This is the after-action debrief of the first P-38 kill in the Pacific of a Kawanishi-97 in August of 1942.
On Aug. 3, U.S. destroyer Kane and seaplane tender Gillis were bombed twice by Jap four-motored patrol bombers in Nazan Bay, Atka Island, approximately 290 miles west of Umnak. On Aug. 4, an air alert patrol was established to cover the approach to Nazan Bay for a distance of approximately 350 miles west of Umnak. This patrol on Aug. 4 consisted of one B-17 with two P-38 piloted by Lt. Long and Lt. Ambrose. The bomber led the flight with the fighters echeloned to the rear.
As the fighters arrived over the vicinity of Nazan Bay, the bomber departed to westward in search of the enemy. B-17 then called fighters reporting two enemy patrol planes under high overcast 20 miles west and north of Atka. The two fighters climbed to 22,000 feet and Lt. Long located them at 7,000 feet and south of the island. Fighters intercepted from north or abeam and made careful identification, one ship on each side. Jap patrol ships turned and headed west diving for overcast at 2,500 feet in a close formation. Fighters were on either side of the Jap formation and in front.
Lt. Long concentrated his attack from above and to the right of the Jap formation pulling out at maximum range on level of enemy. Fire was concentrated on the cockpit. Japs were still diving at 10° angle. Both enemy planes received Lt. Long's fire, the leader thru his cockpit and hull and the second thru his hull and back of wing. The windshield of the leader was observed breaking and tracers going thru both planes. No fire observed from Japs. Lt. Long recovered sharply down and across and resumed original position in front and to right of enemy. No return fire was observed.
Lt. Ambrose started his attack almost simultaneously from left, 3,000 feet above the overcast. From a high dive, fire was concentrated on left outboard engines of wing of ship echeloned to left. Range was too great and missed with first burst. Hits were scored on second burst and fire was observed starting between outboard engines immediately after being hit with tracers. Leveling off and passing under, Lt. Ambrose got behind the leader who opened up with single cannon in tail. Burst observed to be producing much smoke. Lt. Ambrose then climbed back to position above and left of enemy.
The Japs now opened their formation to two ships length, in echelon and went into a steeper dive. Ambrose attacked again from almost direct front, aiming at point between left motors of second ship, starting another fire which seemed to cause low order explosion of entire wing. A recovery was made so as not to get in range of either tail gun of the Jap planes.
Lt. Long made a second attack on the leading ship almost simultaneously with Lt. Ambrose's second attack. Approaching from the right, Long observed tracers passing thru hull and cockpit of enemy ship which was now diving steeper. This pass carried Long into the overcast.
Lt. Ambrose made a third attack on the second plane from direct front from slightly below. Aiming at intersection of wing and strut, the entire wing was seen to burst into flame as both planes went into overcast Both planes released their bombs on this attack.
Lt. Long recovered and came out of the overcast after some difficulty. The B-1 ~ rejoined the flight and after finding a hole he went thru leaving the fighters on top They flew eastward for approximately 25 minutes after the initial attack. Observing an enemy patrol boat coming from dead ahead 500 feet above overcast, an attack was initiated head on.
Ambrose, leading, concentrated fire or right engines. Long, following closely concentrated fire on belly. Both pilots observed fire taking effect. Ambrose recovered and initiated a beam attack. Long recovered to the front of the Jap plane as it entered a fog patch. The Jap emerged from fog head on to Long and turned vertically and presented his belly to Long as he dived Long, firing at close range, observed fin taking effect in belly. Jap went into overcast at 2,500 feet in very steep dive and out 0 control in three quarter inverted position.
Postscript
The above account was taken verbatim from a radiogram forwarded from Ft. Glenn to Gen Butler on Aug. 5, supplemented by conclusions and remarks by Col. Sillin. From the encounter, the U.S. learned valuable intelligence as to how the Jap plane was armed, airspeed and optimum attack angle--frontal.
A third Kawanishi, though not mentioned in the above preliminary report, escaped the Lightnings that day and the pilot lived to tell of it. Long ran into a Japanese officer in 1980 in Alaska, Gen. Masatake Okumiya, who knew the pilot.
Okumiya was the Air Officer on a Japanese carrier near the Aleutians in 1942 when Long shot down the Kawanishi 97 (also called H6K5 Mavis flying boat). Long asked the General if the third Kawanishi in the three-ship formation had made it back to Japan in that Aug 4, '42 encounter. The General said it had and the lucky pilot was Capt. Sukemitsu Ito. Stan also asked if the Japanese had known of the American home base at Adak since the 54FS had believed their location was not known to the Japanese. The General said the Adak location was known and his forces had planned to hit the field the next day, but the carrier was forced to withdraw to support the battle of Midway. Thus, Adak was saved from this Japanese air attack.
Ack-Ack
