On this day in World War II… APRIL 18

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 14^th, 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 204^th 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 339^th 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