The China Air Task Force (CATF) was a combat organization of the United States Army Air Forces created in July 1942 under the command of Brig. Gen. Claire Chennault, after the Flying Tigers of the 1st American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force were disbanded on 4 July of that year. It consisted of the 23rd Fighter Group with four squadrons, the assigned 74th, 75th, 76th, and attached 16th Fighter Squadrons, plus the 11th Bombardment Squadron. It was a subordinate unit of the Tenth Air Force in India, commanded by Brig. Gen. Earl Naiden and (from 18 August 1942) by Maj. Gen. Clayton Bissell. "Chennault had no respect for Bissell as a combat airman," wrote his biographer Martha Byrd, and "Bissell had no respect for Chennault as an administrator." Their relationship, she wrote, was ugly.[1]
On 19 March 1943, the CATF was disbanded and replaced by the Fourteenth Air Force, with Chennault, now a major general, in command. In the nine months of its existence, the China Air Task Force had been credited with shooting down 149 Japanese planes, plus 85 probables, with a loss of only 16 P-40s. It had flown 65 bombing missions against Japanese targets in China, Burma and Indochina, dropping 311 tons of bombs and losing only one B-25 bomber.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to China Air Task Force.
Byrd, Martha. Chennault: Giving Wings to the Tiger (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1987)
Ford, Daniel. Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers (New York: HarperCollins, 2007)
Bright, Charles, ed. Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Air Force (New York: Greenwood Press, 1992)
November 28, 2023
china, task, force, catf, combat, organization, united, states, army, forces, created, july, 1942, under, command, brig, claire, chennault, after, flying, tigers, american, volunteer, group, chinese, force, were, disbanded, july, that, year, consisted, 23rd, f. The China Air Task Force CATF was a combat organization of the United States Army Air Forces created in July 1942 under the command of Brig Gen Claire Chennault after the Flying Tigers of the 1st American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force were disbanded on 4 July of that year It consisted of the 23rd Fighter Group with four squadrons the assigned 74th 75th 76th and attached 16th Fighter Squadrons plus the 11th Bombardment Squadron It was a subordinate unit of the Tenth Air Force in India commanded by Brig Gen Earl Naiden and from 18 August 1942 by Maj Gen Clayton Bissell Chennault had no respect for Bissell as a combat airman wrote his biographer Martha Byrd and Bissell had no respect for Chennault as an administrator Their relationship she wrote was ugly 1 On 19 March 1943 the CATF was disbanded and replaced by the Fourteenth Air Force with Chennault now a major general in command In the nine months of its existence the China Air Task Force had been credited with shooting down 149 Japanese planes plus 85 probables with a loss of only 16 P 40s It had flown 65 bombing missions against Japanese targets in China Burma and Indochina dropping 311 tons of bombs and losing only one B 25 bomber Plaque located at Air Force Academy CemeterySee also editDevelopment of Chinese Nationalist air force 1937 1945 Eagle Squadrons American volunteers in the RAF during World War IINotes edit Byrd p 169References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to China Air Task Force Byrd Martha Chennault Giving Wings to the Tiger Tuscaloosa University of Alabama Press 1987 Ford Daniel Flying Tigers Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers New York HarperCollins 2007 Bright Charles ed Historical Dictionary of the U S Air Force New York Greenwood Press 1992 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title China Air Task Force amp oldid 1080656269, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
