American Missions Against Lakunai Airfield

April 11, 1942
(5th AF) 22nd BG B-26s attack Lakunai Airfield. Over the target, B-26 40-1418 is hit by anti-aircraft fire and force lands on the return flight

June 12, 1942
(5th AF) B-17s hit Lakunai airfield.

August 9, 1942
(5th AF) B-17s bomb shipping and Lakunai Airfield. Lost is B-17E 41-2452.

August 22, 1942
(5th AF) B-17s bomb Lakunai Airfield.

August 29, 1942
(5th AF) B-17s pound Lakunai Airfield

October 10, 1942
(5th AF) B-17s hit Lakunai airfield.

October 13, 1942
(5th AF) B-17s again pound Rabaul concentrating Lakunai Airfield

December 6, 1942
(5th AF) B-17s bomb Lakunai Airfield

May 24, 1943
(5th AF) B-24's pound Lakunai Airfield

June 14, 1943
(5th AF) A single B-24 bombs Lakunai Airfield

November 2, 1943
(5th AF) 75 B-25's, with an escort of 70 P-38's of the 8th FG and 49th FG, attack Rabaul airfields including Lakunai

November 10, 1943
(5th AF) B-24's bomb Lakunai Airfield

November 11, 1943
(5th AF) B-24's bomb Lakunai Airfield

December 23, 1943
(13th AF) 6 B-24s hit Lakunai

December 25, 1943
(13th AF) A few B-24's, fighting bad weather, attack Lakunai Airfield; covering fighters claim 13 airplanes shot down. 2 P-38's are lost.

January 1, 1944
(13th AF) 15 B-24's, escorted by 70+ P-38's and US Navy (USN) F6F's, bomb Lakunai Airfield; fighter and AA opposition is heavy, with 80-90 fighters attempting interception. US airplanes claim 20 fighters shot down; 1 B-24 is shot down and 2, severely damaged

January 10, 1944
(13th AF) 20 B-24's of the 5th Bombardment night raid against Lakunai Airfield

January 12, 1944
(13th AF) 16 B-24's hit Lakunai Airfield during the night of 12/13

January 14, 1944
(13th AF) During the night of 13/14 Jan, B-24's bomb Lakunai Airfield

January 18, 1944
(13th AF) single B-24's on armed reconnaissance bomb Lakunai area

January 22, 1944
(13th AF) 27 B-25's, with 90+ supporting fighters, attack Lakunai Airfield, doing considerable damage to runway and revetment areas; they claim 18 Japanese aircraft; 1 B-25 and 4 fighters are lost.

January 23, 1944
(13th AF) 80 AAF, USN and US Marine Corps fighters support 60+ USN dive bombers in a strike on the Lakunai Airfield and Matupi Harbor area; they claim 30+ Japanese aircraft; 3 Allied fighters are lost. Later more B-25's strike Lakunai

January 25, 1944
(13th AF) 19 B-24's, following 3 which drop flares, attack Lakunai Airfield during the late evening

January 26, 1944
(13th AF) 80+ Allied fighters cover a strike by 50+ USN dive bombers on the Lakunai area AA positions and revetments; 3 Allied fighters are lost; 20+ Japanese airplanes are claimed shot down.

January 27, 1944
(13th AF) 19 B-25's, with and escort of 60+ AAF and USN fighters, pound Lakunai Airfield

Janaury 28, 1944
(13th AF) AAF and USN fighters support a USN dive-bomber attack on targets in the Rabaul area; 5 P-38's are lost; Allied aircraft claim about 30 aircraft shot down; at Lakunai airfield, one of the targets, 20-30 parked aircraft are destroyed and several AA positions are destroyed or damaged

January 29, 1944
(13th AF) Lakunai airfield is pounded by 19 B-24's escorted by P-38's and USN fighters

January 30, 1944
(13th AF) 26 B-25's, with large fighter cover, bomb Lakunai Airfield

February 3, 1944
(13th AF) 15 B-24s with P-38 and USN fighter escort bomb Lakunai Airfield

February 5, 1944
(13th AF) 24 P-40s join 40+ USN fighters in covering a strike by more than 60 USN dive bombers on Lakunai. This strike is followed by an attack of 13 B-24s, with 30+ P-38 and USN fighter escort, on the same target.

February 6, 1944
(13th AF) Lakunai Airfield is hit by 32 B-25s, covered by 60+ AAF and USN fighters, and shortly afterwards by 19 B-24s, escorted by nearly 50 Allied fighters; Allied aircraft claim 16 aircraft shot down; Lakunai is practically unserviceable as a result of cumulative damage.

February 12, 1944
(13th AF) P-40s join USN fighters in covering a USN dive-bomber strike on Lakunai

February 13, 1944
(13th AF) 23 B-24s bomb Lakunai Airfield escorted by fighters

Feburary 19, 1944
(13th AF) 20 P-40s and 40+ USN fighters escort about 70 USN dive bombers in an attack on Lakunai Airfield

February 20, 1944
(13th AF) 35 B-25s, with fighter escort, pound Lakunai Airfield

February 21, 1944
(13th AF) 15 B-24s bomb Lakunai Airfield. 20 P-38s join USN fighters in covering a USN dive bomber strikes on Lakunai gun positions

February 22, 1944
(13th AF) 40+ B-24s, with fighter escorts, bomb Lakunai

February 27, 1944
(13th AF) P-40s and USN fighters cover a USN dive bomber strike on Lakunai AA positions

March 15, 1944
(13th AF) 24 B-25s, with USN fighter escort, bomb Lakunai Airfield

March 20, 1944
(13th AF) 24 B-25s pound Lakunai

March 21, 1944
(13th AF) 30+ fighter-bombers and 24 B-25s pound the Lakunai Airfield area

March 22, 1944
(13th AF) 23 B-25s pound Lakunai Airfield

April 2, 1944
(13th AF) 23 B-25s pound Lakunai

April 6, 1944
(13th AF) 22 B-25s bomb Lakunai Airfield and revetment area

April 8, 1944
(13th AF) 24 B-25s bomb the center of Lakunai Airfield

April 9, 1944
(13th AF) 23 B-25s bomb Lakunai

April 20, 1944
(13th AF) Fighter-bombers blast the airfields at Lakunai

April 22, 1944
(13th AF) 9 Fighter bombers strike Lakunai Airfield

April 26, 1944
(13th AF) 24 B-25s bomb the runway and dispersal area at Lakunai Airfield

May 9, 1944
(13th AF) 33 fighter-bombers pound the airfield at Lakunai Airfield

May 21, 1944
(13th AF) 8 P-38s, followed shortly by USN aircraft, bomb Lakunai Airfield

May 23, 1944
(13th AF) 32 B-25s and 40+ P-39s, P-38s and P-40s attack gun positions near Lakunai

May 25, 1944
(13th AF) B-24s bomb Rabaul, Lakunai

May 28, 1944
(13th AF) B-24s, followed by 23 B-25s and 12 P-38s, blast Lakunai Airfield

June 17, 1944
(13th AF) B-24s hit Lakunai Airfield