Combat Tactics In The South West Pacific

[Boom]

This is the document Major Tommy McGuire (whilst Operations Officer 431st Squadron, 475th FG) took it upon himself to write for new pilots in May 1944. His CO, Lt.Col. MacDonald, was so impressed that he made reading it SOP for all pilots (sports he called them) in the 475th FG. And he forwarded  the document to Fifth Air Force Fighter Command; who in turn distributed it to all Fighter Groups within it's command.

The clarity and detail that McGuire goes into is quite striking, and shows a man who has thought deeply about aerial tactics. It is as good a fighter pilots tactics manual as any written, comparable to Bolecke's famous 'Dicta; and Sailor Malan's 'Rules'.

And bear in mind that, although McGuire was to go onto becoming the second highest scoring ace of the USAAF, at that time in May 1944 he was just one of many.

Bong had 28, and had been sent home to the USA for a victory tour in May.
Kearby with 22 was KIA in April.
Lynch with 20 was KIA in April.
Jay Robbins with 18 in May.
McGuire with 16 in May.
Homer with 13 in May.
Johnson with 11 in May.
MacDonald with 10 in May.
 

 

5th-Air-Force_Combat-Tactics-In-The-SWPA.pdf