Action off Bougainville
Encyclopedia
The Action off Bougainville was a naval and air engagement on the South Pacific Theater
of World War II
near Bougainville
, Papua New Guinea
on 20 February 1942. In the engagement, a United States Navy
aircraft carrier
task force
on its way to raid
the Imperial Japanese
military base at Rabaul
, New Britain
was attacked by a force of land-based bomber
s of the Imperial Japanese Navy
. The U.S. task force was commanded by Admiral
Wilson Brown
and the Japanese aircraft forces were under the command of Eiji Gotō.
In the ensuing engagement, the Japanese air group was almost completely annihilated, losing 15 of 17 bombers sent to attack the American carrier group. The US lost only two fighters in defense, and no ships were damaged. As a result of the loss of surprise, however, the Americans retired without raiding Rabaul as originally planned. Because of the heavy losses in bombers, the Japanese were forced to delay their planned invasion of New Guinea, giving the Allies more time to prepare defenses against the Japanese advances in the South Pacific.
, Japanese forces proceeded to turn it into a major base. Concerns grew in the allied command that with the fall of Rabaul the San Francisco-Australia
sea lane supply line would be threatened and ordered the supply line to be patrolled. Admiral Chester William Nimitz and Admiral Brown devised a plan to solve the threat on the supply line by attacking the newly-captured Rabaul. Task Force 11
(TF 11) and ANZAC Squadron
were tasked with undertaking the raid. Unfortunately, ANZAC Squadron lacked the fuel oil to head north while TF 11 sailed north to its launching point north-east of Rabaul planned for 21 February.
, detected an unknown aircraft on radar 35 mi (30.4 nmi; 56.3 km) from the ship at 10:15. A six-plane combat patrol was launched, two fighters being directed to investigate the contact. These two planes, under command of Lieutenant Commander Thach shot down a four-engined Kawanishi H6K
4 "Mavis" flying boat
about 43 mi (37.4 nmi; 69.2 km) out at 11:12. Later, two other planes of the combat patrol were sent to another radar contact 35 mi (30.4 nmi; 56.3 km) ahead, shooting down a second "Mavis" at 12:02. A third contact was made 80 mi (69.5 nmi; 128.7 km) out, but reversed course and disappeared.
Rabaul having been alerted of the presence of U.S. naval forces in the area, alerted Vice Admiral
Shigeyoshi Inoue
at the Imperial Japanese Fourth Fleet
headquarters in Truk, who ordered an initial air strike to be conducted from Rabaul and also ordered the Cruiser Division 6, consisting of the heavy cruisers , , , and to intercept TF 11.
Seventeen Japanese Mitsubishi G4M
1 "Betty" bombers of the 4 Kokutai took off from Vunakanau Aerodrome, Rabaul to attack TF 11. Admiral Brown, having lost the element of surprise, decided to break off the attack against Rabaul and started to retire from the area. At 15:42, a jagged vee signal was detected on radar, but the contact then was lost, but reappeared at 16:25 47 mi (40.8 nmi; 75.6 km) west. Nineteen F4F-4 Wildcat
s from Lexington were sent to intercept the incoming targets. Of the nine incoming "Betty"s from 2nd Chûtai of 4 Kokutai, at this time five had already been shot down.
At 16:49, a second formation of "Betty"s were detected by radar only 12 mi (10.4 nmi; 19.3 km) out, on the disengaged side of the task force, completely unopposed, from 1st Chûtai of 4 Kokutai. Lexington only having two Wildcats, piloted by Lieutenant
Marion Dufilho
and Lieutenant Edward O'Hare
, left to confront the intruders, flew eastwards and arrived 1500 ft (457.2 m) above eight Bettys nine miles out at 17:00. Dufilho’s guns jammed and leaving only O'Hare to protect the carrier from the enemy formation in V formation flying very close together.
