RNZAF activity in the Pacific, 1944

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Day Ending 0800 18 June 1944.

RABAUL SWEEPS:
Fourteen Torokina F4Us swept the Rabaul area, with one sweep taking in part of New Ireland as well. All told they fired four trucks, exploded one, smoked 6 and damaged 4 more. In addition two huts at Massawa Plantation were fired and moke rose from 3 more at Rapitok. Between Nukudukudu Bay and Rura Pt. a beached small boat was damaged and in Labur Bay a canoe strafed. What appeared to be two Jap bodies were floating nearby.
The four trucks fired and 4 of those damaged were part of a concentration of 20, apparently engaged on road construction work between Tongol and Ravalue.
One pilot was rescued by Dumbo from St. George's Channel after his plane had been hit by AA.

TARGET: RABAUL AA
All Rabaul strikes yesterday were again concentrated on AA targets. SBDs and TBFs went for guns in the Rapopo area (target C). Photos showed one auto gun destroyed in a position round which SBDs claimed 5 hits. Photos did not cover another position in the area of which five more bombs fell. TBFs put 10 big bombs in the target area. Only meagre and inaccurate auto and M/G fire was encountered. Two 40' barges off Rapopo looked new.
The next target to the west (D) was hit by 24 Mitchell, which reported all their quarter tonners in the target area.
Nearer Tobera, 9 PBJs aimed for target E. One third of their bombs hit in the area, with the remainder several hundred yards E of Tobera strip. For both B25s and PBJs AA was heavy, meagre and inaccurate.
The same target was hit by 11 P38s, who reported that their half tonners walked through the area. They claimed hits on two groups of guns. Photos revealed no damage but one of the position, on which 2 hits were claimed, was not covered. Heavy and auto AA was moderate and fairly accurate.
Emirau's contribution was an attack by 37 SBDs on the same target as the B25s hit. The pilots report good coverage. Heavy AA and M/G fire was meagre and inaccurate.

For the Record:

18 SBDs   VMSB 236   0945 load 1x1000 drop. 17x1000
11 TBFs    NZ 31         0945 "     1x2000 "       10x2000
24 B25s   42nd Grp     0947 "     6x300   "       144x500 from 11,100'
9 PBJs     VMB(M)423  1000 "     8x250   "       72x250    "     12,400'
11 P38s  339th           0948 "     2x1000 "        21x1000 "      6000'
37 SBDs Emirau         1020 "     1x1000 "        33x1000

BOUGAINVILLE
The "Potato Run" TBFs and the F4U fighter sweeps held the stage alone over Bougainville. Three pairs of TBFs went out and 4 of the planes sprayed gardens in the Gohi area. The F4Us had no special excitement.

SEARCHES FOR JUNE 17
The Rabaul ship count was negative.
The Green Baker 34 searches were full track and cover with negative results.
The Rabaul-Torokina sweep was negative.
The Able search New Zealand Ventura dropped 4x500 on a village near Lalum destroying 1 hut and 2x500 on Tsinope destroying 7 huts. The natives at Amun waved at the plane.
The Charlie search New Zealand Ventura dropped 2x500 on Vito destroying 6 huts. Much track activity was observed around Kieta.
On the Emirau Baker 31 searches 5 Baker had 100% track and cover with negative results. 8 Baker had 100% track and 95% cover with negative results. 4 Baker 100% track and cover sighting a sawdust trail 25 yards long 3 yards wide at Kapingamarangi. 2 Baker had 80% track and cover sighting 20 to 30 unidentified planes of which 15 were bombers and the rest fighters. 6 fighters chased but were outdistanced.
The special sub search by 3 NZ Venturas in St. George Channel was negative.

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Day Ending 0800 19 June 1944.

RABAUL SWEEPS: Twelve Torokina F4Us on Rabaul area, and New Ireland sweeps (three 4 plane missions) found fewer targets than usual. A truck loaded with lumber was smoked in the Kabaira Bay area. This mission received a few puffs of AA from Namatanai. Another quartet of F4Us spotted a 30 yard channel in from the Labur Bay shoreline which they thought might lead to a barge hide. A bridge spanned the channel at the shore-line and the road appeared much used.

RABAUL PATROLS: Green fighters reported seeing at 1800 from 10,000 feet, 11 Zekes and Tojos (at least) taxiing on Vunakanau runway and taxi-ways. A "tree-top" run was made over the area at 1850 and several planes all new, or freshly painted dark brown, with meat balls on both wings were reported seen. Much truck activity was noted with other truck activity at Lakunai and Tobera.

KAVIENG BLOCKADE: Emirau planes (unreported number) dropped a reported 51 half-tonners on Kavieng area without observed results.

TARGET: RALUM
Ralum supply area, which has been receiving a considerable amount of attention lately, was attacked by SBDs and TBFs which reported good coverage of the area with 110x100 and 12x1000, bombs. Black smoke was seen to rise from the area. AA was practically non-existent, only a few bursts being noted. One TBF, returning early, dropped 12x100 on Puto (NW Bougainville).

For the Record:

17 SBDs VMSB 235 1124 load 1x1000 drop. 17x1000
11 TBFs  NZ 31      1124 load 12x100    "     110x100

TARGET: SOUTH NEW IRELAND

Two PVs searching for barges between Cape St. George and Labur Bay found none but reported destroying 2 buildings at Vlaputur Plantation, one at Tambakar Plantation, 3 large huts on Ningin Island, 3 huts at Bom and a house north of Bom. Much activity was noted in the area and the road from Bom to Namatanai appeared well used.

For the Record:

2 PVs NZ 9 0600 - 0945 load 6x500 dropped 12x500

Five other PVs on the squadron's main strike covered the Borpop-Namatanai stretch. They caused 1 large and three small fires at Himau Plts, fired a hut at Cape Dinga, destroyed two huts at Hilalon Pltn and fired a long building at Metankuk. Strafing of huts at Magen Pltn caused white smoke to 200'.

For the Record:

5 PVs NZ 9 0750 - 1135 load 6x500 drop. 29x500

BOUGAINVILLE

There were no fighter-bomber sorties over Bougainville yesterday. F4Uss on one of the several fighter sweeps riddled an empty 25 ft boat beached at the NW end of Soraken Plantation. This mission received meagre inaccurate light AA from Kangu Hill and an inaccurate burst from a 20 or 37 mm gun on the beach at the S end of Kahili strip.

Another F4U mission, which strafed a bridge at Kokeviko, received 50 bursts of possible M/G fire from Soraken Pltn.

Four TBFs went on "potato runs". Gardens were sprayed at Matetsiora and S of the Kurur River.

SEARCHES FOR JUNE 18

The Green Baker 34 searches were full truck and cover with negative results. No local Bougainville searches were flown today.
The Torokina-Rabaul sweep was negative.
On the Emirau Baker 31 searches 4 Baker was negative with 70 percent track and cover. 2 Baker with full track and 60 percent cover sighted an unidentified aircraft 120 miles west of Satawan at height of 15000 feet and on an undetermined course. 5 Baker had full track 85 percent cover sighting at 1335 two 5-man and one two man life rafts which were empty at 02-45 N, 149-20 E. Dumbo was on the scene. 8 Baker 31 had bad weather which reduced track to 60 percent and cover to 50 percent.

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Day ending 0800 June 20 1944

GREEN ISLAND FIGHTERS:
One of the Green Island fighters patrols pilots reported seeing increased qualities of stores and supplies in the area south of Raluana Pt. and west of Kuradui and Malapau Plantations. Afternoon patrols reported numerous small fires on the south slope of the Mother and large fires SE of Keravat, near Varzin Plantation and W of Ragaga Bay.

EMIRAU FIGHTERS OVER KAVIENG:
Twelve two-plane fighter patrols over Kavieng dropped 24 quarter tonners with unobserved results.

TOROKINA F4U SWEEPS:
20 F4Us of NZ 18 squadron collected another batch of truck scalps on Rabaul - New Ireland sweeps. Six trucks and a command car were left in flames, four more smoking. Most of these were in the Kabaira - Liguan Bay area. Six or eight Nips sprinted out of a hut S of Tovarkundum Pltn as it went up in flames - and maybe a few of their brethern were not so lucky. Two more huts E of Old Massava Plantation were smoked, plus 3 at Kamanakam. One mission had a careful look over Vunakanau at 1700. At the NW end of the strip on the S side they saw, parked wing-tip to wing-tip two single-engine fighters which looked to them either good planes or excellent dummies. Pilots commented that there was ample room to hide aircraft around the revetments at the SE end of the strip.

TARGET: NUMA NUMA AND NEARBY
Two strikes of seven NZ PVs hit the Numa Numa area, one concentrating on that locality and the other extending its operations to Cape Mabiri. The first strike observed only two small fires in the Numa Numa Plantation area, the second two small fires at Cap Mabiri. Strafing expended 35,000 rounds of ammunition.

