American missions against Wake Atoll
February 14, 1942–August 6, 1945
February 14, 1942
(7th AF) A B-17 flies a photo reconnaissance
mission over Wake.
February 24, 1942
(USN) First Wake Island Raid: A striking force under the command of Vice Admiral W. F. Halsey
composed of the carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) with cruiser and destroyer screen
strike Wake.
June 7, 1942
(7th AF) LB-30 Liberator AL589 piloted by Major General Clarence L Tinker, Commanding
Officer (C. O.) 7th Air Force is lost leading a mission
from Midway for a predawn bombing mission against Wake.
Referneces
History of the Fifth Bomb Group: The Story of 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy) (1946) page 34
"Wake Island... On or about June 7 [1942] Colonel Waldron and crew of the 394th Squadron took part in a strike against Jap-held Wake Island. On this mission three enlisted men [Moeller, Scheid and Wagner] of the 394th were lost when they went down with General Clarence Tinker [aboard LB-30 Liberator AL589].
June ?, 1942
(7th AF) A single B-17 piloted by Major George E. Gober. from the 5th Bomb Group (5th BG), 31st Bomb Squadron (31st BS) flies a solo reconnaissance of Wake Island and made two runs over the island before being intercpted by Japanese fighters and claimed four shot down and one probable during a 40 minute combat. Although slighly damage, this B-17 returned safely to land at Midway Airifeld.
Referneces
History of the Fifth Bomb Group: The Story of 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy) (1946) page 34
"Another mission was performed by the Commanding Officer of the 31st Squadron Major George E. Gober. Major Gober and his crew flew almost halfway to Japan in making a photo reconnaissance of Wake Island. This single B-17 completely surprised the Japs, making to runs over the island before being attacked by six enemy fighters. In 40 minutes of a running fight four of the Zero were shot down by the lone Fortress and one of the Zeros was probably destroyed. The B-7 [sic B-17] and its crew received slight damage only, and returned safely to the home base [Midway Airfield]. This reconnaissance produced the first picture of Wake Island made since the Pearl Harbor attack."
June 26, 1942
(7th AF) 3 LB-30s bomb installations on Wake during the night of 26/27 Jun and is staged through
Midway.
July 31, 1942
(7th AF) One B-17 from Midway flies
photo reconnaissance of Wake. The B-17 is Intercepted by 6 fighters;
in the ensuing fight US gunners claim 4 fighters destroyed.
January 25, 1943
(7th AF) Six B-24s carry out a photographic reconnaissance
missions over Wake and drop 60 bombs. They claim one fighter shot down.
May 15, 1943
(7th AF) 7 B-24's from Midway bomb Wake; 4 others abort and 7 others fail to find the target.
22 fighters intercept the formation; the B-24's claim 4 shot down; 1 B-24 is
lost.
July 24, 1943
(7th AF) 8 B-24's from Midway attack Wake Island, bombing oil storage, barracks, and a gun emplacement. 20-30 Zekes attack the formation; 9 fighters are claimed destroyed; 1 B-24 is lost in a collision with a falling Japanese fighter.
July 26, 1943
(7th AF) The last mission against Wake from Midway. Eight B-24's from Midway bomb targets including oil storage area. 20+ fighters (including an aircraft identified as a FW-190) intercept the formation. The B-24's claim 11 of the fighters shot down.
October 5-6, 1943
(USN) Second Wake Raid Task Force 14 (TF 14) under the command of Rear Admiral A. E. Montgomery with six carriers, seven cruisers, and 24 destroyers, making it the largest
carrier task force yet assembled, bombed and bombarded Japanese installations
on Wake. In the course of the 2-day strikes, ship handling techniques
for a multi-carrier force, devised by Rear Admiral F. C. Sherman's staff on the
basis of experience in the South Pacific, were tested under combat conditions.
Lessons learned from operating the carriers as a single group of six, as two
groups of three, and as three groups of two, provided the basis for many tactics
which later characterized carrier task force operations.
December 22, 1942
(13th AF) At 4:30pm twenty-six B-24s from 307th Bombardment Group (307th BG) took off from Midway Airfield and climbed to 10,000' for a night bombing mission against Wake Island. The bombers include: B-24D "Bundles For Japan" 41-23969, B-24D "The Bad Penny" 41-23899 and B-24D "Flying Gator" 41-23898. After crossing the international dateline, the bombers arrived over the target at December 23, 1942 from midnight until 12:40am, the B-24s bombed one of nine targets from 4,000' making a single bomb run. The B-24s were armed with five 500 pound general purpose bombs, with some fused with 1/10 second delay fuses for specific targets, the rest with instantaneous fuses. The Japanese appeared to be caught off guard and did not offer a coordinated defense, with anti-aircraft fire and search lights not beginning until the raid began and described as light and mostly from machine guns with some heavy anti-aircraft guns. Search lights did not seem to be coordinated with anti-aircraft fire and caught only a quarter of the formation in their beams. Four enemy aircraft were believed to be in the air but did not intercept. Afterwards, the formation climbed to 10,000' and flew westward crossing the international dateline and arrived over Wake Island after midnight on December 23, 1942 with clear visibility. The B-24s bomb nine different targets between midnight until 12:40am. The defending Japanese seemed to be caught off guard and did not offer a coordinated defense and anti-aircraft fire and search lights not commence until the raid began and were described as light and mostly from machine guns with some 20mm anti-aircraft fire and heavy anti-aircraft fire. Search lights did not seem to be coordinated with anti-aircraft fire and caught only a quarter of the formation in their beams. Four enemy aircraft were believed to be in the air but did not intercept. Returning, the formation climbed to 10,000' and crossed the international dateline then returned to land at Midway Airfield on December 23, 1943 between 5:50am to 7:30am. None of the bombers sustained serious damage (aside from two with superficial damage) or injuries to crews. In total, this mission spanned over 4,300 nautical miles and reported in the press as a "Christmas Eve" raid.
