The Solomon Islands Air Defenses (AirSols), including units from the Navy, Marine Corps, Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force, made many air strikes in October on Bougainville and nearby islands. ![]() The lightning strike, a surprise so complete the Japanese did not have time to shoot back, damaged aircraft and refueling equipment on the ground and forestalled a night attack on the American amphibious force. ![]() Eight Corsairs from Marine Fighter Squadron 214 (later known as the Black Sheep) flew up from the Russell Islands to strafe the Kahili airfield during American amphibious landings on the island of Vella Lavella. The first attack on Bougainville occurred on 15 August 1943. Bougainville was key to neutralizing Rabaul. Rabaul was the hub of Japanese air power in the south Pacific – a stopping point for planes coming from New Guinea in the southwest and Truk, the home of the Japanese Combined Fleet, in the south central Pacific. The objective of the Solomon Islands campaign was to cut off Japan’s major forward air and naval base at Rabaul, on the island of New Britain. The Russells, New Georgia and Bougainville were objectives because of their value as air bases. At the end of 1943, the campaign reached its goal when American troops gained a solid foothold on the island of Bougainville. In February 1943 the Russell Islands fell, and the New Georgia group followed in August 1943. The Solomon Islands campaign began with the taking of Guadalcanal in December 1942.
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