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

by Bruce Gamble

  AWM 113 (MH 1/121, Part 1): Official inquiry into the Japanese landings at Rabaul, with attached summary by R. W. Robson, editor of Pacific Islands Monthly.

  MP729/6 (16/401/493): Cable 152, Chief of Naval Staff, Prime Minister’s Department to Australian Minister (Naval Attache), Washington, D.C., December 12, 1941.

  War Cabinet minutes, Melbourne, October 15, 1941.

  Department of External Affairs, Memorandum 13973, July 20, 1950, Extract of letter from Maj. L. F. Darling concerning the execution of Lt. David S. Hunter, USAAF.

  Military Documents (Translated)—Japanese

  AWM 3DRL/4005: Diary of Akiyoshi Hisaeda, March 10, 1941, to November 16, 1942.

  AWM 54 (208/2/4): ATIS translations of miscellaneous captured documents.

  AWM 54 (423/4/158): ATIS Enemy Publications, Detailed Battle Report No. 2 (Rabaul Occupation Operations), June 2, 1943.

  AWM 54 (423/4/1162): “Military Intelligence Section, Full Translation of a Report on the Japanese Invasion of Rabaul,” May 9, 1946.

  AWM 54 (608/5/4): “Japanese South East Area Operations Record (South Seas Detachment Operations) Monograph No. 143 (Army),” circa 1946.

  AWM 55 (12/140): ATIS Information Request Report No. 103, Japanese statements and diary excerpts relating to prisoners of war, May 4, 1944.

  Monograph No. 120 (Navy): Outline of Southeast Area Naval Air Operations, Part I. Second Demobilization Bureau, 1949.

  Monograph No. 121 (Navy): Outline of Southeast Area Naval Air Operations, Part II, August 1942-October 1942. Second Demobilization Bureau, 1949.

  Monograph No. 122 (Navy): Outline of Southeast Area Naval Air Operations, Part III, November 1942-June 1943. Second Demobilization Bureau, 1949.

  Military Documents—United States

  “Extracts From Diaries,” War Department, Military Intelligence Division, Intelligence Bulletin Vol. I, No. 6, Section II, February 1943.

  “A General Review of Japanese Weapons,” War Department, Military Intelligence Division, Intelligence Bulletin Vol. III, No. 2, Section II, October 1944.

  Headquarters, 19th Bombardment Group (H), 19th Bombardment Group History, Question-Answer Document, Pyote, TX, 1943.

  “The Imperial Rescript,” War Department, Military Intelligence Division, Intelligence Bulletin Vol. III, No. 5, January 1945.

  “Japanese A/A Guns,” War Department, Military Intelligence Division, Intelligence Bulletin Vol. I, No. 8, Section II, April 1943.

  “Japanese Explanation of ‘Duty’ and ‘Spirit,’” War Department, Military Intelligence Division, Intelligence Bulletin Vol. II, No. 9, Section IX, May 1944.

  U.S. Air Force Historical Study No. 113, “The Fifth Air Force in the Huon Peninsula Campaign, January to October 1943,” AAF Historical Officer. Headquarters, Army Air Forces, 1946.

  Unpublished Material

  Dunn, Richard L. “Japanese Observations of the Timing and Other Evens in the 5 Jan 43 Attack: A Compendium,” electronically forwarded to the author on June 24, 2009.

  ———. “X Attack of I-Operation: The Anti-shipping Mission to the Guadalcanal-Tulagi Area on April 7, 1943,” 2007.

  Fisher, Peter W. “New Britain, December 1941 to April 1942,” via Warwick Fisher.

  Hutchinson-Smith, David, “Guests of the Emperor,” AWM Private Collections No. MSS 1534, Australian War Memorial.

  Jacobson, Julius. “Julius, His Story,” typewritten memoir, 2003.

  King, James. “Some First Hand Observations on Combat Flying Stress in a Heavy Bombardment Group,” New Guinea, 1943.

  May, John L.. “Kokopo 1942,” Undated, Kingston, Tasmania.

  ———. “Morituri Vos Salutamus,” Undated, Kingston, Tasmania.

  ———. “Rabaul Story,” Undated, Kingston, Tasmania.

