The Asiatic Fleet has only a handful of destroyers and one or two cruisers, but its Philippine-based PBY Catalinas are a major local asset. A few dozen long-range patrol aircraft could cover broad areas in an era before satellites. Reconnaissance is their main role here, although they also have some attack capability. They could find and track movements across the western Pacific while Washington decided whether to bring the larger fleet forward. That makes the Philippines an important forward intelligence base during the crisis.
Notable Point · 9:18-9:44
The Asiatic Fleet's reconnaissance advantage
The small Asiatic Fleet has only a handful of surface warships, but its Philippine-based PBY Catalinas provide long-range reconnaissance and limited attack capability.