Another of the major players in the formulation of doctrine at the Air Corps Tactical School was Kenneth N. Walker, who served as a bombardment instructor during the crucial years from 1929 to 1934. Walker was the epitome of the strategic thinkers at the school, and it was his famous statement in one of his lectures that set the tone for these beliefs: "The wellorganized, wellplanned, and wellflown air force attack will constitute an offensive that cannot be stopped." He pushed this theory with a vehemence and stubbornness that rivaled Chennaults contrary point of view. The AAF benefited and suffered from the attitudes and personalities of both men.
In August 1941 Walker and three colleagues (Hal George, Larry Kuter, and "Possum" Hansell) put together AWPD1. Soon after, Walker was sent to the Pacific. George Kenney wanted Walker as his bomb commander because of Walker's intensity and singlemindedness. Walker was tireless and drove himself so hard Kenney feared he would snap and have to be sent home. Instead, contrary to orders, Walker led a bombing strike on Rabaul on 5 January 1943 and was shot down. For his courage and self sacrifice, he was awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously.
Martha Byrd, Chennault's most successful biographer, has written a manuscript that outlines Walker's short, but significant, career. Unfortunately, Byrd died before completing the study. What she left behind was a readable portrait of a driven man who was not only an accomplished and dedicated professional, but was also vain, ambitious, and inflexible. Byrd's study lacks, however, a contextual basis that explains fully the role of doctrine, the ACTS's part in formulating doctrine, and Walker's influence at the school. In addition, Byrd did not adequately flesh out her subjects tour at the V Bomber Command. The opening year of the Pacific air war was plagued by shortages of men and materiel, and the overall strategy for defeating Japan was not yet clear. Walker's role in those crucial months could therefore have been pivotal and needs further exploration.
As a result of these shortcomings, Air University has plans for Lt Col Peter R. Faber, a professor in the School of Advanced Airpower Studies, to edit Byrd's manuscript and to add chapters that provide the requisite context. The finished product will then be published by Air University Press. The draft promises that the book will be worth the wait.
Disclaimer
The conclusions and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author cultivated in the freedom of expression, academic environment of Air University. They do not reflect the official position of the US Government, Department of Defense, the United States Air Force or the Air University.
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