  Teats, Edward. “Coral Sea B-17s” (as told to John McCullough), December 1942.

  Websites

  Bowen, James. “Battle of the Coral Sea: The Events of 7 May 1942.” www.users.bigpond.com/pacificwar/CoralSea/May.7th.html

  Canning, Douglas. “The Yamamoto Mission.” www.dougcanning.com/yamamoto1943.html

  Nevitt, Allyn. “Arashio.” www.combinedfleet.com/arasho_t.htm

  ———. “Asashio” www.combinedfleet.com/asashi_t.htm

  ———. “Japanese Destroyers: Tabular Movement Records (TROMs).” www.combinedfleet.com/lancers.htm/

  ———. “Tokitsukasze.” www.combinedfleet.com/tokits_t.htm

  ———. “Yukikazi.” www.combinedfleet.com/yukika_t.htm

  Smyth, Dacre. “A Coral Sea Eyewitness Account.” www.users.bigpond.com/pacificwar/coralsea/theyserved/DacreSmyth.html

  Taylan, Justin. “B-17D ‘The Swoose, Old Betsy’ Serial Number 40–3097.” www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-17/40–3097.html

  ———. “B-17E Flying Fortress Serial Number 41–2650.” www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-17/41–2650.html

  ———. “B-17F Flying Fortress Serial Number 41–24538.” www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-17/41–24538.html

  ———. “B-24D Serial Number ?” www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-24/walker_search.html

  ———. “B-25C Algernon IV Serial Number 41–12485.” www.pacificwrecks com/aircraft/b-25/41–12485.html

  ———. “Kenneth N. Walker-A Brief History.” www.pacificwrecks.com/people/veterans/walker/biography.html

  ———. “Papua New Guinea Airfields and Seaplane Anchorages.” www.pacificwrecks.com/airfields/png/index.html

  ———. “Prisoners from B-17F San Antonio Rose 41–24458.” www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-17/41–24458/pow.html

  Unattributed. “Roll of Honour, Britain at War: To Honour Those United Kingdom Civilians Who Died in the Far East.” www.roll-of-honour.org.uk/civilians/index.html

  Unattributed. “Terence ‘Terry’ Lawless Duigan.” www.ctie.monash.edu/hargrave/duigan_terry_aircraft.html

  Yoshihara, Kane. “Attitudes to the War: Southern Cross, Chapter 10, 81 Operation.” ajrp.awm.gov.au/ajrp/AJRP2.nsf/pages/NT0000A696?openDocument

  Correspondence Received by Author

  Cundall, Peter. February 4, 2004.

  Dieffenderfer, James. February 15, 2009.

  Kingsland, Sir Richard. November 17, 2005.

  May, John. (Undated).

  McAulay, Lex. July 14, 2007; July 15, 2007; July 17, 2007; June 17, 2008.

  Murphy, John. June 7, 2004.

  Tagaya, Osamu. December 20, 2003; January 13, 2004; January 15, 2005; January 8, 2006.

  Wenger, Michael. November 7, 2004.

  Interviews

  Anderson, Lloyd. January 16, 2009.

  Canning, Douglas. April 10, 2009.

  Carmichael, Richard (U.S. Air Force oral history interview). September 8–10, November 10–11, 1980.

  Dieffenderfer, James. January 13, 2009.

  Fields, John (with Kenneth Fields). October 9, 1982.

  Harcrow, James. December 16, 2008.

  Kingsland, Sir Richard. November 29, 2005.

  Loisel, John. November 20, 2008.

  May, John. January 25, 2008.

  Phillips, Carthon. February 14, 2004.

  Reed, Sanger, March 21, 2008.

  Vargas, Roger. January 17, 2009.

  Watkins, John. December 18, 2003.

  Wesche, Frederick III (with Shaun Illingworth and Kathryn Tracy, Rutgers University). May 10, 2001.

