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Seventy three years ago today, the U.S. Army's Fifth Air Force conducted a large scale aerial attack on the Imperial Japanese Navy's heavily fortified base at Rabaul, on the island of New Britain, South West Pacific Area. The attack was the largest in MacArthur's Operation Cartwheel, the reduction of Rabaul. Nine P-38s of Fifth Fighter Command went MIA during the mission.
Today I flew an airliner from Port Moresby to Buka island at the northern tip of the Solomon Island chain. The weather was the best I have seen in a very long time, with visibility up to 250nm. The track took us approximately 70nm North of Kiriwina island, the base Fifth Fighter Command used to stage the P-38s through to Rabaul. With Kiriwina visible on the right side, I could see Wide Bay and the Baining Mountains off to the left in the direction of Rabaul. The south coast of New Britain was visible from Gasmata to Wide Bay. I could not help but think of Lt's Wunder, Price and Hayes of the 9th Fighter Squadron (Flying Knights)who went missing in severe tropical weather (CBs) over that very stretch of water. In my 25 years flying in New Guinea I have not seen the weather that good, at that particular location. Their achievements and sacrifices are not forgotten.
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"If that's a goddamn 'Jug' in front of me, you sure as hell better wiggle your wings." 80FS/8FG Cape Gloucester, December 1943. And the entire 41st Fighter Squadron rocked their wings.
ALWAYS LOOKING FOR P-38 PARTS
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