- \n
- Before the Battle<\/a><\/li>\n
- 20 February 1942 \u2013 a black day for the 4th Kokutai<\/a><\/li>\n
- The decision to attack<\/a><\/li>\n
- The clash with the second chutai<\/a><\/li>\n
- Butch O\u2019Hare versus the first chutai<\/a><\/li>\n
- After the clash<\/a><\/li>\n
- After the battle<\/a><\/li>\n
- VF-3 aircraft and the model<\/a><\/li>\n
- See also<\/a><\/li>\n
- Ranks and terminology<\/a><\/li>\n
- Bibliography<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Before the Battle<\/h2>\n
After the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, Japanese forces launched a wide-ranging offensive across the Pacific and Southeast Asia. Among their targets were British territories in the South Pacific, including New Britain and its important port of Rabaul.<\/p>\n
It was the most important harbour in the New Guinea area, capable of receiving ships with a deep draught. This made it an excellent base for further offensive operations toward New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and even Fiji. Rabaul also had two airfields: Vunakanau and Lakunai.<\/p>\n
Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft initially carried out reconnaissance flights over the town. After the capture of Wake Island, however, the Chitose and Yokohama air groups of the Fourth Fleet were directed against Rabaul. The first attack came on 4 January 1942, when 24 bombers from these units struck the air bases at Rabaul. Sixteen Mitsubishi G3M Nell bombers attacked during the day, while eight Kawanishi H6K Mavis flying boats from the Yokohama K\u014dk\u016btai attacked Vunakanau after dusk.<\/p>\n
This marked the beginning of the \u201csoftening up\u201d of the Australian defences before the invasion. In the following days, both units repeatedly attacked the port and airfields. On 20 January 1942, carrier aircraft from four Japanese carriers \u2014 Akagi<\/em>, Kaga<\/em>, Sh\u014dkaku<\/em> and Zuikaku<\/em> \u2014 struck the base, destroying most of the RAAF aircraft gathered for its defence. This attack was the prelude to the invasion, which began on the night of 23 January. After a short fight, Rabaul and its airfields fell into Japanese hands.<\/p>\n
![\"Kawanishi](\"https:\/\/armahobbynews.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Yokohama_H6K.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nH6K Mavis flying boat of the Yokohama Kokutai, Solomon Islands area, 1942. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.<\/em><\/p>\n
The Allied response was not long in coming. After the initial shock, the US Pacific Fleet soon began offensive operations. On 31 January 1942, Task Force 11 under VAdm W. Brown left Pearl Harbor and headed for the South Pacific, toward the Marshall Islands.<\/p>\n
The force included the aircraft carrier USS Lexington<\/em>, carrying Fighting Squadron VF-3 under Lt Cdr John \u201cJimmy\u201d Thach. The squadron had originally belonged to the air group of USS Saratoga<\/em>, but after that carrier was damaged by a Japanese submarine torpedo and sent for repairs, her air group was first moved ashore. When \u201cLady Lex\u201d returned to Pearl Harbor, VF-3 replaced VF-2, which was sent to re-equip from Brewster Buffalo fighters to F4F Wildcats.<\/p>\n
On 6 February, VAdm Brown learned that TF-11 would cooperate with the newly formed ANZAC forces in destroying Japanese forces moving toward the New Hebrides and islands lying near the lines of communication between Australia and Pearl Harbor. The task force moved to the waters around Fiji, where it remained until 16 February. It then set course for Rabaul, which VAdm Brown planned to attack from the northeast.<\/p>\n
On the morning of 20 February, his ships were about 450 miles from the target. Brown planned to close Rabaul during the night and attack the port and airfields on the morning of 21 February. Fate, however, had other plans.<\/p>\n
