Isolate Rabaul. The advance up the Solomons from Guadalcanal had been primarily for this objective. Now that a strategic base in Bougainville was in place, more frequent and effective direct air strikes as well as air support for operations to cut off supply routes to Rabaul from Truk 695 miles to the north
were feasible. Within one week of the inital landing of Marine Fight Squadron VMF-216, the first of a series of fighter sweeps andbombing missions were to commence. The air offensives would be now be handled by Air Solomons, AirSols, an Allied air unit comprised of the United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States Army Air Forces, and Royal New Zealand Air Force headed by Major General Ralph J. Mitchell, USMC.
Boyington
On Friday, December 17, a 76 plane fighter sweep headed by VMF-214 commander Major Gregory Boyington (aka "Pappy" Boyington of the "Black Sheep Squadron") was launched comprised of 31 F4U's, 23 P-40's, and 22 F6F's. Eight F4U's from VMF-216 took off from Torokina at 08:45 to participate in the sweep. Their 1st Division, led by Major Morrell included Lts. Mattingly, Wilkerson, and Mahoney. Their 2nd Division, led by Captain Faulkner included, Lts. Foote, Patton, and McGowan. 216 planes were over Rabaul for approximately 30 minutes but made no contacts. Just west of New Ireland, one Zeke was spotted below but was destroyed by the New Zealanders. The 216 planes returned to base at 12:30. Lt. Patton's plane had one bullet hole in the right wing. The overall result was far less than expected. Few defending aircraft came to meet the attack and only five of those were shot down at lower levels by their P-40's and another Marine and Navy pilot downed two others. In addition, three New Zealand planes were lost. Major Boyington had argued that sending up just half of 76 planes would be more manageable and, thus, more effective. The next fighter sweep would not occur until December 23rd.
On the heels of the fighter sweep on the 17th, AirSols had also scheduled a large scale bombing run on Rabaul for the next day, Saturday, December 18th.B-24 and B-25 bombers based in Guadalcanal would conduct
Saturday, December 18, 1943 - a B24 bomber escort to Rabaul. Eight aircraft took off at 0940 and after being airborne for an hour, all were ordered to return to home base. The mission was called off for reasons unknown.
On Sunday, December 19, the mission to escort the B-24 bombing strike on Rabaul was again scheduled and executed. The eight aircraft from the previous day's cancelled mission were off at 1045 from Torokina. 45 minutes later the 216 aircraft rendezvoused with B24 bombers over Bougainville and proceeded to on their course to Rabaul. The 1st Division was led by Major Morrell with Lts. Barton, Dempster, and Means. The 2nd Division was led by Captain Faulkner with Lts. Kemper, Marshall, and Hancock. Enroute, Lt. Barton experienced engine trouble and returned to base. Lt. Hancock joined the 1st Division to replace Lt. Barton.
The B-24's participating in this mission were from the Thirteenth Army Air Force. According to AAF records, this mention of the mission is made: "16 B-24's, escorted by 50 AAF and RNZAF fighters, bomb the town of Rabaul and Simpson Harbor on New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago."
Country
Qty
Aircraft
US
16
B24
Tuesday ,December 14, 1943 - a flight from Torokina to Russells at 1700 with a 2 hour duration to pickup new aircraft.
Saturday, December 18, 1943 - a B24 bomber escort to Rabaul. Eight aircraft took off at 0940 and after being airborne for an hour, all were ordered to return to home base. The mission was called off for reasons unknown.
Mission Timeline
Time
Activity
06:00
Eight F6F's of VF-33 take off from Ondongo.
06:15
Thirteen RNZAF P40's, Squadron 16, take off for Torokina from ?
07:15
F6F's land at Torokina
08:20-08:50
B24's take off from Guadalcanal Five turned back due to mechanical failure and onr due to pilot illness. Two more failed to take off due to mechanical difficulties.
08:50
Assembled over Koli field, proceeded up southern route south of Renova and south of Vella LaVella. Then turned through Bougainville Strait to a point on the NE coast of Bougainville, 15 miles about Kieta and a course taken directly across the island to Torokina to pickup the fighters.
10:50
Twelve Ondonga based RNZAF P-40's, Squadron 17 took off from Torokina as close top cover for B-24's. Twelve Ondonga based RNZAF P-40's, Squadron 16 took off from Torokina as close top cover for B-24's.
12:55
B-24's hit Rabaul.
13:10;
Eight shiny blue Zekes contacted just North of the center of Blanche Bay at about 11,000 feet.
15:00
Six VF-33's returned to Torokina, then Ondonga. No enemy interception was encountered.
