Aircraft History
This bomber was assigned to the 4th Kokutai, 1st Chutai.

Wartime History
Took off from Vunakanau Airfield armed with two 250kg bombs to attack. This bomber was flying in the 1st Chutai, 1st Shotai, No 3 bomber. It sighted Task Force 11 ships north-east of Rabaul.

Intercepted by F4F Wildcat piloted by Lt. Edward 'Butch' O'Hare, and met heavy anti-aircraft fire from the ships. It dropped two 250kg bombs aimed at the Lexington, but missed.

Returning, this damaged bomber was followed by an SBD Dauntless piloted by Allen of SB-2. His rear gunner Rountee fired his 30 caliber machine gun at the bomber and chased it for forty-five minutes, 150 miles westward. On board Ono's Betty, the attacks damaged the right engine, holed fuel tanks causing fuel to leak out and killed two crew men.

The damaged bomber reached Nuguria Atoll and ditched off Nugava at 7:25pm. Later, three of the surviving crew were rescued by a Japanese barge.

Wreckage
The wreck of this G4M1 Betty was discovered by USN PT Boats from Nissan Island that visited the island on April 9, 1944. Locals reported three members of the crew were rescued by a Japanese barge, and were the only ones they ever met.

Reporting the wreck, PT-124 "Who Me?" was sent there during July 1944 with intelligence personnel. The team recovered documents from inside the wreck and photographed it, and noted no identification of crew losses were present.

Today, only a few pieces of wreckage remain visible.

John Douglas adds:
"I made a visit to Nuguria several years ago and photographed the remains of a Betty near the shoreline. There were scraps of fuselage and wings buried, with obviously more under the sand."

References
Mitsubishi Type 1 Rikko 'Betty' Units of World War 2 page 37
The First Team page 118, 130-131, 636
At Close Quarters, page 154
Behind Enemy Lines photos of this wreck and story of July 1944 visit
Ono's Acount in Japan Times & Advertizer, March 9, 1942

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009