For the Record:
7 PVs NZ 9 0900 load 6x500 drop. 37x500
7 PVs NZ 9 1220 - 1310 " 6x500 " 37x500

Apart from fighter patrols there was no other activity over Bougainville. One pair of F4Us strafed and left sagging a suspension bridge between Tailf and Katitj Islands. Possible light AA, fairly accurate came from the hills on either side of the passage between the two islands.

SEARCHES FOR JUNE 19:
Sector designations will be used to describe search planes areas instead of plane calls to conform with SoWesPac search plan Able.
Beefsteak search planes in sectors Sugar, Tare, Uncle and Victor had 100% track and 90% cover with negative results.
Squarepeg search planes in sectors Xray, Yoke and Zebra had full track and cover with negative results. Sector William was 50 miles short due to a communication failure.
The Torokina - Rabaul sweep was negative.
No local searches were flown.

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Day Ending 0800, 21 June 1944.

TOROKINA FIGHTER SWEEPS
Eleven F4Us on Rabaul sweeps smoked a truck and a car and hit another truck. A native hut went up in flames. Trucks were noted in revetments in the Talili Bay area and in Kurakakaul Pltn. After strafing Kurakakaul Pltn. one F4U crashed and burst into flames. No AA was seen at that point, though there had been some earlier.

TARGET: RABAUL AA
AA positions in two of the three disignated target area between Rapopo and Tobera (C and D) were worked over again yesterday. Later photos showed one auto gun destroyed in target C (S of Rapopo).
24 B25s put quarter tonners into target C, most being aimed at the centre gun positions and 25% at the guns in the south of the area. AA fire was meagre, heavy and inaccurate.
A force of 34 Emirau SBDs dropped 16 1/2 tons on the same target with unobserved results. Meagre inaccurate AA holed one SBD.
Piva SBDs and TBFs hit positions in target D. SBDs reported two hits on one position of 3 heavy guns and hits around five other positions. TBFs put 44 quarter tonners on the target area. TBFs received meagre but fairly accurate heavy fire on their approach, also an intense but inaccurate barrage of heavy fire from Tobera. Meagre light M/G fire came from the vicinity of Gredner Island on the planes' retirement.
P38s, 10 strong, set out to hit target D but their bombs landed to the W of it with unobserved results. SBDs were bombing at the time the P38s were there. There was no AA.

For the Record:
24 B25s 42nd Gr.    1035 load 6x500 dropped 144x500 from 10,000'
17 SBDs VMSB 235 0950 " 1x1000 " 17x1000
12 TBFs NZ 31           "   " 4x500   " 44x500
10 P38s 339th       1020 " 2x1000 " 19x1000 from 4,000'
34 SBDs Emirau    1015 " 1x1000 " 33x1000 1 dam.

TARGET: DUNUP TO LABUR BAY
Five PVs ranging along the SW coast of New Ireland started a large fire at Dunup Pltn; destroyed two buildings in a small plantation S of Labur Bay; demolished 2 large buildings one smaller one and 3 huts and fired another hut at Vlaputur; fired two huts in a village just S of Bom; and a house at Marumut.

Observations: Dredged creek running from coast through Watakan Pltn. and 2 long low thatched huts along creek in plantation. Just N of Labur Bay pilots sighted a 30x150 ft. ramp running from the shore to a wide road in good condition which winds back into the hills.

For the Records:

5 PVs NZ 9 0920-1000 load 6x500 dropped 27x500

OVER BOUGAINVILLE

F4Us from Torokina were busy on Bougainville sweeps yesterday, 22 taking part in 6 missions. Quite a few Nip hearts beat faster as 50 calibre bullets whizzed round them and at least three stopped beating altogether. These were caught fording the Mibo River and their bodies were seen floating in the water.
Off Fauro Island six Nips put desperate energy into a "Pull for the shore, Brothers" act in their outrigger canoe. Just as they scrambled under the trees the strafers opened fire but how the Nips fared could not be determined. Huts and jetties in the Fauro Island area were strafed by two missions with unobserved results except for smoking one jetty.
Two missions went for the bridge between Katitj and Tadof Island with unobserved results. Three planes had a tilt with a probable 20 mm gun in the jungle of the bridge. For the first 3 runs the gun kept up a regular fire. Then possibly hit, it ceased. A brief fire was caused among two huts at Cape Mahiri.
Following a sighting of trucks at Lalua by the Able search PV, 2 F4Us escorted the same PV back to the scene. The F4Us strafed and then saw the PV destroy two trucks with direct hits with 500 pounders.
Two pairs of TBFs prowled round looking for more gardens to oil.

SEARCHES FOR JUNE 20

Beefsteak search planes had 100% track 80% cover in sector Sugar, 90% track 60% cover in sector Victor, 75% track 40% cover in sector Tare, 70% track 40% cover, in sector Jake, all with negative results.
Squarepeg search planes with full track had negative results. Sector Xray had 85% cover, sector Yoke 70% cover, sector William 75% cover and sector Zebra 90% cover.
The Able search New Zealand PV dropped 4x500 on a garden area south of Puto, and 1x500 in the Tainopo area fires 4 huts. A possible truck park was observed 50 yards inland in line with Lalum Town and observed 2 well camouflaged trucks under some trees.
The Charlie search New Zealand PV dropped 3x500 on a bridge at Iwi Plantation, and 1x500 missed a jetty in Arawa Bay. Much campfire was observed rising from the jungle west of Kieta.
The Rabaul - Torokina sweep was negative.

PERSONNEL CHANGE

22 June, 1944 - Wing Comdr. F.R. NEWELL, RNZAF, assumed duties as Assistant Operations Officer, Commander Aircraft Northern Solomons.

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Day Ending 0800 22 June 1944.

TARGET DUKE OF YORK ISLAND
Results of a strike by 4 PVs on the Duke of York Islands added up as follows: Four large huts and one toher building destroyed on Duke of York Island (N end); five huts destroyed on Nakada Island; one large building destroyed, plus six small and three large fires near Wakada strip.

For the Record:

4 PVs NZ 9 0920 - 1010 load 6x500 dropped 22x500

BOUGAINVILLE
Twenty NZ F4Us in sweeps over Bougainville reported the following: Pair of ill-clad Nips collecting shellfish off C Hanapan believed liquidated; five emtpy outrigger canoes destroyed at Matzungan Island; 2- story house and 4 native huts smoked 1 1/2 miles N of Sagan; 20 grums on small Island 1 mile E of Sankau Island burst open and completely burnt out; dam 150 yds inland from Umam R. mouth holed (meagre inaccurate light from S of Lemannanu Mission); piles of 40 and 50 metal drums on Sankaw Island strafed, resulting in black smoke to 500 ft and red-orange flames; grey smoke seen after strafing of cave entrance and lean-tops in cave between C Totabu and Malasang; large house near shore end of Kieta pier smoked.

Four SBDs were scrambled to seek a reported burning ship in Matchin Bay but found nothing.

Two TBFs sprayed gardens SW of Kieta strip. Strafing also fired 2 huts S of Kieta Hbr.

SEARCHES FOR JUNE 21
Beefsteak searches in sectors Victor, Sugar and Uncle had 100% track and 90% cover. Plane in sector Tare landed at Momote due to weather. All were negative.
Squarepeg searches in sectors William and Xray had full track with 95% track and 100% cover. Sector Yoke had 100% track and cover. Sector Zebra had 95% track and 100% cover. All were negative.
Local Able search New Zealand PV dropped 2x500 on huts at Lalus with unobserved results, and 2x500 demolished 3 long sheds at Kaisinkoveri raising a column of black smoke to 500 feet.
The Rabaul - Torokina sweep was cancelled.
The Rabaul shipping count was negative.

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Day Ending 0800 June 23 1944

TARGET: NORDUP
Torokina and Treasury based strikes were concertrated on the Nordup area. Arriving first 24 B25s in six-plane sections mostly achieved good bombing. Two fires smoked to 300'. Meagre and generally inaccurate medium and heavy AA from Nordup and Lakunai holed 1 plane.
SBDs and TBFs increased the damage, reporting that a smoke pall hung over the area to 500 ft, with one column of black smoke rising to 1200 ft. AA was meagre and inaccurate from the target area, moderate from Hospital Ridge and intense but inaccurate from Sulphur Creek.
Hitting to the east of the target of the other two strikes, 10 P38s put 12 bombs in the area and 4 more in the area hit by the earlier raiders. Intense and accurate light AA damaged one plane. Heavy AA was meagre and inaccurate.

For the Record:

24 B25s 42nd Gr.    0959 load 6x500 drop.   144x500 1010 from 10,800' 1 dam.
18 SBDs VMSB 235 1020 load 1x1000 drop. 18x1000
12 TBFs NZ 31        "       load 4x500 "        46x500
10 P38s 339th        1043 "      2x1000 "       20x1000 from 4000' 1 dam.

