XXXX ALL STATIONS XXXX
XXXX
XXXX FROM CINCSWPA XXXX
XXXX
XXXX TO HQ 5th AF CIC Leyte Operations Area XXXX
XXXX TO COMMANDING OFFICER US 7TH FLEET XXXX
XXXX
XXXX STANDBY FOR ORDERS XXXX
XXXX
XXXX EXECUTE OPERATION LOVE III XXXXXXXX
XXXX MAXIMUM EFFORT FROM ALL COMMANDS XXXX

5th Air Force Operations for December 13, 1944

Mission Outline:

43rd Bomb Group:
Attack enemy strategic targets on the Islands of Mindoro and Panay as soon as practicable, multiple sorties are required. Secondary targets are enemy shipping east of Mindoro.

345th Bomb Group:
Conduct operations against enemy shipping in the sea east of Mindoro. Secondary targets should consist of enemy airfields on the Island of Mindoro and those on the islands to the east of Mindoro.

475th Fighter Group:
Provide one squadron of combat air patrol US Naval units in the Sulu Sea. Provide one squadron of escort for the 43rd Bomb Group.

348th Fighter Group:
Provide one squadron as escorts for the 345th Bomb Group. Provide one squadron as fighter sweep over Panay and Mindoro.

8th Fighter Group:
Provide escort for the 43rd Bomb Group.

VMF-115 and VMF-211:
Provide combat air patrol over the US Navy shipping in the Sulu Sea.

VC-20 and VC-81:
Provide combat air patrol over the US Navy shipping in the Sulu Sea.

US Navy:
Three escort carrier groups and two transport groups shall proceed north up the Sulu Sea from their starting point, arriving anywhere in destination area by end of the day. Destination area is sectors 0.13 to 7.13.

XXXX ALL STATIONS XXXX
XXXX
XXXX FROM HQ MANILA XXXX
XXXX
XXXX TO IMPERIAL ARMY AND NAVY UNITS XXXX
XXXX
XXXX STANDBY FOR ORDERS XXXX
XXXX
XXXX EXECUTE OPERATIONS XXXXXXXX

Operations for December 13, 1944

Mission Outline:

755th Kokutai:
Attack enemy shipping in the Sulu Sea.

762nd Kokutai:
Attack Enemy shipping in the Sulu Sea.

201st Air Group:
Escort 755th and 762nd Kokutai over the Sulu Sea.

252nd Air Group:
Provide fighter cover of Panay and Mindoro Islands and shipping to the east of Mindoro.

341st Air Group:
Provide fighter cover over Panay and Mindoro Islands and shipping to the east of Mindoro.

22nd Sentai:
Provide fighter cover of Mindoro and shipping to the east.

52nd Sentai:
Escort 755th and 762nd Kokutai to targets in the Sulu Sea.

77th Sentai:
Provide fighter cover over Panay and Mindoro Islands to protect the strategic targets located there.

78th Sentai:
Attack enemy shipping in the Sulu Sea.

200th Sentai:
Provide fighter cover over Panay and Mindoro and shipping to the east of Mindoro.

Imperial Japanese Navy:
Two transport groups are transitioning the area east of Mindoro. From their starting area, they must end up anywhere in destination area by the end of the day. Destination area is any sectors east of column 3 (i.e., in column 4 or east of column 4).