1942
The famous Doolittle Raid – the first American air raid to
strike the Japanese Home Islands, including the capital of Tokyo. Little significant damage was done, but perhaps more
importantly, American morale was boosted, and doubts were raised in Japan of
their ability to defend the homeland.
1943
Also on this day, but one year later...Admiral Isoruko Yamamoto, Japanese naval strategist, was
killed when his aircraft was shot down by American P-38s. He was commander-in-chief of the Imperial
Japanese Navy during the battles of Pearl Harbor and Midway. Codebreakers intercepted and decrypted
Admiral Yamamoto’s itinerary on April 14th, and Operation Vengeance
was underway.
Admiral Yamamoto and staff were on an inspection tour in
Papua New Guinea, and would be traveling in two Mitsubishi G4M Bettys of the 204th Kokutai,
escorted by six Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters. They would be departing New Britain and traveling
to Bougainville Island.
To avoid detection by Japanese radar, the flight would be
1000 miles roundtrip, well beyond the range of many American fighters. Eighteen wave-hopping Lockheed P-38 Lightnings from the 339th were
the tool of choice, toting auxiliary tanks to extend their range. The mission was a success, both Japanese bombers
lost with the loss of only one American aircraft and pilot, and a morale defeat
for the Japanese Navy. General MacArthur called Operation Vengeance “one of the
singularly most significant actions of the Pacific War.”
source: Wikipedia
