BOMBERS OVER JAPAN
Slit,—Major E. W. Sheppard, in his article Bombers Over Japan (10111 47) is, I think, wrong in one detail. Writing of " air operations against Japan's home territory " he says, " These operations could be begun only after the American capture of the Mariana Islands in November, 1944." On referring to the official report of the U.S. Army Air Forces to the American Secretary of War dated February 27th, 1945, I find that the loth Bomber Command based on China had begun air operations against the Japanese homeland back in August prior to the arrival of the 21st Bomber Command at Saipan in November, 1944. The scale of the 2oth Bomber Command operations against the Japanese homeland from China was insignificant, but strategically the raids were important. In the original American conception of the bombing of the Japanese home- land, a three-pronged attack was conceived—first from China, secondly from the Marianas, and thirdly from the Philippines. In view of the heroic efforts of the Superforts of the loth Bomber Command based on China, flying under very difficult conditions and supplied almost entirely by the superb American air-transport operations over the Hump, I do feel Major Sheppard might have mentioned them, even if the U.S.
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