it ▁with ▁Com bat ▁" V " ▁for ▁his ▁work ▁in ▁this ▁capacity . ▁ ▁Tow ards ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁Mc Kit tr ick ▁organized ▁the ▁air ▁command ▁for ▁the ▁up coming ▁operation ▁on ▁E mi ra u . ▁The ▁island ▁was ▁already ▁uno pp osed ▁and ▁its ▁capture ▁was ▁easy ▁mission . ▁Mc Kit tr ick ▁was ▁then ▁appointed ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Marine ▁A ircraft ▁Wing ▁under ▁Major ▁General ▁James ▁T . ▁Moore . ▁He ▁remained ▁in ▁this ▁capacity ▁until ▁ 1 6 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁his ▁tact ical ▁school ▁class mate , ▁Colonel ▁Stanley ▁E . ▁R id der hof ▁and ▁subsequently ▁appointed ▁Air ▁Def ense ▁Commander ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Sa ip an . ▁Mc Kit tr ick ▁continued ▁in ▁the ▁similar ▁assignment ▁during ▁the ▁subsequent ▁Battle ▁of ▁T in ian ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁July . ▁In ▁these ▁campaign s , ▁he ▁directed ▁combat ▁air ▁pat rol s , ▁bomb ing ▁and ▁st raf ing ▁miss ions ▁and ▁later ▁received ▁his ▁second ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁Mer it ▁for ▁his ▁work . ▁ ▁Colonel ▁Mc Kit tr ick ▁was ▁transferred ▁states ide ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁and ▁assigned ▁again ▁to ▁the ▁Head quarters ▁Marine ▁Corps . ▁He ▁was ▁subsequently ▁appointed ▁assistant ▁to ▁the ▁Director ▁of ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁A viation ▁under ▁Major ▁General ▁Field ▁Harris . ▁While ▁served ▁in ▁this ▁assignment , ▁Mc Kit tr ick ▁was