Original recount on WW II
In 1969, the original recount on World War II aerial victory credits was begun under the supervision of Dr. Maurer, then Chief of the Historical Studies Branch. The branch was examining Japanese records as well as American records. Notes from 1969 by Dr. Maurer explain that the credit for the Yamamoto bomber was split between Barber and Lanphier when he and his staff discovered that only one bomber went down in the Bougainville jungle. Subsequent evidence confirmed that there were only two Betty bombers in the Yamamoto flight. Cards prepared for USAF Historical Study #85, USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II, seem to be all that is left of the “working papers”. Two cards for Lanphier and Barber on 18 April 1943 suggest that a 1.00 on each card was changed to .50. Apparently, Lanphier and Barber were each going to be given credit for shooting down a bomber over Bougainville, but the credit was split. USAF Historical Study #85 actually appeared in 1978 although the cards for Lanphier and Barber were changed in 1969 when the study was still being compiled.
Dr. Daniel Haulman's Correspondence
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