Japanese bomb Hawaii in 1943

I believe you are thinking of the two H8K2 'Emily' flying boats which bombed Oahu the night of March 4/5 1942. Their lack of results was caused by cloud cover obscuring the target area rather than anti-aircraft fire but you've got most of the rest of the story correct - including the submarine refueling.

I can't find any references which would indicate the Japanese repeated this experiment in 1943 or 1944 (nor would I expect the japanese to have done so, given the total lack of results the first time.).

Cheers and all,

The Imperial Japanese Navy made a number of reconnaisance flights over Pearl Harbor during World War II. All but one of these were for intelligence purposes only, and all but that single exception were made by small 'Glen' reconnaisance aircraft launched from aircraft carrying submarines.

The single exception to the above was a long range flight in early 1942 by a pre-production version of the H8K 'Emily' flying boat. The flight originated in the Marshalls, touched down at French Frigate Shoals to refuel from a prepositioned I-boat, and then made the run into Oahu and the return to Japanese territory without further incident.

Ostensibly, the purpose of the flight was to scout the Pearl Harbor anchorage, but I recall that the weather was too thick for that to be done. A number of bombs were dropped blind through the overcast, but they landed far from any military installation.

A repetition of this flight was planned prior to the Midway operation. However, US intelligence managed to figure out where the refueling operation had to take place (it was also suggested in a pre-war novel by an American author, by the way), and spotted a seaplane tender there. When the refueling submarine arrived and saw the US presence, the repetition was cancelled.

The operations are discussed in any general history of the era, with the Emily efforts given considerable attention in any history of the Midway operation.

Terry L. Stibal

<<Subject: Japanese bomb Hawaii in 1943

Date: Sun, Dec 13, 1998 11:49 PM

I recall reading that two Japanese seaplanes bombed Oahu in 1943 or 1944 but I cannot find the reference.

As I recall they were launched from the Marianas or some such distant base and were refueled by submarine enroute. When they finally arrived the AAA from Pearl Harbor sent them off course and they dropped their bombs in the mountains above Honolulu.

Can anyone confirm my recollection? Actual facts of the event or a reference will be appreciated.

Zeke Crater>>

I did some more research myself and did find reference to an attack on Oahu by two Kawanishi H8K 'Emily' flying boats on the night of 3-4 March 1942. The attack was dubbed Operation K and conducted by the 24th Air Flotilla based at Wotje in the Marshall Islands. Each Emily carried four 550 lbs. They refueled from a Japanese submarine (I-15) at French Frigate Shoals (after a 1600 mile flight from Wotje) on the evening of 3 March and then took off again for Hawaii. They were detected by radar based on Kauai and four P-40s were scrambled at 1:15 AM on 4 March to intercept (but failed to find the Japanese in the darkness and clouds. The Emilys overshot Pearl Harbor and dropped their bombs into the darkness. One Emily apparently dumped its bombs into the ocean; the other Emily ended up hitting Tantalus, a hillside neighborhood overlooking downtown Honolulu, at 2:10 AM. No damage (other than to trees) was recorded. Both Emilys returned safely to base (without having to refuel).

The second Operation K was the unsuccessful attempt to recon Pearl Harbor prior to the Midway attack.

My info comes from 'Advance Force Pearl Harbor' by Burl Burlingame, published in Hawaii in 1992.

Drop what you are doing and go to your local bookseller or magazine rack. One of the history 'zines have a story about that this month.

I believe that there was a japanese seaplane attack launched from the French Frigate shoals. If I am not mistaken there is a reference in Cmdr. Layton's 'And I was there...' book.

I remember a like reference, from 'Thousand Mile War' a story about the Aleutian Campaign, near the end it was mentioned the types of flying boats the Japanese had, as well as their tactics later, like the Terror Fire Balloons and like, and it was mentioned about the PEarl Harbor Attacks by via seaplane as well..

Mike