Fortress Rabaul (66 page)

This is our chance to get Yamamoto ...
: Davis, p. 227.

Nimitz gives approval for the mission: Ibid., pp. 228–33.

Attack Y-1, Apr. 14, 1943: Monograph No. 122, pp. 43, 48; also Tagaya, p. 70.

Results of attack Y-1:
General Kenney Reports
, p. 230; Monograph No. 122, p. 43.

Today’s operations… a great success
… : Ugaki, p. 328.

Overall Japanese claims compiled on Apr. 16: Ugaki, pp. 329–30.

more than ten vessels were sunk
… : Asai, p. 209.

Belief in dominance of the Zero: Yoshimura, p. 160.

While their numbers were small
… : Ibid., p. 161.

Situation report from General Adachi: Ugaki, p. 351.

Admiral Johima’s protest: Akawa, p. 347.

Yamamoto’s wardrobe: Ugaki diary, p. 353. A year after the event, Ugaki wrote a highly detailed account of the journey, covering such topics as the weather and his appearance in uniform; also Agawa, p. 360 (details of Yamamoto’s sword).

Yamamoto and his staff board their bombers: Tagaya, p. 71.

Positioning of formation: Ugaki, p. 353. Riding in the second plane, the chief of staff trailed the lead bomber in standard echelon formation on the left. Ugaki wrote that he “could clearly see the commander in chief in the skipper’s seat,” a reference to the aircraft commander’s position on the left side of the cockpit. On this day, Chief Petty Officer Kotani served as both commander
and
chief pilot. He therefore occupied the right-hand seat, which made the left seat available to Admiral Yamamoto as a special privilege.

POWs at Ballale: Wall,
Kill the Prisoners
, p. 115.

First raid on Ballale: Hammell,
Air War Pacific
, p. 124.

Lieutenant Jacobson’s concerns: Jacobson, “Julius, His Story,” p. 33.

Mitchell’s pinpoint navigation: Davis, p. 254.

Bogeys, ten o’clock high!
: Canning, “The Yamamoto Mission,”
dougcanning.com/yamamoto1943.html
.

It got noisy for a while
… : Ugaki, pp. 353–54.

Mitchell considered
a magician
: Jacobson, p. 33.

Mitchell’s radio call to
skin ’em off
… : Canning.

Instructions to get Yamamoto
at any cost
: Sherrod,
History of Marine Corps Aviation
, p. 139.

I cannot understand why
… : Jacobson, p. 34.

Maneuvering by Lanphier and Barber: Davis, pp. 259–62; also Canning.

Barber’s first gunnery pass: Davis, pp. 261–62.

The first plane was staggering
… : Ugaki, p. 354.

The enemy P-38 rapidly closed in
… : Ibid.

Crack-up of second bomber: Davis, p. 269.

a big hole in his throat
: Ugaki, p. 357.

Fate of Lieutenant Hine: Davis, p. 269.

I got Yamamoto!
: Lanphier, quoted in Davis, p. 276.

This indicates to me
… : Canning, interview with author, Apr. 10, 2009.

The disappointing and shocking report
… :
Naval Air Group 204
, pp. 185–86.

Evidence of fire at crash site: Agawa, p. 355.

a burned-out hulk
: Ibid., p. 358.

This alone would have killed him
… : Ibid., p. 362.

News releases in Japan:
Mainichi Daily News
, May 21 and May 23, 1943.

Funeral procession and imperial address: Ibid., June 6, 1943.

Processional banner slogan: Ibid.

“
Fleet Admiral Yamamoto
” lyrics: Ibid.

Details of new Joint Cheifs of Staff directives: Morton, p. 641.

Epilogue

“
Rabaul My Love
” lyrics: Translated by Herbert S. Kadowaki from a cassette recording of
Songs of War-Time Japan 1937–1945
. (A teenager during World War II, Setsuzo Kadowaki lived with his grandmother in Kyoto, Japan.)

Selected Bibliography

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Birdsall, Steve.
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Bloomfield, David.
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Bowman, Alice.
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Bowman, Martin.
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Brosius, J. W.
The Marauder: A Book of the 22nd Bomb Group
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Byrd, Martha.
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Bullard, Steven (translator).
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Chihaya, Masataka (translator).
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Christy, Joe, and Jeffery Ethell.
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Clairingbould, Michael.
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———.
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Clayton, James.
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Cook, Haruko, and Theodore Cook.
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Cox, Douglas.
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Craven, Wesley, and John Cate.
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———. The Army Air Forces in World War II: Plans & Early Operations, January 1939 to August 1942
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Gamble, Bruce.
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Gorham, J. R., and C. J. L. Hewett.
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Griffith, Thomas.
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Hasluck, Paul.
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Hata, Ikuhiko, and Yasuho Izawa.
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Henebry, John.
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Hickey, Lawrence et al.
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Ichimura, Hiroshi.
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Johnson, R. W., and N. A. Threlfall.
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Johnston, George.
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Joint Army-Navy Assessment Committee (JANAC).
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Lundstrom, John.
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———. The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942
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Manchester, William.
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Martin, Charles et al.
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McAulay, Lex.
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———. We Who Are About to Die: The Story of John Lerew—A Hero of Rabaul, 1942
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———.
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