Francis P. Mulcahy - Military Career

Military Career

Mulcahy, a native of Rochester, New York, graduated from Notre Dame University in 1914. In 1917, he was commissioned and attended naval flight school, becoming a naval aviator. Like Roy S. Geiger, Mulcahy flew bombing missions in France during World War I. He became one of the Marine Corps pioneers of close air support to ground operations during the inter-war years of expeditionary campaigns in the Caribbean and Central America.

At the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Mulcahy was serving as an observer with the British Western Desert Air Force in North Africa. He deployed to the Pacific in command of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. In the closing months of the Guadalcanal campaign, Mulcahy served in command of Allied Air Forces in the Solomon Islands, also known as the Cactus Air Force.

In August 1943, Mulcahy moved from Guadalcanal to New Georgia to command air units operating out of the newly captured airfield at Munda Point.

In September 1944, Mulcahy succeeded Major General Ross E. Rowell, USMC, as the Commanding General of Aircraft, Fleet Marine Force.

Mulcahy volunteered to lead the Tenth United States Army Tactical Air Force in the Invasion of Okinawa. He was deployed ashore early to the freshly captured air fields at Yontan and Kadena, and worked to coordinate the combat deployment of his joint-service aviators against the kamikaze threat to the fleet and in support of the Tenth Army in its protracted inland campaign. On June 11, 1945, he was relieved by Louis E. Woods because of poor health. Upon his retirement he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general.

He died on December 11, 1973.

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