TARGET: RALUM
A force of Emirau SBDs with a cover of 3 F4Us put 18 bombs into one of the Ralum supply areas, seeing two hits on buildings. Heavy AA was meagre and inaccurate.

For the Record:

22 SBDs Emirau 1035 load 1x1000 drop. 20x1000

TARGET: LABUR BAY AREA
Four PVs returned to the Labur Bay area. The slipway north of the bay was knocked out by 5 hits and smoke rose to 500 ft. after an incendiary had fired a long hut. In the Matakan area one shed was destroyed and another damaged. An apparently serviceable 45 ft. camouglaged barge drawn up on ths beach by Matakan Plantation was fired by strafing which also caused an explosion and several small fires nearby. Roads in the area appeared well used.

For the Record:

4 PVs NZ 9 0915-1015 load 6x500 drop. 20x500

BOUGAINVILLE
The few sweeps yesterday started off by spotting a 30 ft barge under way in Ton-olei Hbr. A beached but apparently serviceable barge located at Lalahan was set smoking. In Aropa plantation a new building of some size was located.
Two TBFs spraying missions operated on gardens at Poroporo and SW of Kieta strip.

SEARCHES FOR JUNE 22

Beefsteak search planes in sectors Sugar, Tare, Uncle, and Victor were negative with 100% track and 85 to 100% cover.
Squarepeg search planes in sectors William, Xray, Yoke and Zebra were negative with full track and 90% cover except sector Xray with 60% cover due to a heavy front.
Special search by New Zealand Ventura to Kilinailau and Tau Islands was negative. They saw only waving natives on the islands.
The local Able search by NZ Ventura dropped 1x500 for a direct hit on a garden at Lalum fired a hut at Tahatsi, and fired 5 huts in village south of Cape Putputun. The Lalum - Tsinope - Tsimba area was strafed with unobserved results.
The local Charlie search was cancelled.
The Rabaul - Torokina sweep was negative.
The Shipping count was negative.

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Day Ending 0800 24 June 1944.

TOROKINA F4U ACTIVITIES
Seven F4Us reinforced the morning bombing attacks on AA positions near Rapopo with a strafing mission in the afternoon. They report covering the area well without visible result. No activity was noted on the ground. Eleven other F4Us participated in sweeps in the Rabaul area. One truck was fired 1 mile N of Mope and two others in different locations smoked. A new-looking iron-roofed hut just below the Merai R was smoked also and a barge on a reef half-way between Cape Palliser and Rugen Hbr. was strafed with unobserved results. On one missions return journey 3 fully-equipped Jap soldiers were seen running along the beach a mile north of the mouth of the Sarime R. One F4U made a water landing apparently because of engine trouble in the Cape Palliser area. The pilot was picked up Dumbo.

TARGET: RAPOPO AA
With one exception all Rabaul strikes yeseterday were directed at the remaining AA guns in the much-bombed area Charlie, near Rapopo. SBDs and TBFs reported several direct and other damaging hits. The area looked to be well covered and a cloud of smoke and dust arose. From 400 ft the SBDs reported that the northern group of heavy guns appeared to have been abandoned and other positions gave the same impression. There was no AA from the target but light to moderate and inaccurate MG came from the shore 2000 yds W of Rapopo, possible auto from 1000 yds SW of the runway from Grodnor Island. No planes were hit. When a TBF was passing over the coast at kabanga Bay a long stream of white smoke went past its wing, giving the plane a definite jolt. B25s put 144 quarter tonners on the area around the guns, reporting two positions well covered. Meagre medium and heavy AA was generally inaccurate but one plane was slightly damaged. P38s reported a good bomb pattern, with most of the bursts bracketing the centre auto emplacement. In the NW corner of the target they touched off a large orange-flamed explosion which sent smoke to 300'. There was no AA.
From Emirau 23 SBDs with a cover of 3 F4Us reported good coverage of the target area. No AA was received.
Photo interpreters were able to find no damage to the guns showing on photos.

For the Record:
18 SBDs VMSB 235 1026 load 1x1000 drop. 17x1000
12 TBFs  NZ 31       1026 " 4x500 " 48x500
24 B25s 42nd Gr     1000 " 6x500 " 144x500 from 9700' 1 dam.
14 P38s 339th        0950 " 2x1000 " 26x1000 from 6000'
23 SBDs Emirau      1040 " 1x1000 " 23x1000

TARGET: TOBERA
It was Tobera's turn to be the target of the training B24s' which dropped 190 centuries with 50 to 60% coverage. Photos showed new craters scattered over the runway, which was probably u/s.

For the record:
4 PVs 1017 drop. 190x100 from 18,000'.

TARGET: DUKE OF YORK
4 PVs over the Duke of York Islands destroyed a church, an unspecified building, 12 huts, a shed and a pier, in addition to starting a large fire on Mioko Island and others at Jacquinot Point, Muslim Is., and Utuan Island. They also searched unseccessfully for the missing PBJ from the previous night.

For the Record:
4 PVs 0934-1000 load 6x500 drop. 22x500.

OVER BOUGAINVILLE
At the fork of a river at Pomaua, inland from Arawa Bay, 4 F4Us riddled by strafing a 30x30 ft house, causing some smoke. There were signs of occupation. Other targets for this and another sweep were three huts well hidden at the edge of the jungle just W of Kiriwina Plantation, 6-8 huts at Rankana, and Visous trees in Arigua Plantation where the presence of Japs has been reported. In the morning two TBFs oiled for a second time a garden at Poroporo. The afternoon mission had a mishap when the oil ignited as the first plane released. In putting out the fire the navigator received moderate burns. The other plane did not release.

SEARCHES FOR JUNE 23
Beefsteak searches in sectors Sugar, Tare, Uncle Victor were all negative with full track and 95% cover.
Squarepeg searches in sectors William, Xray and Zebra were full track and cover. Sector Yoke reached the 100 mile mark and returned due to engine trouble with a cover of 20%.
The local Charlie search by New Zealand Ventura dropped 4x500 on buildings below Butchkombo damaging at least one, and burned 3 huts at Chiuorante with 1x500.
The local Able search was canceled.
The shipping count was negative.
The Rabaul-Torokina sweep was negative.
The special searches for the missing PBJ and 2 Wildcats were negative.

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Day Ending 0800 26 June 1944

TOROKINA F4U SWEEPS: Four F4Us on the first sweep opened proceedings briskly by firing a heavy truck at Vunakambi and picking off a Nip who leapt out. One of 4 stationary trucks E of the junction of the Kabaira Bay and Liguan Bay roads smoked slightly. Just south of Mope some 50 persons who "looked like Japs" were busy building defensive works, stripped to the waist. Three strafing runs were made, by which time all the toilers had vanished. Pilots reported that the whole coastal area from Cape Wanata to the Warangoi River mouth showed extensive new defense preparations. Another observation was a line of probable mines between Watom Island and Tawui Pt. at 50-75 yard intervals. One F4U collected two bullet holes near Kabagada Point.
Three other F4U's smoked a thatched hut SW of Keravat but on a well-hidden road N of the Bulup River they had the disappointment of seeing a six-wheeled truck loaded with soldiers disappear into the jungle before their guns could be brought to bear. The general area was strafed. One F4U returned with a small hole in the tailplane.
The final Rabaul area sweep of the day, by 4 planes, strafed 12 half-dressed Japs beside a beached raft 4 miles W. of C. Liguan, the Nips diving for the coconut palms. At Mandres Plantation a large tin-roofed building was smoked. Large columns of white smoke were rising from Vunapope at 1630. Eight F4Us in a sweep of the Wide Bay area strafed a bridge, then a wooden pier at the mouth of the Mevelo River, also several wooden huts, of which one smoked slightly.
Possible AA came from Kiep Plantation.

TARGET: RABAUL AA

Target "D" was again under fire yesterday. Twelve TBFs report good coverage of the target area, causing explosions, a large cloud of white smoke and two columns of black smoke to 2000 ft. The only AA seen consisted of two flashes from the target and possible MG from Grednor Island. Three or four possible mines were seen one mile E of Gredner Island.
From 14 P38s the same area received 27 half-tonners, the 28th hitting the water. One column of smoke rose to 300 ft. There was no AA. Eighteen Green Island SBDs also hit the same target, reporting good coverage and no AA fire.

Photos showed a fire burning 700 ft N of the southernmost AA positions.

For the Record:

12 TBFs NZ 31 1240 load 4x500 dropped 42x500
14 P38s 339th 1232 load 2x1000 " 28x1000 from 5000'
18 SBDs VMSB 235 1140

TARGET: MILIM AREA, WIDE BAY

Breaking new ground, 24 B25s dropped 288 frag clusters and fired 26,400 rounds into the Milim area, south Wido Bay, scene of a reported Nip concentation. No results could be seen, except that strafing fired several native - type huts. PVs and an F4U fighter sweep in the area at the same time agreed that two or three huts were sit on fire and grass fires started. One crew man only reported scattered inaccurate small arms fire.

