Fortress Rabaul: The Battle for the Southwest Pacific, January 1942-April 1943

by Bruce Gamble

  Failure to rescue coastwatchers Kyle and Benham: Feldt, p. 51–56. A synopsis of submarine S-43’s wartime service is found in the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. 6, pp. 205–6.

  Executions of Page, Talmage, Kyle, and Benham at Kavieng: Roll of Honor (accessed Sep. 10, 2008).

  military prisoners were held… : Lepping, quoted in Mitchell, p. 135.

  Admiration of Captain Pease: Ibid., pp. 135–36.

  Testimony of Timothy Mak: Dept. of External Affairs, statement of Maj. L. F. Darling.

  You go tomorrow: Mitchell, p. 137.

  Execution of Pease and seven other POWs: AWM 54 (1010/9/22). Warrant Officer Yoshimura stated that he did not know the identities of the prisoners, so it is impossible to ascertain which two POWs were dissected.

  Chapter 21: A Shift in Momentum

  Marshall’s opinion on mixing nationalities and approval to form a new air force: General Kenney Reports, p. 63.

  Establishment of ADVON command: Birdsall, Flying Buccaneers, p. 16.

  Priority to knock out the Jap air strength: Kenney diary, Aug. 3 1942.

  brains, leadership, loyalty… : General Kenney Reports, p. 12.

  General Walker’s professional reputation: Byrd, p. 36.

  Kenney’s opinion of General Wurtsmith: General Kenney Reports, pp. 64–65.

  Claims by B-17 crews against Rabaul, Aug. 12, 1942: Salaker, p. 237.

  Damage to Matsumo Maru: JANAC (Part VIII), p. 11.

  Loss of Chief Seattle: Salaker, p. 238–39.

  My roommate and crew… : Steinbinder diary, Aug. 14, 1942.

  Recollection of Sergeant Phillips: Interview with author, Feb. 14, 2004.

  Ghormley’s request for assistance at Guadalcanal: General Kenney Reports, pp. 98–99.

  Tempo of missions in mid-September 1942: Ibid., p. 99.

  Wandering all over the place… : Quoted in Seattle Daily Times, Sep. 21, 1942.

  Loss of Burcky’s B-17: Pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-17/41–2650.html (accessed Dec. 1, 2008).

  Concerns of Combined Fleet Staff regarding Guadalcanal: Ugaki, p. 177.

  Additional setbacks at Guadalcanal: Ibid., p. 213.

  Heavy explosions at Rabaul: Ibid., pp. 211–13; also Hutchinson-Smith, p. 18.

  Major Benn assumes command of 63rd Bomb Squadron: General Kenney Reports, p. 82; also Birdsall, pp. 25–26.

  I happened to be the officer-of-the-day… : Vargas, interview with author, Jan. 17, 2009.

  He talked us into all kinds of things… : Dieffenderfer, interview with author, Jan. 13, 2009.

  Profile of Captain McCullar: General Kenney Reports, p. 105.

  Naming of Black Jack: Bowman, B-17 Units of the Pacific War, p. 59.

  McCullar’s skip-bombing demonstration on SS Pruth: General Kenney Reports, p. 105.

  Application of instantaneous bomb fuses: Ibid., pp. 107–8.

  Personality of General Walker: Byrd, pp. 30, 48, 55.

  Walker’s receipt of Silver Star: Ibid., p. 148.

  Allied conference at Noumea: General Kenney Reports, p. 115.

  rice, bullets, and soldiers; also, nicknaming of “Tokyo Express”: Frank, p. 210.

  B-17s move to Fourteen Mile Airdrome: Salaker, p. 251.

  Rabaul attack on Oct. 2: Murphy, Skip Bombing, p. 42.

  Lack of damage to merchant shipping: JANAC (Part VIII), p. 13.

  Damage to cruiser Tenryu: Combinedfleet.com/tenryu_t.htm (accessed Nov. 8, 2008).

  Loss of Lieutenant Hageman and Flying Officer Davenport: Salaker, pp. 269–70.

