Air Fronts: Airdromes - FM-26, Defense of Airdromes - Chapter 3. Troops for Defense of Airdromes

SECTION I: FACTORS INFLUENCING ASSIGNMENT OF TROOPS FOR DEFENSE

23. LIMITING CONSIDERATIONS.-The size and composition of the garrison of any particular airdrome is primarily dependent upon the number of troops available in the theater and the decision of the theater commander to allocate such troops for the defense of air force installations.

a. The assignment of defense units is dependent upon the resources of the theater commander. It may not be possible to provide at every airdrome the complement of troops, armament, and equipment needed for defense against all contingencies. Economy of force forbids the dispersion of large numbers of men and weapons for the defense of many fixed and limited areas. It is not expected that all airdromes, unsupported, resist indefinitely an aggressive enemy determined to capture them. If for several hours the defenders can prevent him seizing their field and bringing in large airborne reinforcements, they have performed their mission. Area reserves must, however, be capable of arriving within a very short time to convert the defense from a local problem to one of greater magnitude.

b. The assignment of defense units is influenced by the range of enemy action. In respect to their location, airdromes may be classified as follows:

(1) Airdromes which will probably be free from external attack. Their principal defense requirement is interior guard.

(2) Airdromes which may be subject to occasional long-range attacks by bombers. Their principal ground defense will be passive defense.

(3) Airdromes which may be subject to frequent bombing and strafing attacks by aircraft but yet which are not within range of serious attack by airborne troops. Their defenders will rely principally upon antiaircraft fire and passive measures.

(4) Airdromes which may be subject to frequent bombing and strafing attack by aircraft and are within the range of attack by airborne troops or by ground forces. Their defense requires troops to provide antiaircraft and local ground defense.

c. The size of an airdrome garrison is also determined by the strategic and tactical situations in the area. Attacks on area airdromes will be conditioned by the nature and success of friendly and enemy operations. The possession of air superiority and its degree are factors of great influence. The number, location, and operations of troops in the vicinity are matters which may be fundamental in determining the extent of the local ground defenses. Likewise, the strategic value of an airdrome may be the reason for the presence of ground forces in the vicinity and the key to their dispositions. In relation to the extent of friendly forces in the area and their disposition, there are four types of problems in local defense for airdromes

(1) Those of airdromes which are completely isolated, such as island airdromes, but which are important. Here, in a sense, the area and the airdrome are the same, the strategic value of the surrounding area deriving from the presence of the airdrome. As no reinforcements are possible, a regiment or a larger force may be present for defense, and the command of the airdrome, to the extent of its defense, subordinate to the command of the defense forces.

(2) Those of airdromes in an area defense which are important but which can rely on area troops for resistance against all-out attacks. Their need is for sufficient local defense to repel nuisance attacks and delay surprise thrusts.

(3) Those of advanced airdromes in areas where the situation is fluid and area troops cannot be diverted to defend them. Although these fields are important, they must defend themselves with the resources under local command.

(4) Those of airdromes in areas without area troops but not important enough or near enough to the enemy to be threatened by major action. Their ground defense requires only interior guard.

d. A requirement for adequate antiaircraft protection exists at all airdromes within reach of enemy aviation. This cannot be neglected, for air attack against any airdrome will be more frequent and must be considered more likely than any other form of attack.

SECTION II: TROOPS AVAILABLE FOR DEFENSE

24. GENERAL-There are several types of units which may be available to the airdrome commander for defensive purposes; airdrome and squadron personnel, ground force units assigned for local ground defense, aviation engineers, anti-aircraft artillery assigned or attached, chemical warfare service detachments, and military police (aviation) companies. Nearby reserves of theater forces may also be available for support. A forward-area airdrome might have the following forces available to defend it:

a. Personnel from two fighter squadrons based at the airdromes, plus airdrome operational personnel and quarter-master and ordnance personnel.

b. A small infantry unit assigned for local defense.

c. One company of aviation engineers.

d. One or more antiaircraft artillery automatic weapons batteries.

e. One chemical warfare service platoon.

f. One infantry unit in reserve at some distance.

