On Leyte, it was hoped that the Americans could capture and quickly upgrade Tacloban Airfield, so that it could receive Kenney’s interceptors as soon as possible. But until that happened, Halsey’s aviators would need to do most of the work of beating back the Japanese air response. When Halsey queried MacArthur on October 21, asking for an estimate of when Task Force 38 could pull back to Ulithi, the SWPA commander responded firmly: “Basic plan for this operation in which for the first time I have moved beyond my own land-based air cover was predicated upon full support by 3rd Fleet. . . . I
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