Two PVs hitting the Milim - Waitavalo area destroyed two buildings at Milim and two buildings and four huts in Kalia Pltn. Many native-type huts and the usual plantation buildings were seen throughout the area down to Palmalmal.

For the Record:

24 B25s 42nd Gr 1000 1042 load 12 frag cls. drop. 288fr. cls. from 6000'
2 PVs NZ 9 1100 load 6x500 drop. 12x500

TARGET: CAPE ROLOSS BARGES
A pair of PVs went to Cape Roloss to finish off the three out of the five barges they hit the previous day and which might have remained serviceable. The barges were still there and after further bombing and strafing are reported definitely u/s. Incendiaries which fell on shore started two fires.

For the Record:

2 PVs NZ 9 load 6x500 drop. 10x500

BOUGAINVILLE SWEEPS
F4U sweeps over Bougainville (16 planes) smoked 3 camouflaged huts between Kunapopo and the Nagam River; sank a red navigation buoy between Taiof and Madehas Islands; fired one and smoked another of three large huts at Inus Plantation; (light AA flashed and two large puffs came from Inus Plantation. The fire was accurate at 2000'); smoked 4 huts at Monoitu Mission; possibly hit some of 12-15 Japs diving for foxholes in clearing N and NW of Kahili; strafed odd Nips on the W Buka and NW Bougainville coast and holed 2 small dinghies beached on Taurato Island, Tonolei.
Two pairs of TBFs sprayed gardens SW of Kieta and at Poroporo. At the former place the gardens, which were being visited for the third time, still looked green. At Poroporo, also having its third visit, crops were turning yellow.

SEARCH - FOR JUNE 25

Beefsteak searches in sectors Tare, Uncle, and Victor had 100% track and 80 to 90% cover. All were negative. Sector Sugar with 100% track and cover reported a Black PBY at 05 degrees north 150.18 degrees east at 1200 Love.
This plane is probably a search plane from overlapping sector. Squarepeg searches in all sectors had full track 91% cover with negative results.
The speical search for the missing PBJ was negative. The local Able and Charlie searches were canceled. The Rabaul - Torokina sweep was negative. The shipping count was negative.
The Torokina - Cape Archway sweep was negative.

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Day Ending 0800 27 June 1944.

The fourth of the scheduled PBJ blockaders over Rabaul on the night of June 25-26 was grounded by weather. Of the other three two visited Kavieng as well as Rabaul, their bombs being dropped with unobserved results. An unidentified plane was sighted 5000 feet below the first PBJ.
The dusk PV(N) had a momentary radar bogey contact shown at 1900' when it was itself flying at 3000' over Watom Island. At 1805 the PV saw a large fire and white smoke rising from the woods one mile NE of Vunakanau. The fire continued throughout the patrol. The dawn PV(N) was weathered out.
The first two Rabaul fighter patrols from Green Island on the 26th were weathered out. The others were negative. Some bombs were dropped on Vunakanau, Ralum and Tobera. Light or medium inaccurate flak came from Vunakanau and Rapopo.
Fighter patrols over Kavieng dropped 8 quarter-tonners on the strip and town area. One pilot bailed out at 1705 when his F4U flamed from an unreported cause. He was seen in a boat between Dyaul and Roi Islands and a rescue attempt by PTs was planned for last night.

SWEEPS FROM TOROKINA:
Neither of two Torokina F4U sweeps were able to reach the Rabaul area because of weather. The midday one returned but the earlier one fired and exploded a camouflaged truck a mile south of the Warabu River and strafed another in Londip Plantation without observed result. Intermittent light M/G and rifle fire was received during the 45 minutes the fighters spent over the latter target and 2 F4Us were holed through the wings by 30 calibre bullets.
It was noted that more work had been done on the coastal trench system between Mope and Kabanga Bay. Just S of the Kabanga River mouth a leaf-covered awning sloping from the beach to the side of a hill and appearing to run into the hill was seen. In Londip Pltn. several possible camouflaged supply dumps were spotted under the palm trees.
Eight F4Us strafing in the Milim - Waitavalo area attacked several groups of buildings, some already damaged, smoking 6 wooden buildings plus a large tin-roofed shed.

TARGET: MILIM
B25s and PVs returned to the Milim target. The former reported good coverage and seeing several small fires in Kalai and Kiep Plantations. Meagre M/G fire came from the former plantation. Two PVs left 7 beached barges near Brown Island u/s and started a small fire on the island.

For the Record:

24 B25s 42nd Gr. 1035 load 12 frag cl; drop. 288 frags from 5200
2 PVs NZ 9          0935 load 6x500 drop. 21x500

TARGET: NORDUP AREA
The primary target for Rabaul strikes yesterday, AA area E, hid successfully under clouds and none of the several strikes scheduled to hit it managed to do so. The Green Island SBD strike was cancelled, Piva TBFs were turned back likewise P-38s which as reported elsewhere bombed on Bougainville. Sixteen Emirau F4Us dropped 14 half-tonners on the N Nordup area as secondary target, reporting starting 7 fires. SBDs from Emirau, 24 in all, hit the Obai - Rakaul area with unobserved results. Auto AA was meagre and inaccurate.

For the Record:

16 F4Us Emirau 1015 load 1x1000 drop. 14x1000 from 2000'
24 SBDs Emirau 1017 " 1x1000 " 22x1000 " 1200'

OVER BOUGAINVILLE
Twenty-two F4Us sorties were made in nine Bougainville sweeps. Some attention was paid to the Fauro Island area where two native canoes were sunk, plus a third from which one of two occupants disappeared, with the other left swimming for the shore. A large building at Kariki village was fired.
Other results were; 5 or 6 native huts smoked in Kieta Peninsula and Arawa Bay area; cloud of white smoke raised from huts on face of cliff just above beach at Tsumpets; smoked tin-roofed hut in Inus Plantation; started small fire in camouflaged structure inshore from Moisuru hulks.
Four lanes searched negatively for life raft and oil slicks reported 40 miles W of Buka and 3 dropped half ton bombs which missed bivouac area on the Maririci River.
Meagre light inaccurate AA was received by one mission from the vicinity of Kariki, Fauro Island, meagre light AA from a small cove in Arawa Bay; 4 flashes from a probable M/G batery about 1/2 a mile S of Kangu Hill; probable light M/G from about 6 guns in an old garden 1 mile N of Kangu Hill; and meagre probable medium fire from the hill itself.

SEARCHES FOR JUNE 26
Beegsteak searches were negative. All had full track and 90% cover except sector Sugar which had 5% track and zero cover before being weathered out.
Squarepeg searches were all negative with full track and 98% cover.
On June 24 Dumbo picked up the bullet riddled flight jacket and parachute of Lt. Robert Lucy the co-pilot of the missing PBJ. The pickup was made 9 miles NW of Duke of York and an empty native dugout was sighted nearby.

Local searches Able and Charlie New Zealand PVs dropped 1x500 burning 2 huts at Tabut, 1x500 burning 5 huts at Hapan, and 1x500 destroyed a building at Kohiso. A lookout post and huts were observed and what appeared to be 5 or 6 coastal guns built into side of rise on coast east of Tonolei Harbor. 4x500 destroyed lookout and damaged several huts.

The Rabaul - Torokina sweep was negative.

The Torokina - Cape Archway sweep was negative.

The shipping count was negative.

[aircraftclocks]

DAY ENDING 0800 28 June 1944

TOROKINA SWEEPS:
Three 4-plane sweeps over the Rabaul area found fewer targets than usual. They strafed huts at various points with unobserved results and speeded a dozen or more Japs on their way at Ataliklikun Bay. A fairly large building in good condition was seen on the E side of Watom Island, also much track activity and many camouflaged huts round there borders of Nova Plantation (Buka). Intense AA fire came from 5 possible 20mm guns at East Cape, New Ireland.

TARGET: RABAUL AA
AAA guns south of Ralum were the target for all Rabaul at strikes yesterday. Photos of 2 of the 3 heavy batteries in the area revealed no damage but a large building was fired. Fifteen P-38s achieved scattered hits throughout the area, mostly in the W portion. Only AA seen was two bursts of auto reported by one pilot. B-25s reported all bombs in the area, with three strings across the W emplacement and three along the edge of the central guns, where an explosion with a bright red flash resulted, possibly from ammunition. Heavy AA, meagre and inaccurate, came from Tobera.
A dozen NZ TBFs put 42 quarter tonners into the area, causing smoke to rise. Heavy AA, though meagre to moderate, was fairly accurate and slightly damaged two planes. It came mostly from the target area.
From Emirau 20 F4Us and 23 SBDs dropped 28 half tonners with unreported result. Meagre, medium accurate AA came from the coast on the planes' retirement.
No report has been received as to the result of a scheduled strike from Green Island.

