ARMED FORCES: TAG Has Its Day

  • When it came to hurling a sleek, eight-engined bomber halfway around the world, nobody could beat the Air Force. Knocking out a couple of machine-gun nests on a scrubby Korean hillside was something else again.

    Ever since the Korean war started, top Army brass had been marveling at the pinpoint precision of marine tactical aviation, had grown more & more disgruntled at the poor coordination between Army ground troops and the Air Force. General MacArthur said bluntly that the marines had it all over the Air Force. General Omar Bradley said the No. i lesson of Korea was the need for tying aviation closer to ground troops.

    In the face of such criticism, and also because it now had more funds, the Air Force last week rejuggled its command to give its stepchild Tactical Air Command equal status with Strategic Air Command (long-range bombers). Under the new setup, TAG will be commanded by able, pugnacious Lieut. General John K. ("Uncle Joe") Cannon, 58, one of the Air Corps' oldtime hell-for-leather pilots, brilliant wartime commander of Allied tactical air forces in Italy, later commander of all Allied air forces in the Mediterranean and Europe.