USAAF mission requirements in the PTO

[Pathfinder]

Can anyone tell me the required missions to be flown by USAAF bomber crews and fighter pilots in the PTO? In the ETO it was 25, then 30 and finally 35 (with some exceptions), but I'm certain it was nearer 50 missions in the Pacific.

Pathfinder

[DavidIsby]

Tour of duty requirements:
1. Were normally expressed in terms of combat ("green ink") hours in the log book.
2. Varied more widely due to aircrew shortages and operational needs.

General Kenney's memoirs (recently republished by the Air Force) deals with this issue extensively from a Fifth Air Force perspective.

For example, in 1943, C-47 pilots in the Fifth Air Force of 750 combat hours but this was often exceeded. Because many of their missions were short airdrops to troops from forward strips, some of these pilots had 2,000 combat missions. When they went home, they were instructed this could be an issue.

[Pathfinder]

Thanks for your reply, David.