Howland Island Raid 8 December, 1941

[matthew hainer]

Hello,
The information I've read on Wikipedia and an article by Life Magazine based on the account of an inhabitant on the island does not add up. The official story is on 8 December, 1941 a total of 14xType 96 Rikko Bombers bombed Howland Island destroying many of the islands buildings. The only unit armed with Type 96 Rikko in the area was the Chitose Kokutai and it was based on Roi and using its whole strength to bombard Wake Island on that day, with only 9 planes from all three Chutai's being held in reserve on Roi. Plus, the distance from Roi to Howland is roughly 1200 miles which is more or less the maximum range of the bomber.

Is it possible that the 14 aircraft that bombed Howland on 8 December, 1941 were in fact Type 97 model 22 Flying Boats from the Yokohama Kokutai based at Maloelap Atoll? Anyone here at the forums have access to information/records that I do not?

Thank you.

[hisashi]

I don't have relating volumes of senshi sosho on this issue, but a web site referring them mentioned this raid, done by 15 flying boats from Majuro (another atoll in Marshall Islands) in 9 Dec (JST).

[matthew hainer]

Thanks Hisashi. Though It could not have been Majuro as the Yokohama Kokutai was not stationed at Majuro at this time. While no source of mind gives a location, I think it was Maloelap as it had enough flying boats and it was closest to Howland. Jaluit Atoll had a Yokohama Ku detachment, though it was busy covering the Gilbert Invasion Unit.