
organization was doubled in
strength, drawing the necessary per-
sonnet from the trained cadres of
the new Philippine Army. The
tighter planes secured for these pur-
poses were largely obtained by strip
ping the limited number of SQUAD
rons then in training in the United
States.
In July, 1941, the development of
quantity production made it possible
for the first time to assign modern
material in sizable lots to the Philip
pines. On August % the first flights
OF Flying Fortresses were started
across the Pacific via Midway, and
Wake Islands and thence south
through Rabaul,. Port Moresby or
Fort Darwin and north to the
Philippines. BY the first week In
November some IS Fortresses had
completed this trip. A gap in air.
plane deliveries from the factory
combined with adverse winds be-
tween San Francisco and Hawaii
prevented the ferrying of an addi-
tional 48 Fortresses prior to the at
tack on Pearl Harbor.
In view of the potentialities of the
situation in the Philippines, orders
were issued In February, 194i. to
evacuate the dependents of Army
personnel stationed there. The deci-
sion was also taken to retain in the
Islands most Of the Regular Army
personnel beyond the two-year tour
of service.
Gen. MacArthur's Assignment.
July 26 Gen.. Douglas Macarthur
was recalled from duty with the
Philippine Commonwealth, placed
on active duty, and designated as
Commander of United States Army
Forces in the Far East. Intimately
familiar with the situation in the
Philippines, he at once proceeded to
expedite preparations for, defense
within the limits of the available
munitions and trained manpower.
- During the late summer of 1941.
arrangements were made for the
improvement of the landing strips
at Rabaul, Port Moresby and Port
Darwin, and the commanding gen.
eral of the Philippines was directed
to deliver gasoline and bombs to
these points and to Balikpapan In
Borneo and Singapore in Malaysia.
Deliveries to all but the last two
points had been completed when the
japanese took the offensive, Decem-
ber 10
National Guard antiaircraft and
tank units which had progressed
sHficiently in training and for which
the necessary modern equipment
could be provided were dispatched
to the Philippines during this pc
rfod Of preparation. Some 100 light
tanks and the first SO self-propelled
artillery weapons delivered by our
arsenals were shipped to the Philip
pines and arrived prior to the out
break of war.
Tomorrow: Strengthening the
Philippines - Ships En- Route
When War Struck-New Routes
Observation-Disclosures Plea for
Help.