Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In November, 1943 General Kenney’s 5th air force was sent to the Japanese strong hold port of Rabaul to destroy some 40 ships in anchor. He sent the escorted B-25 bombers in 3 waves. The first wave was comprised of 18 B-25s. Their goal was to neutralize the ground anti-aircraft guns. They were assigned to attack the guns by strafing and dropping Phosphorous bombs on the gun positions. This is the fort time this tactics had been tried by the 5th Air Force. The Phosphorous gas generated will create a smoke screen obscuring the gunners visibility, injure the ground personnel, and start fires. The tactic was considered a success as only one of the 9 B-25s lost was attributed to Ground anti-aircraft fire. The Phosphorus bombs burned ½ of the town down.
In November, 1943 General Kenney’s 5th air force was sent to the Japanese strong hold port of Rabaul to destroy some 40 ships in anchor. He sent the escorted B-25 bombers in 3 waves. The first wave was comprised of 18 B-25s. Their goal was to neutralize the ground anti-aircraft guns. They were assigned to attack the guns by strafing and dropping Phosphorous bombs on the gun positions. This is the fort time this tactics had been tried by the 5th Air Force. The Phosphorous gas generated will create a smoke screen obscuring the gunners visibility, injure the ground personnel, and start fires. The tactic was considered a success as only one of the 9 B-25s lost was attributed to Ground anti-aircraft fire. The Phosphorus bombs burned ½ of the town down.
