Fortress Rabaul (61 page)

Interception of flying boats and Wirraways’ poor performance: Brookes, p. 4.

Details of New Year’s Day attack: Murphy, correspondence with author.

Development of Japanese pre-war strategies: Bullard,
Japanese Army Operations in the South Pacific Area
, p. 4.

Japanese plans for the Southern Offensive and Rabaul, 1941: Ibid., p. 3–5.

Great Army Order No. 992: Ibid., p. 7.

South Seas Force invasion of Guam: Rottman,
World War II Pacific Island Guide
, pp. 389–90.

Japanese plans for R Operation: Bullard, pp. 7, 23–24.

Chapter 3: Gladiators

Profile of Cornelius Page:
The Stubborn Coastwatcher
, pp. 1–2.

Explanation of Imperial Japanese Navy land attack category: Tagaya,
Mitsubishi Type 1 Rikko “Betty” Units of World War 2
, p. 6.

Mitsubishi G3M specifications: Francillon,
Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War
, p. 357.

Approach of the first Japanese bombers: Bloomfield,
Rabaul Diary
, pp. 13–14.

Can we really fire this time?
: Selby,
Hell and High Fever
, p. 15.

Antiaircraft battery’s first action: Ibid., pp. 15–16; also Fisher, unpublished memoir, p. 3.

Results of the first Japanese raid, including native casualties: Stone,
Hostages to Freedom
, p. 44.

Japanese publicity:
Mainichi Daily News
, Jan. 16, 1942, p. 1.

Interception by Wirraways, including
the enemy took advantage
… : Brookes, p. 6; also McAulay, p. 87.

Explosion of Hudson bomber: McAulay, p. 89.

Reconnaissance of Truk Lagoon: Gillison, p. 317.

Details of Jan. 16 attacks: McAulay, pp. 99–100.

Government’s refusal to evacuate civilian men: Aplin,
Rabaul 1942
, p. 26.

Composition of Rabaul invasion fleet: Bullard, p. 22.

Strength of Nagumo’s carrier forces: Dull,
The Imperial Japanese Navy
, p. 102;
Wenger, correspondence with author, Nov. 7, 2004.

Profile of Commander Fuchida: Prange,
God’s Samurai
, pp. 4–48.

Specifications of A6M Zero: Francillon, p. 376–77.

Initial attack by Zeros, including
desperate gallantry
: Selby, p. 27; also Gillison, p. 353.

There could be only one conclusion
… : Selby, pp. 27–28.

Details of Zero vs. Wirraway combat: Gillison, pp. 353–56; also McAulay, pp. 109–14.

There was something sickening
… : Selby, p, 28.

Casualties suffered by 24 Squadron: McAulay, p. 114.

Defense ministry’s decision regarding medals for Wirraway crews: Stone, p. 50.

Bomb damage at Vunakanau: McAulay, p. 118.

Details of
Kaga
B5N attack, including
Our aircraft shook a lot
… : Werneth, pp. 111, 115.

Dive-bombing attacks on
Herstein
and
Westralia
: Gamble, p. 76.

Damaged aircraft return to Japanese fleet, including
I was scared
… : Werneth, p. 147.

Details of Japanese losses: Tagaya, correspondence with author, July 28, 2007.

Commander Fuchida’s frustration: Prange, p. 54.

Details of messages from Lerew: Gillison, p. 356.

Norwegian and RAAF casualties, including
The battered bodies
… : Bowman,
Not Now Tomorrow
, p. 26.

Background of the
Morituri vos salutamus
message: May, unpublished essay, Jan. 18, 1996; also interview with author, Jan. 25, 2008. In early 1992, John Lerew supported May’s version of events: “I’d done Latin up through Leaving (certificate) at Scots College,” he told a reporter, “but I was a bit rusty so I got an Army padre to help me.”
(Canberra Times
, Jan. 18, 1992, p. 3).

Details of last Hudson flight, including
the chief gladiator
… : Gillison, p. 358.

Chapter 4: Desperate Hours

Configuration of Catalina: Riddell,
Recounting the Operations of RAAF Catalinas
, p. 1.

