Evening star., 1945-08-04
Gen. Macarthur
TakesCommand
Over Ryukyus
Islands to Be Used
AS Base for Mighty
Invasion Force
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
MANILA, Aug. 4.-Gen. Mac
Arthur announced today that
he had taken command of all
American-occupied islands in
the Ryukyu chain south of ia
pan - including Okinawa - as
bases from which mighty in
vasion force is being forged" for
the subjugation of the enemy.
Okinawa and about dozen
islands to the west were conquered
by combined forces under Admiral
Nimitz, but recently Gen. Mac
Arthur's Far East Air Forces have
moved in to air bases there and
have staged daily raids on the
southernmost fortress island" OF
kyushu.
The japanese still hold those
portions of the Ruykyu chain known
as the Sakishima group between
Okinawa and Formosa, and the
Amami, Tokara and Osumi groups
between Okinawa and Kyushu.
American forces in the RyukyuS
formerly were under the command
of Admiral Nimitz.
The Macarthur statement empha-
sized the increasing Importance CT
OkinaWa as base for the climactlc
assaults against the Japanese home
islands.
Okinawa is less than $50 miles
south of Kyushu, and Liberators,
medium Mitchells and fighters rang
ing up to 500 in number have been
battering Systematically at the is
lands transport and shipping.
Gen. Macarthur announced that
the change in command had become
effective as of midnight Tuesday.
18th Air Force Shifted.
The general disclosed for the first
time that the 18th Air Force, which
IN recent months has been the main
United States Air Force in the
Southern Philippines, New Guinea
and the Netherlands Indies. was
being moved to the Ryukyus.
Previously he had announced that
the 5th and 7th Air Forces under
Gen. George C. Kenney had moved
their bases into the Ryukyus.
Gen. MacArthur's statement
added, however, that 1t Gen. James
Doolittle's 9th Air Force-which
soon will be flying Super Fortresses
over Japan in concert with the Goth
Air Forces B-29s from the Marianas
still was operating on Okinawa
independently of his command.
His announcement also failed to
clarity the status of number of
naval air units under Admiral
Nimitz which previously have been
based on Okinawa-the I'd Marine
Air Wing and, Fleet Air Wings l
and 18.
Eight Air Forces Poised.
The shift of the 18th to the air
war on Japan-and it never has
struck closer than Formosa-
brought to eight the number of air
forces which will strike the enemy
homeland and conquestS in China,
in addition to the large number of
Navy carrier planes and bombers of
the 7th Fleet.
Army Air Forces are the 5th, 7th
9th, 18th and Goth in the Western
Pacific, the 18th in the Aleutians
and the 10th and 14th in China.
The announcement came as nc
surprise. 1t was natural step un-
der the joint chiefs of staff directive
which made Gen. Macarthur su-
preme commander of ground forces
IN any future action against the
japanese islands or the China coast
At present, the primary role of the
Ryukyus is to provide airfields for
strikes against Japan and its ship
ping.
7th Shifted to Macarthur.
The 5th Air Force always has been
under Gen. MacArthur's command
and the 7th was shifted to his juris-
diction when it moved into the Ryu-
kyus. The 13ths first major strike
after moving to Northern Luzon was
announced few days ago.
TodayS statement by Gen. Mac
Arthur's headquarters said:
"All Army forces in the islands
except the 9Th Air Force are now
operating under his (MacArthur's 81
direct control. Gen. Stilwell's 10th
Army and Gen. Kenney's 5th and
7th Air Forces are already deployed
and the 18th Air Force is moving
there.
With the Philippines these is
lands form great semicircular
base from which mighty invasion
force is being forged under the prie
mary responsibility of Gen. Mac
Arthur for the final conquest OF