The object proposed in this study is to consider both the activities and the importance of the Pathfinder Force, Royal Air Force, in the Second World War. Their story has a much earlier beginning than 15 August 1942 when the founder squadrons gathered on various R.A.F. stations in the vicinity of the cathedral city of Ely in Cambridgeshire. Some form of target finding and marking became inevitable from the moment it was acknowledged that the preparations that had been made for war during the 1930s were less than adequate. The arguments that ensued pior to August 1942 were much less concerned with the need, than with the form, such a force should take. Unfortunately, while the administrative in-fighting surged back and forth, R.A.F. aircrews went to war not only insufficiently trained but also poorly equipped. Necessity and duty drove these men to attempt to combat weather conditions and enemy defensive measures in aircraft, that all too frequently, were unfitted for the roles they were expected to fulfil. To their credit they pressed on despite the hazards of weather, the fury of enemy defences and the deficiencies of their aircraft and equipment. Regardless of the forces of nature and man ranged against them, the crews of Bomber Command and the Pathfinder Force pressed on. It is therefore fitting that 'Press on Regardless' became the unofficial motto of the Pathfinder Force. It would also provide a singularly apt epitaph for the 3,727 men of the Pathfinder Force who were killed on operations. This work has been written in tribute to all who served in the Pathfinder Force but particularly to those who failed to return.

This thesis presents a qualitative analysis of the Marine experience in the Korean War with air power. Evidence suggests that Marine Close Air Support in the early months of the Korean War was superior to Navy and Air Force CAS. The Marine Corps collected interviews during the war, which support this conclusion. Interviews were taken with pilots, commanders, tactical air coordinators, forward air controllers, mechanics, infantrymen and other front line soldiers who experienced the CAS in the opening months of the war. Many factors contributed to this qualitative difference including; training, doctrine, control system, and type of planes used. This qualitative difference amounted to the superiority of Marine CAS in the opening months of the Korean War. / Department of History

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

This thesis shows how the first plan of the Air War Plans Division (AWPD-1) became the most important document in the development of American strategic bombing doctrine in World War II. This plan was not only the first in the Air War Plans Division. but it was the first of its kind in the world. Beyond the history and importance of the plan itself, this study testifies to the success of a handful of dedicated airmen who believed in the power of a strong air force. General Henry H. Arnold deserves tribute for having had the wisdom and foresight to pick a former Air Corps Tactical School (ACTS) instructor to head the AWPD. Finally, the unofficial acceptance of AWPD-1 was a triumph for the ACTS itself. Significantly, all four officers ultimately responsible for completing A WPD-1 had been instructors at the ACTS. / Master of Arts

This thesis examines the doctrinal and practical development of tactical air forces by the Royal Air Force until the end of the Second World War. It focuses on the fundamental disagreements over the uses of air power, the preference for a strategic vision and the pressing need for tactical air forces in the face of the exigencies of war. This paper will trace the gradual provision of air support to the land forces and the formidable and fundamental changes that occurred during operations in various theatres in the Second World War.

No description available.

Please read the abstract on p140-142 of this dissertation / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Jurisprudence / unrestricted

No description available.

No description available.

This work is a critical assessment of the role of neuropsychiatry in the management of aerial warfare. Focussing almost exclusively on the Second World War (1939-45), the thesis demonstrates how the Royal Air Force (RAF) mobilised specialist medical knowledge to improve wastage and combat efficiency in flying personnel. Neurological and psychiatric expertise was enlisted to improve service performance and reduce the burden of neuropsychiatric disorders. To meet these key objectives, the RAF neuropsychiatric division undertook important administrative and therapeutic duties in the areas of personnel selection, service discipline, neuropsychiatric research, and the treatment of mental disorders. The work therefore assesses how the division responded to these challenges and contributed to the management of aerial warfare. The thesis assesses the factors that shaped the practice of neuropsychiatry in the service. Historically, the training and personal interests of specialists and the context of therapeutic practice guided the development of mental health specialties. To gain a fuller appreciation of the administrative and therapeutic duties of the division, this work explores the medical, social, military, and professional factors that shaped neuropsychiatric thought and practice. Secondly, the work engages with the 'human element' of aerial combat. The physical and mental health of aircrew was fundamental to the conduct of the air war and underpinned the administrative decisions of the air force. It was the primary objective of the neuropsychiatric division to preserve and develop these vital human resources. Neuropsychiatric disorders represented a challenge to efficiency, for they could affect the performance and motivation of a flyer. The thesis will examine how the neuropsychiatric division attempted to sustain aircrew by preventing and treating the disorders that compromised their efficiency.