5th Army Air Corps Question

[Phil H]

This is my fathers travel bag he used during WW2. He was in the 5th Army Air Corps, does anyone know what the "TAAB" stands for. He was in occupied Japan and that is when he had it painted. He was a weather tech if that helps. He can't rembember what TAAB stood for. Any help would be apprecated.

[Ben Dover]

Could represent something with a "T" ARMY AIR BASE . The B-29 units were normally 20th AF at that time. Am sure you will get an answer. Do a websearch on U.S. Army Airfields occupied Japan for a start. One Army Air Force Base during the occupation was at Tachikawa.

[Tim Kline]

Could represent something with a "T" ARMY AIR BASE . The B-29 units were normally 20th AF at that time. Am sure you will get an answer. Do a websearch on U.S. Army Airfields occupied Japan for a start. One Army Air Force Base during the occupation was at Tachikawa.

Thats the one.

[Phil H]

Thank you both for your help.

[Paul Smith]

Hi Phil,

It stopped being the Army Air Corps and became the Army Air Forces in 1941. That is a B-4 bag you have there and appears to be quite nice. I have a couple. Be careful of the fabric around the zippers. A bit of bar soap rubbed on the teeth will help lube them and won't hurt the cloth.

Elements of the 5th Air Force, in the occupation forces were at Tachi, so I would assume that's the period your Dad was there, umless he stuck around for Korea.

Tim, it's true 20th AF did most of the fighting, but towards the end, they were gearing up for the invasion and by mid summer, 5th, 7th and 13th were all there as well. Advance HQ parties of the Mighty 8th were in the Marianas by the first week of August, too.

[Walter]

Hi Paul:

There is certainly no question about the 20th's place in history including the operation of the B-29's including "Boxcar" and the "Enola Gay". The 20th was formed in the United States on 4 April, 1944 and didnt enter combat until later that year for about a year of actual combat.

However, we should not sell the efforts of the 5th Air Force short, especially considering their active service in the early war years. The 5th was originaly formed in the Phillipines on 16 August, 1941 as a part of the Phillipines Defense Forces. If memory serves me correctly it was the only numbered Air Force during WWII to be formed overseas. It was subsequently re-designated the "5th" Air Force in February 1942. The 5th flew a number of the less glamorous or less well heralded type aircraft, including the P-39 and P-40 fighters, the A20, A24 and B-26 attack/bomber aircraft and toward the end of the war Convair's B-32 Dominator. Kenney's "Flying Bucaneers", like many units early on during the war, both Army and Navy, were instrumental in developing new tactics, techniques and field modifications in order to accomplish their missions, many of which were copied by subsequent units as the war unfolded.

The 5th was essentially McArthur's Air Force and was critical in the defense of Australia and New Guinea. While most of us certainly agree that the Battle of Midway was the key turning point in the war in the Pacific, halting the Japanese advance on Port Morseby , New Guniea, first by sea in the Battle of the Coral Sea and subsequently by the air and land campaign from spring 1942 through July 1944, effectively ended the Japanese conquest of the South Pacific especially for Australia. While the 5th's role in the Battle of the Coral Sea was minimal, it was absolutely critical for the longer haul, land and air battle for New Guinea. The 5th Air Force ultimmately slogged its way up the western portions of the Pacific including the reconquest of the Phillipines until it finaly wound up on Okinawa at the end of the war. It was in continous combat from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay, 1941-1945, or 3 1/2 years of actual combat. It also produced a large number of Aces including Richard Bong.

The 5th was also, for all practical purposes, under the command and or the control of one man throughout the entire war. That man was MG George C. Kenny who assumed command of the 5th Air Force in August 1942. He directly commanded the 5th until the summer of 1944 when the 5th and 13th Air Forces were combined under an umbrella organization, known as the Far East Air Force. Both the 5th and the 13th retained their own organization and comand structures, the overall planning for both uints was handed over to the higher sole command. General Kenny was given command of the Far East Air Force.

There are a number of exceptional books and websites on the 5th in general as well as many of its subordinate units.

Regards,

Walter

[Phil H]

I want to thank you guys for giving this info to me. I had lunch with my dad last week and handed him a note care with Tachikawa Air Base written on it. He could never tell me what the TAAB was for, he would always say "I'm sure I knew what it ment when I had the locial paint it on there". He read the card and pronounced Tachikawa, "thats the air base I was stationed at in 1946/1947". It was great to make the connection with him. I recently talked my brother out of the bag as he used it on fishing trips for years and it is in very bad shape.
The reasion I wanted this info was to gather info on his unit so I can paint the correct bumper markings on one of my command cars. I think I will use the WC56 as I don't think half tons were used much after the war. My father was a weather tech, if anyone has any idea what the unit markings would be for the 5th Air Corps in Japan in 1946 I would apprecaite any help.

[Walter]

Hi Phil:

I believe that if you are picking 1946 as the date you want to mark the car, it would still be the USAAF -- U. S. Army Air Force, since the boys in blue were not a seperate service untill 1947. The markings for USAAF vehicles is documented in The All American Wonder. You would need to know the actual subordinate units your father was assigned to. I recently marked a WC-51 for someone from my home town. He was assigned to the 2479 Quartermaster Truck Company of the 27th Air Depot Group of the 5th Air Force. The markings I used starting from the right (passenger) side front bumper were the number "5" followed a small star which would designate the 5th Air force. This was followed on that same side with the numbers "27" and the letters ADG which designated at as belonging to the 27th Air Depot Group. On the left (drivers) side from left to right were the numbers "2479" and the letters - QTC (AVN), which stood for the 2479 Quartermaster Truck Company , Aviation, with a dash and a single number 8 designating its position in the line of march. If you have an email I can send you pictures.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Walter