25. AIRDROME AND SQUADRON PERSONNEL.-An airdrome will have available for defensive purposes at least its own assigned squadron personnel and that of any squadrons which use it as a base, that is, air force personnel connected with administration or operation of facilities, quartermaster and ordnance personnel, and ground crews, pilots, and flight crews off duty. Although primarily occupied with other duties, they are trained in the use of infantry weapons. They are normally employed in close-in defense and in forming supporting parties. If no other forces are available, they must also be used for counterattacking disorganized parachute troops.

26. ASSIGNED INFANTRY.-a. If available, infantry assigned for the purpose forms the principal element in the local ground defense.

b. The mission of such units is with the assistance of all other available local forces, to meet airborne attack during and shortly after landing, to hold the airdrome against any form of attack until the arrival of reinforcements. and to remove by counterattack any threat to the defended area. A part of the unit is used to establish the fixed defenses of the airdrome and to provide local security for dispersed aircraft and installations. The remainder is organized as one or more striking forces as the situation requires.

27. AVIATION ENGINEERS.-a. Aviation engineer units are especially organized, equipped, and trained to meet the needs of the Army Air Forces for engineer work in a theater of operations. They are assigned to air forces and air task forces as required. In general, their organization is similar to that of combat and service units, but the battalion, consisting of battalion headquarters, three lettered companies, and a medical section, is the usual field operating unit. Separate engineer aviation companies are organized as required for particular missions, being identical with the lettered companies of the battalion. Company armament includes caliber .50 machine guns and an antitank gun.

b. Aviation engineers have the general engineer mission of facilitating the advance of friendly forces and hindering the advance of the enemy, usually by engineer construction but at times by taking part in combat. Their most important tasks are to construct advanced airdromes, to camouflage them, to maintain them under enemy bombing, and to assist in their defense. (See TM 5-255.) They have important technical duties connected in general with the organization of the ground and the building of protective structures. Included are camouflage, construction of defensive positions, construction of weapons emplacements, establishment of barriers for antimechanized defense and obstructions for preventing the landing of airborne troops, and demolition of the airdrome if capture becomes inevitable. These tasks are planned and executed under engineer control in accordance with defense plans of the airdrome commander.

28. ANTIAIRCRAFT ARTILLERY UNITS.--a. The major antiaircraft artillery units are the brigade, the group, the battalion, and the battery. Most likely to be assigned or attached to the local defense of an airdrome are automatic weapons batteries. Antiaircraft guns (as opposed to automatic weapons) will probably be at such distances from the airdrome that they cannot be closely integrated into the local defense system; moreover they usually belong to the area defense rather than to the local defense. Normally, it is to be anticipated that airdromes in active theaters will be provided, as a minimum, with one automatic weapons battery equipped with eight 40-mm antiaircraft guns and eight multiple-machine-gun mounts.

b. Antiaircraft artillery has the primary mission of firing against enemy aircraft and the secondary mission of firing against ground targets. It will frequently be sited to perform the duel mission. If the ground attack should develop to the point that the enemy can no longer employ his aircraft without danger to his own troops, the antiaircraft guns become fully available for use against ground targets.

29. CHEMICAL WARFARE SERVICE UNITS.-a. There are several types of supply and service units of the Chemical Warfare Service. The decontamination section of a chemical composite company is ordinarily used for defense of an airdrome.

b. The mission of the decontamination unit is to deal with major contamination problems.

30. MILITARY POLICE.-The military police company (aviation) is a flexible organization, capable under the current Table of Organization of expansion to meet the specific military police need at any airdrome. Personnel are armed with pistols, rifles, shotguns, and submachine guns. Basic equipment includes motorcycles and trucks.