  Kenney’s reaction to mission, including I can always hire… :Byrd, pp. 97–98.

  Plans for major night raid on Rabaul: Salaker, p. 270.

  Different weather forecasts from Walker and Kenney: Byrd, p. 98.

  Catalinas’ orders to light up the town… : Bomber Command Target Report No. 9, p. 3.

  Catalina bomb loads and initial results: Ibid.

  a colossal fireworks display: Salaker, p. 271.

  B-17 bomb loads and results: Ibid.

  Radio Tokyo announcement about Geisha girls at Rabaul: 19th Bomb Group history, p. 59.

  Experience of Father Lepping: Mitchell, p. 137.

  Casualties aboard photoreconnaissance plane: Steinbinder diary, Oct. 10, 1942.

  Buildup of air strength at Rabaul: Hata & Izawa, p. 150; Monograph No. 121, pp. 29, 34; also Lundstrom, pp. 190–91.

  Description and effects of wire-wrapped bombs: General Kenney Reports, pp. 106–7.

  Damages and casualties from night attacks: Ugaki, p. 229.

  fine performance over Rabaul: General Kenney Reports, p. 121.

  Kenney’s teasing and subsequent diplomacy with Walker: Byrd, p. 98.

  Awards ceremonies in Australia: General Kenney Reports, p. 122.

  a bastard mixture of airplanes: Carmichael oral history, p. 97.

  Plans for 90th Bomb Group, including I was not particular… : Kenney, pp. 112–13.

  Photoreconnaissance of Rabaul in late October: Ibid., p. 126.

  First skip-bombing attack: Ibid., pp. 126–27; also Bomber Command Target Report No. 9, p. 6.

  Andy, why don’t you move over… : Anderson, interview with author, Jan. 16, 2009.

  Initial attack maneuvers: Murphy, p. 24.

  We had good moonlight… : Anderson, interview with author.

  Results of Lieutenant Green’s attacks: 63rd Bomb Squadron war diary, Oct. 23, 1942.

  Damage claims by McCullar and Hustad: Ibid.

  Actual damages: JANAC (Part VIII), p. 13.

  the hottest outfit in the whole air force: General Kenney Reports, p. 121.

  Chapter 22: New Identities

  Establishment of identification codes: Mikesh, p. 11–12.

  Background of Major McCoy and team: Ibid.

  Examples of code names: Ibid., pp. 12–18.

  Attack of “Vals” on invasion fleet at Guadalcanal: Lundstrom, p. 68.

  Attack by “Bettys” and subsequent losses: Ibid., p. 52.

  Return flight of Saburo Sakai: Frank, pp. 68–69; Cook & Cook, p. 137.

  Rikko attack on Aug. 8: Lundstrom, pp. 77–78; also Tagaya, p. 46.

  Type 1 lighter: Iwatani, p. 319; also Tagaya, p. 48.

  Opinions of Captain Moritama: Iwatani, pp. 300–1.

  Battle results reported by the Japanese: Ugaki, p. 179.

  Naval battles off Savo Island: Lundstrom, pp. 82–85.

  Putting the [results] together… : Ugaki, p. 179.

  Exaggerations in Japanese newspapers: Osaka Mainichi, Aug. 15, 1942.

  Actual damages: Frank, p. 80.

  Return of Admiral Tsukahara to Japan: Ugaki, p. 220.

  Arrival of Admiral Kusaka: Ibid.

  Kusaka’s daily activities: Excerpts from Kusaka diary. Although few entries contain significant detail, Kusaka’s diary reveals numerous morning horseback rides. He was often accompanied by one or more staff officers.

  Concentration of aircraft at Rabaul: Monograph No. 121, p. 17.

  Details of airdrome improvements and new construction: Pacificwrecks.com/provinces/png_rabaul.html (accessed July 19, 2009).

  every time it rained heavily… : Ugaki, p. 227.

  Battle of Santa Cruz: Lundstrom, pp. 358–407, also Frank, pp. 379–403.

  Japanese claims at Santa Cruz: Ugaki, pp. 249–50.

