Marine aviation in the
Pacific Air War grew from one group with four squadrons at the time
of
Operationally, in 1942 Marine Air Group 22
(Midway) (F2A, F4F, SBD, SB2U) and Marine Air Group 23 (
The successful defense of
After Rabaul, Marine aviation, which had grown
significantly, was very much under employed on garrison both in the
Solomons and in the Marshals.
What was lacking was a unique mission for Marine aviation.
It was a further disappointment when the planned 1944
invasion of
In a move with obvious political overtones,
Marine Commandant, General Vandegrift, fired Major Gen Ross Rowell
in September 1944.
Rowell was pioneer of Marine aviation and the leader of Marine
aviators in the Pacific.
Adding insult to injury he was re-assigned to head the naval
air mission to
The photo at the right shows the senior Naval and Marine leadership together at Guam in 1944. Pictured from left to right are Geiger, Spruance, Smith, Nimitz, and Vandegrift.
Admiral Nimitz’s endorsement of the action provides insight into the rational, particularly in the light of brewing post-war battles over roles and missions. He said that the envisioned changes, "more firmly integrate Marine Corps aviation within the Marine Corps and is therefore in the interest of the naval service." With that action General Vandegrift put Marine Aviation “back in the Marine Corps.” From that time forward, the marine aviation began to be assigned meaningful new missions.
Beginning in December 1944, Marine fighter squadrons were assigned to fast carriers in an effort to increase the number of fighter aircraft with the goal of providing added protection against the Kamikazes. This effort was only marginally successful as the emergency effort did not allow for adequate carrier training for the Marine flyers.
Marine Major General Mulcahey led the 10th Army Tactical Air Force (Provisional) on Okinawa. As at Guadalcanal the main mission of this Marine and Army Air Force organization was Air Defense of the fleet and beachhead and the Fleet, not ground support.
By May 1945, fully trained Marine units were in use on escort aircraft carriers. The idea was that the marines could bring their own aviation units to cover marine amphibious operations. This did not work out in practice in World War II. The Marine CVEs did support the Australian Army’s invasion of Borneo but generally were tasked in a manner indistinguishable from CVEs with naval squadrons. This would likely have changed during Operation Olympic.
Meanwhile Admiral Halsey had appealed to General MacArthur to find a use for Marine aviation units remaining on garrison duty in rear areas. In response FEAF commander General Kenny used of two Marine Fighter Groups and two Marine Dive Bomber Groups under Army Air Force leadership during the Philippine campaign.
Ironically, Marine ground air support doctrine
and technique that late became the hallmark of Marine aviation was
worked out on Bougainville in 1944 in collaboration between Marine
Air Group 24 (SBD) and the 37th
Infantry Division of the U.S. Army.
The doctrine was refined throughout the Philippine campaign
and was best demonstrated during the very fast, fluid assault made
by the XIV Corps (1st
Cavalry Division and 37th
Infantry Division) on
In these efforts the marines deployed four air wings to the Pacific as follows:
Marine Air Wing 1 was deployed to the South
Pacific in August 1942 in conjunction with the air defense of
Guadalcanal during the critical period in 1942 and early
1943. It was relieved by
Marine Air Wing 2 in February 1943, which it subsequently relieved
in late 1943. Until the
end of the war it served as the key headquarters for AIRNORSOLS.
From June 1944 it was
assigned to the Far East Air Force and provided its units to the
Philippine campaign. In
1945 it was assigned to support the V Amphibious Corps in the
planned invasion of
Marine Air Wing 4 was formed in
Marine Air Wing 2 deployed to the South Pacific
to relieve Marine Air Wing 1 in February 1943.
The unit provided units for AIRSOLS during the middle of
1943. In the second
half of 1944 it was assigned responsibility to support the invasion
and occupation of
Marine Air Wing 3 relocated to