Allied missions against Vunakanau Airfield
May 4, 1942–June 16, 1944
May 4, 1942
(5th AF) B-26's bomb Vunakanau.
May 24, 1942
(5th AF) Three B-26 Marauders strike Vunakanau Airfield.
May 25, 1942
(5th AF) B-17's bomb Vunakanau Airfield.
June 12, 1942
(5th AF) B-17s bomb the building area and Vunakanau Airfield.
June 19, 1942
(5th AF) B-17s bomb Vunakanau
Airfield.
June 24, 1942
(5th AF) B-17s bomb Vunakanau Airfield releasing bundles of incendiaries that cause fires.
August 7, 1942
(5th AF) 13 B-17s of the 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), led by Lieutenant Colonel
Richard H. Carmichael hit Vunakanau Airfield. Lost is B-17E "Why Don't We Do This More Often" Serial Number 41-2429 (MIA).
October 13, 1942
B-17s bomb Vunakanau Airfield.
May 20, 1943
(5th AF) B-17's and
B-24's bomb Vunakanau Airfield.
June 19, 1943
(5th AF) B-17's and B-24's thoroughly pound Vunakanau Airfield.
September 11, 1943
Recon photograph taken from altitude.
October 12, 1943
(5th AF) Almost 350 B-24's, B-25's, P-38's, and RAAF airplanes pound the Rabaul area, including the first parafag bomb attack on Vunakanau Airfield.
October 24, 1943
(5th AF) At least 45 bombers
are destroyed on the ground at Vunakanau during
attacks by B-25's; the B-25's including 345th BG and 50+ escorting P-38's claim 40+ Japanese
airplanes shot down over Rabaul.
December 23, 1943
(5th AF) Bombers hit Vunakanau.
December 24, 1943
(5th AF) 18 B-24's bomb Vunakanau Airfield; Fighter cover for the strike fights a fierce air action
with interceptors.
January 9, 1944
(13th AF) 2 squadrons of B-24's pound Vunakanau Airfield.
January 10, 1944
(13th AF) Morning raid by 10 B-24's against
Vunakanau Airfield.
January 12, 1944
(13th AF) In the early morning, thireen B-25 Mitchells from the 42d BG bomb Vunakanau Airfield, their first mission against
the Rabaul area.
January 14, 1944
(13th AF) During
the night of 13/14 Jan, 15 B-24's bomb Vunakanau just before dawn.
January 18, 1944
(13th AF) A single B-24's on armed reconnaissance
bombs Vunakanau.
January 19, 1944
(13th AF) During the night of 19/20 Jan B-24's, in 2 waves,
fly strikes against Vunakanau.
January 20, 1944
(13th AF) B-25's, with escorting fighters,
pound the airfield, fuel dump and gun positions, at Vunakanau.
January 30, 1944
(13th AF) 18 B-24's, supported by fighters, hit Vunakanau Airfield.
February 4, 1944
(13th AF) Eighteen B-24s covered
by 30+ P-38s and USN fighters, hit Vunakanau Airfield.
February 6, 1944
(13th AF) 47 fighters escort 19 B-24s bombing Vunakanau Airfield that drop 76 tons of ordnance. This strike was weakly intercepted by a dozen or so Zeros that only fired from long range. Three that pressed their attacks were claimed as probables by P-38s. Some bombers were damaged by AA.
February 7, 1944
(13th AF) Vunakanau Airfield is bombed by 17 B-24s, escorted by P-38s and USN fighters.
February 9, 1944
(13th AF) P-40s
and USN fighters cover a USN dive-bomber attack on Vunakanau Airfield, scoring many hits on AA positions, buildings, and runways; 24 B-24s with USN
fighter escort follow with a strike on the same target hitting runways and
revetment area.
February 10, 1944
(13th AF) P-40s
and USN fighters cover a USN dive-bomber attack on Vunakanau Airfield; B-25s
with fighter escort bomb Vunakanau later in the day.