For the Record:

15 P38s 339th      0930 load 2x1000 drop. 30x1000 from 6000'
23 B25s 42nd Gr. 0959 " 6x500 " 138x500 " 10,500'
12 TBFs NZ 51    1030 " 4x500 " 46x50"' 2 dam
23 SBDs Emirau  1040 " 1X1000 " 38x1000)
20 F4Us Emirau " 1x1000 )

TARGET: C. ARCHWAY - C. PALLISER
Seeking targets of opportunity along the above coasts, two PVs demolished a house at Sum Sum Plantation and damaged a possible supply shed at Put Put Plantation. No enemy activity of any kind was observed between the two capes, but there was evidence of considerable activity near Put Put Plantation.

For the Record:

2 PVs NZ 9 0848 load 6x500 drop. 10x500

OVER BOUGAINVILLE
Bougainville sweeps, apart from the usual dawn and dusk patrols, abserved the attention of 19 F4Us, with another 8 on bombing missions. The day was notable for the number of Japs who allowed themselves to be caught in the open, with unhappy results for some of them. In the morning one mission found 4 Japs, one minus trousers, on the N bank of the Luluai. Two of them will not need neither garments again in this world. Three other luckless Nips, plodding along the beach near Cape Friendship, all bit the dust. Another mission added zest to the lives of a couple of Nips, one at Arigua, the other near Tsimba and the late afternoon sweep found itself with almost an embarrassment of Kurnan targets. They liquidated two at the Mibo River mouth, two out of 3 nudist Nips at another point, another naked gentleman canoeing near Fauro Is. and one of three bathing at the mouth of the Tokan. Nips who lived to fight another day were two at the Lukuruai River mouth, three or four who were doing their washing, at the Mobiai River mouth and a trio in martial array making their way south along the beach at AKO. Other results were the firing of 2 two-storied huts at Rorovana, the destruction of a camouflaged hut at Soraken Pltn and a red-roofed hut at Wahowitz. The bombs dropped were aimed at Fauro Island jetty but missed.

For the Record:

27 F4Us NZ 14 load 1x1000 drop. 8x1000
             NZ 15

SEARCHES FOR JUNE 27
Beefsteak searches were negative with 74% track and 50% cover due to weather.
Squarepeg searches were negative with average cover of 96 percent and full track.
Local Able search New Zealand PV dropped 5x500 for a near miss on a bridge at Wakunai, 2x500 firing 2 huts at Wariki, and 2x500 destroying 2 huts at Gohi.
The Charlie search New Zealand PV dropped 5x500 on the possible coastal gun positions between Cape Friendship and Tonolei Harbor with unobserved results.
The Torokina - Rabaul sweep returned early due to mechanical trouble.

SEARCHES FOR JUNE 27
The Rabaul - Cape archway sweep strafed 2-3 native huts inland from Cape Wanata; and a red-roofed serviceable plantation house near Mope with unobserved results. Freshly cultivated gardens were seen at Wat Wat Plantation. The roads from Cape Gazelle to the Warangoi River showed fresh wheel ruts.
The shipping count was negative.
Emirau Dumbos rescued the Corsair pilot who bailed out of his flaming plane on June 26 near Djaul Island. The rescue was effected June 27 at a point 15 miles SW of Djaul. The pilot had second degree burns on arm and thigh.

[aircraftclocks]

Day Ending 0800 29 June 1944.

GREEN ISLAND PATROLS: F4U started their operations by discovering 2 barges in the backwater canal for channel previously reported by PVs in the Matakan Plantation area one burnt. Two miles N of Cape Roloss another barge was holed. A number of bombs was dropped with unobserved results. The second patrol saw fires in the Kabanga Bay area & the late afternoon planes saw a fire on the W side of Vunakarnau & a large explosion at Malapau where investigations disclosed one barge smoking & another making an oil slick.

KAVIENG PATROLS: Six 2-plane F4U patrols from Emirau harassed the Kavieng area with 10 quater tonners.

TOROKINA F4U SWEEPS: Four missions, totalling 15 aircraft, were over the Rabaul area. The early mission smoked four trucks, 3 between Rapitok & Malabunga. The midday sweep fired two heavy duty trucks between Kabaira and Liguan Bays and destroyed three huts on the side of Watom Island. One F4U, when diving to strafe the trucks hit a tree & crashed, the plane bursting into flames. No hope is hold for the pilot's servival.
One of the two afternoon missions strafed & left smoking profusely a jetty and tin roofed boathouse at Wunamarita (Massava Bay) left it smoking profusely. In addition a 50x20 ft building on the NW side of Ragaga Ray smoked slightly.
AA fire was reported as follows: Meagre, accurate, light from Malabunga area, holding one F4U, meagre, inaccurate light from hill in Talili Bay area; meagre, inaccurate from Wunakarere (NW Ataliklikun Bay). One mission saw no AA but found on its return that one plane had a 7.7mm bullet hole through the cowling.

TARGET: RABAUL AA.
By yesterday, the campaign against Rabaul AA targets had progressed westward to a group of guns of varied calibres in target G, east of Tobera.
These were hit by 24 B-25s, which reported some of the positions well covered, with 12 bombs near the N end of Tobera. AA was heavy, meagre & innccurate.
On the same target 15 P-38s covered their bomb pattern about 1600 ft to the NE of it. There was no AA.
Twenty Emirau fighter bombers dropped 17 half tonners, meeting meagre inaccurate heavy & auto AA over the target & fire from 2 guns between Mope & Warangoi. An SBD strike was recalled owning to inability to arrive over the target on schedule.

For the Record:

15 P-38s 339th 1025 load 2x1000 dr 30x1000 from 4500'
24 B-25s 42nd 1140 load 6x500 dr 144x500 from 10,000'
20 F4Us Emirau 1210 load 1x1000 dr 17x1000

TARGET: VUNAPOPE SUPPLIES
Going after a supply area SE of Vunapopo 12 TBFs put all but one of their quarter tonners in the area & reported good co-ordination with the Green SBDs. They saw no AA. The 18 SBDs reported good coverage and also went down & strafed the area. No indication of supplies was seen & they may have been moved. In addition 9 PBJs hit the same target. Neither strike saw any AA.

For the Record:

12 TBFs NZ 31 1245 load 4x500 dr 47x500
18 SBDs Green 1250 load 1x1000 dr 18x1000
9 PBJs VMB (M)423 1235 load 4x500 dr 36x500

A delayed report of the previous day's strike on AA target E by Green SBDs reported all bombs in the target area. Heavy AA, moderate to intense but inaccurate, came from guns in the western most of the 3 batteries in the area.

For the Record:

18 SBDs Green 1010/27 load 1x1000 dr 30x1000

TARGET: C. GAZELLE TO C. PALLISER.
Working along the above coast four NZ PVs caused 3 fires in the Kabanga Bay area & destroyed one building in Put Put Plantation area. Three MGs fired from the Kabanga Bay area. New trenches, other earthworks & well used roads to the water's edge were noted between Kabanga Bay & Mope.

For the Record:

4 PVs NZ 9 0915 load 6x500 dr 22x500.

OVER BOUGAINVILLE

Including a poop sheet hop to Green Island but not the dawn & dusk patrol, 18 F4Us were out on bombing 4 strafing missions over the Bougainville area. Planes on the poop sheet run got one of 12 Nips swimming S. of Yellina & another mission strafed two large red-roofed buildings on the SE shore of Tinputs Hbr., smoking one. Sixteen 1000 lb bombs were dropped, mostly at a supply area & jetty in a bay on the W coast of Fauro Island. Two clouds of smoke were caused by bombs which fell on land & two other possibly damaged the jetty.

For the Record:

18 F4Us NZ 14 load 1x1000 dropped 16x1000
             NZ 15

SEARCHES FOR 28 JUNE

Beefsteak searches were all negative with 75% track and 65% cover.
Squarepeg searches all negative with 100% track and 89% cover.
Local Able and Charlie searches were cancelled. The Rabaul-Torokina sweep was negative. The shipping count was negative.

[aircraftclocks]

Day Ending 0800 30 June 1944.

GREEN ISLAND PATROLS: Early Green Island fighter patrols saw three possible floating mines between Watom Island and Tawui Pt, also a fire on Hospital Ridge. The fourth patrol noted more than usual truck activity between Vunakanau and Rabaul and the fifth fired a small pier at Tokussup Bay. It also observed large fires burning in target E at 1700. The sixth and last patrol saw a possible fuel dump on both sides of the road 2000 yards S of Diddiman's Corner.

KAVIENG PATROLS: Six 2-plane fighter patrols over Kavieng dropped 10 quarter tonners without observed result.

TOROKINA F4U SWEEPS: Early planes heading for Rabaul were turned back by weather. On the return journey two already damaged trucks at Lalum were smoked. Eight planes which did later reach the Gazelle Peninsula area strafed huts and a few Japs without positive results. Meagre light AA and rifle fire was received from 1/2 mile N of Rugen Hbr.

