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Page 28 text:
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Page 27 text:
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The ESSEX attack on Rabaul was unique in several ways. It was not a part of the over-all strategic plan for the advance in the Pacific. . It was strictly an attack of opportunity. The attack set the stage for the greatest carrier air battle of all time. It was the most severe blow U. S. forces had ever dealt to shore based japanese aircraft. Moreover, enemy planes failed to score a single hit or to in any way damage our ships participat- ing in the attack. Early in November, we had received information that large numbers of Japanese ships were concentrating in Rabaul harbor. The concentration was potentiallv a serious threat to our recently established beachhead on Bougainville, a vitally important operation in establish- ing complete control of the Solomons. The ESSEX, one other large carrier and one small one, and a half dozen destroyers were anchored peace- fully in an Allied harbor far to the south, when orders came in the middle of the night to proceed to a point 75-100 miles oil Rabaul and launch an attack. Augmented IYVU CllfSfrUVk'l'S l:l'Unl fill' SUlUiliUllH area, making a total of eight destroyers in all, rhi- three carriers made a not too formidahh- force tor an attack on what was then the most important and certainh th.- strongest enemy base in the South Pacific. At dawn on November ll, W43, nearlv everv plane of the ESSEX air group was on its wav to the target. Primary objectives were enemy combat ships. Because the approach was again undetected, there was reason to believe the target would not be alerted until it was too late for ships to escape from the harbor. When the attack began some ships had reached the harbor en- trance, some were franticallv getting under wav, and many were still at anchor. The ESSEX had never be- fore been presented with such a lucrative opportunitv. and in spite of determined interception bv swarms ot enemy fighters. her planes pressed home the attack with gratifying results. Sixteen planes from the intercepting group were destroyed bv ESSEX planes alone. The ESSEX personnel had waited patientlv for manv months for a chance to sink or cripple 'lap warships. and now were tremendously eager for return of the planes from the first strike. News of the chaos at Rabaul was jov- fully received. The returning planes had been rearmecl and some were already launched for a second strike when there came the first indication that a large number of enemy planes were approaching the disposition. Fortunately, all of the ESSEX fighters and most of the fighters from the 1
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Page 29 text:
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4 0 1 ' 1 Ve' Q ,S ..x,,fAf- 'Lf is M 5 1, ' Q' mt- AJ, ' - A, ' ' 'N .a3 i'.,l -4. - ,ta A 1, . 'fi ,yi A g , . . - ,gr 55 0 .1.f5lEx..kg3',. J Ugg! Y K 1 Q v J ' , I 'E 1 ' 1 ll .es V D. lf tl. I L w L, I 'I h ' I I ll Q1 1 vzzig. 'ne lfSSlfX hffgan retirement immediately after Had iXifCIl talcen ahoard. Wfith exception of avoid- zzig if-arcfies of -lap torpedo planes that night, retirement ls 'racfc 'mtfiiitzt incident. and the ESSEX was then a zeterazz of three major operations against the enemy. This actznn '--was of special significance to the ESSEX rr ie'A '.-.c 1 n another wav also in that just a few days prior to receiving orders for the Rahaul attacl-Q, Captain Dun- can had he-en relic-vecl hy Captain R. A. Qfstie, U. S. . .'. v n Novemher 6, 1943. Captain Cfstie had only tive dans in which to get acquainted with the ship and ner crew before leading her into one of the most severe actions ot her combat career. His skillful maneuvering of the ship throughout the attaclc brought the ESSEX through virtually unscathed except for a few men wounded and very minor hull damage from the near misses of Japanese homhs.
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