TheDigger
12-02-2008, 08:16
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea was a battle in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) during World War II, in which planes of the United States Fifth Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), attacked a Japanese convoy carrying troops to Lae. Most of the task force was destroyed, and Japanese troop losses were extremely high.
On December 23, 1942, the Japanese high command decided to transfer about 105,000 troops from China and Japan to Lae in New Guinea to reinforce their forces there.
Relocating such a large force was a great burden on Japanese shipping capability, but the high command considered it a military necessity. By late February 1943, the 20th and 41st divisions had been safely transported to Wewak.
Next, the 51st Division was to be transported from the major Japanese base at Rabaul to Lae, a perilous maneuver because Allied air power in the area was very strong, especially in the Vitiaz Strait through which the ships would have to pass.
On February 28 the convoy assembled for the task, comprising eight destroyers and eight troop transports with an escort of approximately 100 fighter aircraft departed from Simpson Harbour in Rabaul.
Allied air forces, under the air commander SWPA, Major-General George Kenney, and based in Allied territory on New Guinea, had been preparing for such an eventuality. In particular, the crews of specially modified USAAF B-25 Mitchells and RAAF Bristol Beaufighters had been practising attacks on shipping. The Mitchell crews were developing a new technique called "skip bombing": after flying only a few dozen feet above the sea towards their targets, they would release their bombs, which would then skip across the surface.
This convoy was spotted on March 1 the crew of a patrolling B-24 Liberator bomber spotted the convoy north of Cape Hollman. U.S. heavy bombers were sent to the location but failed to locate the convoy.
On March 2, another Liberator found the convoy, and clear skies allowed several flights of U.S. B-17 Flying Fortress bombers to attack and sink up to three merchant ships, including the Kyokusei Maru. One B-17 was lost during this initial engagement.
Out of 1,500 troops being transported by the Kyokusei Maru, 800 were rescued from the water by the destroyers Yukikaze and Asagumo. These two destroyers, being faster than the convoy since its speed was dictated by the slower transports, broke away from the group to disembark the survivors at Lae. The destroyers resumed their escort duties the next day.
PBY Catalina flying boats from No. 11 Squadron RAAF continued to trail and occasionally bomb the convoy over the night of March 2. The convoy was rounding the Huon Peninsula on March 3rd , bringing it into clearer conditions. A force of 90 Allied aircraft took off from Port Moresby and headed for Cape Ward Hunt other diversionary raids on Japanese Airfields also took place.
13 B-17s reached the convoy and bombed from medium altitude, causing the ships to disperse and prolonging the journey. Then 13 Bristol Beaufighters from No. 30 Squadron RAAF approached at low level, to give the impression they were Beauforts making another torpedo attack. The ships turned to face them, and the Beaufighters were then able to inflict maximum damage on the ships' anti-aircraft guns, bridges and crews, during strafing runs.
Immediately afterwards, 13 USAAF Mitchells bombed from about 750 meters (2,500 ft). Then 12 Mitchells made a "skip bombing" attack, reportedly claiming 17 hits. By this time half of the transport ships were sunk or sinking.
While the attack on the ships proceeded, 28 U.S. P-38 Lightnings provided top cover, and 20 Japanese fighters were shot down for the loss of three Lightnings. During the afternoon, further attacks from Mitchells and RAAF Bostons followed.
All seven of the remaining transports were sunk about 100 kilometres (60 mi) southeast of Finschhafen, along with the destroyers Shirayuki, Arashio, and Tokitsukaze. Four of the destroyers picked up as many survivors as possible and then retired to Rabaul. The fifth destroyer, Asagumo, was sunk in a subsequent strike as it was picking up survivors from the Arashio.
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea was over. The entire force of Japanese troops, supplies, and equipment had been destroyed; the encounter had cost the enemy an estimated 15,000 lives. US losses came to thirteen men killed and twelve wounded. Four aircraft were shot down and two crash-landed close to base.
On December 23, 1942, the Japanese high command decided to transfer about 105,000 troops from China and Japan to Lae in New Guinea to reinforce their forces there.
Relocating such a large force was a great burden on Japanese shipping capability, but the high command considered it a military necessity. By late February 1943, the 20th and 41st divisions had been safely transported to Wewak.
Next, the 51st Division was to be transported from the major Japanese base at Rabaul to Lae, a perilous maneuver because Allied air power in the area was very strong, especially in the Vitiaz Strait through which the ships would have to pass.
On February 28 the convoy assembled for the task, comprising eight destroyers and eight troop transports with an escort of approximately 100 fighter aircraft departed from Simpson Harbour in Rabaul.
Allied air forces, under the air commander SWPA, Major-General George Kenney, and based in Allied territory on New Guinea, had been preparing for such an eventuality. In particular, the crews of specially modified USAAF B-25 Mitchells and RAAF Bristol Beaufighters had been practising attacks on shipping. The Mitchell crews were developing a new technique called "skip bombing": after flying only a few dozen feet above the sea towards their targets, they would release their bombs, which would then skip across the surface.
This convoy was spotted on March 1 the crew of a patrolling B-24 Liberator bomber spotted the convoy north of Cape Hollman. U.S. heavy bombers were sent to the location but failed to locate the convoy.
On March 2, another Liberator found the convoy, and clear skies allowed several flights of U.S. B-17 Flying Fortress bombers to attack and sink up to three merchant ships, including the Kyokusei Maru. One B-17 was lost during this initial engagement.
Out of 1,500 troops being transported by the Kyokusei Maru, 800 were rescued from the water by the destroyers Yukikaze and Asagumo. These two destroyers, being faster than the convoy since its speed was dictated by the slower transports, broke away from the group to disembark the survivors at Lae. The destroyers resumed their escort duties the next day.
PBY Catalina flying boats from No. 11 Squadron RAAF continued to trail and occasionally bomb the convoy over the night of March 2. The convoy was rounding the Huon Peninsula on March 3rd , bringing it into clearer conditions. A force of 90 Allied aircraft took off from Port Moresby and headed for Cape Ward Hunt other diversionary raids on Japanese Airfields also took place.
13 B-17s reached the convoy and bombed from medium altitude, causing the ships to disperse and prolonging the journey. Then 13 Bristol Beaufighters from No. 30 Squadron RAAF approached at low level, to give the impression they were Beauforts making another torpedo attack. The ships turned to face them, and the Beaufighters were then able to inflict maximum damage on the ships' anti-aircraft guns, bridges and crews, during strafing runs.
Immediately afterwards, 13 USAAF Mitchells bombed from about 750 meters (2,500 ft). Then 12 Mitchells made a "skip bombing" attack, reportedly claiming 17 hits. By this time half of the transport ships were sunk or sinking.
While the attack on the ships proceeded, 28 U.S. P-38 Lightnings provided top cover, and 20 Japanese fighters were shot down for the loss of three Lightnings. During the afternoon, further attacks from Mitchells and RAAF Bostons followed.
All seven of the remaining transports were sunk about 100 kilometres (60 mi) southeast of Finschhafen, along with the destroyers Shirayuki, Arashio, and Tokitsukaze. Four of the destroyers picked up as many survivors as possible and then retired to Rabaul. The fifth destroyer, Asagumo, was sunk in a subsequent strike as it was picking up survivors from the Arashio.
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea was over. The entire force of Japanese troops, supplies, and equipment had been destroyed; the encounter had cost the enemy an estimated 15,000 lives. US losses came to thirteen men killed and twelve wounded. Four aircraft were shot down and two crash-landed close to base.