First Carrier Division
In January 1942, together with the rest of the First and Fifth Carrier Division carriers and staging out of Truk (now Chuuk) in Micronesia, "Kaga" supported the invasion of Rabaul in the Bismarck Islands. "Kaga" provided 27 bomb-carrying B5N and 9 Zeros for the initial airstrike on Rabaul on 20 January 1942, during which one B5N was shot down by anti-aircraft fire. The First Carrier Division attacked Allied positions at nearby Kavieng the following day, of which "Kaga" contributed nine Zeros and sixteen D3As. On the 22nd "Kaga"s D3As and Zeros again attacked Rabaul and two dive bombers had to make emergency landings, but the crews were rescued. "Kaga" returned to Truk on 25 January and Rabaul and Kavieng were successfully occupied by Japanese forces by February.