The Royal Canadian Air
Force contributed to the Pacific Air War in three important ways.
Beginning in June 1942 and continuing to the
fall of 1943 the RCAF committed 3 Kittyhawk, 1 Hurricane, 2
Bolingbrook, and 1 Ventura squadrons to the U.S. 11th
Air Force in the initial defense of Alaska and the recapture of Attu
and Kiska. In late 1943, as a part of the downsizing of the North
Pacific Theatre, these squadrons were redeployed.
The 3 Kittyhawk squadrons were renumbered to the 400 series,
and redeployed to Europe, and reequipped with more modern aircraft
in time for D-Day. The garrison forces of RCAF’s Western Command
in
Had the war continued past September 1945, the
RCAF was committed to provide a full group (No. 6 (RCAF)) of eight
Lancaster/Lincoln bomber squadrons plus supporting units including
three Liberator/York transport squadrons and one air/sea rescue
squadron to the “Tiger Force”, which is more fully described in the
section under the RAF.