Pacific War series

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Heavy fighting for southern Pacific continued. Japanese Navy was still strong and could offer stiff resistance, while the American industry was still only warming up and was their forces did not have a decisive advantage. Americans were increasingly on the offensive, but these offensives came at a high cost: islands were many and well fortified, so advance was slow and costly. Nevertheless, the Japanese were feeling the pressure. Wherever they went, they were followed by heavy blows.

On 28th February convoy left Rabaul carrying reinforcements to Lae. Eight transport ships with 7 000 soldiers and necessary equipment were escorted by eight destroyers. They used storms to keep themselves concealed, but the storm refused to follow the Japanese plans. Convoy was discovered and attacked the next day, losing one transport ship. Next day even heavier attacks came: half the destroyers were disabled and all transport ships sunk. Two of the damaged destroyers and a transport ships were sunk by US torpedo boats for no losses of their own.

 

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American pressure was slowly growing. Japanese command was feeling this fact quite clearly, but Admiral Yamamoto did not want to let up. He sought energetic defense and pushed his subordinates to quickly complete all measures. Yamamoto wanted to inflict such strong blows against the enemy that the enemy would be unable to attack. For this reason, he pushed his commands strongly – especially those defending the Solomones. This was now the most important area, and so he wanted to use everything he could to defend it. To this end, Yamamoto decided to personally inspect Japanese island bases so he could decide what preparations remained necessary. He also took several of his closest advisors on the trip. Trip in question would be done by two four-engined aircraft escorted by six fighter aircraft. Commanders of Japanese bases were informed of his arrival by radio telegraph.

This proved to be Admiral’s doom. American radio-intelligence service was wide-awake, with numerous listening posts intercepting Japanese radio traffic. This message was also intercepted, quickly decrypted and send to Minister of the Navy Frank Knox. Immediately the orders were sent to commander of US air base at Guadalcanal. Rear Admiral (Counter Admiral) Mitcher, commander of the US air forces in the Solomones, assigned 16 new Lightning fighters for the mission. These twin-hulled fighter aircraft had enormous combat radius and thus were the only fighter aircraft capable of carrying out the mission. Luckily for the US, only recently a group of these aircraft had arrived to the Guadalcanal air base. It was this air base which received the orders to intercept and kill Admiral Yamamoto. Orders were given to the 339th Squadron.

 

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