N.Z. ARMY

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 31, 31 October 1942, Page 6

N.Z. ARMY

Passed Under American Command AIR FORCE SQUADRONS ALSO South Pacific Operations That the New Zealand Army in the South Pacific area had passed under the American Command was revealed in a statement issued yesterday by the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones. He. also referred to a decision that squadrons of the Royal New Zealand Air Force assigned for operations in the South Pacific area should be placed under American command. This, he said, did not affect the responsibility of the Air Department for the air defence of New Zealand. The Minister added that the movement of New Zealand forces out of the Dominion for any new commitment required the prior approval of the New Zealand Government.

Reference was made by the Minister to recent announcements of changes of command in the South Pacific area and to comments by Rear-Admiral J. McCain on tlffi splendid work being done bv New Zealand airmen in the South Pacific area. “When the Pacific Ocean area was divided up into strategic zones of command, the South Pacific area, which includes New Zealand and various groups of islands to the north, was placed under the command of Vice-Admiral R. L. Ghormley, who lias recently been superseded by ViceAdmiral W. Halsey,” said Mr. Jones. “At that time, the command of the major units of the Royal New Zealand Navy was transferred to American command. But the squadrons of the Royal'New Zealand Air Force remained outside the American, organization of command, except in regard to those squadrons which were then located, and have since been located, in the Pacific islands to the north of New Zealand. These squadrons in the islands came under the operational command’ of Rear-Admiral McCain, who has now assumed the post or Director of the Aeronautics Bureau in the Navy Department at Washington and has been relieved as Commander, Aircraft, South Pacific, by RearAdmiral A. W. Fitch. American Army Command. “As lias been announced recently, Major-General D. Harmon has assumed command of United 'States Army forces in the South Pacific area, and this includes also squadrons of the United States Army Air Force. While Admiral Fitch, as Commander, Aircraft, South Pacific, is primarily responsible for all air operations in conjunction with naval operations, General Harmon is more directly concerned with certain of the New Zealand air squadrons from the administrative point of view. “Though I am not at liberty to disclose the strength and location of our squadrons in? the Islands, I am able to say that, as the result of the substantial expansion of the Royal New Zealand Air Force during the past year, the New Zealand Government has been able to send a number, of squadrons for service with the American, forces in the forward areas. Certain squadrons, as is well known, are located in Fiji; others are now located in other islands. These squadrons are principally of the bomber reconnaissance type.” The Minister said that the functions of command were not purely related to tlie performance of forces in battle. Responsibility for command carried with it the responsibility for planning for future development and providing the material means for putting future plans into effect. It was highly desirable in any one theatre of war that the Air Force should be indoctrinated and equipped as uniformly as possible in their various categories, and, for that reason, he welcomed the recent decision arrived, at 'between the United States Government and the New Zealand' Government that the squadrons of the Royal New Zealand Air Force assigned for operations in the South Pacific area should 'be placed under American command. This did not affeet the responsibility of the Air Department for the air defence of New Zealand. Air Defence of Dominion. The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Commodore R. V. Goddard, still remained responsible for the efficiency and operation of the air defence of New Zealand, but the placing of our squadrons under American command involved the appointment of an air commander to complete the chain of command., In addition to his appointment as Chief of the Air Staff, therefore, Air Commodore Goddard had been appointed Commander, New Zealand Air Forces. Questioned as to whether recent changes affected the New Zealand Army in the sa.me way, the Minister said that the New Zealand Army already had, in General Puttlck, a General Officer Commanding, who, iu addition, held the post of Chief of the General Staff.

The New Zealand Army, like the Air Force, had also, witli the agreement of Hie Government, passed under American command, but this did not affect the development of Hie Army and its equipment to the same extent as Hie similar change would affect the H.N.Z.A.F.

The Minister remarked that he presumed it. would be well understood, and it was. of course, a fact that the movement of New Zealand forces of all three Services out of New Zealand for any new commitment was a matter whicli required tlie approval of the New Zealand Government before any new measure was put into effect. . .., ~ Information would not be withheld from the public of the engagement of New Zealand forces in South Pacific operations if and when our forces became actively employed in direct contact witli enemy forces. At the present time this was not the case, but he had no doubt that our reconnaissance aircraft were operating in or near the zone of recent enemy operations. |ln a cable from Washington published here on October 17, Mr. Stimson, U.S. Secretary for War, announced Hint Major-General Millard Harmon was appointed commander of the U.S. Army forces now stationed in New Zealand and in forward island bases.]

Two major-generals mimed Harmon serve with the U.S. forces. They are Maj-or-General Millard F. Harmon and MajorGeneral Hubert Harmon, who are brothers. A message from Washington published in the “New York Times" on January 30 this year recorded the translation of Major-General Millard Harmon from the conunand of the Second Air Force to the post, of Chief of the Air Stuff, United States Army Air Force. A further message from Washington, published in the "New York Times" on June 26, announced that General Strateincyer had succeeded Major-General Millard Harmon. who was assigned to “another very

important post which will not be made public at this time.” The most recently mentioned appointment of Major-General Hubert Harmon was that of commanding officer of the Gulf Coast Training Centre, Rear-Admiral Aubrey Wray Fitch is 59, and was apiwinted to his present rank on July 1, 1910. He is a qiialilied naval aviator, and has specialized in naval strategy and taeties at the U.S. Naval War College. His last command, ns shown in a publication dated March this year, was that, of Carrier Division No. 1 of the United States Navy.