OFFICE OF FIELD SERVICE I4I 



forces with the civiUan research agencies in the United States, Australia 

 and elsewhere, and as a clearing house and channel for all work requir- 

 ing the use of civilian scientific personnel in that theater. It was likewise 

 specified that all communications concerning OSRD activities would be 

 co-ordinated with the Research Section. Subsequently the Research Sec- 

 tion was transferred from GHQ to be under the direction of the Presi- 

 dent of the USAFFE * Board, Colonel William Alexander. A new direc- 

 tive was then issued establishing the unit as the Research Section, USAFFE 

 Board, and permitting it to remain an entity within the Board. This setup 

 interposed one more link in the chain of command because the President 

 of the Board reported to the Deputy Chief of Staff, USAFFE, Major 

 General Richard J. Marshall. Nevertheless, because the members of the 

 USAFFE Board had great freedom to work on their projects in all parts 

 of the theater, OFS was able to operate more effectively. 



Establishment of the Pacific Branch, OSRD 



Even before the fall of Germany the need for a more effective focusing 

 of the scientific effort against Japan had become apparent. Bush instructed 

 that OFS should be the channel for all field operations of OSRD and its 

 contractors in the Pacific. Waterman left for Honolulu and Manila in 

 April 1945, to work out plans for more effective co-operation with field 

 headquarters. 



Conferences with Generals MacArthur, Akin, Marquat, Krueger and 

 Kenney disclosed that the command felt the need for a highly qualified 

 group of men to act as a consulting staff on such pressing problems as 

 suicide attacks, disposal of devastating enemy mortar fire, and tactical 

 uses of radar, which could not be solved by standard military methods. 

 The consultants should be men of such standing in OSRD that they could 

 get immediate assistance in men and equipment or information when 

 they asked for it. 



Waterman returned in June with a request from General MacArthur 

 for the establishment of a Pacific Branch of OSRD (PBOSRD) depend- 

 ent upon the theater for facilities and having the greatest possible free- 

 dom for work that could be granted by the Commander-in-Chief. It 

 would include three types of service: (i) a consulting staff of outstand- 

 ing senior scientists, medical men and engineers; (2) a pool of scientific 

 specialists closer to the operating units and already processed for assign- 

 ments on temporary duty to the fighting fronts; and (3) a headquarters 

 administrative office and laboratory facilities for emergency work. 



The theater wished to exercise operational control in the military sense, 



* U. S. Army Forces in the Far East. 



