PTO Trivia Question

[O-1Driver]

The first American air raid on Rabaul was conducted Feb., 1942 by the US Navy. Does anyone know the Squadron and aircraft type?

The fight for Rabaul continued for another 44 months following this raid.

O-1

[Phenozo]

VF-3 (Fighting Squadron Three)

Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat

[Talon]

VF-3 (Fighting Squadron Three)

Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat

Sorry to disappoint you but the raid was cancelled.TF11 led by Lexington was to Raid Rabaul but was detected the day before the Raid.The TF still sailed towards Rabaul for several hours before calling of the raid.F4F-3's shot down 15 of 17 betty bombers sent to attack TF11.Butch O'Hare shot down 5 of them and became an ace in one day.He also recieved "The of Honor"

The Lexington than joined Yorktown southwest of Port Morseby and did attacks on Lae and Salamaua to try and stop the Japanese invasion of New Guinea.Yorktown than attacked Tulagi and rejoined the Lexington in the Coral Sea for the first carrier battle against the IJN.


Talon

[grizzly50]

:kilroy:Ges, Talon, give a guy a chance to answer. LOLOLOLOL


Yep, the raid was cancelled, but Butch O'Hare became an ace on that day, February 20, 1942.

"On this day, Lt. Edward O'Hare takes off from the aircraft carrier Lexington in a raid against the Japanese position at Rabaul-and minutes later becomes America's first flying ace.
In mid-February 1942, the Lexington sailed into the Coral Sea. Rabaul, a town at the very tip of New Britain, one of the islands that comprised the Bismarck Archipelago, had been invaded in January by the Japanese and transformed into a stronghold--in fact, one huge airbase. The Japanese were now in prime striking position for the Solomon Islands, next on the agenda for expanding their ever-growing Pacific empire. The Lexington's mission was to destabilize the Japanese position on Rabaul with a bombing raid.
Aboard the Lexington was U.S. Navy fighter pilot Lt. Edward O'Hare, attached to Fighting Squadron 3 when the United States entered the war. As the Lexington left Bougainville, the largest of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific (and still free from Japanese control), for Rabaul, ship radar picked up Japanese bombers headed straight for the carrier. O'Hare and his team went into action, piloting F4F Wildcats. In a mere four minutes, O'Hare shot down five Japanese G4M1 Betty bombers--bringing a swift end to the Japanese attack and earning O'Hare the designation "ace" (given to any pilot who had five or more downed enemy planes to his credit).
Although the Lexington blew back the Japanese bombers, the element of surprise was gone, and the attempt to raid Rabaul was aborted for the time being. O'Hare was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery--and excellent aim.":d

[Talon]

Grizz

Actually a single plane was picked up on radar first,a Mavis which was shot down,than later in the afternoon the Betty attack.


Talon

[O-1Driver]

Actually the very first raid was accomplished by B-17s of the 14th Reconnaissance Squadron. The B-17s were on loan to the US Navy.

http://www.newsherald.com/news/haven-83905-lynn-rabaul.html

http://www.theswampghost.com/news/sources/swampghost.html

Steve

[lewis11777]

Actually this is all very interesting!

[lewis11777]

Actually Butch's father testified against Al Capone and was later shot presumably by Al's henchmen. (Actually isn't Google great).

[O-1Driver]

Now I will have to admit that I had an unfair advantage in that the local newspaper ran a large article on the author today. He is from Lynn Haven right here near Panama City. Also it was some what of a trick question.

Al (Talon) is our foremost expert on the Pacific theater and is our go to guy for all historical information. Maybe Al could put a historical mission together to include in the Fall update. It would be interesting indeed.

Steve

[Talon]

Now I will have to admit that I had an unfair advantage in that the local newspaper ran a large article on the author today. He is from Lynn Haven right here near Panama City. Also it was some what of a trick question.

Al (Talon) is our foremost expert on the Pacific theater and is our go to guy for all historical information. Maybe Al could put a historical mission together to include in the Fall update. It would be interesting indeed.

Steve

You'll have to up my salary,I don't drink beer.:icon_lol: Besides they didn't have the B-17G at the time,it was either a D or E model.


Talon

[HouseHobbit]

Butch O'Hare, I have seen a detailed account of this day, and it is as interesting to me now as when I was a young hobbit..

But I admit the Pacific always was my first interest for the WW2 years..
It always amazed me fighting in the pacific, of a different nature then in Europe in many ways..
Still I am grateful I didn't have to do this..And Thank God for those who did..