Thirteenth Air Force

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The Thirteenth Air Force WWII History:

January 1943 - activated in New Caledonia as the Air Force arm of the US Navy's South Pacific Theater.
1943 - supported the US Navy led South Pacific campaign through the Solomon Islands.
late 1943 & early 1944 - supported the US Navy led Central Pacific campaign.
June 1944 - assigned to US Army control as part of the Far East Air Forces (FEAF).
late 1944–Aug 1945 - conducted bombing operations from western New Guinea against the Dutch Indies.
relocated to Clark Air Force Base, Luzon, Philippines after WWII ended.

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Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - WWII Japan > Air Force War with Japan > Thirteenth Air Force:

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12-03 - WWII Japan > Air Force War with Japan > Thirteenth Air Force: (five dead, updated 6 Jun 2025)
† Garrett, Elmer Earl "Bud", SN O-763195, US Army Air Force, Fremont Co.

67th Fighter Sqdn., 347th Fighter Gp., Thirteenth Air Force, based on Middleburg Is., near Sansapor, extreme western Dutch New Guinea; Lockheed P-38 Lightning pilot; KIA 3 Dec 1944 over southern Celebes; BNR.
WWII Japan > Air Force War with Japan > Thirteenth Air Force

† Hetrick, Jacob Alvin, SN O-733132, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.

75th Bomb. Sqdn., 42th Bomb Gp., Thirteenth Air Force, based at Mar Drome, NE of Sansapor, Vogelkop Peninsula, Netherlands New Guinea as of 14 Sep 1944; North American B-25J Mitchell # xx-xx965 co-pilot (full tail number unknown) with pilot John F. Wolfe; KIA 16 Feb 1945 ten miles E of Kendari, SE Celebes, Dutch Indies; downed by Japanese antiaircraft fire during low-level attack on Kendari airfield.
WWII Japan > Air Force War with Japan > Thirteenth Air Force

† Lee, Theodore Evans, SN O-772418, US Army Air Force, Mills Co. & San Luis Obispo Co., CA

unit unknown; KIA 5 Dec 1944 Noomfoor Is., Dutch New Guinea
WWII Japan > Air Force War with Japan > Thirteenth Air Force

† Tague, Harold Fremont, SN 37-111-602, US Army Air Force, Pott. & Mills Cos.

390th Bomb. Sqdn., 42nd Bomb Gp., Thirteenth Air Force, based on Banika, Russell Is., NW of Guadalcanal, staging from Stirling Airfield, Treasury Is. S of Bougainville, Solomon Is.; North American B-25C Mitchell #42-64570 Skilla engineer-gunner with pilot Earl Swartzfader; KIA 20 Jan 1944 S of Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago; plane damaged by antiaircraft fire while attacking Vunakanau Airfield, later lost control and crashed followed by a fireball; all six dead.
WWII Japan > Air Force War with Japan > Thirteenth Air Force @ Operation Cartwheel

† Trobough, Jerome Carroll, SN 37-034-015, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co. & Douglas Co., NE

72nd Bomb. Sqdn., 5th Bomb Gp., Thirteenth Air Force, based at Momote, Admiralty Is; Consolidated B-24H Liberator #42-73458 flight engineer with pilot John H. Smith; KIA 9 Aug 1944 near Momote; plane lost engine power and ditched near base returning from mission over Yap, Caroline Is., nine died, two lived; BNR
WWII Japan > Air Force War with Japan > Thirteenth Air Force