LEAD PHOTO

[joel gopan]

As the surrender was being consummated on the USS Missouri, Col. Robert Lee Scott, age 37, was circling above the Battleship in a P-51D as part of the aerial security, and General Claire Lee Chennault had already retired and relieved of his duties as Commander of the 14th Air Force. He was not invited to the ceremony and was considered "persona non grata".

I am also equally into WWII USAAF History. (Been studying it since 1949, in between reading Roy Rogers/Lone Ranger comic books)

Joel

[Bill_Wolf]

[joel gopan]

It would not be long before demobilization would take place in the Pacific Islands, and War Materiel would be and bulldozed into pits or piles of scrap, this included anything new and used (Aircraft and Vehicles, included) as thetroops were returned to the Z.I. faster than the equipment could be properly handled.

If one wants to lament upon it, blame your ancestors for not creating you sooner, so that you could be there to salvage it.
Joel

[dr deuce]

My uncle was a CB in the Pacific on Tinian and helped build the runways etc. He told me that when they got their orders to return, they were told to put all their constuction equipment on the runway, start it up, put it in gear and let it rumble down the runway and into the Pacific (there was a pretty good drop off on the main runway on Tinian)


Steve AKA Dr Deuce

[armydriver]

General Chennault, a native from Sulphur , Louisiana, fought the Japanese longer than any other American officer but was not among those that Hap Arnold or any of the AAF general staff considered to be an appropiate officer. He was not invited to participate in the signing on Sept.2.