O'Hare employing a high-side diving attack accurately placing bursts of gunfire into a "Betty"'s right engine and wing fuel tanks; when the stricken craft of Nitō Hikō Heisō Tokiharu Baba (3rd Shotai) on the right side of the formation abruptly lurched to starboard, he ducked to the other side of the V formation and aimed at the enemy bomber of Ittō Hikō Heisō Bin Mori 3rd Shotai on the extreme left. When he made his third and fourth firing passes, the Japanese planes were close enough to the American ships for them to fire their anti-aircraft
guns. The five survivors managed to drop their ordnance, but all 10 551 lb (249.9 kg) bombs missed. O'Hare's hits were so concentrated, the nacelle
of a "Betty" literally jumped out of its mountings, after O'Hare blew up the leading Shōsa Takuzo Ito's "Betty"'s port engine. O'Hare believed he had shot down five bombers, and damage a sixth. Lieutenant Commander
John Thach
arrived at the scene with other pilots of the flight, later reporting that at one point he saw three of the enemy bombers falling in flames at the same time.
O'Hare had destroyed only three "Betty"s: Nitō Hikō Heisō, Tokiharu Baba's from 3rd Shotai; Ittō Hikō Heisō, Susumu Uchiyama's (flying at left wing of the leading V, 1st Shotai); and the leader of the formation, Shōsa, Takuzo Ito's. This last (flying on the head of leading V) "Betty"'s left engine was hit at the time it dropped its ordinance. Its pilot Hikō Heisōchō Chuzo Watanabe tried to hit Lexington with the damaged plane. He missed and flew into the water near Lexington at 17:12. Another two "Bettys" were damaged by O'Hare's attacks. Ittō Hikō Heisō Kodji Maeda (2nd Shotai, left wing of V) safely landed at Vunakanau aerodrome and Ittō Hikō Heisō Bin Mori was later shot down by Lieutenant Noel Gayler
when trying to escape 40 mi (34.8 nmi; 64.4 km) from Lexington.
, Papua New Guinea
from 3-8 March 1942.
Two "Mavis" flying boats were also shot down which were shadowing the U.S. force, as well as two other Japanese scout aircraft lost in operational accidents while participating in the day's action. The U.S. lost two fighters to defensive gunfire from the bombers, but one pilot survived, while no damage was inflicted on the U.S. warships. U.S. Navy pilot Edward O'Hare was awarded the Medal of Honor
for his actions.
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
near Bougainville
Bougainville Island
Bougainville Island is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea. This region is also known as Bougainville Province or the North Solomons. The population of the province is 175,160 , which includes the adjacent island of Buka and assorted outlying islands...
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
on 20 February 1942. In the engagement, a United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
task force
Task Force 11
-World War II:During World War II, Task Force 11 was a United States Navy aircraft carrier task force in the Pacific theater.TF 11 was originally formed around , then her sister ship until she was disabled by a Japanese torpedo in January 1942, then Lexington again for the Battle of the Coral...
on its way to raid
Raid (military)
Raid, also known as depredation, is a military tactic or operational warfare mission which has a specific purpose and is not normally intended to capture and hold terrain, but instead finish with the raiding force quickly retreating to a previous defended position prior to the enemy forces being...
the Imperial Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
military base at Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
, New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
was attacked by a force of land-based bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
s of the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
. The U.S. task force was commanded by Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Wilson Brown
Wilson Brown (admiral)
Wilson Brown, Jr. was a Vice Admiral of the United States Navy who served in World War I and World War II...
and the Japanese aircraft forces were under the command of Eiji Gotō.
In the ensuing engagement, the Japanese air group was almost completely annihilated, losing 15 of 17 bombers sent to attack the American carrier group. The US lost only two fighters in defense, and no ships were damaged. As a result of the loss of surprise, however, the Americans retired without raiding Rabaul as originally planned. Because of the heavy losses in bombers, the Japanese were forced to delay their planned invasion of New Guinea, giving the Allies more time to prepare defenses against the Japanese advances in the South Pacific.
Prelude
Following the capture of the port of Rabaul during the battle of RabaulBattle of Rabaul (1942)
The Battle of Rabaul, also known by the Japanese as Operation R, was fought on the island of New Britain in the Australian Territory of New Guinea, in January and February 1942. It was a strategically significant defeat of Allied forces by Japan in the Pacific campaign of World War II...