![\"Grumman](\"https:\/\/armahobbynews.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Grumman_F4F_Wildcat_in_flight_February_1942-1200-1024x764.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nF4F-3 Wildcat, BuNo 3897\/F-5, and not<\/strong> the aircraft flown on 20 February by Ens. Dale Peterson \u2014 that one, BuNo 4009\/F-5, was lost on 14 March 1942 on the way to Hawaii. This is how the VF-3 aircraft looked as they went out to meet the 4th Kokutai. Photo: U.S. Navy.<\/em><\/p>\n
20 February 1942 \u2013 a black day for the 4th Kokutai<\/h2>\n
At the same time as TF-11 was 450 miles from Rabaul, three Mavis flying boats took off from Simpson Harbour to locate the enemy ships. At 10:30, the crew of the aircraft commanded by Ch\u016b-i (Lt (jg)) Sakai Noboru sighted TF-11. Sakai reported to base that the enemy was 460 miles away.<\/p>\n
The Japanese aircraft did not escape American attention. Lexington\u2019s<\/em> radar picked it up at a distance of 35 miles. Shortly afterwards, six F4F-3 Wildcat fighters took off from the carrier. After launch, the pilots split into three pairs. The first was led by Thach himself, flying aircraft F-1. The second pair was led by Lt Edward \u201cButch\u201d O\u2019Hare in F-15. The third was led by Lt (jg) Onia \u201cBurt\u201d Stanley in F-7.<\/p>\n
After take-off, Thach\u2019s section was directed by the Fighter Direction Officer (FDO), Lt Fred \u201cRed\u201d Gill, to intercept the target, while the other aircraft remained over the task force to protect it. Thach\u2019s section intercepted the Japanese flying boat, which tried to evade them by hiding in the clouds. At one point, however, the American pilot spotted Sakai\u2019s aircraft and attacked. Fire from four .50 cal machine guns set the Japanese machine ablaze. At 11:20 it struck the surface of the ocean, taking its entire crew with it. It was Fighting Three\u2019s first victory of the war \u2014 but not its last that day.<\/p>\n
Thirty minutes later, Lexington\u2019s<\/em> radar detected another target, this time north of the task force. It was another Mavis flying boat, commanded by His\u014dch\u014d (W\/O) Hayashi Kiyoshi. Lt Stanley and his wingman, Ens. Leon Haynes in F-13, were sent to intercept it. The Americans caught the target and shot it down together. The Mavis fell into the ocean at 12:18.<\/p>\n
![\"Lt](\"https:\/\/armahobbynews.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/80-G-64831-1024x800.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nLt Cdr John S.<\/span> THACH in the cockpit of his Wildcat BuNo 3976\/F-1, photographed in Hawaii in April 1942. Under the cockpit are the markings for three aerial victories scored on 20 February 1942. Photo: U.S. Navy.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n
The decision to attack<\/h2>\n
Meanwhile, at Rabaul, Sh\u014dsh\u014d (RAdm) Got\u014d Aritomo, commander of the 24th Air Flotilla, received Sakai\u2019s report. At first he held back from sending aircraft against the American force, as he was waiting for further information. He also considered attacking the following day, taking into account the possibility of bringing in one more chutai from Truk.<\/p>\n
As an experienced officer, however, he understood that delay would allow the Americans to attack Rabaul. At 13:10 he therefore ordered two chutai of the 4th Kokutai under his command to attack TF-11. The Japanese crews quickly assembled at Vunakanau, and at 14:20 the bombers began taking off.<\/p>\n
Eighteen aircraft were assigned to the attack, nine per chutai, but one remained at base because of technical problems. In the end, 17 bombers set out toward the target, each carrying two 250 kg bombs. The Japanese formation was led by Hik\u014dtaich\u014d Sh\u014dsa It\u014d Katuz\u014d, flying in aircraft F-348 together with the commander of the first chutai, Dai-i Seto Y\u014dgor\u014d. The second chutai was commanded by Dai-i Nakagawa Masayoshi.<\/p>\n
Shortly after passing New Ireland, the formation encountered a squall, forcing It\u014d to split it up to avoid collisions in the difficult weather conditions.<\/p>\n
![\"Mitsubishi](\"https:\/\/armahobbynews.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/4th_Air_Group_Type_1-1024x262.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nMitsubishi G4M1 Betty torpedo bomber of the 4th Kokutai, summer 1942. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.<\/em><\/p>\n