Sighting of Japanese fleet on Jan. 21, 1942: Minty,
Black Cats
, p. 2.

Details of
Zuikaku
fighter unit: Wenger, correspondence with author, Nov. 4, 2004.

Downing of Thompson’s Catalina and capture of crew: Minty, pp. 3–4.

Nagumo’s objectives: Bullard, p. 24.

Reported size of enemy fleet: McAulay, p. 121; Gillison, pp. 356–57.

Colonel Scanlan’s puzzling orders: Gamble, pp. 81–82.

Orders for 24 Squadron, including
all available aircraft
… : Brookes, p. 9.

not to reason why
… : Tennyson, “The Charge of the Light Brigade.”

Sharp’s attempt to find the Japanese fleet: Gillison, p. 357.

Message from Air Commodore Bladin: Ibid., p. 358.

Last RAAF flight from Rabaul: McAulay, pp. 124–25.

Explosion of bomb dump, including
a rather botched demolition
: Stone, p. 53.

Scanlan’s consent to withdraw 24 Squadron: Gamble, p. 86.

Evacuation of patients to Vunapope, including
You’ll stay
… : May, interview with author. Jan. 5, 2008.

Send flying boats
… : Gillison, p. 360.

Callous behavior of civilians: Brookes, p. 11.

Airlift of 24 Squadron personnel: Brookes, pp. 10–11; also McAulay, pp. 138–44.

Chapter 5: The Fall of Rabaul

Amphibious landings on January 23, 1942: Gamble, pp. 94–99.

The loss of Zero pilot Hiraishi: Shiga, quoted in Werneth, p. 249.

Collapse of Lark Force, including
every man for himself
: Bloomfield, pp. 23, 25; also Gamble, pp. 110–17.

Execution of captured officers: Gamble, pp. 132, 134, 156, 212–13.

General Horii’s edict: Bloomfield, p. 25.

Outbreak of malaria: Japanese Monograph No. 143 (Army), p. 10.

Captain Robertson’s warning of
certain death
: Selby, p. 57.

Assault on Tol Plantation by 3rd Battalion/8th Company: Monograph No. 143, p. 8.

Atrocities at Tol: Gamble, pp. 148–58.

Torture and execution of Captain Gray: Stone, pp. 361–62. Several references to the vivisection of Gray are found in the memoirs of Rabaul POWs and internees. As with the atrocities at Tol, the Japanese were unable to keep Gray’s murder a secret. According to Peter Stone, two villagers came across Gray’s shallow grave a few weeks after the incident and “examined the body, confirming that the heart was removed.” Independently, a Kempeitai interpreter bragged about the vivisection in the presence of Father Josef Leo Brenninkmeyer, a priest at Vunapope.

Gray’s coupe de grace: May, interview with author.

Chapter 6: Counterattack

Specifications of the PBY Catalina: Riddell, p. 1; also Swanborough & Bowers,
United States Navy Aircraft
, p. 100.

Details of first RAAF raid on Rabaul: Gillison, p. 365.

It was an amazing thing
… : Kingsland, interview with author. Nov. 29, 2005.

snatch a nap like children in kindergarten
: Minty, p. 10.

Observations of Private Hisaeda: Captured diary, Jan. 24, 1942. AWM 3DRL/4005.

RAAF damage claims: Gillison, p. 365.

Japanese friendly fire incident: AWM 54 (423/4/158).

Follow-up raid and observations of Lieutenant Duigan: Gillison, p. 365.

RAAF Shocks Japs
: Sydney
Sun
, Jan. 28, 1942, p. 1.

Enemy aircraft frequently invaded
… : AWM 54 (423/4/162).

Repairs to Lakunai: Japanese Monograph No. 120, Outline of Southeast Area Naval Operations, p. 5.

encourage the Army engineer troops
… : Hata & Izawa,
Japanese Naval Aces and Fighter Units in World War II
, p. 103.

Arrival of first Imperial Navy fighter units: Ibid., pp. 103–4.

