LETTERS: INSIDE LOOK AT KEY WWII EVENT

To the editor:

I think everybody has heard of the great Japanese admiral, Isoroku Yamamoto who lived from 1884 to 1943. He was commander in chief of the Japanese fleet, getting killed in World War II. But few know the particulars.

I was a member of the 339th Fighter Squadron, U.S. Army Air Force, which shot him down. I was a member of the ground force. In 1943, a wireless dispatch saying Admiral Yamamoto would fly from Robaul to the island of Ballaie near Bougainville. Our intelligence forces had broken the Japanese code, but this was a big secret.

They read the coded message, and Admiral King, chief of U.S. Naval Operations, said go get the "Peacock" as he was code named.

This area of the Southeast Pacific was under the command of Adm. "Bull" Halsey, and he chose the 339th squadron, because it had the long-range P-38 planes.

Colonel Mitchell (then a major) was in charge of the Yamamoto raid and planned the attack.

About 12 planes left Guadalcanal in April 1943 and arrived over Bougainville just as Yamamoto and his planes did. Major Mitchell put Captain Lanphier and First Lieutenant Barber in charge of the attack section, and the rest were to defend.

Mitchell flew overhead to direct. There were two Bettie Japanese bombers and several Zeros. Barber shot down one bomber, and it sank in the ocean. Lanphier shot down the other bomber, and it crashed into the jungle. One pilot was lost, Lieutenant Holmes, and one P-38 plane. Several Zeros were shot down, and probably more would have been, but Mitchell yelled into the intercom, "Mission accomplished." And they returned to Guadalcanal.

Soon, Halsey was very upset. He said the information about the raid was all over the Pacific, and the Japanese might get suspicious and find out their code was broken. So he ordered Mitchell returned to the States. Our squadron and every member was given a Presidential Unit Citation.

The Japanese announced that Yamamoto was killed. The United States said nothing. Time magazine suggested he fell on his sword.

After the war was long over, Captain Barber says he shot down the bomber carrying the Peacock. Lanphier had previously died with cancer. Barber raised such a fuss that the armed forces gave him half the credit. It now stands Lanphier half and Barber half. Mitchell has died. He fought in the Korean War flying jets. He never made general and never received the Congressional Medal of Honor. You see, there was a letter in his file. He let the story leak, it said.

Heck, everyone in the Pacific knew about it. No one could keep it from leaking.

The 339th Fighter Squadron has had a reunion every year since 1981. I have attended many times all over the United States.

Isoroku Yamamoto did not make peace in the White House.

W. HUGHES DAVAULT

Jackson