  Fulfillment of Yamamoto’s goal: Lundstrom, p. 470.

  Reorganization of air units on Nov. 1: Monograph No. 122, p. 4.

  [It] was impossible for us to continue… : Iwatani, Medium Bomber, pp. 318–19.

  Formation of Eighth Area Army and termination of Buna campaign: Ugaki, p. 280–81.

  Yamamoto’s predictions: Ibid., p. 284.

  Chapter 23: Heavy Bomber Blues

  Shipment of P-38s to Australia: General Kenney Reports, p. 73.

  Early defects with P-38s: Christy & Ethell, p. 67.

  Controversy in 90th Bomb Squadron: Dorr, pp. 23–24.

  Chronic trouble wit
h B-24s: Woods, p. 16.

  90th Bomb Group’s first mission: Ibid., p. 18.

  Kansas-sized dust storm: Livingstone, p. 49.

  Takeoff accident at Iron Range: Ibid., p. 50.

  Background of Major Morse: Woods, p. 12.

  90th Bomb Group restricted to training missions: General Kenney Reports, p. 141.

  Failed attempt to bomb Rabaul on Dec. 7: Woods, p. 27.

  Operational accidents and poor morale: Ibid.

  B-24 crash on Dec. 26, 1942: Woods, p. 31; also Livingstone, p. 52.

  Chapter 24: Medal of Honor: Kenneth N. Walker

  I shared a tent with Benn… : Dieffenderfer, interview with author.

  Disagreements over fuse settings: General Kenney Reports, pp. 107–8; Byrd, p. 97.

  Demonstration of instantaneous fuse on SS Pruth: General Kenney Reports, p. 142–43.

  Kenney’s assessment of Walker: Ibid., p. 143.

  Boyhood of General Walker; Douglas P. Walker, correspondence with author, Dec. 3, 2008; also Byrd, p. 1.

  Near total involvement with himself… : Byrd, pp. 30–31.

  Kenney’s order to stop flying combat missions: Ibid., pp. 97–98; also Claringbould, Flightpath, p. 53.

  stop flying combat missions: General Kenney Reports, p. 166.

  We had plenty of evidence… : Ibid.

  Loss of four B-17s in one week: AF History Center, 43rd Bomb Group casualty report, pp. 192–94.

  B-17 attack on Rabaul, Dec. 26: 43rd Bomb Group war diary, Dec. 26, 1943.

  Damage to Italy Maru: Joint Assessment statistics, Dec. 1942.

  Death of Lieutenant Commander Hirasata: combinedfleet.com/tachik_t.htm.

  B-17s obstinately attacked Rabaul… : Ugaki, p. 314.

  large flash… : Quoted in 43rd Bomb Group war diary, Dec. 30, 1942.

  Hits claimed by Lieutenant Murphy: Skip Bombing, pp. 79–80. Murphy wrote that the two ships he attacked were located “between Protto Point and Micaca Island just out of the Rabaul Harbor [sic].” The points almost certainly equate to Praed Point and Makada Island, respectively, which define a sizeable area east of Crater Peninsula. But the only Japanese ship that sank that night at Rabaul went down near Vulcan Island, on the western shore of Simpson Harbor.

  Loss of Tomiura Maru: JANAC (Part VIII), p. 15.

  Opinion of wire-wrapped bombs: Murphy, p. 81.

  Ugaki’s reflections about the year 1942: Ugaki, p. 319.

  Japanese casualties on Guadalcanal: Rottman, p. 116.

  Reinforcements at Buna; soldiers only keeping themselves alive… : Ugaki, p. 314.

  Death of General Horii: Ballard, pp. 202–3.

  Construction of new army and navy airdromes: Rottman, pp. 160–61; also Ugaki, p. 308.

  Simpson Harbor shipping on Dec. 30, 1942: Craven & Cate, Guadalcanal to Saipan, p. 136.

  When the Jap accumulates that much tonnage… : Kenney papers, Jan. 1, 1943.

  break up the movement at the source… : General Kenney Reports, p. 175.

