▁immediately ▁on ▁the ▁air field ▁at ▁T ac lob an , ▁and ▁comm enced ▁on ▁air fields ▁in ▁central ▁Ley te ▁soon ▁after ▁they ▁were ▁captured . ▁He avy ▁season al ▁ra ins ▁th wart ed ▁attempts ▁to ▁develop ▁the ▁air b ases ▁in ▁central ▁Ley te ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁decided ▁to ▁abandon ▁their ▁development ▁and ▁construct ▁a ▁new ▁air base ▁on ▁the ▁coast ▁at ▁a ▁site ▁occupied ▁by ▁Six th ▁Army ▁headquarters . ▁The ▁need ▁to ▁get ▁aircraft ▁based ▁on ▁Ley te ▁to ▁stop ▁the ▁Japanese ▁from ▁rein for cing ▁the ▁island ▁was ▁so ▁pressing ▁that ▁Lieutenant ▁General ▁Walter ▁Kru eg er ▁agreed ▁to ▁move ▁his ▁headquarters . ▁ ▁Case y ▁had ▁intended ▁to ▁come ▁ash ore ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁landing ▁at ▁L ing ay en ▁G ulf ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁but ▁was ▁delayed ▁a ▁day ▁because ▁the ▁destroy er ▁he ▁was ▁travel ing ▁on ▁had ▁to ▁esc ort ▁a ▁cri pp led ▁transport . ▁Despite ▁enorm ous ▁difficulties ▁AS COM ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁finish ▁numerous ▁projects ▁on ▁time ▁and ▁some ▁ahead ▁of ▁schedule . ▁On ▁ 1 3 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁AS COM ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁US AS OS ▁and ▁red es ign ated ▁the ▁Lu zon ▁Base ▁Section ▁( L UB SE C ). ▁Case y ▁then ▁res umed ▁his ▁old ▁post , ▁now ▁renamed ▁Chief ▁Engine er , ▁US ▁Army ▁Forces ▁Pacific . ▁For ▁his ▁services ▁as ▁commander ▁of ▁AS COM , ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Leg ion