RNZAF activity in the Pacific, 1944

[aircraftclocks]

28 MAY

Twenty-two SBD's and 17 TBF's encountered intense and accurate heavy and automatic AA fire in a 0945 strike on Vunakanau. One New Zealand TBF and its crew—Flight Lieut. M. Greenslade, Flight Lieut. Morrison and Flight Sgt. McLeod—were lost. One SBD suffered minor damage, while one TBF came home with 15 holes and two members of the crew wounded. The Piva planes carried 41x100#, 21x1000# and 67x500# bombs. The target also was attacked by SBD's from Emirau, fighter-bombers and B-25's. Photographs showed 14 new craters in the concrete runway, one auto AA destroyed and one 105 mm., possibly damaged by a near hit.
The Torokina-Rabaul sweep and the Rabaul shipping count, each handled by one PV, were negative. The PV on the Able search dropped 3x500# on Tahilahi and 3x500# bombs at a jetty on Cape Lalahan. The PV on the Charlie search dropped 6x500# bombs demolishing a building and several huts at Koromira Mission. Five PV's hit Namatanai at 0820, causing several small fires and one large one in the supply and personnel area. They dropped 28x500# bombs and expended 8700 rounds in strafing.
Gardens at Takapa were oiled by four TBF's on Potato Runs. Two SBD's reported negative on a special submarine search.

       Planes Assigned          Planes in Commission
Piva 48 SBD 41 TBF 15 PV  46 SBD 32 TBF 12 PV

[aircraftclocks]

29 MAY

Thirty-six Dauntless hit Hospital Ridge AA guns while 12 TBF's were hitting the Nordup supply area. The SBD's dropped 33x1000# and 65x100# bombs in the area of the guns and the TBF's released 45x500# bombs in the supply area. AA fire was meager and inaccurate to accurate, damaging three planes.
Five PV's, prowling for targets of opportunity from Cape Gazelle to the Warangoi River, released 28x500# bombs on huts and buildings. The PV on the Able search razed two huts in dropping 6x500# bombs.
The Torokina-Rabaul rescue patrol, handled by a PV, was negative.
Six TBF's, on Potato Runs, oiled gardens at Tokapa and Baniu Harbor, while three escorting TBF's bombed and strafed targets of opportunity in the northeast section of Bougainville.

       Planes Assigned          Planes in Commission
Piva 48 SBD 39 TBF 15 PV  45 SBD 32 TBF 12 PV

[aircraftclocks]

30 MAY

A projected strike on Vunapope was weathered out.
One PV was sent to investigate a possible submarine 25 miles off Motupena. Point. The plane sighted a whale, but no sub. The Able search PV dropped 6x500# bombs on huts and possible supply areas. The PV on the Charlie search started a fire with 2x500# bombs at Runai.
Two Avengers sprayed two acres of gardens west of Baniu Harbor with 150 gallons of oil. Two Dauntless flew weather hops.
VT 305, Lieut. A.V. Vorndam, USNR, commanding, was detached.

       Planes Assigned          Planes in Commission
Piva 47 SBD 17 TBF 15 PV  45 SBD 16 TBF 12 PV

[aircraftclocks]

31 MAY

Eleven SBD's and 12 TBF's struck the Talili Bay supply area and AA guns at 0935 with 11x1000# and 133x100# bombs. AA fire was meager to intense, inaccurate to accurate, and brought down one TBF in flames over the target. Missing were Pilot Sgt. W.A. Trulove, Pilot Sgts. Harehart and Brown.
Five PV's, hitting targets of opportunity from Makudukudu Bay to Labur Bay with 25x500# bombs, started a fire, destroyed at least one hut and wrecked a jetty. The PV's on the Torokina-Rabaul patrol and Rabaul shipping count reported negative. The Able search PV dropped 6x500# bombs and 2500 leaflets. The Charlie search PV tried for buildings on the Fauro Islands and in the Buin district with 6x500# bombs. Two, of four Potato Run TBF's, were stymied by mechanical difficulties and could not oil Jap gardens. The other two planes put 150 gallons of oil on a garden at Papas.
VB 306, Lieut. Cmdr. Claybrook B. Cottingham, USNR, was detached.

       Planes Assigned          Planes in Commission
Piva 43 SBD 17 TBF 15 PV  43 SBD 16 TBF 12 PV

[aircraftclocks]

1 JUNE

Vunapope AA guns were the targets at 0955 for 12 Dauntless, which dropped 11x1000# and 22x100# bombs. Twelve Avengers—scheduled to hit a Vunapope supply area nt the same time the SBD's were attacking the guns—became separated from the SBD's and reported only 40 bombs in the target area. They released 113x100# bombs, including 63 on Cape St. George and 10 on the Duke of York Island.
Five PV's distributed a total bomb load of 30x500# over the Duke of York Island, destroying at least nine buildings and starting several fires. The Able and Charlie search PV's each released 6x500# bombs, which resulted in several small fires. The Torokina-Rabaul sweep was negative.
Of 12 SBD's and nine TBF's scheduled to hit Sohana Island at 1500 only three SBD's got through, the others being turned back by weather. Three dropped 2x1000# northwest of the Bonis strip and 1x1000# on Sohana.

       Planes Assigned          Planes in Commission
Piva 26 SBD 17 TBF 15 PV  26 SBD 15 TBF 12 PV