BISMARCK SEA. 1943-03-03. ATTACKS BY ALLIED AIR FORCES ON JAPANESE SHIPS DURING THE BATTLE OF THE ...

BISMARCK SEA. 1943-03-03. ATTACKS BY ALLIED AIR FORCES ON JAPANESE SHIPS DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BISMARCK SEA, ILLUSTRATING TWO ASPECTS OF A CLOSELY CO-ORDINATED THREE STAGE AIR BOMBARDMENT WHICH ACHIEVED THE DESTRUCTION OF TWELVE VESSELS OF A SIXTEEN SHIP CONVOY BOUND FOR LAE. THE GENERAL ORDER OF THE ATTACK WAS, FIRSTLY, MEDIUM LEVEL ATTACKS TO DISPERSE THE CONVOY; SECONDLY, STRAFING ATTACKS FROM ALL QUARTERS TO DISORGANISE THE ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENCES; AND FINALLY, MAST-HEAD BOMBING ATTACKS TO MAKE THE ACTUAL KILL. THIS PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS A DESTROYER STEAMING ASTERN WHILE UNDER AMERICAN BOMBING. (PHOTOGRAPH REPRODUCED IN OFFICIAL HISTORY VOLUME: RAAF 1939-42, PAGE 659). (C.I.U. 4378).