| Nakajima B6N Type 1 Tenzan (Heavenly Mountain; Allied Code Name Jill) explodes after receiving a direct hit from one of USS Yorktown‘s (CV-10) 5-inch guns. The pilot made a lone attack; between the Carrier Air Patrol and the heavy anti-aircraft artillery it was almost a suicidal gesture to attack without support. Yorktown was operating with United States Navy Rear Admiral Charles A. Pownall‘s Task Force 50 against Kwajalein, Ebeye, Roi and Wotje to suppress counterattacks against the new American bases at Tarawa and Makin Atolls. Cruisers Nagara and Isuzu were damaged. Collier Asakaze Maru, cargo ship Tateyama Maru, subchaser Takunan Maru #7, guardboat Mikuni Maru #5, and damaging transports Eiko Maru, Kenbu Maru, Mikage Maru #18, cargo ship Kinezaki Maru, and auxiliary Fujikawa Maru. 55 Japanese aircraft are destroyed. USS Lexington (CV-16) was damaged by an aerial torpedo during the operation. These were the first successful airstrikes in the Marshall Islands. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1277.jpg |
| Image Size | 1.46 MB |
| Image Dimensions | 1729 x 2134 |
| Photographer | Coopermann, Alfred N. |
| Photographer Title | Photographers Mate First Class United States Navy |
| Caption Author | Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | December 04, 1943 |
| Location | USS Yorktown (CV-10) |
| City | USS Yorktown (CV-10) |
| State or Province | Wotje |
| Country | Marshalls |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2007, ©2024 MFA Productions LLC Image in the Public Domain |
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