, Japanese forces proceeded to turn it into a major base. Concerns grew in the allied command that with the fall of Rabaul the San Francisco-Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
sea lane supply line would be threatened and ordered the supply line to be patrolled. Admiral Chester William Nimitz and Admiral Brown devised a plan to solve the threat on the supply line by attacking the newly-captured Rabaul. Task Force 11
Task Force 11
-World War II:During World War II, Task Force 11 was a United States Navy aircraft carrier task force in the Pacific theater.TF 11 was originally formed around , then her sister ship until she was disabled by a Japanese torpedo in January 1942, then Lexington again for the Battle of the Coral...
(TF 11) and ANZAC Squadron
ANZAC Squadron
The ANZAC Squadron, also called the Allied Naval Squadron, was an Allied naval warship task force which was tasked with defending northeast Australia and surrounding area in early 1942 during the Pacific Campaign of World War II...
were tasked with undertaking the raid. Unfortunately, ANZAC Squadron lacked the fuel oil to head north while TF 11 sailed north to its launching point north-east of Rabaul planned for 21 February.
Battle
TF 11 with , 450 mi (391 nmi; 724.2 km) from the harbor at RabaulRabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
, detected an unknown aircraft on radar 35 mi (30.4 nmi; 56.3 km) from the ship at 10:15. A six-plane combat patrol was launched, two fighters being directed to investigate the contact. These two planes, under command of Lieutenant Commander Thach shot down a four-engined Kawanishi H6K
Kawanishi H6K
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Doubilet, David. "The Flying Boat". Sport Diver Magazine. Volume 15, Number 8, September 2007.* Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. Annapolis, Maryland, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1995.* Green, William. Warplanes of the Second...
4 "Mavis" flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
about 43 mi (37.4 nmi; 69.2 km) out at 11:12. Later, two other planes of the combat patrol were sent to another radar contact 35 mi (30.4 nmi; 56.3 km) ahead, shooting down a second "Mavis" at 12:02. A third contact was made 80 mi (69.5 nmi; 128.7 km) out, but reversed course and disappeared.
Rabaul having been alerted of the presence of U.S. naval forces in the area, alerted Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Shigeyoshi Inoue
Shigeyoshi Inoue
was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. He was commander of the Japanese 4th Fleet and later served as Vice-Minister of the Navy. A noted naval theorist, he was a strong advocate of naval aviation within the Japanese Navy...
at the Imperial Japanese Fourth Fleet
IJN 4th Fleet
The was a fleet designation of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Fourth Fleet designation was used during three separate periods. The initial designation was for a group of ships that were assigned to work together during the Russo-Japanese conflict and the period of its immediate aftermath...
headquarters in Truk, who ordered an initial air strike to be conducted from Rabaul and also ordered the Cruiser Division 6, consisting of the heavy cruisers , , , and to intercept TF 11.
Seventeen Japanese Mitsubishi G4M
Mitsubishi G4M
The Mitsubishi G4M 一式陸上攻撃機, 一式陸攻 Isshiki rikujō kōgeki ki, Isshikirikkō was the main twin-engine, land-based bomber used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in World War II. The Allies gave the G4M the reporting name Betty...
1 "Betty" bombers of the 4 Kokutai took off from Vunakanau Aerodrome, Rabaul to attack TF 11. Admiral Brown, having lost the element of surprise, decided to break off the attack against Rabaul and started to retire from the area. At 15:42, a jagged vee signal was detected on radar, but the contact then was lost, but reappeared at 16:25 47 mi (40.8 nmi; 75.6 km) west. Nineteen F4F-4 Wildcat
F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat was an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service with both the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy in 1940...
s from Lexington were sent to intercept the incoming targets. Of the nine incoming "Betty"s from 2nd Chûtai of 4 Kokutai, at this time five had already been shot down.
At 16:49, a second formation of "Betty"s were detected by radar only 12 mi (10.4 nmi; 19.3 km) out, on the disengaged side of the task force, completely unopposed, from 1st Chûtai of 4 Kokutai. Lexington only having two Wildcats, piloted by Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Marion Dufilho
Marion William Dufilho
Marion William Dufilho, born 22 May 1916 in Opelousas, LA, graduated from the Naval Academy 2 June 1938. On 24 August 1942, while serving as a section leader in Fighting Squadron 5 in Saratoga , Lieutenant Dufilho was killed in action in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons...
and Lieutenant Edward O'Hare
Edward O'Hare
Lieutenant Commander Edward Henry “Butch” O’Hare was an Irish-American naval aviator of the United States Navy who on February 20, 1942 became the U.S. Navy's first flying ace and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II. Butch O’Hare’s final action took place on the night of November 26, 1943,...
