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Chapter 10: “Go Get ’Em!”
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Chapter10 291 C H A P T E R 1 0 “GoGet’Em!” A shisP-40EcircledovertheTarlacareaincentralLuzonatbetween twelvethousandandfifteenthousandfeet,DaveObertwondered wheretheJapaneseintruderswerethathadbeenreportedcoming infromthenorth.HeandtherestofBuzzWagner’s17thPursuit Squadronhadreachedtheassignedpositionatabout8:45,butthere wasnosightoftheenemy.Suddenly,Obert’sradiocrackled:“prepareto attack!”InresponsetohisCO’sorder,hewentintoasharpdivingturn, inthirdpositionbehindWagnerandhiswingman,CyBlanton.Butwhen Blanton became separated fromWagner during the turn, Obert found himselfinsecondpositioninthesix-shipflight.Forasplitsecond,his heartinhisthroat,“poundinglikeasledgehammer,”Obertwastemptedto getlostonpurpose.Sufferingfromtheextremetensionoffirstcombat,his mouthwassodrythathewasnearlychoking.Buthemanagedtocontrol hisnervesandcontinuedondownwiththeothers.1 As soon as he drew close enough to make out his two adversaries, ObertwasshockedtoseetheywereAmericanB-17s,notJapanesebombers !ObertandhissquadronmateshadnotbeeninformedthattheB-17s hadbeenorderedoffofClarkFieldforprotectivepurposesatthetimethe Japanesewerereportedheadedtowardtheairfield.Reactingtotheanticlimactic turnofevents,Obertfeltdeepdisappointmentthathewasbeing deprivedofhisfirstcombatexperience.Hefeltlikelettingoffsomesteam. “I’lltestfiretheguns,”hethought.Liketheothersinthe17thPursuit,he hadnevertestedhisP-40E’ssix.50-caliberguns.Pullingthetrigger,he wastakenabackbythetremendousrecoileffectfiringthesixgunsinunison hadonhisship. Afterrejoiningtheothers,Obertreturnedtohisassignedpatrolaltitude .TheretheycontinuedtocircletheTarlacarea,buttherewasstillno signofJapaneseaircraft.Soonitwastwoandone-halfhoursaftertheir takeofffromNicholsandtheyweregettinglowongas.Wagnerradioed ch10 4/2/03,1:06PM 291 PartIV 292 themtoheadbacktoClarkfieldandland.EvidentlytheJapanesehad changedtheirplansaboutbombingthefield.2 Farthertotheeast,CharleySneed’ssectionofeighteenP-40Eshad notspottedanyJapaneseduringitspatrol,either.Earlier,the20thPursuiters hadbeeninformedovertheirradiosthattheenemywasapproaching. They,likethe17thPursuit,nowheadedbacktoClarkField. Whilethe17thand20thPursuitscirclednearTarlacontheirfruitless interceptionmission,thepilotsofthe3dPursuitatIbaFieldtothe westwerealsoafrustratedlot,sittingintheircockpitsandwaitingfor ordersthatnevercame.Theywerebecomingincreasinglybored.Forwant ofanythingelsetodo,1stLt.FrankNeriandsomeoftheothersstarted playingwiththereceiversoftheirradiosets.Runningacrossthedifferent frequencies,Neristoppedatoneandwasstartledtohearwhatwasbeing reported.Baguiowasbeingbombed,Aparriwasalsounderattack,and Tuguegaraohadbeenhit!Theothersalsoheardthereports.Yettheywere stillwaitingfororderstotakeoff!3 ThestorywasthesameatNicholsField.FirstLieutenantEdDyessand theothertwelvepilotsofhis21stPursuitSquadron,plusthefivepilots attachedtohissquadronfromthe3dand17thPursuit,satunderthewings oftheirP-40Eswaitingfororderstotakeoffthatdidnotcome.Theywere atiredlot,havingtwicethatnightbeenrousedoutofbedtoreportto21st Squadronoperationsreadytotakeoff.Then,atabout11a.m.,Dyesscalled themintotheoperationstentforCoca-Colasandsandwiches.Unlikethe 3dPursuiters,theyhadheardnoreportsofbombingattackstothenorth.4 Headquarters,FarEastAirForce NielsonField,Manila 10a.m.,December8,1941 LieutenantColonelEugeneEubankwasmeetingwithhischief,Maj. Gen.LewisBrereton,inBrereton’sofficeintheFEAFheadquarters building.BreretonhadputanothercallthroughtoMacArthur’schiefof staff,Brig.Gen.RichardSutherlandatUSAFFEheadquarters.Brereton wasurgingoffensiveactionbyhis19th...