  Walker’s request to change takeoff time: Ibid.

  Noon attack vs. dawn attack rationale: Byrd, p. 108.

  Kenney repeats orders for a dawn attack: General Kenney Reports, p. 176.

  full-scale bomber attack: Ibid., p. 175.

  You’re going to lose two airplanes… : Quoted by Dieffenderfer, author interview.

  Fine, we just won’t take your squadron: Ibid.

  Walker conducts mission briefing: Ibid.

  When this was announced… : Wesche, oral history. His statement contradicts biographer Martha Byrd, who wrote that Walker may have been motivated to delay the attack until noon because “most of the crews preferred a total daylight mission.”

  Early mission on Jan. 5, 1943 to suppress fighters: pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-17/41–24538.html.

  First interception by Ki-43 Oscars: Ichimura, Ki-43 Aces, p. 74.

  Japanese “infuriated” by the shoot-down of a Ki-43: Quoted in Dunn, “Timing Factor,” p. 3.

  Attack on Captain Jack’s B-17: pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-17/41–24538.html.

  Start of main mission, crew of San Antonio Rose: MACR 15359.

  Participation of B-24s on Jan. 5, 1943: Woods, p. 32.

  at least three ships hit… : Ibid.; also Alcorn, The Jolly Rogers, pp. 18–19.

  Minor damage to B-24s: Alcorn, p. 18.

  Downing of Ki-43 pilot Takagaki: Ichimura, p. 74.

  We went over the target… : Wesche, oral history.

  Last observation of San Antonio Rose: MACR 15359.

  Japanese losses: Combinedfleet.com/tachik_t.htm; also Ichimura, p. 74.

  Walker off late… : Kenney papers, Jan. 5, 1943.

  Kenney’s intension to reprimand Walker: General Kenney Reports, p. 176.

  If he doesn’t come back… : Quoted in Griffith, p. 102; also Kenney papers, Jan. 5 1943.

  quite disappointed… : quoted by Dieffenderfer, correspondence with author. The remark was made by Colonel Jack when Dieffenderfer worked with him at Wright-Patterson AFB in the 1950s.

  Downing of Rose’s B-24 on Jan. 6, 1943: Pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-24/walker_search.html.

  Loss of Higgins’s B-24 and subsequent rescue of crew: Woods, p. 33.

  MacArthur’s communiqué: Byrd, photo gallery (Glendale News Press image).

  Kenney’s belief that Walker was dead: General Kenney Reports, p. 177.

  The attacking planes… : Scharmach, This Crowd Beats Us All, p. 120.

  Information regarding Walker learned by Lieutenant Holguin: Pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-17/41–24458/pow.html.

  We do not know… : Scharmach, p. 120.

  It is the considered opinion of Headquarters… : Quoted in Byrd, p. 121.

  Chapter 25: Blood in the Water

  Eleventh Air Fleet’s attempted raid on Port Moresby: Asai, History of Air Group 705, p. 178.

  Raid aborted due to weather: Ibid.

  Attacks on the Lae convoy and successful landings: USAF Study 113, p. 73.

  Skepticism of Japanese: Diary of Igarashi quoted in Asai, p. 178.

  Symbol conference and allocation of resources: Morison, Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, pp. 4–5.

  withdrawing from commitments… : Ibid., p. 5.

  MacArthur’s appreciation of air power: USAF Study 113, p. 25.

  Joint Directive: Kenney papers, July 2, 1942.

  Kenney’s expectations for Ramey: General Kenney Reports, p. 182.

  Loss of Major Benn: Pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-25/41–12485.html.

  Status of Fifth Air Force units: USAF Study 113, p. 7.

  an elevator shot out… : 63rd Bomb Squadron war diary, Jan. 26, 1943.

  Night patrols by Zeros of Air Group 204: Mikesh, Moonlight Interceptors, p. 37.

  the weather was generally bad… : USAF Study 113, pp. 74–75.

  Descriptions and assessments of combat stress: King, “Some First Hand Observations,” pp. 2–5.

