1st Air Commando Group, March-May 1944

[Ferreira]

Hi all

To what major unit did the 1st ACG report during Operation Thursday? Wingate's Special Force? 11th Army Group? 3rd Tactical Air Force?

I can't find this information in any book or even on social media.

Best Regards
Franklin

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

From William T. Y'Blood's, Air Commandos against Japan.

With the undercurrent of opposition surged along, the Air Commandoswere placed under 3rd TAF's operational control on January 13 (1944). The Air Commandos remained under USAAF control for administrative matters, however. This operational control was reconfirmed on February 4, when Slim and Stratemeyer issued their combined Operation Instruction No.4 that detailed various aspects of the forthcoming Special Force operation*. Three days later Cochran and Alison met with Old and his staff to coordinate operations in the impending invasion. Old read some amendments to he Fourteenth Army's directive to Wingate. This directive gave command of the Air Commandos to the 3rd TAC. Despite assurances that there were no "sinister implications" in the directive, Cochran protested and the matter was dropped for the moment.**(p.70) see Notes 57 & 58.

Notes:
*57. (p.263).
Brig. Gen. Charles B. Stone III to Air Commander, 3rd Tactical Air Force, 13 Jan 1944, Subj: Integration, AFHRA No.822311, Reel No. A8143, fr. 461; Fourteenth Army and Eastern Air Command Combined Operation Instruction No.4, 4 Feb 1944, AFHRA No. 815.452, Reel No. A8056, frs. 1531-5.

**58. (p.263).
Old Diary, 16 January 1944, fr 51.

See:
Air Commandos against Japan - Allied Special Operations in World War II Burma.
Y'Blood, William T.
Annapolis:Naval Institute Press,2008.
pp.70 & 263.

Col.

[Ferreira]

Thank you, Col., for your help.