To boost morale following the defeat at Guadalcanal, Yamamoto decided to make an inspection tour throughout the South Pacific. It was during this tour that U.S. officials commenced an operation to kill him. On April 14, 1943, the United States naval intelligence effort, codenamed “Magic”, intercepted and decrypted a message containing specifics of Yamamoto’s tour, including arrival and departure times and locations, as well as the number and types of aircraft that would transport and accompany him on the journey. Yamamoto, the itinerary revealed, would be flying from Rabaul to Balalae Airfield, on an island near Bougainville in the Solomon Islands, on the morning of April 18, 1943.
Continue reading “Admiral Yamomoto Shoot Down – Memo From ADM Wenger”
CPL Traughber, USMC, was born on April 17 1946 in New Albany, Indiana to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Traughber. CPL Traughber was Special Communications Operator (MOS 2575) was killed in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam as a result of multiple fragmentation wounds. At the time of the death he was assigned to Company E Support Battalion at Kamiseya Japan, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
The image shows that on April 16, 1945, in the waters off Okinawa, the United States Navy destroyer USS Laffey (DD-724) underwent one of the most brutal tests of combat in the history of modern naval warfare. Photographed from the escort carrier USS PCE-851, Laffey appears badly damaged but remains at Okinawa Radar Picket Station Number One, the most dangerous position serving as an early warning system for Japanese air attacks.
Continue reading “USS Laffey (DD-724)”
On Tuesday, April 15, 1969, at approximately 1347 hours North Korean time (0447Z), a Navy EC-121M reconnaissance aircraft (PR-21/BuNo 135749) of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1) with a crew of 31, including nine Naval Security Group (NAVSECGRU) and Marine linguists, took off from Atsugi Naval Air Station, Japan on a routine Beggar Shadow SIGINT collection mission over the Sea of Japan.
Continue reading “Remembering the crew of EC-121 Beggar Shadow”
In April 1988, the ship participated in Operation Earnest Will in the Arabian Gulf. The United States launched the operation to protect reflagged Kuwaiti tankers during the “Tanker War” phase of the Iran-Iraq war.
On 14 April 1988, Samuel B. Roberts was on her way to meet with San Jose (AFS-7) to replenish stores when a lookout spotted mines in the area. Once the commanding officer, Cmdr. Paul Rinn, confirmed the ship had entered a minefield, he sent the crew to battle stations. He also ordered the men below to come topside—in the event of mine damage below the waterline. Rinn reversed engines and backed out of the minefield but hit an Iranian moored contact mine.
Continue reading “On April 14, 1988, USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58) Hit a Mine”
Station HYPO 