TARGET: RABAUL AA
AA target Easy, S of Ralum, received another working over.
Fifteen P-38s reported 3 hits on or near the central guns with a white smoke column rising to 300 or 400 feet SW of the westernmost of the 3 target batteries. There was no AA.
23 B25s attacked with quarter tonners, 50% of their bombs extending NW from the center battery and the remainder falling in the general area of the W battery. Heavy and medium AA was meagre and inaccurate.
Green Island SBDs, 8 reported good coverage, with possible damaging hits on the W positions. One or more large fires was seen. Meagre to moderate inaccurate heavy AA came from the W positions.
16 F4Us from VMO 251, newly installed at Piva, put 12 bombs in the target area without reporting any hits. AA was heavy, moderate and accurate.
Emirau sent 24 SBDs and 12 F4Us which bombed the same target with unreported results. AA was reported as moderate accurate auto from the target area and the shoreline to the N. Four F4Us, unable to reach the target, dropped 3 half tonners on Kavieng.

For the Record:

15 P38s 339th        0930 load 2x1000 drop. 30x1000 from 5000'
23 B25s 42nd Or.   0950 " 6x500 " 137x500 " 9500'
18 SBDs Green Is. 1007 " 1x1000 " 18x1000 " 2x100 " 36x100
16 F4Us VMO-251  1012 " 1x1000 " 12x1000
24 SBDs Emirau    1036 " 1x1000 " 34x1000)
12 F4Us Emirau    1030 " 1x1000 " )

TARGET: MATAKAN PLANTATION
Two PVs put 10 quarter tonners into the Matakan Plantation supply area, without observed results. At the mouth of the dredged out creek or canal the found a large unserviceable canoe. No new barges were seen in the area.

For the Record:

2 PVs NZ 9 0830 - 1205 load 6x500 drop. 10x500

TARGET: TONEMA

Six TBFs bombed a Nip road block across a trail about 2 miles N of Tonema (upper Reini River). A Cub marked the target with a smoke bomb for some of the TBFs and all but one bomb fell in the target area, with results unobserved in the jungle.

For the Record:

6 TBFs NZ 31 load 4x500 dropped 23x500.

OVER BOUGAINVILLE
New Zealand F4U sorties over Bougainville totalled 34. Once again Japs were seen in a number of places.
Results were:
Two Japs swimming in Mibo R killed, third escaped.
One Jap killed and his canoe destroyed 50 yards of Fauro Is. Six huts on E side Koroaka Island (S.W. Fauro) smoked. Camouflaged truck fired 2 miles SE of Kara, Driver dived into Jungle.
When 3 F4Us strafed 2 sloping iron rails running from the water into the bush on the NW shore of Taurato Island, black oily smoke and flare rose from a hut among the trees.
While the hut was burning down a 30 ft whaleboat shot down the rails and launched itself. Appreciating this opportunity the F4Us pounced on the whaleboat and sank it.
Twelve F4Us carried bombs, most of which went down on the Ebery's Lease area, with others overshooting a bridge over the Silibai.
Meagre light AA came from Kariki (Fauro); an F4U was holed by probable rifle fire from Sankau Island; moderate a accurate 20mm from Oema Island; and meagre accurate possible 20mm from Taurato Island.

For the Record:

34 F4Us NZ 14, 15, 18 load 1x1000 dropped 12x1000

SEARCHES FOR 29 JUNE

Beefsteak searches all negative with 98% track and 95% cover.
Squarepeg search plane in sector William sighted green colored Betty approximately 100 miles North of Kapingamarangi. The sighting was at a distance of 4 miles and at a height of 7-8000 feet. The course was NE and speed 200 knots. The Betty indicated detection by a definite turn away into the clouds. The search was continued for 100% cover. Sector Xray was out 450 miles for 90% cover with negative results.
Local Able search by New Zealand Ventura dropped 1x500 vicinity Cape Putputun firing 3 huts, 1x500 on Lemankea set 3 huts afire, and 1x500 on Hetau Island destroyed 4 huts and damaged 11 buildings. They thoroughly strafed the Lemankoa area. Local Charlie search by New Zealand Ventura dropped 1x500 dud on Cape Friendship, and 1x500 aimed at bridge at Koromira Mission overshot the target. Some good gardens were observed at the Luluai River area.
The Rabaul - Torokina sweep was negative.
The shipping count was negative.

[aircraftclocks]

1 JULY 1944.

PERSONNEL CHANGE

1 July 1944 - Group Captain G. N. ROBERTS, R.N.Z.A.F., relieved of duties as Assistant Operations Officer, Commander Aircraft Northern Solomons.

[aircraftclocks]

Day Ending 0800 1 July

Torokina F4U Sweeps: Three four-plane sweeps were run. The first four planes became separated in bad weather and one failed to return. Later searches in the Adler Bay-Cape Archway area was without success. The other two sweeps carried bombs. Two small clouds of smoke rose after bombing of the area of the intersection of the Kabaira Bay-Liguan Bay roads. Other bombs were dropped in the Bulup and Kabaira Bay areas with unobserved results. Targets of opportunity were strafed.

For the Record:

12 F4Us NZ 14 load 1x1000 dr 8x1000

TARGET: TOBERA AA
AA guns in area G, NE of Tobera, were the scheduled target for Rabaul strikes yesterday but bad weather came to their aid. Of 23 B25s which found 9/10ths cloud up to 11,500 ft, 6 dropped their bombs on the estimated position of the target and the remainder returned without dropping.
P38s and Piva F4Us were weathered out. One of the latter made a water landing 50 miles NW of Torokina and a similar fate befel one of the Torokina F4Us sent to orbit the spot. Dumbo rescued both pilots.
Green Island SBDs racked off their bombs 2 miles south of Tobera strip.
Finding their primary obscured 24 Emirau SBDs and 13 F4Us bombed the Lakurafange Pltn. area, scoring 2 hits on pltn. buildings and leaving several fires and smoke. Medium AA from Fangelawa was meagre and inaccurate.

For the Record:

6 B25s   42nd Gr. 1013 load 6x500 drop 36x500 from 10,200'
18 SBDs Green    1015 " 1x1000 " 18x1000
                               " 2x100 " 36x100
24 SBDs Emirau       " 1x1000 " 33x1000
13 F4Us                  "  " 1x1000

TARGET: PIKEI - BAROSI AREA
TBFs and PVs had a busy day yesterday bombing reported Nip troops and installations at road blocks in the Pikei - Barosi locality, E of Mosigetta. Three TBFs missions, each of 9 planes, and three PVs missions, two of six planes and one of five bombed the area, the PVs also strafing. Results were mostly obscured by the jungle growth but the TBFs noted that several huts had been destroyed and the PVs saw several fires thought to be the result of their incendiaries.

For the Record:

27 TBFs NZ 31 load 4x500 dropped 108x500
17 PVs NZ 9 " 6x500 " 95x500

BOUGAINVILLE SWEEPS
Twenty F4Us took part in sweeps round Buka and Bougainville. Results were: 20' a outtrigger canoe damaged on beach at Pororan, another sunk at river mouth between Tinputs and Leuss. Native hut fired at Tausku, another 1 mile from Heramon (SW Buka). Jap killed while working in garden 1 mile W of Tsundawan coast.

SEARCHES FRO JUNE 30
Beefsteak searches were negative with 100% track and cover.
Squarepeg searches were negative with full track and cover.
The local Able and Charlie searches by New Zealand Venturas were canceled and the planes were diverted to asualting the ground troops at the Pikoi -Barosi area on Bougainville.
The Rabaul - Torokina sweep was negative.
The shipping count was negative.
The special searches in Adler Bay - Cape Archway area for the missing corsair pilot were negative.

[aircraftclocks]

Day Ending 0800 July 2, 1944.

GREEN ISLAND F4Us: Fighter patrols from Green Island over Rabaul had an uneventful day. One of their quarter tonners hit a revetment at the S end of Tobera. Two possibly serviceable barges were reported in the inlet N of Vulcan Crater and a personnel sized chute 150 ft inland from C. Hapag, New Ireland. OVER KAVIENG: Eight two-plane fighter patrols from Emirau dropped 15 quarter tonners on Kavieng strip with unobserved results.

