Anti-Aircraft and Ground Forces
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In the summer of 1940, a new all-volunteer Aircraft Warning Service was created. Close to 3000 civilian observers, comprised mostly of American Legion WWI veterans and about 50 Conservation Department fire-tower men filled the force. 347 observations posts, each about 4 miles apart were scattered throughout 17,000 square miles in the New York, Long island and Hudson Valley region. Most were in private homes and building rooftops, each equipped with a special telephone for spotters to send “enemy” aircraft sightings directly to the Army information center headquarters. From there, alerts and assignments would be ordered immediately to all ground and air defensive forces. Several preliminary drills and tests were run throughout 1940 and 1941, preparing all the units and squadrons for potential enemy aircraft attack coming in from the Atlantic. A major simulation started January 21, 1941 and ran for four days. Over 10,000 civilian observers in 4 states were included to test the new warning system. 25 high ranking officers from Washington, including GHC Commander Lt. Gen. Delos C Emmons, joined Gen. Chaney at Mitchel Field to observe the first ever air raid warning service implementation in the metropolitan area. |
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A Fourteen bomber formation from Langley Field VA represented the “enemy” force. The main Army information center at Mitchel Field coordinated with 2 satellite centers in NYC and Boston. Civilian observers on rooftops, skyscraper towers, Atlantic beaches and other platforms called in reports of aircraft type, numbers and course of the enemy squadron.
Based on that information, appropriate military operations were put into action to defeat the “invasion”. Searchlight and anti-aircraft batteries opened fire and squadrons of P-40 pursuit planes took to the air to intercept the enemy bombers.
Throughout the summer and fall of 1941 similar drills and maneuvers were conducted.to train and prepare civilian spotters, local town emergency services, and military personnel. Over 50 towns and municipalities took part including Garden City, Mineola and Hempstead. Blackout drills were regularly rehearsed by Nassau and Suffolk County Defense Councils throwing villages and towns into total darkness for up to an hour at a time. Simulated damages and casualties were created to test defense plans under the “stress of simulated air raids”.
Based on that information, appropriate military operations were put into action to defeat the “invasion”. Searchlight and anti-aircraft batteries opened fire and squadrons of P-40 pursuit planes took to the air to intercept the enemy bombers.
Throughout the summer and fall of 1941 similar drills and maneuvers were conducted.to train and prepare civilian spotters, local town emergency services, and military personnel. Over 50 towns and municipalities took part including Garden City, Mineola and Hempstead. Blackout drills were regularly rehearsed by Nassau and Suffolk County Defense Councils throwing villages and towns into total darkness for up to an hour at a time. Simulated damages and casualties were created to test defense plans under the “stress of simulated air raids”.
Mock invasions with regular army and New York Guard troops took place at Fort Tilden and other locations. Mitchel Field forces were put through rigorous and constant training in anticipation of war time conditions.
The training and simulations prepared the area for a grim reality following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The suddenness and unexpected nature of the Hawaiian attack struck fear and trepidation, along with anger and determination into the heart of America. But there was also anxiety and nervousness along the East Coast. Extra infantry troops were rushed to Mitchel Field from Camp Upton and increased 24 hour air defense umbrellas and low level anti-submarine patrols over the Atlantic were flown from the Field.
The training and simulations prepared the area for a grim reality following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The suddenness and unexpected nature of the Hawaiian attack struck fear and trepidation, along with anger and determination into the heart of America. But there was also anxiety and nervousness along the East Coast. Extra infantry troops were rushed to Mitchel Field from Camp Upton and increased 24 hour air defense umbrellas and low level anti-submarine patrols over the Atlantic were flown from the Field.
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Exacerbating the apprehension and heightened tension were several “real” air raid warnings on December 9 and 10 that placed the entire east coast on high alert. Around noon on the 9th, reports of enemy planes headed toward the mainland and New York City set into motion a frenzied and urgent rush of military activity across Nassau and Suffolk Counties and all up and down the eastern seaboard. Infantry and naval forces were hurried to the coastlines and out to sea. Every warplane at Mitchel took to the air with pursuit planes sent out to sea in search of the enemy and larger bombers flown inland, to not be caught on the ground like at Pearl Harbor. All AA and searchlight batteries were manned. Firefighters, emergency personnel and air raid wardens were quickly assigned to their posts. School children were directed to shelters or in some cases sent home.
