Pacific Counterblow - Air Force Historical Studies Office

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Colonel Saunders, the Forts flew the 710 miles to Guadalcanal under the protection of bad weather and unloaded their bombs from 14,000 feet. The first flight, carrying 500-pounders, struck at the new landing strip, while the remaining six aircraft ravaged the supply dumps in the Lunga Point area with ioo-pounders. Resistance was slight, the AAA ineffective, and the Zeros at Gavutu, probably without functioning radar, failed to leave the water in time for interception. The bombers came through Mission One against Guadalcanal undamaged. It was determined that Lunga Point held the chief concentrations of supply and personnel and first claim to Colonel Saunders' attention. Next ranked the nearly complete Lunga airdrome, shortly to become Henderson Field. Tulagi also was to receive a quota of bombs almost daily. Thus was the pattern set. On i August the B-17's bagged two Zeros, on the next day they got one and started fires in the Lunga and Tulagi storage areas. By the 3d, reports had come in of land-based Zeros on the Lunga field and on 4 August five enemy fighters intercepted a three-plane flight over the target. In this engagement a float Zero, flaming and pressing a close attack, struck a B-I7 near the No. 3 engine, causing an explosion which destroyed plane and crew. This, the first destruction of one of our aircraft by ramming, was considered the result of a Zero out of control rather than intentional self-sacrifice. With the field on Espiritu operational by i August, B-17's headed for Guadalcanal were able to take on full bomb loads, fill their radio tanks at Efate, and refuel at Espiritu on the return leg. Tulagi and the Kukum area of Guadalcanal were thus bombed on 5 August, when another B-I 7 was lost; and on D-day, 7 August, two search planes dispatched to cover the Solomons sector to a depth of 700 miles from Espiritu, by that time the main base, took off at 0300 with instructions to avoid the target area where the attack was scheduled at 0530. One aircraft failed to return. Guadalcanal Assault Opens Below the searching B-17's the battle of Guadalcanal was unfolding. Two major task forces had been set up for the occasion: Rear Adm. Leigh Noyes commanded the supporting carriers, Rear Adm. Richmond K. Turner the amphibious force which would undertake the 8
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Page 3 and 4: Wings at War Series, No. 3 DISTRIBU
Page 5 and 6: Foreword Pacific Counterblow tells
Page 7 and 8: Lt. Gen. Millard F. Harmon, former
Page 9 and 10: first from Rabaul, secured by the e
Page 11 and 12: stepping stones to Australia, units
Page 13: efore the departure of the Marines
Page 17 and 18: Fuel was running low and the presen
Page 19 and 20: Nine maintenance men for nine aircr
Page 21 and 22: HEADING FOR HOME. After a successfu
Page 23 and 24: At 1745 the three-plane flight atta
Page 25 and 26: Leaving Blaines des Gaiacs on 21 Au
Page 27 and 28: the cigarettes, and even the carame
Page 29 and 30: out; seven cruised the towering cum
Page 31 and 32: No Army or Marine aircraft then ext
Page 33 and 34: gether a total of 25 landing craft
Page 35 and 36: in fact, he even asked for more P-4
Page 37 and 38: Navy turned back in the Battle of t
Page 39 and 40: were already up over Shortland Isla
Page 41 and 42: of ioo-pounders on the strip and pa
Page 43 and 44: another sustained two flat tires; a
Page 45 and 46: On instructions from Marine headqua
Page 47 and 48: of precious fuel was burned before
Page 49 and 50: These days, prelude to a big enemy
Page 51 and 52: enemy intentions clarifies the role
Page 53 and 54: o - - A -- -J (6
Page 55 and 56: quired not only to turn the Japanes
Page 57 and 58: to Guadalcanal. Command of the 67 t
Page 59 and 60: 52Z ,-0 cr- . 4) tu 41-, "r6 0Uen.
Page 61 and 62: SBD's and the B-26's. All five dive
Page 63: to clear the way. The 67th had reti

Pacific Counterblow - Air Force Historical Studies Office

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