Lewis_H._Brereton

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Lewis H. Brereton

Lewis Hyde Brereton (June 21, 1890 - July 20, 1967) was a military aviation pioneer and United States Army Air Forces general in World War II.

Early career

Brereton graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1911 and in 1913 was one of the first graduates of the Signal Corps Aviation School.

World War I

In World War I, Brereton commanded the 12th Aero Squadron, one of the first American flying units on the Western Front. He rose to be chief of aviation of the US First Army Corps. In October 1918, less than 3 weeks before the end of the war, he proposed a plan to drop members of the 1st Infantry Division on the German-occupied city of Metz, in what would have been the first airborne assault. While his superior, Brigadier General Billy Mitchell, supported the plan, General John Pershing shelved it.[http://www.173rdairborne.com/amazingpara.htm] After the armistice, he was appointed chief of staff, Headquarters Air Service of the U.S. Third Army.

World War II

Far East

At the beginning of American participation in World War II, Brereton was commander of the Far East Air Force (FEAF) in the Philippines. Following the outbreak of war he urged immediate air attacks against Japanese bases on Formosa. However Brereton was over-ruled by General Douglas MacArthur and, having failed to disperse his parked aircraft in anticipation of a likely attack, FEAF was consequently largely destroyed on the ground. He received no discipline for this failure to protect American lives.

In early 1942 Brereton was named Deputy Commander Air Forces, in the short-lived American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM), which unified Allied forces in South East Asia and the South West Pacific. After the defeat in Java, Brereton was reassigned to the China-Burma-India area of operations to organize the new Tenth Air Force. In June, in response to an emergency in North Africa, he was transferred to Palestine.

Middle East

In June 1942 Brereton was appointed commander of U.S. Middle East Air Forces. This unit eventually became the U.S. Ninth Air Force. Among the missions undertaken by the heavy bomber units of the Ninth Air Force during Brereton's command was the low-level bombing of Ploie?ti, Romania, termed Operation Tidal Wave. It was Brereton who insisted that the raid be undertaken despite receiving intelligence estimates that predicted fully 50% of the attacking force would be shot down. The Ploesti air raid duly took place, resulting in severe losses to the U.S. Army's B-24 squadrons.

European Theatre

With the end of operations in the Middle East and the transfer of units to the Twelfth Air Force and Fifteenth Air Force for operations in Italy, Brereton remained in command of the Ninth Air Force when it was dissolved and re-activated in England in October 1943 to become the tactical air force for ground operations in the European Theatre. He was promoted to temporary Lieutenant General in April 1944.

On August 2, 1944, Brereton was appointed to command the First Allied Airborne Army and retained this post until the end of the war in Europe.