🔗=================>> The WWII Japan > US Air Force War with Japan Submodule <<=================🔗
​Pacific Theater:  Fifth Air Force   Seventh Air Force   Eleventh Air Force   Thirteenth Air Force   
China-Burma-India Theater:  Tenth Air Force   Fourteenth Air Force
Controlled from Washington:  Twentieth Air Force
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bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Japan > Air Force War with Japan > Thirteenth Air Force, © 2025 by Robert A. Christiansen​, updated by RAC 6 Jun 2025
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.
Sources for Big Pigeon's US Air Force War with Japan > Thirteenth Air Force webpage:
  • None at this time.

Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - Air Force War with Japan > Thirteenth Air Force:
  • Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Dead module.
12-03 - Air Force War w/ 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