February 11, 1944
(13th AF) 22 B-25s, escorted by USN fighters, pound Vunakanau Airfield.
February 12, 1944
(13th AF) 21 B-24s, escorted by P-39s and USN fighters, pound Vunakanau Airfield.
February 13, 1944
(13th AF) P-40s and USN fighters escort USN SBDs and TBFs dive-bombing runway and AA positions at Vunakanau.
February 14, 1944
(13th AF) 30
escorted B-25s pound Vunakanau Airfield.
February 15, 1944
(13th AF) 23 B-25s, with fighter cover,
bomb the runway and dispersal area of Vunakanau Airfield
February 16, 1944
(13th AF) 12 B-24s, with 30+ P-38s
and USN F4Us, pound the runway at Vunakanau Airfield.
February 18, 1944
(13th AF) 34 B-25s and 18 B-24s, both forces with fighter escorts, pound Vunakanau Airfield.
February 23, 1944
(13th AF) 9 B-25s, with USN fighter support, bomb Vunakanau Airfield.
March 16, 1944
(13th AF) 13 B-24s bomb Vunakanau Airfield, and 12 B-25s follow with a raid on Vunakanau radar installations.
March 20, 1944
(13th AF) 23
B-24s bomb the airfield at Vunakanau.
March 21, 1944
(13th AF) 22 B-24s bomb Vunakanau Airfield.
March 24, 1944
(13th AF) A few B-25s
that lost contact with the formation bomb
Vunakanau as an alternate target.
March 26, 1944
(13th AF) 23 B-25s
hit Vunakanau Airfield.
April 7, 1944
(13th AF) 11
bomb Vunakanau Airfield.
April 9, 1944
(RNZAF) F/Lt N H James (30 Squadron, RNZAF) leads 93 RNZAF and USMC aircraft comprising of TBF Avengers and SBD Dauntlesses against Vunakanau. 30 Squadron TBF Avenger NZ2512 and TBF Avenger NZ2518 are damaged by anti-aircraft fire.
April 12, 1944
(13th AF) 23 fighter-bombers
blast the concrete airstrip at Vunakanau.
April 26, 1944
(RNZAF) 30 Squadron TBF Avengers attack Vunakaunu Airfield. Hit by anti-aircraft fire and shot down is TBF Avenger NZ2507.
April 28, 1944
(13th AF) 30 fighter- bombers
hit the runway and revetments at Vunakanau.
April 30, 1944
(13th AF) 30+ P-40s
and P-38s bomb Vunakanau Airfield.
May 4, 1944
(13th AF) 43 fighter-bombers hit Vunakanau Airfield.
May 11, 1944
(13th AF) 12 B-25s, 12 P-40s and 3 B-24s hit
Vunakanau Airfield.
May 14, 1944
(13th AF) 44 fighter-bombers pound supply and personnel areas
at Vunakanau.
May 16, 1944
(13th AF) 40+
fighter-bombers hit the Vunakanau area.
May 17, 1944
(13th AF) 43 P-39s, P-40s and P-38s, in conjunction
with 40+ USN dive bombers, blast the Vunakanau area.
(USMC) Forty-two SBD Dauntless dive bombers from VMSB-244 and VMSB-236 dive bomb and strafe Vunakanau Airfield claiming hits on the runway and experiencing moderate to intense anti-aircraft fire with varying degrees of accuracy. Lost returing from the mission is SBD Dauntless 28161 (MIA).
May 21, 1944
(13th AF) 40+ USN dive bombers hit Vunakanau Airfield and nearby
plantation.
May 28, 1944
(RNZAF) 31 Squadron make their first attack on Vunakanau. Lost is TBF Avenger NZ2530 listed as missing. Many other aircraft were damaged with several crew members being wounded.
May 29, 1944
(RNZAF) Lost on a bombing mission to Vunakanau is TBF Avenger NZ2530
June 2, 1944
(13th AF) P-39s, and P-40s attack the Vunakanau
area.
June 16, 1944
(FEAF) B-24s hit Vunakanan Airfield.
