Combat· World War II
Rabaul Air Campaign
Rabaul, on New Britain, was Japan's main stronghold in the region, packed with airfields, warships, and supplies.
Instead of storming it, the Allies chose to wear it down from the air and cut it off. As new airfields opened in the Solomons, Marine fighter and bomber squadrons joined Army, Navy, and New Zealand units in a steady pounding of Rabaul and the bases that fed it. Marine Corsair pilots escorted bombers, flew fighter sweeps, and tangled with enemy planes over the harbor, building up a long roster of aces in the process. Wave after wave of raids destroyed aircraft, sank shipping, and ground down the defenders. Bit by bit the great base was stripped of its striking power. By keeping up the pressure, Allied airmen left Rabaul isolated and useless, neutralized without a costly invasion.
Podcast episodes on World War II
Record no. 568