Evening star., 1944-10-18
Air, Lond, SEQ Forces
Cooperation huned
Tactical Use of Sky Power
Perfected, Says Observer
BY David Laurence

BY David Laurence
More than at any time since the
war started there Is today a co-opera-
ton between air power and land
power, and between air power and sea
power in waging war against Germany
and Japan.
Word just brought back here from
the European theater of action, for
instance, by high officials, Is to the
effect that synchronization of air
forces with ground forces has been
achieved to a degree unparalleled and
undreamed of in the pas..
Whatever miSgivings there we're
earlier in the war concerning the ten
dency of exponents of air power in the
military establishment to assume that
air warfare alone was able to bring a
decision in Europe so that ground
forces would merely have to walk in
on the debris and ruins made by
bombers have given way to an en-
tirely different appraisal now.
Superb Troop Support.
Today few men in the military world
are talking of air power alone as de-
cisive, but they are talking of WAYS
and means Of advancing the infantry
man so that he can hold the air bases
for planes or the roads needed for the
deploying of tanks. The air SUPPORT
OF ground troops is superb. What is
called tactical use of air power has
been perfected to as high a degree of
effectiveness as the strategic air forces
attained with their bombings of fac
tories and plants.
How effective our tactical operations
in the air would be was the big un-
known factor before the invasion. For
whereas there had been tests before
the European operation, as in North
Africa, no where before had there been
such huge armies deployed needing so
much tactical air support. What is
even more gratifying is that the DAM
age done by air bombings has been so
considerable that the enemy planes
lack the fuel to use their air power as
much as their numbers might permit.
This is an achievement of which our
Allied air forces may we'll be proud.
1t has been in itself vital factor and
there is glory enough in that per-
formance alone without regard to the
major job now being done in support
ing ground troops.
The sad part Of the story is that the
infantry losses are nevertheless very
heavy as can be expected perhaps be-
cause OF the fact that the amount of
air support necessarily f1uctuates with
weather conditions and there are areas
IN which troops are fighting at such
close quarters that aid from the air
cannot always be extended
The significant thing, however, is
that our ground forces feel thew are
getting the maximum amount of air
support possible under the circum-
stances and as the weather clears the
damage done behind the enemy lines
Is so extensive as often to permit our
forces to make large advances not other
wise possible for infantry.
Action Near Formosa.
S'SAA AAAoiC is b1p
way the Army Air Forces and the
Navy air carriers have been syn
chronlzed in the operations in and
around Formosa and the Philippines.
IL Is amazing to see such huge bombers
as the B-29's able to strike within a
lew hours or simultaneously with the
hghter bombers that fly from the decks
OF our ships. Operating at such long
distances from home bases and over
such wide areas of the sea. the uni
fcation of command is plainly all that
could be desired
Gen. Arnold is in personal command
OF the B-29's and in addition has the
responsibility for the Army Air Forces
everywhere else in the world AS a mem
Der OF the joint chiefs of staffs, Gen. Ar
mold works in close collaboration with
Admiral King and Gen. Marshall. This
trlo OF operating heads have no inter-
service jealousies to worry them and
they are managing little by little to
convey their spirit of cooperation to
the officers in the various services be-
low them.
american commanders have settled
down to the business of winning the
war as promptly as possible in both
Europe and the Far East. There is no
longer any doubt that when the final
reports are written it will not be one
service or one force or one commander.
put all OF them working in unison which
VIII have achieved the biggest victories
IN the history of warfare on land or sea
or in the air.
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