'Bloody Tuesday' over Rabaul

2nd November 1943: A low-level attack on heavily defended Japanese shipping hits hard - but leads to many casualties and a posthumous Medal of Honor

IJN Hayasaki (Kinesaki class food supply ship) - under air attack - Rabaul, 2 November 194

Aircraft of the USAAF 3rd Bomb Group attack Japanese ships in Simpson Harbor, 2nd November 1943. The heavy cruiser Haguro is in the foreground. She had been somewhat damaged during the battle of Empress Augusta Bay the previous night. The burning transport at right appears to be one of the Hakone Maru class, of which Hakone Maru, Hakozaki Maru and Hakusan Maru were still afloat at the time. The ship in the left distance, partially hidden by smoke, appears to be the submarine tender Chogei or Jingei.

Simpson Harbour in Rabaul, New Britain was a natural deep water port that the Japanese had converted into a major forward base, their closest to the Solomon Islands. Anti-aircraft artillery batteries heavily defended it on the surrounding hills. Close-by airfields were the base for as many as two hundred Japanese fighters.

A series of attacks had been made by the combined forces of the U.S. Fifth Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force and the Royal New Zealand Air Force

… I quickly reasoned that my best chance to survive was to stay low where I was a difficult target while flying between ships rather than above them.

Landing craft, vehicle, personnel (LCVPs) circle while awaiting landing orders during the invasion of Cape Torokina, Bougainville, 1 November 1943. This was photographed by PFC P. Scheer from a 20mm gun position on board the attack transport American Legion. The invasion beaches are in the background, being shelled, and there are planes over the beaches. The smoking volcano in the far center distance is Mount Bagana.