March 10, Tue.
Pacific
TF 11 (Vice Admiral Wilson Brown Jr.), which includes ships of
TF 17 (Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher), on the heels of initial
nuisance raids by RAAF Hudsons, attacks Japanese invasion fleet
(Rear Admiral Kajioka Sadamichi) off Lae and Salamaua, New Guinea.
SBDs (VB 2, VS 2, VB 5, VS 5) and TBDs (VT 2, VT 5), supported
by F4Fs (VF 3 and VF 42) from carriers Lexington (CV-2) and Yorktown
(CV-5) sink armed merchant cruiser Kongo Maru, auxiliary minelayer
Ten'yo Maru, and transport Yokohama Maru; and damage light cruiser
Yubari; destroyers Yunagi, Asanagi, Oite, Asakaze, and Yakaze;
minelayer Tsugaru; seaplane carrier Kiyokawa Maru; transport Kokai
Maru; and minesweeper No.2 Tama Maru. One SBD (VS 2) is lost to
antiaircraft fire. USAAF B-17s and RAAF Hudsons conduct follow
up strikes but inflict no appreciable additional damage. In a
message to Prime Minister Churchill, President Roosevelt hails
the raid as "the best day's work we've had." The success
of the U.S. carrier strike (the first time in which two carrier
air groups attack a common objective) convinces Japanese war planners
that continued operations in the New Guinea area will require
carrier support, thus setting the stage for confrontation in the
Coral Sea (see 4-8 May).
ヨークタウン.
Down
Illustrated
by Kiyochan.
Illustrated by Kiyochan.