For the Record:

16 F4Us Emirau load 1x500 drop. 15x500

TOROKINA F4U SWEEPS: Five 4-plane sweeps of NZ F4Us, 3 of the sweeps with bombs went to the Rabaul area. One of them (C. Archway to C. Gazelle) smoked three loaded trucks between C. Wanata and Tamalili Bay, besides strafing about 20 Nips who dived into the jungle, where net camouflage could be seen. One plane was grazed by a possible 50 calibre bullet. The afternoon sweep over the same stretch of coast saw no results from this strafing. One plane had a 30 calibre bullet through a flap.
Planes on the first Duke of York - Cape Lambert sweep bombed buildings at Vunakanau Pltn without observed damage.
The second of these sweeps had a busy time. Its bombs damaged a large house at Kamanakam (SW Ataliklikum Bay). Strafing damaged a staff car N of Keravat strip, fired a hut near Tovarkundum Pltn and another SW of Tawui Pt. On the Liguan Bay coastal road just E of the Kabaira Bay road turn-off 6-8 camouflaged trucks were strafed and possibly damaged. Pilots reported a possible underground dump up a side road near where the trucks were strafed.
Pilots believe some form of rocket was fired from a clearing on top of a ridge about 8 miles W of the junction of the Liguan Bay coastal road and the road leading across the peninsula to Kapaira Bay. Twelve thin white trails of smoke not all parallel were seen to fade out at 1000 ft after passing 70 yds behind one of the F4Us. All the missiles, whatever they were, were apparently fired stimultaneously.
The final patrol damaged by bombing a nearly completed bridge over the Keravat River on the main coastal road. After the entrance to a probable underground storage area near Keravat had been strafed and heavy black smoke burst from the opening, the latter rising to 500 ft. The fire was still buring 40 minutes later. Three small fires were started among the sawmill buildings 1 mile E of Keravat and 4 trucks were hit but did not smoke.

For the record:

20 F4Us NZ14 NZ18 load 1x1000 dropped 12x1000

Other A/A fire seen was: meagre, inaccurate auto from Tawui Pt; meagre inaccurate light from SW of Tawui Pt; splashes was seen possibly from 3 heavy guns 1 mile NW of Rabaul.

TARGET: RABAUL AA
A/A guns in target G. NE of Tobera, received yesterday the bombs from which the weather had shielded them the previous day. Results of attacks on this area are now to be seen. Photos taken after the first 2 strikes yesterday show 3 heavy and one M/G position destroyed by these strikes and these of June 28th. Sixteen P-38's opened the attack but only 25 percent of their bombs found the target area. There was no A/A.
Next came 14 Piva F4U's, which reported damaging hits on both the E and W heavy batteries. Heavy, meagre but fairly accurate A/A came possibly from Tobera.
Twelve NZ TBF's reported good coverage of the target area with their quarter-tonners. A/A of all calibres was meagre but accurate. One plane spun into the ground from an unknown cause. One parachute was seen to open.
From Green Island 17 SBDs reported a number of damaging hits. No A/A was recieved.
Two squadrons of B25s reported that some of their bombs fell very close to two of the target batteries. A/A was heavy, very meagre and inaccurate.

For the Record:

16 P38s 339th 0928 load 2x1000 drop 32x1000 from 5000'
14 F4Us VMB 251 0937 " 1x1000 " 14x1000 " 2500'
17 SBDs Green 1005 " 1x1000 " 17x1000
                               " 2x100 " 34x100
12 TBFs NZ 31 1005 " 4x500 " 38x500 1 lost
23 B25 42nd Gr 1030 - 1040 " 6x500 " 137x500 from 9500'

TARGET: BORPOP TO NAMATANAI

Two PVs set out to bomb targets of opportunity between Borpop and Nanatanai. One developed engine trouble and dropped its bombs on Manga, East Cape. Three large huts were destroyed and a large explosion sent smoke to 1000 ft. The resulting fire and the smoke were seen an hour later by another PV.
The other plane damaged a house at Mageh Pltn. At Cape Reis wheel tracks indicating extensive acivity were seen.

For The Record:

2 PVs NZ 9 load 6x500 drop. 10x500

Three PVs in the early morning and two more in the afternoon searched the eastern Gazelle Peninsula area without success for the F4U pilot missing from the previous day.

OVER BOUGAINVILLE

All NZ F4Us on Bougainville sweeps yesterday carried bombs and most of them were directed at the reported radio installation on Ervente Island. Most of the bombs landed on the island but one mission had the mortification of seening three bombs hit the island then skip off into the sea. Huts were strafed. A brief inaccurate burst of 20mm fire came from S of Kahili atrip.
Another mission tried without success to hit the bridge between Taiop and Katitj Islands.

For the Record:

18 F4U NZ 14, NZ 15 load 1x100 drop. 18x1000

SEARCHES FOR 1 JULY
Beefsteak searches in sectors Sugar, Tare, and Victor were negative. Sector Uncle reported a serviceable twin-engine plane on the strip at Satawan Island and a 150 foot barge at a jetty on Northwest side of the island. Squarepeg searches were negative with full track and cover.
Five New Zealand Venturas and 4 Corsairs searched the Cape Gazelle and Adler Bay area for the Corsair pilot missing since 30 June. The search was negative.
Local Able and Charlie searches were cancelled.
The Rabaul - Torokina sweep was negative.
The shipping count was negative.

[aircraftclocks]

Day Ending 0800 July 3, 1944.

GREEN ISLAND FIGHTER SWEEPS: Five F4U patrols, some of the planes carrying bombs, were run from Green Island. A good deal of truck activity was seen, principally around Vunakanau. Several patrols were unable to locate the parachute at Cape Hapag.

PATROLS OVER KAVIENG: The night of 1/2 July, 15 Corsairs heckled Kavieng from 2000 to 2100 with 14 quarter tonners. Results were unobserved. The following day 6 two-plane Corsair patrols dropped 10 quarter tonners in the Kavieng area. No results were reported.

TOROKINA F4U SWEEPS: Three Rabaul area sweeps were carried out by F4U fighter-bombers. Principal result of their bombing was a column of gray-black smoke which rose to 1500 feet from revetments on the W side of the Wunawatung Rd, 3/4 of a mile in from the coast. Strafing fired the main Keravat sawmill building from which arose a column of smoke visible from the Duke of Yorks. Another sweep smoked an already damaged 50 foot barge in Mioko Harbor.
The four F4Us which bombed Ralum (see below) had such a busy time strafing afterwards that the pilots protested they could not attack all the targets ?ing. In the area from Palapau to Mope they fired three trucks and a command car and damaged a fourth truck. Two of the trucks, caught together, smoke to 500 feet. Strafing of a truck near Mope caused a 30 foot flame and smoke to ? feet from a possible dugout at the side of the road.
Observations: Numerous earthworks in the vicinity of Rainau Pltn; 3 piles of possible ammunition boxes 100 yds. off road intersection in Malapau Pltn. AA; One long burst of possible 20 mm from center of Malapan Pltn; light AA from near beach at Raluana Pt.

For the Record:

11 F4Us NZ 15 load 1x1000 dropped 11x1000
            NZ 18 (Ralum mission included elsewhere)

OVER BOUGAINVILLE
Twenty Torokina F4Us conducted bombing and strafing sweeps over Bougainville, Fauro Island, Erventa Island, and the N tip of Choiseul. Two of six huts at Bonamu were left burning and a 40x30 foot building at Hakan Plantation destroyed. The four planes which went to Choiseul probably destroyed a 30 foot camouflaged barge at Liuliu and reported seeing 2 others on either side of a jetty on the E coast of Parama Island. Toward the headwaters of the Wakunai River, near Tokuo, one sweep reported a waterfall from which pipes led into the jungle. Several times during the day a 2500/4000 foot column of smoke was reported from a grass fire near Ruri Bay.

For the Record:

20 F4Us NZ 15 NZ 18 load 1x1000 dropped 12x1000

In addition 2 F4Us and a F6F journeyed to the northern tip of Choiseul where one plane dropped a 500 lb. bomb. The local Nips, resentful of having their long period of peaceful existence disturbed, opened up with 6 M/Gs from the Sui River area and succeeded in holing 2 of the planes.

TARGET: TOBERA AA
Already heavily battered, AA guns NE of Tobera were on the receiving of another series of attacks yesterday. Photos showed the destruction of auto guns and 8 M/G positions by the strikes of 1 and 2 July.
Sixteen P39s reported that 14 of their half tonners fell in the immediate area of heavy and auto positions. Two strafing runs were made over the Duke of York Island without visible result. There was no AA over the Tobera target but one M/G position between Rakada strip and Jacquinot Point put up strenuous and accurate opposition to the strafing attack.
The usual 2 squadrons of B25s reported that the north and south M/G positions in the target area were well covered by bomb bursts. AA was generally inaccurate.
Fifteen Piva F4Us reported 7 hits in the area of two batteries, in addition to which a hit in the trees near the E guns resulted in a flash of flame followed by black smoke. The F4Us experienced no AA but saw the W battery in the target area firing at the TBFs. Carrying 2000 pounders this time, a dozen TBFs reported 11 of them in the target area, which was also strafed. The F4U attack was described as excellent. Heavy and medium AA was meagre and inaccurate.
Green Island SBDs reported all bombs in the target area, but no direct hits were claimed. A probable fuel fire was observed in the SW corner of the area. Strafing was carried out between the target area and the coast. A few bursts of inaccurate M/G fire came from Kabanga Bay.
Fourteen Emirau Corsairs dropped 13 half tonners but no results were observed. They reported moderate inaccurate 125 mm AA from an area W of the target.

