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The Battle of the Bismarck Sea (2–4 March 1943) took place in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) during World War II . During the course of the battle, aircraft of the U.S. 5th Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) attacked a Japanese convoy that was carrying troops to Lae , New Guinea . Most of the task force was destroyed, and Japanese troop losses were heavy.
Japanese forces
Rear Admiral Masatomi Kimura
Destroyers
Rear Admiral Masatomi Kimura
Transports
Captain Kamataro Matsumoto
Transport
tons
(m3 )
Fate
Source
Aiyo Maru
2,716
7,686
Sunk, 323 killed
[ 2]
Kembu Maru
950
2,688
Sunk, 20 killed
[ 2]
Kyokusei Maru
5,493
15,545
Sunk, 486 killed
[ 2]
Oigawa Maru
6,494
18,378
Sunk, 1,229 killed
[ 2]
Sin-ai Maru
3,793
10,734
Sunk, 63+ killed
[ 2]
Taimei Maru
2,883
8,159
Sunk, 200 killed
[ 2]
Teiyo Maru
6,870
19,442
Sunk, 1,915 killed
[ 2]
Nojima Maru
8,125
22,994
Sunk, 400 killed
[ 2]
Embarked units
Air units
Allied forces
Allied air forces
Commander, Allied Air Forces, Southwest Pacific Area/US Fifth Air Force
Lieutenant General George C. Kenney
Advanced Echelon, Allied Air Forces
Major General Ennis C. Whitehead
No. 9 Operational Group RAAF
Air Commodore J. E. Hewitt
Motor Torpedo Boat Striking Force
Lieutenant Commander Barry K. Atkins
Boat
Skipper
Source
PT-66
Lieutenant (jg) William C. Quinby
[ 19]
PT-67
Ensign James W. Emmons
[ 19]
PT-68
Lieutenant (jg) Robert L. Childs
[ 19]
PT-121
Ensign Edward R. Bergin
[ 19]
PT-128
Ensign James W. Herring
[ 19]
PT-143
Lieutenant (jg) John S. Bayliss
[ 19]
PT-149
Lieutenant William J. Flittie
[ 19]
PT-150
Lieutenant (jg) Russell E. Hamacheck
[ 19]
Notes
^ a b c d e f g h McAulay 1991 , pp. 181–184
^ a b c d e f g h McAulay 1991 , pp. 177–180
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q McAulay 1991 , p. 187
^ a b c McAulay 1991 , p. 180
^ a b c d Hata, Izawa & Shores 2011 , p. 49[failed verification ]
^ a b Hata, Izawa & Shores 2012 , pp. 38–39
^ "Group Captain Blake Raymond Pelly" . Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 20 November 2011 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad Morison 1950 , pp. 64–65
^ RAAF Historical Section 1995a , p. 16
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p McAulay 1991 , pp. 173–174
^ RAAF Historical Section 1995a , p. 64
^ "Air Vice Marshal Ian Dougald McLachlan" . Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 20 November 2011 .
^ RAAF Historical Section 1995b , p. 41
^ "90 Fighter Squadron (PACAF)" . Air Force Historical Agency. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2011 .
^ "319 Missile Squadron (AFGSC)" . Air Force Historical Agency. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2011 .
^ "320 Missile Squadron (AFGSC)" . Air Force Historical Agency. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2011 .
^ "321 Missile Squadron (AFGSC)" . Air Force Historical Agency. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2011 .
^ "8 Flying Training Squadron" . Air Force Historical Agency. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2011 .
^ a b c d e f g h Morison 1950 , p. 61
References
Hata, Ikuhiko ; Izawa, Yasuho; Shores, Christopher (2011). Japanese Naval Air Force Fighter Units and Their Aces 1932–1945 . London: Grub Street. ISBN 9781906502843 .
Hata, Ikuhiko ; Izawa, Yasuho; Shores, Christopher (2012). Japanese Army Fighter Aces 1931–45 . Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-1076-3 .
McAulay, Lex (1991). Battle of the Bismarck Sea . New York, New York : St Martins Press. ISBN 0-312-05820-9 . OCLC 23082610 .
Morison, Samuel Eliot (1950). Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier . Boston, Massachusetts : Little Brown and Company . ISBN 0-7858-1307-1 . OCLC 10310299 . ;
RAAF Historical Section (1995a). Volume 2 Fighter Units . Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-42795-7 .
RAAF Historical Section (1995b). Volume 3 Bomber Units . Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-42795-7 .