Bombing of Rabaul (November 1943)

Air attacks on Rabaul
Part of the Pacific Theater of World War II
Japanese cruiser Chikuma under attack on 5 November 1943.
Date 2–11 November 1943 Location Rabaul on New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago Result Allied victory, prevented Japanese naval forces from threatening invasion of Bougainville
Belligerents
United States  Australia  New Zealand	Empire of Japan
Commanders and leaders
George Kenney (land air forces), William Halsey, Jr., Frederick Sherman (naval forces)	Mineichi Koga, Jinichi Kusaka
Strength
3 fleet carriers, 2 light carriers, 2 light cruisers, 9 destroyers, 282 carrier aircraft, 349 land-based aircraft	10 cruisers, 11 destroyers, 200 aircraft
Casualties and losses
10 carrier aircraft, 17 land-based aircraft destroyed	6 cruisers heavily damaged, 52 aircraft destroyed

The Allies of World War II conducted an air attack upon a cruiser force at the major Japanese base of Rabaul in November 1943. In response to the Allied invasion of Bougainville, the Japanese had brought a strong cruiser force down from Truk, their major naval base in the Caroline Islands about 800 miles north of Rabaul, to Rabaul in preparation for a night engagement against the Allied supply and support shipping. Allied carrier- and land-based planes attacked the Japanese ships, airfields, and port facilities on the island of New Britain to protect the Allied amphibious invasion of Bougainville. As a result of the Rabaul raids, the Japanese naval forces could no longer threaten the landings. The success of the raid began to change the strongly held belief that carrier-based air forces could not challenge land-based air forces.

In early 1943, Rabaul had been distant from the fighting. However, the Allied grand strategy in the South West Pacific Area—Operation Cartwheel—aimed to isolate Rabaul and reduce it by air raids. Japanese ground forces were already retreating in New Guinea and in the Solomon Islands, abandoning Guadalcanal, Kolombangara, New Georgia and Vella Lavella.

Rabaul—on the island of New Britain—was one of two major ports in the Australian Territory of New Guinea. It was the main Japanese naval base for the Solomon Islands campaign and New Guinea campaign. Simpson Harbor—captured from Australian forces in February 1942—was known as "the Pearl Harbor of the South Pacific" and was well defended by 367 anti-aircraft guns and five airfields.

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