Bombing of Rabaul ( 1942 ) The Bombing of Rabaul in February and March 1942 occurred when Allied forces launched counter - attacks against the Empire of Japan base at Rabaul , Papua New Guinea . Rabaul had been captured by the Japanese during the Battle of Rabaul earlier in February . The bombing started on 20 February 1942 by the United States Navy task force with the flag ship , commanded by Vice Admiral Wilson Brown . Later , the same officer commanded a new task force supported by the carrier on 10 March 1942 with the same purpose , amongst other objectives , in East New Guinea . The American bombings were supported by Royal Australian Air Force air strikes against the Japanese aerodromes in Rabaul during March . History . The Japanese captured Rabaul in the Battle of Rabaul in February 1942 . They were preparing to convert the town into a large Naval and Air base for supplies and forces needed for the expansion of the Japanese Empire perimeter in the South West Pacific . This included the planned conquest of Port Moresby and subsequent occupation of New Caledonia , New Hebrides ( Vanuatu ) , Fiji , Samoa and other nearby islands . First American strike . On 20 February 1942 , Vice Admiral Brown — under the lead of Admiral Leary " en route " to the objective — navigated the Southwest Pacific with plans to strike the recently conquered Japanese base in Rabaul , located in New Britain . Japanese reconnaissance planes saw this force and the Japanese ordered the twin - engined land - based torpedo bomber s to attack , but they were intercepted by " Lexington " s Grumman F4F - 4 Wildcat fighter s and anti - aircraft fire from the carrier and its escort vessels , which shot down 16 Japanese planes . Due to the loss of the surprise factor , the American admiral ordered the task force to retire from the area . Second American strike . Later , Vice Admiral Brown — leading a new task force composed of the carriers " Lexington " and " Yorktown " , along with escort and support vessels — received new orders to strike the Japanese in Rabaul and nearby areas . Admiral Brown decided to arrive at Papuasia Gulf in South New Guinea under the relative protection of land - based Australian aviation which he considered best for a surprise factor . On 10 March , during the Japanese landings at Lae - Salamaua , the American deployed planes flew over the Owen Stanley Range and dove against Japanese objectives in Rabaul , Lae , Salamaua , also gravely damaging or sinking Japanese transports and support vessels in Huon Gulf . Americans suffered very light losses and inflicted severe damage to Japanese reinforcements , delaying Japanese plans to fortify recent conquered points in East New Guinea , which for some time were set up to support the so - called Australian occupation plan envisioned by the Japanese Navy ' s high command . RAAF strikes . The Australian Army General Staff , responding to intelligence reports and reconnaissance reports of reinforcements arriving at Rabaul , ordered the Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF ) to use air strikes against the base . Such strikes occurred at low altitude , at great risk to the aircrews due to enemy antiaircraft fire , allowing Martin B - 26 Marauder medium bomber s to obtain notable success , sinking numerous auxiliary vessels , between them the " Komachi Maru " along with the destruction of most of the Japanese aircraft in the bases in the fortress , only leaving some old Mitsubishi A5M 4 " Claude " fighters . On 23 February United States Army B - 17 bombers , diverted from Hawaii and first operating out of Fiji , flew out of Townsville under Royal Australian Air Force command on the first American land based bomber raid on Rabaul . Later , the aircraft carrier and aircraft transport " Kasuga Maru " arrived at Rabaul with a shipment of the newest Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero s ( 30 on carrier , 20 on auxiliary cruiser ) to replace the previous losses , including spare parts and mechanics , along with other planes from the Philippines and Dutch Indies . With these new reinforcements in Rabaul , the Japanese continued their plans for the period .