  Index

  Adachi, Hatazo, 265, 302, 308, 332

  Adelaide, 55, 104

  Adler Bay, 43, 49, 52

  Admiralty Islands, 290

  Advance Echelon (ADVON), 233

  Agaiambo Swamp, 99

  Agawa, Hiroyuki, 343

  Allen, Edward H., 90

  Anderson, Bruce H., 24, 27, 33, 122, 125–127

  Anderson, Charles L., 251

  Anderson, Francis O., 126

  Andrews, Frank M., 201, 202

  Anir Island, 229

  Archerfield Municipal Airport, 131, 133

  Arnold, Henry H. “Hap,” 200, 201, 24
2, 250, 254, 267, 286, 324

  Ashford, Albert C., 28

  Australian Mutual Providence Society, 204

  Australian War Cabinet, 13, 110

  Baba, Tokiharu, 89

  Babuyan Channel, 187

  Baining Mountains, 48, 52

  Bali, 141–143

  Ballale Island, 323, 328, 329, 334–336, 340

  Barber, Rex T., 337–341

  Bataan Peninsula, 104, 197, 198

  Batchelor Field, 108, 110, 199

  Beaumont, Ernest V., 101

  Benham, Gregory W., 228, 229

  Benn, William G., 204, 240, 241, 243, 250–252, 271, 272, 279, 280, 291, 295, 296

  Berry airdrome, 326

  Berry, Jack W., 262

  Bismarck Archipelago, 1, 4, 20, 21, 26, 66, 95, 192, 212, 250, 347

  Bismarck, Otto Von, 7

  Bismarck Sea, 38, 290, 302, 303, 312–314

  Blackman, Robert A., 29

  Bladin, Francis M., 40

  Blanche Bay, 6, 7, 28, 45, 173

  Bleasdale, Jack W., 281, 286

  Bode, Howard D., 168

  Bootless Bay, 107, 121

  Bordner, Dale E., 183

  Borneo, 111, 206

  Bostrom, Frank P., 110

  Bougainville, 3, 36, 159, 161, 258, 261, 268, 277, 318, 323, 324, 330, 333–337, 339, 347, 349

  Bourne, Samuel K., 136

  Bowman, Alice, 33, 160, 173

  Brandon, Harry N., 100

  Brereton, John LeGay, 124, 150, 151

  Brereton, Lewis H., 105, 199

  Brett, George H., 104, 105, 107, 108, 110, 149, 156, 164, 197–202, 205–207, 213, 215, 233, 234

  Bridges, John D., 221

  Brisbane, 104, 112, 130, 131, 133, 204, 206, 209, 227–229, 233, 234, 242, 245, 249, 252, 266, 285, 300, 303

  British New Guinea, 54, 95, 193

  Bromley, Charles F., 28, 33, 34

  Brookes, Wilfred D. “Bill,” 18, 23–25, 34, 39, 43

  Brown, David S., 181, 183, 225, 226, 232

  Brown, Wilson, 69, 70, 73, 74, 80, 81, 86, 113

  Browning M2 machine gun, 90, 125, 306

  Buin, 261, 264, 318, 323, 335, 340, 342, 343

  Buin-Faisi anchorage, 268

  Bullard, Steven, 19

  Bulu, Ansin, 227, 228

  Buna, 196, 205, 212, 214, 235, 237, 239, 242, 243, 245, 265, 269, 276, 277, 285, 288, 289, 292, 300, 302, 310, 316, 318

  Burcky, Claude N., 237

  Burma, 20, 95, 289, 303

  Burnett, Charles, 17

  Butler, Michael S. “Mick,” 149

  Butterworth, Colin A., 27, 33

  Byrd, Martha, 245

  Cairns, 208, 228, 246

  Campbell, David W. I., 60

  Canberra, 2, 13, 25, 110

  Canning, Douglas S., 336, 341

  Canton Island, 69

  Cape Ward Hunt, 305

  Cape York Peninsula, 237, 267

  Carmichael, Richard H. “Dick,” 73, 95–103, 106, 108, 110, 115–117, 135, 162, 208, 209, 213, 214, 217, 218, 220, 221, 223, 250

