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Fanair 19th June 2017 13:00

Japanese air raid against Morotai
 
On 22/23 nov 1944, 9 japanese aircraft destroyed 15 US aircraft and damaged 8 on Morotai island.

Do you know the type of japanese and US aircraft ?

Thank you very much

Alain

Laurent Rizzotti 19th June 2017 16:15

Re: Japanese air raid against Morotai
 
22 Sqn RAAF was hart hit by a Japanese air raid at Wama airfield, Morotai, during the night of 22-23 November 1944.

The unit diary shows 4 Bostons destroyed and 8 damaged, but according to the webpage http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a28.htm many of the damaged were probably never repaired.

Losses according to the unit diary:
A28-51, 52, 60 and 67 destroyed
A28-6, 10, 68 and 76 to RSU for repairs (according to adf-serials: A28-6 and 10 were written off, and the only subsequent history of 68 and 76 is "converted to components")
A28-54, 57 and 75 repairable in 7 days (according to adf-serials: 54 and 75 were "converted to components" (after 27 April 1945 for 75), 57 returned to USSAF in January 1945)

Laurent Rizzotti 19th June 2017 16:42

Re: Japanese air raid against Morotai
 
I tried to edit the above post but it did not work.

I was saying that reports spoke of 15 aircraft destroyed and this very probably covers both US and Australian losses.

According to its war diary, VPB-130 lost one aircraft in this attack but no detail is given (PV-1 Buno 48743 of VPB-130 was lost at Manus that day according to http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/USN/LLNov44.htm, might have been the right one)

Edited: Find following in CINCPAC report for November 1944:
"Morotai - Night 22nd & 23rd: 9 Jap planes attacked the airfield and destroyed 15 planes (3 B-25, 4 B-24, 1 PV, 7 A-20), and damaged 34 (18 B-25, 8 B-24, 2 PV, 6 A-20) in dispersal areas. One bogey came in low from the south and dropped 15-20 anti-personnel bombs at the NE end of the Pitoe strip from about 2,000 feet. The plane was illuminated and AW hits were observed on it. Eight other bogeys came from the SW at 14,000-27,000 feet, split up, and dropped 1 string of bombs in a dispersal area and 1 on the 13th AF headquarters, in addition to others on the strip and in the water. Three were illuminated and 6 engaged by 20 mm. fire. One is claimed destroyed and 1 probably destroyed. Window was dropped by a majority of the bogeys. Three men were killed and 8 wounded. There were 4 craters in the runway and 4 in taxiways."

Laurent Rizzotti 19th June 2017 17:19

Re: Japanese air raid against Morotai
 
And actually I had one of the ground casualties in my files:
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...&GRid=43587648
https://www.abmc.gov/node/523452#.WUfbEMl8lSU

Fanair 19th June 2017 19:00

Re: Japanese air raid against Morotai
 
Merci beaucoup Laurent pour ces précieux renseignements !

bonne soirée.

Alain

Frank Olynyk 19th June 2017 19:26

Re: Japanese air raid against Morotai
 
The USN/USMC loss list at NARA II lists a PB4Y-1 of VPB-104, 38814, as being lost at Morotai on Nov 23, 1944. It lists a PV-1 as lost at Manus on Nov 22. Manus is slightly east of New Guinea. Morotai is more than slightly west of New Guinea. So I think this PB4Y-1 is one of the B-24s destroyed at Morotai. Both the PB4Y-1 and the PV-1 are list as destroyed by enemy bombs. So it is possible that the Manus-PV-1 was actually destroyed at Morotai, and we have a clerical error. Perhaps someone can check the PDF files from the Patrol Bomber squadrons book at the Naval Historical Center. (too busy, sorry)

Enjoy!

Frank.

Stig Jarlevik 19th June 2017 21:07

Re: Japanese air raid against Morotai
 
With regard to VPB-130 it is rather tricky to say where each aircraft was at a given time.
According to Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons Vol 2 VPB-130 transferred to Ponam, Manus Island on 10 Oct 1944.
On 1 Nov 1944 it began to transfer to Tacloban (Philippine Islands) via Owi Island, Peleliu, Palau and Morotai.
Was a straggler still at Morotai on 22/23 Nov, or even worse left behind at Manus?

To me it seems more possible that an aircraft was at Morotai rather than Manus at this late date, but who knowns for sure?

Cheers
Stig

Col Bruggy 20th June 2017 09:09

Re: Japanese air raid against Morotai
 
Laurent,

The sources you quote for the destroyed/damaged 22 Sqn RAAF Bostons, omit mention of A28-59 and A28-65. Better to use the Boston Aircraft Status Cards: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sear...3045951&isAv=N (not perfect, but more reliable).

Col.

BruceMk11 22nd June 2017 07:48

Re: Japanese air raid against Morotai
 
Do you know the type of japanese and US aircraft ?

Alain,

Perhaps Ki 45 of 21st Sentai, staging through Wasile, Halmahera.

Bruce


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