The 5th Interceptor Command was a temporary organization of the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

. It was wiped out in the

Battle of the Philippines (1941–42) Battle of the Philippines may refer to several wars, military campaigns, and major battles which have been fought in the Philippine Islands, including: *Spanish conquest ** Battle of Bangkusay Channel ** 1582 Cagayan battles **Tondo Conspiracy ** ...

. The survivors fought as infantry during

Battle of Bataan The Battle of Bataan ( tl, Labanan sa Bataan; January 7 – April 9, 1942) was fought by the United States and the Philippine Commonwealth against Japan during World War II. The battle represented the most intense phase of the Japanese invas ...

and after their surrender, were subjected to the

Bataan Death March The Bataan Death March (Filipino: ''Martsa ng Kamatayan sa Bataan''; Spanish: ''Marcha de la muerte de Bataán'' ; Kapampangan: ''Martsa ning Kematayan quing Bataan''; Japanese: バターン死の行進, Hepburn: ''Batān Shi no Kōshin'') was ...

, although some did escape to Australia.

History

Established in November 1941 to provide

air defense Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...

Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...

Philippine Islands The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. After Japanese invasion on 24 December 1941, mission changed to provide ground defense of island, with ground and air echelon personnel of unequipped

Fifth Air Force The Fifth Air Force (5 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the U.S. Air Force's oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organiza ...

units on Luzon attached to fight as ground infantry units during the

after their aircraft were destroyed or evacuated to locations away from Luzon. Most members of the command surrendered on 9 April 1942 after the Battle of Bataan. Some survivors escaped to

Corregidor Island Corregidor ( tl, Pulo ng Corregidor, ) is an island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Philippines, and is considered part of the Province of Cavite. Due to this location, Corregidor has historically b ...

Manila Bay Manila Bay ( fil, Look ng Maynila) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Phili ...

, Philippine Islands and surrendered on 6 May 1942, ending all US organized resistance to the Japanese in the Philippines. Some survivors possibly fought afterwards on Luzon as unorganized resistance (May 1942 – January 1945).

Lineage

* Established as 5th Interceptor Command (Provisional) 7 November 1941 (date approximate) : Discontinued c. May 1942 (date approximate)

Assignments

* Far East Air Force (later 5th Air Force) (attached to U.S. Army Forces Far East after 25 December 1941)

Station

Nielson Field Nielson Field (Luzon, the Philippines) was the location of the Far East Air Force headquarters. Most of the aircraft of the FEAF were based at either Clark Field or Nichols Field. The cultural site was an ''Honourable Mention'' in the 2001 UNES ...

, Philippines *

Bataan Bataan (), officially the Province of Bataan ( fil, Lalawigan ng Bataan ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Its capital is the city of Balanga while Mariveles is the largest town in the province. Occupying the entir ...

, Luzon, Philippines 25 December 1941 – 9 April 1942

Components

* Air and Ground echelons of the following: : 24th Pursuit Group (Interceptor)* : 2d Observation Squadron (Medium)* : 3d Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor)* : 17th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor)* : 20th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor)* : 21st Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor)* : 34th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor)* * Ground Echelons : V Bomber Command :

19th Bombardment Group 19 (nineteen) is the natural number following 18 and preceding 20. It is a prime number. Mathematics 19 is the eighth prime number, and forms a sexy prime with 13, a twin prime with 17, and a cousin prime with 23. It is the third full re ...

(Heavy) :

27th Bombardment Group 7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube. As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion, mythology, s ...

(Light) :

14th Bombardment Squadron The 14th Bombardment Squadron was a squadron of the United States Army Air Forces. The 14th Bomb Squadron fought in the Battle of the Philippines (1941–42), much of its aircraft being destroyed in combat against the Japanese. The survivors of ...

: ground echelon attached c. 24 December 1941 – May 1942 : 16th Bombardment Squadron (Light) : 17th Bombardment Squadron (Light) : 28th Bombardment Squadron: ground echelon attached c. 24 December 1941 – May 1942 :

30th Bombardment Squadron : ''See United States Air Force Thunderbirds for the squadron's successor unit'' The 30th Bombardment Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. On 19 September 1985 it was consolidated with the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron, also known as ...

: ground echelon attached c. 20 December 1941 – May 1942 : 91st Bombardment Squadron (Light) : 93d Bombardment Squadron: ground echelon attached c. 19 December 1941 – May 1942Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 311-312 Notes: All units in attached status. *Unit not manned or equipped, carried as active unit (non-operational) 9 April 1942 – 2 April 1946.

References

Notes

Bibliography

* * * {{USAAF 5th Air Force World War II 05 Command Interceptor