  They just went out and that was the end of it… : DeLoach, appearing in “Black Jack” documentary.

  We lost a lot of airplanes… :Harcrow, interview with author.

  I had to have seven airplanes available… : Dieffenderfer, interview with author.

  really take Rabaul apart and burn down the town: Kenney, p. 191.

  Rabaul mission on Feb. 14, 1943: USAF Study 113, p. 82; also 63rd Bomb Squadron war diary. Japanese assessment of damages: SWPA Intelligence Summary 146.

  loud sound of antiaircraft guns … : Asai, p. 191.

  Praise from Colonel Ramey: 63rd Bomb Group war diary, Feb. 15, 1943.

  I had a terrible headache… : Asai, p. 191.

  less than satisfactory record against shipping: USAF Study 113, p. 84.

  Background of Paul Gunn: Henebry, The Grim Reapers, pp. 52–55.

  Kenney’s recommendations for B-25 mods: General Kenney Reports, p. 144.

  help Pappy with testing… : Ibid., p. 169.

  Larner assigned to 90th Bomb Squadron: Ibid., p. 173.


  Successful Japanese convoys: Frank, p. 595; also Morison, pp. 54–55.

  Intel on Lae convoy: General Kenney Reports, p. 197.

  Kenney and Whitehead plot the convoy route: Ibid.

  tsubo system and chomansai: Cundall, correspondence with author, Feb. 4, 2004.

  Higgins finds the convoy: Wood, p. 43.

  Allied aircraft availability: USAF Study 113, p. 86.

  Initial attack by B-17s on Mar. 2: JANAC (Part VIII), p. 18; also McAulay, Battle of the Bismarck Sea, p. 47.

  Nighttime surveillance of the convoy: Riddell, p. 41; also 63rd Bomb Squadron war diary, Mar. 2, 1943.

  Dawn attack by 100 Squadron: USAF Study 113, pp. 90–91.

  Subsequent attack by B-17s: Ibid., p. 92.

  Dammit, get the hell off my wing… : Quoted in Birdsall, p. 57.

  Low-level attacks on Mar. 3: MacAulay, pp. 63–97.

  Scattering of convoy over fifteen miles: 63rd Bomb Squadron war diary, Mar. 2, 1943.

  Details of B-17 attack: USAF Study 113, p. 93; 63rd Bomb Squadron war diary, Mar. 3, 1943.

  Account of Warrent Officer Iwai: Tagaya, correspondence to Edward Rogers, June 20, 2007.

  Reaction of Sergeant Manuel to strafing: Reynolds, 70,000 to One, p. 60.

  Positioning of destroyers, afternoon of Mar. 3: McAulay, pp. 102–3.

  Details of B-17 attacks and strafing: McAulay, pp. 114–16; 63rd Bomb Squadron war diary, Mar. 3, 1943.

  We’d come back and refuel… : Harcrow, interview with author.

  Details of Mar. 4 attacks: 63rd Bomb Squadron war diary; McAulay, p. 149.

  Every man in the squadron… : 63rd Bomb Squadron war diary, Mar. 3, 1943.

  RAAF pilots’ opinion on strafing: Griffith, p. 107.

  Claims reported to MacArthur: General Kenney Reports, pp. 205–6.

  Congratulations on that stupendous success… : Kenney, quoted in 63rd Bomb Squadron war diary, Mar. 5, 1943.

  Our decisive success… : MacArthur, quoted in Time, Mar. 15, 1943.

  Estimates of casualties: McAulay, p. 164.

  Kenney’s refusal to modify claims: Griffith, pp. 110–11.

  about ten Jap fighters… : General Kenney Reports, p. 204.

  The fact that counts… : Craven & Cate, Vol. IV, p. 146–47.

  Chapter 26: Operation I-Go: Yamamoto’s Last Offensive

  Yamamoto greatly incensed: Yoshihara, “Attitudes to the War” (accessed Feb. 6, 2004).

  gradually mollified: Ibid.

  The land-based air groups… : quoted in Prados, p. 449.