, left to confront the intruders, flew eastwards and arrived 1500 ft (457.2 m) above eight Bettys nine miles out at 17:00. Dufilho’s guns jammed and leaving only O'Hare to protect the carrier from the enemy formation in V formation flying very close together.
O'Hare employing a high-side diving attack accurately placing bursts of gunfire into a "Betty"'s right engine and wing fuel tanks; when the stricken craft of Nitō Hikō Heisō Tokiharu Baba (3rd Shotai) on the right side of the formation abruptly lurched to starboard, he ducked to the other side of the V formation and aimed at the enemy bomber of Ittō Hikō Heisō Bin Mori 3rd Shotai on the extreme left. When he made his third and fourth firing passes, the Japanese planes were close enough to the American ships for them to fire their anti-aircraft
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
guns. The five survivors managed to drop their ordnance, but all 10 551 lb (249.9 kg) bombs missed. O'Hare's hits were so concentrated, the nacelle
Nacelle
The nacelle is a cover housing that holds engines, fuel, or equipment on an aircraft. In some cases—for instance in the typical "Farman" type "pusher" aircraft, or the World War II-era P-38 Lightning—an aircraft's cockpit may also be housed in a nacelle, which essentially fills the...
of a "Betty" literally jumped out of its mountings, after O'Hare blew up the leading Shōsa Takuzo Ito's "Betty"'s port engine. O'Hare believed he had shot down five bombers, and damage a sixth. Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
John Thach
John Thach
John Smith "Jimmy" Thach was a World War II naval aviator, air combat tactician, and United States Navy admiral. Thach developed the Thach Weave, a combat flight formation that could counter enemy fighters of superior performance, and later the big blue blanket, an aerial defense against Kamikaze...
arrived at the scene with other pilots of the flight, later reporting that at one point he saw three of the enemy bombers falling in flames at the same time.
O'Hare had destroyed only three "Betty"s: Nitō Hikō Heisō, Tokiharu Baba's from 3rd Shotai; Ittō Hikō Heisō, Susumu Uchiyama's (flying at left wing of the leading V, 1st Shotai); and the leader of the formation, Shōsa, Takuzo Ito's. This last (flying on the head of leading V) "Betty"'s left engine was hit at the time it dropped its ordinance. Its pilot Hikō Heisōchō Chuzo Watanabe tried to hit Lexington with the damaged plane. He missed and flew into the water near Lexington at 17:12. Another two "Bettys" were damaged by O'Hare's attacks. Ittō Hikō Heisō Kodji Maeda (2nd Shotai, left wing of V) safely landed at Vunakanau aerodrome and Ittō Hikō Heisō Bin Mori was later shot down by Lieutenant Noel Gayler
Noel Gayler
Noel Arthur Meredyth Gayler was an Admiral in the United States Navy, who served as the sixth Director of the National Security Agency from 1969 to 1972, and ninth Commander of Pacific Command from 1972 to 1976. Gayler was awarded three Navy Cross medals as a World War II flying ace and is credited...
when trying to escape 40 mi (34.8 nmi; 64.4 km) from Lexington.
Aftermath
As a result of the loss of surprise, Brown canceled the planned raid on Rabaul and retired from the area. Because of the high losses in bomber aircraft, the Japanese postponed their impending invasion of Lae-SalamauaInvasion of Lae-Salamaua
The Invasion of Lae-Salamaua, called Operation SR by the Japanese, was an operation by Imperial Japanese forces to occupy the Salamaua-Lae area in the Territory of New Guinea 8–13 March 1942 during the Pacific campaign of World War II...
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
from 3-8 March 1942.
Two "Mavis" flying boats were also shot down which were shadowing the U.S. force, as well as two other Japanese scout aircraft lost in operational accidents while participating in the day's action. The U.S. lost two fighters to defensive gunfire from the bombers, but one pilot survived, while no damage was inflicted on the U.S. warships. U.S. Navy pilot Edward O'Hare was awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions.