Operation Vengeance was an aerial ambush like none other. On the early hours of April 18, 1943, the skies above the Solomon Islands began to split apart with the thunderous roars of fighters and the mighty P-38 Lightning squads. The Japanese fighters are caught unawares; they ripped through the azure clouds, cleaving the stillness of ephemeral tranquility, attempting to dodge the deadly shots being fired from the enemy P-38 and defend their Commander. Two Bettys were covered by three fighter escorts, but which one had the Admiral? The P-38 Lightning pilots had no clue. The wind speed, the weather conditions, the enemy pilots’ efficacy, all these factors had to work in a magical unison for the mission to work. The capricious weather and the Pacific winds were the least reliable and they could only count on their luck. But their target had one quality they could rely on, Yamamoto’s fanatical punctuality.
Operation Vengeance is a story of revenge, pride, valor, patriotism, and incredible chutzpah. When the enemy breaks all rules and attempts to stab from the back, there is no time to hem and haw; the enemy needs to get a taste of its own medicine.