  Caroline Islands, 19

  Carr, Howard H., 46

  Carteret, Philip, 6

  Casey, Hugh J., 198, 199

  Changi Prison, 334

  Channon, Oswald J., 149

  Charters Towers, 131, 209, 298, 299

  Chikumi, Dr., 53, 232

  Christie, Ralph, 228

  Churchill, Winston, 17, 103, 107, 203, 289, 290

  Claire, Albert George, 28, 33

  Clarke, Leo T., 37, 38

  Cloncurry, 96, 97, 102, 108, 115, 117, 149

  Cohen, Julius A. “Dick,” 97, 100–102

  Connell, Carl W., 266

  Cook, Wilson L., 235

  Coral Sea, 98, 113, 156, 158, 159, 161, 162, 164, 171–177, 183, 189–191, 193, 207, 216, 229, 232, 243, 257, 345

  Corregidor Island, 10, 107, 108

  Cowe, William D., 150

  Cox, Barry M., 123, 125, 150, 151

  Cox, James L., 37, 38

  Crace, John G., 69, 159, 162, 163, 166, 168, 169, 257

  Crater Peninsula, 7, 65, 83, 303

  Crawford, Robert W., 149

  Curtin, John, 105, 110

  Czechowski, Chester M., 224, 225, 229, 231

  Dampier, William, 6

  Daniel, Benton H., 286

  Darwin, 96, 104, 108, 234

  Davenport, Allan J., 245

  Davies, John H. “Big Jim,” 131, 134, 299

  Davies, Reese S., 146

  Davis, Donald, 329, 340

  Deboyne Island, 159

  Deboyne Reef, 168

  Del Monte Field, 108–110, 215

  DeLoach, Ralph K., 295

  Denault, Francis P., 309

  D’Entrecasteaux Islands, 281

  Dick, Douglas A., 59

  Dieffenderfer, James C., 272, 279, 295, 296, 310

  Dobodura airdrome, 302, 303, 305, 325

  Doolittle, James H., 202, 203

  DuBose, James R. Jr. “Dubby,” 98, 115–117, 134, 135, 137

  Dufilho, Marion W., 86–88

  Duigan, Terence L., 57, 136, 137, 305

  Dunn, Richard, 283

  Durand, Edward D., 226, 263

  Dutch New Guinea, 7

  Earhart, Amelia, 11, 15

  Earp, Frederick W., 216

  Eaton, Frederick C. Jr., 98–100

  Edson, Merritt A., 238

  Ellerton, Montague D., 150

  Endo, Yoshio, 179

  Erwin, Kenneth J., 16

  Etajima Naval Academy, 26, 79, 260

  Farncomb, Harold B., 167

  Feldt, Eric N., 13, 184, 211, 228, 229

  Fesmire, Durwood, 115–117

  Fighter One airstrip, 323

  Fighter Two airstrip, 323

  Fiji Islands, 69, 70, 73, 74, 191, 204, 240, 276

  Finschhafen, 114, 118, 290, 302, 346

  Fitch, Aubrey, 156

  Fitch, Burdette M., 200

  Five Mile airdrome, 193, 262

  Five Mile Valley, 326

  Fletcher, Frank Jack, 113, 159, 160, 162, 259

  Ford, Louis W., 139

  Forde, Francis M. “Frank,” 3

  Formosa, 141, 247

  Fourteen Mile airdrome, 193, 243, 262

  Fuchida, Mitsuo, 26, 27, 31, 32, 190

  Fujii, Shigeru, 321

  Fujisaki, Kunihei, 226

  Gamble, Margaret, 98

  Garbutt Field, 97, 98, 122

  Garing, William H. “Bull,” 17, 18

  Garnett, William A., 144–146

  Garrard, Hatsell G., 50, 52

  Gasmata, 61, 62, 116, 132–134, 137, 138, 156, 288

  Gayler, Noel A. M., 81–85, 90, 93

  Gazelle Peninsula, 52, 64, 65, 147, 183

  George, Harold H., 198, 199

  Ghormley, Robert L., 236, 242, 290

  Gibson, Graham I., 62

  Gilbert Islands, 20, 68

  Gill, Frank F. “Red,” 75, 76, 78, 82, 86, 87, 170

  Godwin, Henry C., 108, 109

  Gona, 196, 226, 263

  Goto, Aritomo, 160

  Goto, Eiji, 60, 61, 74, 78, 79, 92, 95, 119, 129, 141, 160

  Grattan, Joseph, 254

  Gray, John R., 50, 52, 53, 232

  Green, Franklyn T., 251

  Griffith, Thomas, 203

  Guadalcanal, 159, 210–215, 217, 218, 222, 223, 230, 235–238, 242, 243, 245, 248, 255–262, 264, 265, 276, 277, 288–291, 296, 301, 303, 314, 316–318, 320–323, 329–331, 334, 335, 340