References
CINCPAC "Action Report - Night Bombardment Raid, Wake Island 22-23 December 1942" December 26, 1942
January 30, 1944
(USN) To effect the neutralization of Wake during the Marshalls operation,
two squadrons of Coronados from Midway made the first of four night bombing
attacks on Wake, a 2,000-mile round trip.
February 4, 1944
(USN) To effect the neutralization of Wake during the Marshalls operation,
two squadrons of Coronados from Midway made the second of four night bombing
attacks on Wake, a 2,000-mile round trip.
February 8, 1944
(USN) To effect the neutralization of Wake during the Marshalls operation,
two squadrons of Coronados from Midway made the third of four night bombing
attacks on Wake, a 2,000-mile round trip.
February 9, 1944
(USN) To effect the neutralization of Wake during the Marshalls operation,
two squadrons of Coronados from Midway made the fourth of four night bombing
attacks on Wake, a 2,000-mile round trip.
March 3, 1944
(7th AF) Seventh Air Force aircraft maintain
neutralization strikes against airfields in the Caroline and continue hitting Wake.
March 11, 1944
(7th AF) B-24s, operating out of Kwajalein,
for first time, carry out the Seventh's first raid from the Marshall against
Wake.
March 19, 1944
(7th AF) B-24s pound Wake from Kwajalein
March 23, 1944
(7th AF) B-24s pound Wake from Kwajalein
April 6, 1944
(7th AF) B-24s pound Wake from Kwajalein
April 18, 1944
(7th AF) B-24s pound Wake from Kwajalein
April 20, 1944
(7th AF) B-24s from Kwajalein search
the area near Wake for shipping; finding none, the bombers hit Wake and Peale.
April 30, 1944
(7th AF) 41
B-24s pound Wake from Kwajalein
May 10, 1944
(7th AF) 41
B-24s pound Wake from Kwajalein on the night of May 9-10.
May 16 , 1944
(7th AF) 41
B-24s pound Wake from Kwajalein.
May 17 , 1944
(7th AF) 41
B-24s pound Wake from Kwajalein.
May 23, 1944
(USN) Third Wake Raid--Carrier Task Group 58.6 (Rear Admiral A. E. Montgomery)
shifted from Marcus to hit Wake with five composite bombing, strafing and rocket
strikes.
May 30, 1944
(7th AF) B-24s pound Wake from Kwajalein.
September 3, 1944
(USN) Fourth Wake Raid--A strike group of one carrier, with cruisers and destroyers,
hit enemy positions on Wake.
September 23, 1944
(7th AF) B-24s pound Wake from Kwajalein during the night of 23-24.
September 25, 1944
(7th AF) B-24s pound Wake from Kwajalein during the night of 25-26.
September 26, 1944
(7th AF)
B-24s hit Wake during
the night of Sep 26-27.
October 1, 1944
(7th AF) A Kwajalein based B-24 bombs Wake on the night of September 30-October 1.
October 4, 1944
(7th AF) B-24 bomb Wake.
October 6, 1944
(7th AF) 3 B-24s bomb Wake during the night of Oct 6-7.
October 8, 1944
(7th AF) During the day and night of 8/9 Oct B-24s from the Marshalls bomb
Wake.
October 11, 1944
(7th AF) A Kwajalein Atoll-based
B-24 bombs Wake during the night.
October 12, 1944
(7th AF) B-24s from Kwajalein bomb Wake during
the night of October 12-13.
October 14, 1944
(7th AF) 1 B-24 from the Marshall bombs Wake during the night of October 14-15
October 15, 1944
(7th AF)
2 B-24s from the Marshalls bomb Wake
during the night of October 15-16.
June 20, 1945
(USN) Fifth Wake Raid - Three carriers of Task Group 12.4 (Rear Admiral
R. E. Jennings) launched five strikes against enemy positions on Wake.
July 18, 1945
(USN) Sixth Wake Raid - The carrier Wasp, returning to action after
battle repairs and overhaul at Puget Sound, launched air strikes against targets
on Wake.
August 1, 1945
(USN) Seventh Wake Raid--Task Group 12.3, composed of one carrier,
one battleship and destroyer screen, bombed and bombarded Wake.
August 6, 1945
(USN) Eighth Wake Raid: USS Intrepid, while en route from
Pearl Harbor to join forces off Japan, bombs buildings and gun positions on
Wake.
