During the Normandy invasion, some L-4s were
dismantled and shipped across the English Channel to Normandy on LSTs
(landing, ship, tanks); others were flown across with auxiliary fuel tanks
in the rear seats.
Major (MAJ) J. Elmore Swenson flew his L-4 across
the channel on D Day and conducted one of the first fire missions on Omaha
Beach. He subsequently pioneered in attaching rifles to the lift struts of
the L-4. Other innovative Army pilots successfully launched rockets from
their planes.
As the Allied Armies moved across France and
Germany, organic Army Aviation continued to perform the various missions
conducted in North Africa and Italy as well as several new ones. In northern
Europe, L-4s also were used to direct tank columns and supply trains, to
deliver blood plasma and medical supplies, and to rescue downed fighter and
bomber pilots.
On Christmas Eve of 1944, during the Battle of the
Bulge, Lieutenant (LT) Kenneth B. Schley, a 28th Infantry
Division observation pilot, flew a supply of penicillin to the besieged
garrison at Bastogne. On some occasions, observation planes were equipped
with skis so as to be able to land and take off in deep snow.
The "Horsefly" technique was much more
widely used in the European Theater than in Italy. The L-4 did not have
adequate range and speed for this mission, but after mid-1944, the AGF had
enough L-5s to perform it on a regular basis. These aircraft, with AGF
observers, were used in Horsefly missions principally by units of the XII
and XIX Tactical Air Commands in cooperation respectively with the Seventh
and Third Armies.
This cooperative effort was studied by a mixed
AAF-AGF board in late 1945. Representatives of the two commands came up with
opposing recommendations for future close air support (CAS), as was the case
with so many other issues involving organic aviation.
Ground forces analysts favored the expanded use of
light aircraft with ground forces observers, while air forces analysts
favored the use of AAF aircraft to lead fighter-bombers on Horsefly
missions.
The AGF concern for ensuring proper and adequate
CAS by being involved in it would continue to influence relations between
the Army and the Air Forces for years.
In the island-by-island was against the Japanese in
the Pacific, organic Army Aviation performed essentially the same missions
as in other theaters. Adjustment of naval bombardment and bombing the enemy
with hand grenades were apparently more common in the Pacific than
elsewhere. In the Pacific, as in North Africa and Europe, Army observation
pilots captured enemy prisoners on a few occasions.
In the Pacific campaigns, L-4s had to be
disassembled and transported by sea; they then took off from the decks of
LSTs and other type ships and flew to the islands being invaded to adjust
fire and perform other missions. When carriers were not involved in an
invasion force, the L-4s usually had to land on the beaches. In some
instances, wooden floats were attached to L-4s so they could land and take
off from water.
It became possible for the L-4s to return to an LST
after the development and deployment of a rig called the "Brodie
Device" – named for its inventor, LT James H. Brodie. LT Brodie
obtained a $10,000 appropriation in 1943 to develop a portable rig for
landing and launching small planes in a tightly confined space.
He built a device consisting of cables stretched
between masts, which could bring a small plane equipped with a specially
designed hook to a slow stop. The plane could then take off from the cable,
or it could be lowered to the ground or a deck for refueling or other
purposes and then raised again for take off. LTG McNair witnessed a
demonstration of the device in February 1944 and ordered it be tested for
Field Artillery observation planes. One of the rigs was installed on an LST
and was used effectively by the 77th Infantry Division during the
invasion of Okinawa.
The missions performed by organic Army Aviation in
the U.S. Third Army during the latter part of the war in Europe represent
those conducted throughout WWII. A total of 22,972 hours were flown for fire
adjustment; 26,260 hours for reconnaissance; and 19, 034 hours for
administrative and patrol purposes between 1 August 1944 and 8 May 1945.
The artillery observation planes in the Third Army
were used for specific purposes; courier services; transportation of
personnel; liaison between units; aerial terrain studies; photography;
tracking services for friendly antiaircraft artillery; and control of moving
motor units. Other specific purposes were for locating friendly units,
intelligence information, Horsefly activities, command and staff
reconnaissance, column control, radio relay, wire laying, evacuation, and
camouflage checks.
The AGF observation planes were used for many
purposes other than artillery fire adjustment throughout WWII. Although this
was true, ground commanders were generally unable to acquire aircraft
properly equipped for the missions until near the end of the war. The two
reasons for this problem were as follows: the AAF controlled the procurement
and issue of aircraft and aviation equipment; and air forces leaders
strongly opposed providing the AGF with planes equipped to compete
successfully with the AAF in the performance of liaison missions.
Ground forces leaders, on the other hand, were
reluctant to press for higher performance planes or for recognition of many
of the missions being performed by organic aviation. They feared raising
such issues would lead to the disestablishment of organic Army Aviation.
