“Button,” Espiritu Santo

The raid on Nauru last night didn’t come off as well as expected due to muddleheaded staff work at ComAir Solomons.

The PBYs left Vanikoro on schedule with the intention of opening the raid on Nauru, starting fires, and then guiding the Army B-24s in by radio MDs and the light of the fires. With the PBYs well on their way, ComAir Solomons changed his mind (if he had one) and sent the Army B-24s out so as to reach Nauru first. The 17 B-24s, true to army tradition, got lost and couldn’t find Nauru, and after milling around for a while, returned to Cactus, leaving the PBYs to strike alone.

VP-44’s Catalinas made their attack in the bright full moon from altitudes of 4,000 to 1,000 feet! They started several large fires and in general raised hell. Every plane was holed by AA but there was only one casualty. The PPC of one of the planes was struck by a 7.7mm bullet coming through the bottom of his plane. The bullet tore into his left arm, glanced off the bone and went on to strike his face, tear through his nose and cheek, and spend itself. Outside of loss of blood, a need for little plastic surgery, he is okay.

This raid is typical of the two services. Where navigation is concerned, no matter how simple, the Army is a complete and dismal failure. They insist upon flying at ridiculously high altitudes which prevents their use of their radar with which they are equipped; it also prevents their of taking full advantage of the moon. Because of their extreme altitudes, their night bombing (when they sometimes stumble onto the target) is quite inaccurate and haphazard with the results “unobserved.”

On the other hand the Navy flies at low altitudes, using radar to give them their position and to pick up the targets. Their navigation is accurate, they never failed to locate the target and drive home an attack, taking full advantage of weather and low altitude. Bombing results are invariably observed and accurately spotted on bombing target maps.

If ComAir Solomons had used his head he would’ve ordered one of the VB-102’s planes to act as flight leader and navigator. Results obtained are more important than any individuals’ hurt feelings.

Read an intelligence account this evening which gave details of the fighter interception which bagged the Japanese Admiral Yamamoto, although no names were mentioned, or even hinted at in the account.

To the best of my knowledge the following is what happened:

ComAirSoPac broke down a Jap radio message, which stated that Yamamoto was flying from Rabaul to Kahili. It asked that adequate arrangements be made and gave the estimated time of arrival at Kahili on April 18. Sixteen P-38s were sent out to intercept. Four were designated as the attack group, while the other 12 were to act as high cover; of these latter 12, the account makes no more mention. (They cover the action at 18,000 feet.)

The attacking four made a long circuitous trip toward Bougainville at an altitude of about 50 feet to avoid detection by coast watchers or radar. At 3 miles off Bougainville’s SW corner and only about 20 miles from Kahili they spotted two Jap Mitsubishi 01s, each with a three-plane Zero cover. The bombers were at 4,500 feet with the Zeros 1,500 feet higher and slightly astern. The P-38s climbed to the attack and were within one mile of the Japs before they were observed. The Zeroes dove to attack while the bombers hightailed it for Kahili. The P-38 leader (Capt. Lamphier) shot down one Zero as they passed and headed on for the bomber which he had selected, and which was cutting across the jungle toward Kahili. He blasted it broadside and the Mitsubishi’s wing fell off; it burst into flame and crashed.

Lamphier’s wing man, Barber, caught the second Mitsubishi and blew it’s tail off, whereupon it turned over on its back and crashed.

The other two planes, Holmes and his wingman Hines had missed out on this due to Holmes’ difficulty in dropping his belly tank. They joined up with Barber and turned for home, Lanphier having already departed with a group of Zeros chasing him. As the three passed near Moila Point they saw another Mitsubishi bomber rounding the point just off the water. Barber dove and gave it a burst in the fuselage and it exploded. Holmes meanwhile shot down a Zero from Barber’s tail.

With the Zeros in hot pursuit the three headed home, but Hines’ engine (one of them) began to smoke, and he was last seen losing altitude south of Shortland Is. (I pity the poor bastard if the Japs got him.) The remaining two (with Lamphier on ahead) return safely despite an out-of-gas landing by Holmes on the Russell strip.

Thus died, in one of those three Mitsubishis, the Japanese admiral who had predicted that someday he would dictate peace terms in the White House.