The clash with the second chutai<\/h2>\n
Meanwhile, VAdm Brown was forced to cancel the attack, assuming that the Japanese crews had managed to report the position and composition of the American force, eliminating the element of surprise. Just after 16:00, Lexington\u2019s<\/em> radar detected a contact at a range of 75 miles. Soon afterwards the contact disappeared from the radar screens, only to reappear 25 minutes later, now 25 miles closer. It was clear that an enemy formation would soon attack.<\/p>\n
The greatest limitation of the radars of the time was that they could not determine the size of the formation or its exact altitude. Assuming the worst, orders were given to increase speed to 30 knots, and the ships went to general quarters. At that moment a six-aircraft \u201cdivision\u201d led by Lt Noel Gayler was already over TF-11, having taken off shortly after the approaching enemy had been detected. His section was immediately directed toward the threat.<\/p>\n
The formation detected by radar was the second chutai under Nakagawa. At 16:35 he sent a report that he had sighted the American force and was preparing to attack.<\/p>\n
Four minutes later, Noel Gayler and Ens. Dale Peterson, flying Wildcat F-5, attacked the Japanese bombers, hitting several of them. One Rikk\u014d caught fire and dropped out of formation. Soon the rest of Gayler\u2019s formation joined the fight, and shortly afterwards two more Bettys were shot down. A little later the aircraft approached the American ships, which put up a wall of fire.<\/p>\n
Moments later, Gayler and Peterson damaged Nakagawa\u2019s aircraft, which fell out of formation, and shortly afterwards American fighters eliminated a fifth Betty. The remaining Japanese aircraft, despite the loss of their commander, who was supposed to give the order to release bombs, attacked the ships, but their bombs missed. Soon after the attack, another bomber was shot down.<\/p>\n
![\"Damaged](\"https:\/\/armahobbynews.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/G4M_shot_down_near_USS_Lexington_CV-2_1942-1024x680.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe G4M1 Betty of second chutai commander Nakagawa Masayoshi, damaged by Gayler and Peterson, moments before crashing. Photo: U.S. Navy via Wikimedia Commons.<\/em><\/p>\n
Just before the Japanese released their bombs, Cpt Sherman ordered all fuelled aircraft to launch. The first to take off were Wildcats flown by Thach (F-13), Sellstrom (F-2), O\u2019Hare (F-15) and Dufilho (F-4). Immediately after launch, the Thach\u2013Sellstrom pair headed after the fleeing bombers, with more Wildcats joining the pursuit.<\/p>\n
One of them, flown by Lt (jg) Howard Johnson in F-11, was hit by Japanese gunners. The fire wounded the American pilot in the legs and damaged his aircraft\u2019s engine. Johnson bailed out and was picked up from the ocean by an American destroyer.<\/p>\n
Soon afterwards another Wildcat, F-9 flown by Ens. Wilson, was hit by a Japanese gunner. Cannon fire tore away the canopy and the Wildcat fell into the sea five miles from USS Lexington<\/em>. The pilot was killed.<\/p>\n
The Japanese crew did not enjoy their success for long, as Wilson was avenged by Thach. His fire caused an explosion that tore off the Betty\u2019s wing. The Japanese bomber fell burning into the sea. Meanwhile, Nakagawa\u2019s crew regained control of their aircraft and turned back toward the target. They managed to close to within two miles before being spotted. Anti-aircraft fire put up a barrage that finally brought the Betty down very close to Lexington<\/em>. The Japanese bomber hit the waves in the carrier\u2019s wake.<\/p>\n
In the end, the entire chutai was destroyed. The last bomber, about 80 miles from the American ships, was shot down by the crew of a patrolling SBD-2 Dauntless from VS-2: Lt Edward Allen and radioman-gunner first class Bruce Rountree.<\/p>\n
Fighting Squadron 3 i \u201eJimmy\u201d Thach w Bitwie o Midway<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
- 20 February 1942 \u2013 a black day for the 4th Kokutai<\/a><\/li>\n