Commercial airlines were also impacted. Radio guidance systems were silenced, all in flight civilian aircraft were ordered down using cockpit instruments and all outgoing flights suspended. At Mitchel Field all service families were immediately evacuated after the first warnings were issued. Over 300 women and children were removed in trucks, jeeps, buses and cars. Mrs. E. G. Hillery, wife of 36th Pursuit Squadron CO, spoke confidently “I knew if they were enemy planes they wouldn’t get very far- our boys would take care of them!” Capt. Lynn Farnol reported that “Every plane was off the ground and the entire ground force of the field was standing by at stations, manning anti-aircraft guns and other equipment. This is the real McCoy as far as we are concerned.” Mounted machine gun posts and heavily armed patrols were stationed along Stewart Avenue and other Field perimeter streets. Soon the pursuit planes returned reporting no hostile aircraft spotted. With no unidentified airplanes seen approaching the coast on the Field’s primitive radar system, it was determined the crisis was over. The “all clear” signal was sounded about 3 PM. The elusive enemy turned out to be a false alarm. Jittery soldiers, airmen and civilians resumed their daily routine, albeit a little more apprehensively than begun that morning. |
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Three false alarms were sounded within a 2 day period that first week after December 7. Two were mistaken visual reports. One was misidentification of US Navy patrol planes over the Atlantic by “radio detectors” of First Interceptor Command at Mitchel Field. In hindsight, all can be chalked up to post Pearl Harbor jitters and hysteria.
Eventually the nervousness died down and calmer heads prevailed, although constant alert remained with fighter patrols over the metro area until at least 1943 and increased security and construction of defensive bunkers along Long Island and eastern coasts and around Mitchel Field and other eastern airfields and factories.
From the forthcoming book “Fallen Eagles: Forgotten Sacrifice on the Homefront
Footnoted Sources: NY Times, Newsday, Brooklyn Daily eagle and other newspapers, January 1940- December 1942 Copyright 2020 by Paul R. Martin III. No portion of this essay may be reproduced or used without written consent by the author Paul R. Martin III
Eventually the nervousness died down and calmer heads prevailed, although constant alert remained with fighter patrols over the metro area until at least 1943 and increased security and construction of defensive bunkers along Long Island and eastern coasts and around Mitchel Field and other eastern airfields and factories.
From the forthcoming book “Fallen Eagles: Forgotten Sacrifice on the Homefront
Footnoted Sources: NY Times, Newsday, Brooklyn Daily eagle and other newspapers, January 1940- December 1942 Copyright 2020 by Paul R. Martin III. No portion of this essay may be reproduced or used without written consent by the author Paul R. Martin III
Anti -Aircraft Guns
Ground Forces
Photos: Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection (Library of Congress). No known restrictions on images made by the U.S. government. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Via: Longisland.com
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Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York. Camouflaged troops repel attack on half track carrying an x-ray portable field unit in a simulated battle test. The unit is set up in battlefront areas in a specially constructed dark-room tent. 1943.
Mitchel Field, New York. Positions with the Thompson machine gun are practiced by members of the air base squadron. This lesson is known as "dry firing." The men get the feel of the gun before they go on the firing line to use real ammunition. 1942? Mitchel Field, New York. Air Corps technicians must be expert in the handling of infantry weapons. Members of an airbase squadron learning to wage hand-to-hand combat with bayonets under the tutelage of Captain Clifford W. Vedder, squadron commander. 1942 Mitchel Field, New York. On the rifle range members of the airbase squadron learn to fire the snubnose Thompson sub-machine gun. The highest degree of proficiency in the use of these firearms is attained in the intensive training program. 1942? |
Mitchel Field, New York. Positions with the Thompson machine gun are practiced by members of the air base squadron. This lesson is known as "dry firing." The men get the feel of the gun before they go on the firing line to use real ammunition. 1942?
[LC-USW33-000339-ZC (b&w film neg.)] |
