It’s time for another post, and this one isn’t a continuation of my recent P-39Q fighter aircraft build. I’ve just finished reading Operation Vengeance by Dan Hampton, and it was quite an interesting read. This book might serve as a source of inspiration for modelers as well. If you’re intrigued, check out my review and some details about the book below.
Review
Operation Vengeance recounts a covert and remarkable American aerial mission in the Pacific during World War II, with a singular objective: to eliminate Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the mastermind behind the infamous Pearl Harbor attack and the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet. The core action unfolds in the Solomon Islands in April 1943, when U.S. Naval Intelligence intercepts a coded message revealing Yamamoto’s travel plans. The admiral was set to visit Japanese troops in Rabaul before flying to the Japanese airfield at Ballale, located 400 miles southwest of Guadalcanal, the American stronghold in the South Pacific.
The book is authored by Dan "Two Dogs" Hampton, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel who served from 1986 to 2006. Published in 2020, this is Hampton’s sixth book.
At the outset, it’s important to note that Operation Vengeance offers a much broader context than just the aerial ambush of April 18, 1943. If you’re looking for a narrative solely focused on that event, this book may not be for you.
Overall, the book is an engaging read. Hampton skillfully guides the reader through naval battles and aerial combat, providing insights into the tactics and strategies behind key decisions. However, the absence of diagrams and charts illustrating unit movements and battle areas makes it challenging to visualize some of the more complex engagements. A visual aid would have greatly enhanced the reader’s understanding of the battlefield dynamics. On the positive side, Hampton provides a broad context for the events leading to Operation Vengeance, which enriches the narrative. It's worth noting that some sections, especially those detailing mission planning, startup procedures, aerial interceptions, and dogfighting, are bit technical. To fully appreciate these parts, a basic understanding of aviation, aircraft piloting, fighter maneuvers, and spatial geometry is helpful.
For scale modelers, this book might be an inspiration, particularly if you're interested in recreating the aircraft flown by Lt. Rex Barber, who shot down Yamamoto in one of the most stunning aerial operations of WWII. Barber's P-38G "White 147" Miss Virginia, built by Lockheed in Burbank, is the exact aircraft used in the mission. Interestingly, Tamiya released a new model of the P-38G in 2019, with Miss Virginia included as one of the paint schemes. If you're interested, you can check out my build of this model here.
Book in more details
The book spans 400 pages, divided into twelve chapters and an epilogue, organized into three parts. The first section provides a comprehensive introduction to the key events and main figures involved. Hampton offers a wide-ranging perspective on the developments, decisions, and personalities that led to the operation in the Solomon Islands. This thorough background helps readers grasp the significance of the mission and the immense effort required to make it possible. The narrative is interwoven with vivid descriptions of the early hours of April 18, 1943, when Lieutenant Rex Barber, Major John Mitchell, the Mission Commander, and other pilots of the 339th Fighter Squadron prepared for one of the war’s most tactically challenging operations.
In the second part, Hampton transports readers to Guadalcanal in the Solomons, highlighting the extraordinary efforts of the United States to capture, defend, and later advance from the island towards New Guinea. He paints a vivid picture of the brutal realities faced by the U.S. Marine Corps, especially in the early months after seizing the island on August 7, 1942. The Japanese Imperial Navy relentlessly bombarded the airfield, and the Japanese Army made numerous attempts to retake it. Hampton describes these events with great detail and a fast-paced narrative.
The final chapters of the second part and the entire third part form the heart of the book. Hampton sets the stage by explaining the circumstances that led Yamamoto to visit troops so close to the front lines. From the American perspective, we learn about the intricate planning involved in the aerial ambush, including solving challenges like fuel limitations, enemy radar detection, pilot fatigue, and selecting the interception point and timing. The pace quickens as the narrative builds to the climactic moment when Rex Barber intercepts Yamamoto’s G4M1 Model 11 "Betty" bomber over Bougainville Island.
The credit for the aerial kill of Yamamoto has been a source of controversy for years due to poor record-keeping and the egotistical behavior of one of the pilots involved. Additionally, recommendations for the Medal of Honor were downgraded to the Navy Cross, due to contemptuous and ill-mannered reaction of the admiral Halsey. Hampton dedicates the final chapters to setting the record straight.
Recap
If you're eager to dive into the details of Yamamoto’s aerial assassination and don’t mind exploring the broader Pacific War along the way, I highly recommend this book. Written by a fighter pilot, it's delivered with a sense of excitement and intrigue that keeps you turning the pages.
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