T H E A R M Y A I R F O R C E S I N W O R L D W A R I 1
and a half of general reconnaissance light bombardment aircraft, as
well as four Singapore flying boats and six ancient Vincents. The
Fijis, moreover, would receive additional air support with the arrival
of the USS Curtin, which was currently en route to Suva with six
PBY's for temporary operations, although this vessel was not assigned
to the area.I4 Down in New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Air
Force maintained a force of Hudsons similar to that in Fiji, and had
as projected reinforcements the addition of 34 Hudsons, 14 Ansons,
and I 8 P-40's. The 67th Pursuit Squadron, equipped with z 5 P-~OO'S,
early export version of the P-39, was even then at sea on the way to
Australia, arriving at Melbourne on 26 February. The 68th reached
Archerfield a t Brisbane on 8 March. Samoa's defense was in naval
hands, and the Navy had committed half a pursuit squadron and half
a bombardment squadron to this area, although the date of arrival was
not yet known. Christmas Island was strengthened by the presence of
the 12th Pursuit Squadron, but orders to move the 69th Pursuit
Squadron down to Palmyra had not yet been issued; the air defense
of this island rested with the Navy, which maintained two patrol
bombers on station."
New Caledonia, a French dependency, was a keystone in the island
chain. It was the largest of the islands, it could support several air-
fields, and it lay directly across the Coral Sea from Australia in
such a way that it protected the flank of the northeast coast of that
continent, now so vital as a vast base for Allied forces. Its nickel and
chrome mines were readily accessible to an invader. Admiral King
believed that the mines offered a tempting bait to the Japanese who
were currently short of the metal and who, in fact, actually had con-
sidered New Caledonia as a source of nickel, although shortage of
shipping had caused abandonment of the plan. Furthermore, enemy
possession of the island would drive all reinforcements to the ABDA
area over the long route south of New Zealand.'' Accordingly, it
received a larger share of the Pacific defenses than any of the smaller
islands. Australia, owing to the scarcity of troops for home defense
in the absence of four divisions overseas, was unable to offer any in-
crement to the single company of troops then in New Caledonia, and
the United States-British joint planning committee had recognized
this situation, although the defense of the island was an Australian
responsibility. Australian naval units were laying mine fields in the
approaches to Noumea and Tontouta, but that was the limit of her
43 2