Evening star., 1945-12-06
THE EVENING STAR, Warrington, D. c. "A-25
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that because the day be-
fore he had run into "old Army
and Navy feuds" on another matter.
The chief OF stan said he would
do all he could to strengthen air
protection in Hawaii and was look
ing into the possibility Of getting
barrage balloons from England.
Gen. Short wrote Gen. Marshall
a lengthy letter February 10 out
lining conditions he found and say
Ing he was taking steps, among other
things, for: ~
Il. Cooperation with Navy.
q. Dispersion and protection OF
aircraft and of the repair, mainte-
nance and serWcing Of aircraft.
IS. Improvement Of the harbor
defense artillery"
Marshall Asked Review.
On March s, Gen. Marshall asked
for early review" of the situation
tn defense from air attack. He told
Gen. Short that establishing salts
factory system Of co-ordinating all
available means is matter Of first
priority"
Gen. Short replied that one Of
the first projects he had investi-
gated was the aircraft warning
service which I believe is vital to
defense Of these islands"
He said the National Park Service
was making certain restrictions on
use Of It's lands and he thought the
Secretary Of War (Stimson) ought
to take 1t up directly with the
Secretary Of the Interior Qckes).
Defense Of these islands and ade-
quate warning tor the United States
Fleet is 80 dependent upon the early
completion Of this aircraft warning
service that I believe all quibbling
over details should be stopped at
once" Gen. Short added.
The Hawaiian commander got
back a letter March IS, signed by
Gen. William Dryden In the absence
Of Gen. Marshall, which said park
service officials are willing to give
US the temporary use OF their lands
when other lands are not suitable
for the purpose" but would not
waive 4 requirement that all build
ing plans be submitted to them.
Sought More Equipment.
Over the months, Gen. Short was
pressing continually for more equip
ment and funds. His letters stressed,
too. 4 need for more air fields and
protective revetments.
"On al fields" he said on March
Is, "the planes have been kept lined
up on the field where they would
suffer terrific loss"
Gen Short told his commander
May 2 that the Navy apparently was
getting funds without submitting de-
tailed estimates and hence had beer
able to Accumulate required mate.
rials and almost corner the loca
labor market"
In May Gen. Short held maneu.
vers and reported to Gen. Marsllal
that the Navy had co-operated ane
there had been simulated bombing
attacks. .-s 4e..5..=
In Jtlly-August there was q diff.
ference Of opinion over where q new
airfeld should be established. Gen
Short proposed q location between
Kipapa and Waikakalua, but thu
War Department decided on Ka.
huku Point.
Gen. Marshall wrote October II
that he had been looking over Gen
Shorts standard operating pro.
cedure," prepared July IA, and wa
concerned with missions assigned t<
air units"
Criticized Defense Plans.
| For instance" he added, the Ha.
vaiian air force, among othel
things, Is assigned the mission Of de.
Tending sehofield Barracks and al
airhelds On Oahu against sabotage
and ground attacks. -
This seems inconsistent with thu
emphasis that We are placing or
air strength In Hawaii"
I Gen. Short replied that witt
planes in the air the air force.
would have 3,3A men with no IS.
signed duties" and that any grount
threat probably would not develor
until planes were destroyed.
Once the planes were lost, h,
added, several thousand airmer
might be left "and 1t would mo-
look plausible to have them si
down and do nothing while in,
fantrymen were detailed to protect
them and their airfields."
Gen. Marshall suggested in reply
that the airmen BE permitted t,