MacArthur's Airmen - Isoroku Yamamoto
 On April 14, 1943, U.S. naval intelligence de-coded a Japanese radio message that Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s Combined Fleet, would be making a tour of the South Pacific islands in an effort to boost morale following the Japanese defeat at Guadalcanal. The intercepted message included a detailed itinerary for the Admiral and the number and types of air craft which would be escorting him. The route was thought by the Japanese to be safely out of range of Allied aircraft operating out of Guadalcanal and New Guinea. The Japanese also had no reason to believe that the Allies could break their codes. However, unbeknownst to the Japanese, this captured intelligence was passed to President Franklin Roosevelt who ordered the U.S. Navy to “Get Yamamoto.”
Yamamoto had graduated from the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1904 and was wounded during the subsequent Russo-Japanese War. He later studied at Harvard University and served two tours as naval attaché in Washington, DC. His exposure to America as well as his support of naval aviation led Yamamoto to strongly oppose any hostilities with the United States. However, the majority of the Japanese high command viewed war with America as necessary in order to expand their empire throughout the Pacific. Accordingly as commander of the Japanese fleet in 1941, Yamamoto was tasked with designing a plan of attack against the American Pacific fleet – which resulted in the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. As the author of this perceived surprise attack, Yamamoto was vilified by the American press.
Orders were relayed to Admiral William Halsey, commander of the South Pacific Theater, on April 17 to intercept Yamamoto’s flight as he flew from Rabaul to Bougainville the following morning. The mission was assigned to the 339th Fighter Squadron, of the 347th Fighter Group, Thirteenth Air Force, because their P-38 Lightnings were the only planes with sufficient range to carry out the mission, which entailed a flight of some 430 miles from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal to the intercept point in the Solomons. Eighteen P-38s equipped with extra exterior fuel tanks were to participate in the mission. Four of these were to be the “killer” flight assigned to shoot down Yamamoto’s transport bomber, with the others to provide cover. The pilots were not told specifically who their target was, only that a high-ranking Japanese officer had been spotted leaving Rabaul, in order to hide the truth that the Japanese codes had been compromised.
Two of the planes experienced mechanical failure and had to turn back, leaving only 16 for the mission. The Lightnings flew – in radio silence – just above the sea to maximize their range and reduce their chances of being detected, arriving at the intercept point near Bougainville one minute ahead of schedule.
As Yamamoto’s planes emerged from the clouds, the “killer” group, consisting of Capt. Thomas Lanphier, Lt. Rex Barber, Lt. B.F. Holmes, and Lt. Raymond Hine climbed to engage. However, Holmes was unable to jettison his drop tanks and, along with his wingman Hine, turned back to sea, leaving only Lanphier and Barber to engage Yamamoto’s bomber. Lanphier engaged the escorting Japanese fighters while Barber fired on both of the two transport bombers in the formation, shooting down both. Barber’s Lightning sustained some 140 hits from enemy fire in the attack, while both he and Lt. Holmes each shot down a Zero. Lt. Hine was shot down and his plane never found – the only American casualty on the mission.
The wreckage of Yamamoto’s plane was found the next day in the jungle near Buin, and the Admiral’s body found in his seat with his hand grasping the handle of his sword. The wreckage of the plane was left where it was found and is today a memorial to Yamamoto. News of his death was not announced in Japan for more than a month.
All of the P-38 pilots received the Navy Cross for their participation in the mission. In order to protect the code-breaking intelligence, a cover story was leaked that a coast-watcher had seen Yamamoto embark on his mission.
 Almost immediately after the Lightnings returned to Henderson Field, a controversy began over exactly who had shot down Yamamoto’s plane. Lanphier proclaimed over the radio on approach “I got Yamamoto!” and repeated this claim on the ground; however, no one else could confirm this. Barber had scored hits on both of the bombers, and also claimed the kill. Initially, official credit for the kill went to Lanphier. A post-war investigation resulted in a “half-kill” being awarded to Lanphier and Barber for Yamamoto’s plane, although later evidence and testimony by Japanese pilots strongly indicate that it was Barber who shot down the bomber. In 2003, two years after Barber’s death and 16 years after Lanphier’s death, sole credit for the kill was given to Barber.
|
