Part III of three.
"The Untold Story of Central Pacific Air Operations – Part III"
by Richard Dunn
1 July 2026
"This article is Part III of a three-part series exploring the overlooked role of land-based air power in the Central Pacific during 1943. If you’re new to the series, you may wish to begin with Part I, which examines the strategic foundations of the campaign, and continue with Part II, covering the reconnaissance missions and air operations that paved the way for the invasion of the Gilbert Islands.
Together, these articles provide the broader context for the events leading to Operation Galvanic and the Battle of Tarawa.
The Battle of Tarawa is remembered for its fierce fighting on the beaches, but the weeks leading up to the invasion were shaped by an extensive Allied air campaign that remains largely overlooked. During September through November 1943, American land-based bombers and carrier aircraft struck Japanese positions across the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, gathering intelligence, weakening defenses, and supporting Operation Galvanic. This article examines how the Battle of Tarawa air campaign helped prepare one of the Pacific War’s most important amphibious assaults. . . . "
https://rldunn.com/central-pacific-a...ions-part-iii/