 In January 1944 , he was assigned to the Southwest Pacific Area and assumed command of the Thirteenth Air Force when it was consolidated into an offensive stance in June . Streett served under George Kenney , who was the USAAF theater commander subordinate to MacArthur . At the end of September and in early October , Streett mounted a series of 2 @,@ 500 @-@ mile ( 4 @,@ 000 km ) round trip air raids by heavy bombers flying from Hollandia , New Guinea to attack Balikpapan , a major center of Japanese petroleum processing and storage . In U.S. media reports , the raids were compared to the <unk> raids of 1943 , with strong Japanese resistance on the second raid said to be responsible for downing seven B @-@ 24s — a loss of 70 aircrew . Streett guided the Thirteenth through their part of the initial phases of the Philippines Campaign , in concert with the Fifth Air Force as part of United States Far East Air Forces . 
