GEN. HENRY H. ARNOLD ORDERS COL. CALEB. V. HAYNES TO MAKE THE FIRST AIR ATTACK ON JAPAN USING ''FORCE AQUILA''

GEN. HENRY H. ARNOLD ORDERS COL. CALEB. V. HAYNES TO MAKE THE FIRST AIR ATTACK ON JAPAN USING ''FORCE AQUILA''

HENRY H. 'HAP' ARNOLD (1886 - 1950) American general, commander of the Army Air Force through most of World War II, responsible for instituting the daylight bombing raids on Germany. Historic typed war-date D.S. on red-bordered 'IMMEDIATE ACTION' War Department letterhead, further stamped 'SECRET', 2pp. 4to., [Washington], Feb. 21, 1942 to Army Air Corps Col. CALEB VANCE HAYNES at A.A.C. Headquarters. Arnold orders Haynes to assemble 'Force Aquila' which would almost immediately be designated to make the first attack on the Japanese home islands. In part: 'You have been selected to command the Heavy Bombardment Group of the United States Army Air Force in India...you will report to Major General Lewis H. Brereton...if [he is] not present...you will assume command...in India and report...to Major General Joseph T. Stilwell...Your mission will be to keep open essential lines of communication between India and China and be prepared for general offensive operations...you will cooperate with the British Commander in the Burma area...The movement of your force...will be conducted with the utmost secrecy...The code designation for this force is 'Aquila'...[it] will consist of Hq. & Hq. Squadron, 10th Air Force One Bombardment Group (H) (less one squadron) One Pursuit Group (I) (plus one additional...) One Air Base Group...these units will arrive in Bombay from Australia between March 15 and March 30...' Also present is a similar T.L.S. from Adj. Gen. J. H. DAILEY, 1p. 4to., War Dept., Washington, Mar. 6, 1942., issuing Haynes his travel order which are quite broad. The War Department planned for Haynes to bomb Tokyo using B-17s and B-24s flying from bases in the Zhejiang province of eastern China, supplied by C-47 Skytrains. Haynes's aircraft never arrived from Australia. Instead, Haynes gathered in Florida a force of one B-24, 12 B-17 bombers and a small group of C-47s and in April arrived in Karachi. One of the B-17 pilots, Robert Lee Scott, Jr., wrote about his view of the voyage in "God Is My Co-Pilot". Haynes began organizing the supply lines and on April 9, Col. William D. Old piloted the first flight over the Hump; Haynes the second. The airmen were chagrined to only days later, on April 18, other Americans had beaten them in the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo. A further blow came in May 1942 when Japanese forces captured the Chinese bases, and the project was canceled. CALEB VANCE HAYNES (1895-1966) was a U.S. Air Force major general and one of the most important and talented military aviators and commanders of World War II. Haynes organized the Assam-Burma-China Ferry Command and evacuated Burma with the Chinese and RAF. He then went to China to organize and command the Bomber Command of the China Air Task Force under Gen. Claire Chennault. He later returned to India to organize the India Air Task Force of the 10th Air Force.