  Guam, 20, 21, 25, 26, 95

  Gulf of Papua, 54, 114

  Gunn, Paul I. “Pappy,” 299, 300

  Gurney, Charles Raymond “Bob,” 157, 158, 263

  Hageman, Earl L., 244, 245

  Hahl, Albert, 8

  Halsey, William F. “Bull” Jr., 69, 290, 320, 346, 349

  Hara, Chuichi, 155, 162, 163, 169

  Harber, Raymond S., 29

  Harcrow, James L., 295, 312

  Hardison, Felix M., 185, 217, 220, 237<
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  Harvey, Alfred A. “Ted,” 177, 178

  Harvey, Marjorie, 177

  Harvey, Richard, 177

  Hainan Island, 187

  Hashiguchi, Takashi, 30

  Hashirajima anchorage, 68, 155, 171, 321

  Hayashi, Hiroshi, 333, 334, 336, 339

  Hayashi, Kiyoshi, 78

  Haynes, Leon M., 78

  Heichel, Byron L., 244

  Heinemann, Edward H., 299

  Hemsworth, Godfrey E., 59, 159

  Henderson Field, 261–264, 323

  Henderson, Lofton R., 261

  Henry, Lennox D., 47

  Hermes, Alfred S., 19

  Herring, George Albert, 28, 33

  Herron, Christian I., 157, 158

  Hewitt, William O. K., 28, 29, 33

  Higgins, Walter E., 284, 285, 304

  Higgs, Frederick G., 42, 43

  Hine, Raymond K., 335, 337, 340

  Hiraide, Hideo, 174, 175, 190

  Hiraishi, Isao, 45, 46

  Hirasata, Yasumi, 275

  Hirohito, Emperor, 20, 21, 151, 191

  Hiroshima, 79

  Hisaeda, Akiyoshi, 56, 57, 68, 101, 165

  Hitler, Adolf, 11, 103

  Holguin, Jose L., 286

  Holmes, Besby F., 335, 337, 339, 340

  Home Islands (Japan), 348

  Horii, Tomitaro, 21, 25, 26, 47–49, 51, 52, 112, 119, 154, 277

  Horn Island, 106, 113, 119, 122, 123, 128, 161, 207

  Hoyt, Ross G., 200

  Hughes, Marvin C., 183

  Hunter, David S., 226

  Hunter, John, 6, 7

  Huon Gulf, 59, 113, 125, 126, 196, 225, 277, 288, 302, 314

  Hustad, Carl A., 252

  Hutchinson-Smith, David, 138, 147, 173, 177, 179, 180, 185, 188, 239

  Igarashi, Hisashi, 289, 297, 298, 317, 319, 327, 331

  Imamura, Hitoshi, 265, 301, 302, 318

  Inland Sea, 68, 155, 170

  Inoue, Shigeyoshi, 21, 64, 95, 96, 107, 112, 114, 118, 119, 148, 155, 156, 170–173, 178, 211

  Iron Range, Australia, 250, 267–270, 274, 278, 280

  Ishikawa, Seiji, 125

  Ito, Takuzo, 79, 80, 86, 87, 89, 90, 92, 94

  Iwai, Tsutomu, 308, 309

  Iwatani, Fumio, 264

  Iwo Jima, 248

  Jack, Jean A., 281, 284

  Jackson airdrome, 281, 297, 304, 326;

  as Jackson Field, 262

  Jackson, John, 122, 124, 125, 127, 128, 132, 137, 138, 150, 151, 262

  Jackson, Leslie D., 124, 132, 137, 149, 151, 152

  Jacobson, Julius “Jack,” 336, 337

  Jacquet, Edward M., 217, 221

  Java, 20, 104, 108, 230

  Jeffrey, Peter, 122, 123

  Johnson, Edmund J., 137, 138