For the Record:

16 P38s 339th       0925 load 2x1000 dropped 31x1000 from 5000'
24 B25s 42d Gr.    0955 " 6x500 " 144x500 " 8000'
15 F4Us VMO 251 1002 " 1x1000 " 15x1000
12 TBFs NZ 31     1005 " 1x2000 " 14x2000 " 6/7000'
18 SBDs Green    1015 " 1x1000 " 18x1000
                                    2x100 " 36x100
14 F4Us Emirau   1050 " 1x1000 " 13x1000

TARGET: RALUM
VMO 251 again staged a second Rabaul strike on the same day hitting a Ralum target in the afternoon. Ten bombs were reported in the target area. No AA was observed but one plane was hit twice by light calibre fire.
Four NZ F4Us also put 4x1000 into the area with unobserved results.

For the Record:

13 F4Us VMO 251 1430 load 1x1000 drop. 13x1000 1 dam.
4 F4Us NZ 15 1500 load 1x1000 drop. 4x1000

TARGET: KABANGA AREA
Two PVs on a barge hunt between Put Put and Cape Gazelle reported that all visible barges were u/s but that one is still being used as a trap at the Warangoi River. Bombs dropped at Merai demolished 2 huts and burnt 5 others and a further three huts were destroyed at Put Put Plantation. Great activity and many new trenches were observed the Kabanga Bay area. One PV was hit in one engine by M/G fire from Kabanga Bay and the plane landed at Green Island. On their return they destroyed 2 huts at Lemanma? (Buka).

For the Record:

2 PVs NZ 9 0800 - 1100 load 6x500 dropped 12x500 1 dam.

SEARCHES FOR JULY 2ND
Beefsteak searches were all negative with 96% track and 88% cover. Squarepeg searches were all negative with full track and 98% cover. Local Able search by New Zealand Ventura was negative. The local Charlie search was canceled.
The special search in the Cape Gazelle - Adler Bay area for the Corsair pilot missing since June 30 was negative. MG fire holed NZ Ventura.
The Rabaul - Torokina sweep was negative.
The shipping count was negative.

[aircraftclocks]

Day Edning 0800 4 July 1944

GREEN ISLAND FIGHTER SWEEPS: Five F4U patrols over Rabaul were run from Green. A building was fired at Matakabang Plantation and the third patrol saw 3 fires in the A/A target for the day. The last patrol sighted 15 trucks in a conv? ? tunnel Hill Road proceeding in the direction of Talili Bay. Two other trucks were observed working on Tobera strip.

PATROLS OVER KAVIENG: Six two-plane fighter patrols from Emirau dropped 12 quarter tonners over Kavieng with unobserved results.

For the Record:

12 SBDs Emirau load 1x500 drop. 12x500

TOROKINA F4U SWEEPS: Two Rabaul area sweeps were carried out by F4U fighter bombers. The 4 planes on the Duke of York - Cape Lambert sweep dropped their half tonners on a road junction near Kabaira and strafed 8 native type huts in a small cleared area 4 miles east of Bulip River mouth leaving the largest hut burning. They reported 5-6 native huts in good condition in a clump of trees 1/2 mile NE of Keravat strip. Six flashes of heavy A/A were seen to come from a position 1 mile north of Rabaul Town on the south side of Tunnel Road. The Cape Gazalle - Cape Archway sweep reported extensive freshly dug trenches halfway up a slope approxiamtely 300 yards inland from the southern coast of Kabanga Bay. This area described later as a possible bivouac area was later attacked by 12 F4Us whose bombs fell in the area without visible results. The area was 1/2 mile north and 3/4 mile inland from the mouth of the Kabanga River.

For the Record:

4 F4U NZ 14 0905 load 1x1000 drop. 4x1000
12 F4U NZ 15 1430 " 1x1000 " 11x1000

OVER BOUGAINVILLE
Fifteen Torokina F4Us conducted bombing and strafing missions over Bougainville, Fauro, Erventa and Choiseul Bay. A 40-foot tower similar to a control tower but pointed and without a cabin at the top was demolished on Erventa, 2 huts were set afire on Fauro and a small fire started near the rails at Taurato; three possible camouflaged barges were smoked by stafing in the bay west of Cape Alexander Choiseul Bay a small hut was flamed at Kieta, as were 2 others between Tokapa Harbor and Teobunin. 11 TBFs demolished several huts and started a small fire in the Puwiri bivouac area while 11 other TBFs found the same target obscured by clouds and dropped their bombs at Birai, Barosi, Kieta, Manetai Mission and Arawa Pltn.

For the Record:

11 TBFs NZ 31 0845 load 4x500 drop. 44x500
11 TBFs NZ " 4x500 " 39x500
10 F4Us NZ 15 " 1x1000 " 10x1000

TARGET: TOBERA AA
An area containing AA position just WSW of Tobera was the target of a series of attacks yesterday. Photos after the early strikes reveal no apparent damage and clouds prevented damage assessment from photos after later strikes.
33 SBDs saw no gun position but claim 31 half tonners and 64 centuries in the target area. Intense, fairly accurate M/G and auto fire came from position east of Tobera, holing 4 planes. One other SBD crashed 1 mile north of the target.
Twenty four B25s believed they covered 2 M/G position with some of their quarter tonners, bomb pattern were also observed near 2 other positions. A/A was meagre, heavy and inaccurate.
Four coverage of the target resulted when 9 PBJs dropped their quarter tonners. Flak was heavy, moderate and inaccurate from unobserved positions.
Fifty percent of the half tonners dropped by fifteen Lightnings fell in the immediate vicinity of the 2 main gun positions. One Lightning off late dropped its half tonners on the NE revetments at Tobera. No A/A was observed.
12 F4Us carrying half tonners claimed 6 bombs in the target area with 3 direct hits. A/A was heavy moderate and inaccurate from south west of or near Tobera.
With half tonners 18 SBDs and 9 Corsairs from Emirau secured one hit and 10 near misses. Intense and accurate 20 mm came from the target area and the shore to the north. Moderate heavy A/A was observed over the target. Three SBDs were holed.

For the Record:

24 B25s 42nd Gr. 1000 load 6x500 drop. 144x500
15 P38s 347th Gr. 0910 " 2x1000 " 29x1000
33 SBDs Green 0932 " 1x1000 " 31x1000
                               " 2x100 " 64x100
9 PBJs Green 0947 " 4x500 " 36x500
12 F4Us 0925 " 1x1000 " 12x1000
8 SBDs Emirau " 1x1000 " 27x1000)
9 F4Us " " 1x1000 )

TARGET: PUT PUT PLANTATION

12 F4Us placed all their half tonners in the Put Put Plantation area near the coast. Five bombs fell in the southern half of the pltn, 4 in north half, and 1 on the beach near the center of the plantation. The other 2 bombs were believed duds. No damage was observed. A search along the Sum Sum River at 300/400 ft. was negative.

For the Record:

12 F4Us NZ 18 1445 load 1x1000 dropped 12x1000

TARGET: CAPE ROLOSS - NAMATANAI AREA

2 PVs destroyed approximately 15 huts in Po Village obtained 4 direct hits on the Numatanai - Ulupatur Plantation road and damaged the west approach to the bridge at Magoh Plantation. Much track activity was noted in the Magoh Plantation area. All the area was thoroughly strafed.

For the Record:

2 PV NZ 9 0945 load 4x500 GP drop. 6x500
               1030        " 2x500 incend.

SEARCHES FOR JULY 3RD.
Beefsteak searches were not reported.
Squarepeg searches were negative with full track and 85% cover.
The local Able and Charlie searches were concealed.
The Rabaul - Torokina sweep was negative.
The shipping count was negative.

[chinapilot]

The special search in the Cape Gazelle - Adler Bay area for the Corsair pilot missing since June 30 was negative.

Does anyone have an identity ?

[Dave Homewood]

S/Ldr John Crayley Blundell NZ39898, in No. 14 Squadron RNZAF Corsair NZ5207.

[errolmartyn]

Jan 12, 2021 19:59:49 GMT 12 chinapilot said:

The special search in the Cape Gazelle - Adler Bay area for the Corsair pilot missing since June 30 was negative.

Does anyone have an identity ?

From Vol Two of my For your Tomorrow:

Sweep along the coast from Cape Gazelle to Cape Archway, New Britain
14 Squadron, RNZAF (Torokina, Bougainville, Solomon Islands)
F4U-1 Corsair NZ5207 - thought to have been shot down by flak a few miles north of Adler Bay in the vicinity of Sum Sum at 0925. The pilot is commemorated on the Bourail Memorial.
Pilot: NZ39898 Sqn Ldr John Crayley BLUNDELL, mid, RNZAF - Age 25.
Blundell, on his second South Pacific tour, had been commanding the Squadron since 20 April 1944.

Errol