15:30
Morrell's squadron returns to Torokina
At the most Northwest point of New Britain is a mountainous crook-shaped area of land. It is the city of Rabaul and it surrounds a natural deep water harbor, Simpson Harbor.
In January, 1942, Rabaul, then defended by Australia came under heavy aerial bombardment by the Japanese for three weeks. Japanese ships then landed approximately 17,000 troops to take the 1,500 garrisoned at Rabaul. Before withdrawing, the Australians would reduce the Japanese invasion by almost 4,000. Remaining Australians evacuated in several small boats to sea, but the majority were taken prisoner and many were murdered.
Rabaul's natural defense of surrounding high mountains and deep water harbor, Simpson Harbor was deep enough for submarines to enter and exit without surfacing. The main airfield, Lakunai Field was located only a mile south of Rabaul. Eight miles to the south is Vunakanau Field, another large airfield. Others are Tobera, a fighter field, Rapopo, a bomber field, and Keravat.
Rabaul became a primary base for naval and air operation to support further Japanese advance and control of the South Pacific.
At the most Northwest point of New Britain is a mountainous crook-shaped area of land. It is the city of Rabaul and it surrounds a natural deep water harbor, Simpson Harbor.
In January, 1942, Rabaul, then defended by Australia came under heavy aerial bombardment by the Japanese for three weeks. Japanese ships then landed approximately 17,000 troops to take the 1,500 garrisoned at Rabaul. Before withdrawing, the Australians would reduce the Japanese invasion by almost 4,000. Remaining Australians evacuated in several small boats to sea, but the majority were taken prisoner and many were murdered.
Rabaul's natural defense of surrounding high mountains and deep water harbor, Simpson Harbor was deep enough for submarines to enter and exit without surfacing. The main airfield, Lakunai Field was located only a mile south of Rabaul. Eight miles to the south is Vunakanau Field, another large airfield. Others are Tobera, a fighter field, Rapopo, a bomber field, and Keravat.
Rabaul became a primary base for naval and air operation to support further Japanese advance and control of the South Pacific.
When it came to fighter planes, there were few that could match the Zero for all-around effectiveness in air combat. Also known as "Zeke" and "Hamp", the Zero, developed in the late 30's, saw it's first combat in China in 1940. During that time, the Zero exhibited its superiority as a light-weight, highly manueverable, fast, long range fighter. It's large canopy provided its pilot with excellent visability. Equipped with a 980 HP 14-cylinder engine, the Zero, weighing typically between 4,000 to 6,000 pounds, attained speeds up to 351 mph with a maximum range of about 1,200 miles.
The Zero effectively paralleled the image of the Samarai warrior with its quickness and deadly precision. Combat encounters at the start of the war left U.S. pilots in awe of it's capability. Marine Ace Joe Foss commented,
"After my first kill a Zero shot me to pieces and I had to land with one on my tail. They were hungry that day. We were hit all the time. When you had so many Zeros around you expected to get hit. It wasn't a case of 'if' but a case of 'when'. There was no way you could fly around and be clean. One day I landed and said I didn't get hit today. And one of my men said, 'What's that?' One lone bullet had come through the canopy and hit the darn doughnut: That round pad you're supposed to lean against if you're launched from a catapult. I never knew that one. There wasn't a one of us that made it if the good Lord didn't want us to. There is no excuse for any of us to be around. If you weren't a believer before, a lot were when they left. I told my pilots that if you were alone and saw a Zero at the same altitude you were flying that you were outnumbered and should go for home. They were not a plane to tangle with unless you had an advantage."
Though the Zero possessed numerous advantages, it's disadvantages were just as much so. It's lightness was, in part, due to a lack of armor protection for the pilot, engine, and fuel tank. The fuel tank was not self-sealing (as were tanks on allied fighters) and a hit to the tank could turn the plane into a fireball. The Zero's lightness and speed allowed it to easily turn inside any U.S. plane. While this was an asset in low-speed dogfights, it was simply no match in a dive against the heavier, more powerful aircraft. Armed with two 7.7mm machine guns and two 20mm cannons, the machine guns lacked effectiveness except only at close range and the 20mm cannons possessed a slow rate of fire.
The Zero dominated the air over the Pacific until heavier more powerful aircraft as the F4U Corsair and Grumman F6F Hellcat were introduced. The Zero finally met a formidable opponent when the very tough, well-armed F4U Corsair was introduced in the South Pacific. At this time, the F4U became the fastest aircraft in the Pacific capable of speeds well over 400 miles per hour.
Japanese pilots recount a previous aerial combat success.
