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This sub-command was established rather earlier than the others, early in the second week of January. The USN and Dutch Navy flying boat units had started working together in late December.
On 7 January the Commander Aircraft Asiatic Fleet & Commander Patrol Wing TEN, Captain Frank D. Wagner, USN, moved from Ambon to Java at the direction of Admiral Hart, USN. Hart and Admiral Helfrich, Koninklijke Marine, wanted to get their naval air recon forces working together under the new command. Director, Allied Air Reconnaissance Group (RecceGroup) ws at first Wagner, then his Dutch counterpart in the Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service / Marineluchtvaartdienst (MLD), Kaptein G. G. Bozuwa, KM, who then asked for Wagner as his deputy. This command structure continued to the end of February when surviving forces evacuated.
The Recce Group, sometimes known in USN records as the AARG, included all the fleet aircraft of the Dutch and American navies, as No. 205 Flying Boat Squadron, Royal Air Force. Equipment included the Dutch Dornier 24k flying boats, and the Consolidated PBYs / export Model 28-5 Catalinas of the USN's VP 101 and VP 22, the MLD, and No. 205 Squadron.
I am very interested in personal accounts and contemporary documents relating to any and all RecceGroup operations during the period.
I am trying also to understand better the Combined Operations Intelligence Center (COIC) operating within the ABDAAir headquarters on Java. References to same from wherever would be very helpful.
English and Dutch language answers welcome.
NPO12@msn.com. Thanks, Lou
On 7 January the Commander Aircraft Asiatic Fleet & Commander Patrol Wing TEN, Captain Frank D. Wagner, USN, moved from Ambon to Java at the direction of Admiral Hart, USN. Hart and Admiral Helfrich, Koninklijke Marine, wanted to get their naval air recon forces working together under the new command. Director, Allied Air Reconnaissance Group (RecceGroup) ws at first Wagner, then his Dutch counterpart in the Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service / Marineluchtvaartdienst (MLD), Kaptein G. G. Bozuwa, KM, who then asked for Wagner as his deputy. This command structure continued to the end of February when surviving forces evacuated.
The Recce Group, sometimes known in USN records as the AARG, included all the fleet aircraft of the Dutch and American navies, as No. 205 Flying Boat Squadron, Royal Air Force. Equipment included the Dutch Dornier 24k flying boats, and the Consolidated PBYs / export Model 28-5 Catalinas of the USN's VP 101 and VP 22, the MLD, and No. 205 Squadron.
I am very interested in personal accounts and contemporary documents relating to any and all RecceGroup operations during the period.
I am trying also to understand better the Combined Operations Intelligence Center (COIC) operating within the ABDAAir headquarters on Java. References to same from wherever would be very helpful.
English and Dutch language answers welcome.
NPO12@msn.com. Thanks, Lou