When 'Lusty' met 'Sara' and 'Operation Cockpit' ...

[Mark Allen M]

Another operation I had little to no knowledge of happening. This happened yesterday 4/19/1944. Years ago I did some diving close to that area and never knew much about what took place there during the war. Another History lesson
Operation Cockpit was a bombing raid by aircraft from two Allied naval forces (Force 69 and Force 70) on 19 April 1944. The forces were made up of 22 warships, including two aircraft carriers, from the Royal Navy, Royal Australian Navy, French Navy, Royal Netherlands Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy, and United States Navy. The targets were Japanese port and oil facilities on Sabang Island (off the northern tip of Sumatra).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Cockpit

Two great links below.

http://www.armouredcarriers.com/illustr ... -saratoga/

http://ww2today.com/19-april-1944-opera ... -at-sabang


British Royal Navy carrier Illustrious at sea in the Indian Ocean, 1944


Aerial of USS Saratoga (CV 3) en-route to Rabaul Island, November 1943.


Seventeen Fairey Barracuda bombers and 13 Chance-Vought F4U Corsair fighters from HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and 11 Grumman TBM “Avenger” torpedo-bombers, 18 Douglas “Dauntless” dive-bombers and 24 Grumman F6F“Hellcat” fighters from USS SARATOGA attacked Sabang harbor and nearby Lho Nga airfield. The attack caught the Japanese by surprise and there was no fighter opposition.


Sabang burns


Sabang way up in the upper left tip of this map.


Sabang island area


Hard to imagine war in a place like this. What a beautiful view.

[CoastieJohn]

Haven't heard of that battle before. Here's a then and now of the airfield.

[Mark Allen M]

Interesting