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The Pensacola Convoy is a colloquialism for a United States military shipping convoy that took place in late 1941 as the Pacific War began. The name was derived from that of its primary escort ship, the heavy cruiser . ''Pensacola'' was officially designated Task Group 15.5 and Army sources may use the term ''Republic'' convoy for the senior convoy vessel. The convoy, dispatched in peacetime, was intended to reinforce the United States Army Forces Far East (USAFFE), created to defend the U.S. Commonwealth of the Philippines and commanded by General Douglas MacArthur, with artillery, aircraft, munitions and fuel, as the threat of war with the Empire of Japan loomed. After war broke out, and Japanese forces attacked the Philippines, the convoy was diverted to Brisbane, Australia. ==Background== The War Department on 16 August 1941 approved large-scale reinforcement of the Philippines. General MacArthur was notified that the first units would sail in September. When Chief of Staff George C. Marshall asked MacArthur if he needed a National Guard division for USAFFE, MacArthur declined the offer, stating: "Equipment and supply of existing forces are the prime essential. I am confident if these steps are taken with sufficient speed, that no further major reinforcement will be necessary for accomplishment of the defense mission." Marshall replied: "I have directed that United States Army Forces in the Philippines be placed in highest priority for equipment ... (and) ... men." Reinforcement convoys began in September and continued through November 1941, escorted from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, by a naval vessel. ''Pensacolas convoy included the gunboat ; the U.S. Navy transports and USS ''Chaumont''; the U.S. Army transport ships 〔''Holbrook'', 1921, ((Lloyd's 1940-41 )) ex (''President Taft'' ), ex ''Buckeye State'' acquired by Army June 1941, after reloading in Australia attempted to deliver supplies and elements of the Field Artillery units to the Philippines until turned back to deliver them to Darwin instead. (Masterson, 1949, pages 8-9)〕 and USAT ''Meigs''; the U.S. merchant ships and SS ''Coast Farmer''; and the Dutch merchant ship .〔''Bloemfontein'', built 1934, was a motor ship of 10,081 tons that was reloaded in Australia and went on to Surabaya, Java, arriving 5 January 1942 with cargo and Field Artillery personnel and equipment (See Aftermath below). (Masterson, 1949, page 9). Other references indicate the ship had been used for earlier military movements, including (taking elements of the AVG (Flying Tigers) to Burma ) (Ford, 1991, ''Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and his American Volunteers, 1941-1942'', page 86), and, as the Dutch had been a war some time, was armed (Williford, 2010 in ''Racing the Sunrise—Reinforcing America's Pacific Outposts 1941—1942'', page 163).〕 The convoy was carrying a brigade from the U.S. Field Artillery Corps, made up of 2,000 National Guard troops: * 2nd Battalion, 131st Field Artillery (Texas National Guard) * 1st and 2nd Battalions, 147th Field Artillery (South Dakota National Guard) * 1st Battalion, 148th Field Artillery (Idaho National Guard) 2,600 U. S. Army Air Forces personnel were also on board,〔Williams, E. Kathleen (1945). (''The AAF in the War Against Japan, 1941-1942'' ) (USAF Historical Study No. 34). AFHRA, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, p. 39.〕 along with aircraft shipped disassembled in crates: 52 Douglas A-24 dive bombers of the 27th Bombardment Group (Light) sent on the ''Meigs'' and 18 Curtiss P-40 fighter planes of the 35th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on the ''Halstead''. 48 pursuit pilots of the 35th PG traveled on the ''Republic'' and 39 newly graduated but unassigned pilots were aboard the ''Holbrook''. Materiel transported included: 20 75 mm field artillery pieces, AA ammunition, 2,000 500-lb bombs, 3,000 30-lb bombs, 340 motor vehicles, 9,000 barrels of aviation fuel, 500,000 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition and 9,600 rounds of 37 mm anti-aircraft shells. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Pensacola Convoy」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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