General Kenney Reports: A Personal History of the Pacific War

by George C. Kenney

Contains General George Churchill Kenney's memoir of his career as commander of the Fifth Air Force in the Pacific Theater during World War 2. General Kenney lived from 1889-1977.

Genres: World War II, Biography, History, Nonfiction

562 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

George Churchill Kenney was a United States Army Air Forces general during World War II, the commander of the Allied Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific Area.

Reviews

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good read of the general's air campaigns across the Southwest Pacific. Some charge that the general, like many memoirists, practices selective memory. I haven't researched that, but I'd like to, someday.

[John Dorcey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of details regarding combat in the SWPA during World War II.

[Lyn Sweetapple · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very conversational sitting over a whiskey type of story telling.

[William Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The air war in Europe, the B-29 operations in the Pacific and the Naval Air operations overshadow the contribution the US Army Air Corps made to the success of the war in the Pacific. General Kenney Reports brings light to what Army Aviation did to win the war in the Pacific. Like all autobiographies Kenney toots his own horn regardless of trying to be humble. I will say that he does give credit to all his commanders and airmen including the ground crews and maintenance personnel. He even credits his personal chef and Chinese steward for helping him survive the war. He refers to his pilots as kids. In fact he refers to most all of the soldiers as kids.
Kenney had a difficult job. He was working for a demanding task master, General Mac Arthur. He was at the tail end of the supply line and in the unenviable position of being at the low end of the material and equipment priority list. He constantly had to beg for aircraft and he accepted those planes that other theaters did not want like the P-38. He was innovative in his tactics and in using his squadrons wisely to support the ground effort. He prodded the Army into capturing specific terrain in order to establish forward airfields to bring greater destruction to Japanese air forces and to establish air superiority wherever the allies moved. He did well and was highly regarded by his "kids." This is an interesting memoir and an easy and entertaining read. It is a good example of leadership under trying conditions.