Capabilities and limitations of Mitsubishi A5M: Francillon, p. 347.

Air combat between Hemsworth and Nishizawa: Gillison, pp. 448–49; also Guttmann, “The Devil,”
Aviation History
, July 1998, p. 44.

Hemsworth’s return to Port Moresby: Gillison, p. 448.

Ordeal of Captain Campbell and crew: Ibid., pp. 449–50.

Capture and development of Gasmata air base: Bullard, p. 38.

Lerew’s attack on Gasmata: McAulay, p. 194–95.

Interception by Japanese fighters: Tagaya, correspondence with author, Feb. 8, 2004.

Damage to Japanese transports: McAulay, p. 194–96.

Chapter 7: Stronghold

Japanese occupation of Rabaul and construction statistics: United States Strategic Bombing Survey,
The Allied Campaign Against Rabaul
, pp. 11–18.

Details of antiaircraft defenses and ground defenses: Ibid., pp. 11–14.

Details of infrastructure: Ibid., pp. 15–18.

Specifications of antiaircraft weapons:
Intelligence Bulletin Vol. I, No. 8
, pp. 72–76; also
Vol. III, No. 2
, pp. 47–48.

Radar and early warning at Rabaul: United States Strategic Bombing Survey, pp. 15–16.

Other details regarding the development of Rabaul were found in AWM 54 (208/2/4), containing ATIS translations of miscellaneous captured documents, and in AWM 55 (12/140), ATIS Information Request Report No. 103, Japanese statements and diary excerpts relating to prisoners of war, May 4, 1944.

Chapter 8: Task Force 11

Assessment of Yamamoto’s chief of staff: Ugaki,
Fading Victory
, p. 81.

Background of Task Force 11 and the ANZAC command: Lundstrom,
The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway
, pp. 84–87.

Reconnaissance findings at Rabaul on Feb. 16: Gillison, p. 451.

Mitsubishi Type 1 specifications: Francillon, p. 386.

Critique of weight-saving measures: Tagaya,
Mitsubishi Type 1
, p. 10.

Progress of Task Force 11 from Fiji: Lundstrom, pp. 85–87.

Plentiful shipping targets
… : Sherman, p. 80.

Plans for B-17 support: Salaker,
Fortress Against the Sun
, p. 145.

Detection of Task Force 11 by flying boats: Lundstrom, pp. 88, 91.

Launching and vectoring of Wildcats: Ibid., pp. 88–91.

Chapter 9: Medal of Honor: Edward H. “Butch” O’Hare

Profile of Lieutenant Commander Thach: Lundstrom, p. 38.

Downing of first Japanese flying boat, including Thach’s observations: Thach, “
The Red Rain of Battle
,”
Collier’s
, p. 15.

Shoot-down of second flying boat: Lundstrom, pp. 93–94.

Admiral Goto’s decision to send Type 1 bombers: Ibid., pp. 94–95.

Goto’s message to the 4th Air Group: Quoted in Osaka
Mainichi
, Mar. 10, 1942, p 2.

Configuration of Type 1 cockpit seating: Tagaya, correspondence with author, Jan. 4, 2004.

Off we went
… : Osaka
Mainichi
, Mar. 10, 1942, p. 2.

Ito’s decision to separate the 1st and 2nd
Chutais
: Lundstrom, pp. 97–98.

Admiral Brown’s decision to call off the raid: Ibid., p. 94.

Background and capabilities of USS
Lexington
: Johnson,
Queen of the Flattops
, pp. 2, 19–23.

a perfect day for bombing
: Sherman,
Combat Command
, p. 81.

Details of 2nd Chutai’s attack on
Lexington
: Lundstrom, pp. 97–10; also Tagaya,
Mitsubishi Type 1 Units
, pp. 36–37.

Destruction of the 2nd Chutai: Ewing & Lundstrom,
Fateful Rendezvous
, pp. 124–28. (The O’Hare biography contains revisions over Lundstrom’s earlier landmark work,
The First Team
, which remains unparalleled as a moment-by-moment account.)