operation blissful - prologue - fall 2010

8/8/2019 Operation Blissful - Prologue - Fall 2010

1/11

Navy Lt. John F. Kennedys PT-59 in an unspecifed location near the

islands o Vella Lavella and Choiseul. The vessel played a key role in the

marines diversionary mission at Choiseul Island in early November 1943.

OPERATION

BLISSFULHow the Marines Lured the Japanese Away from a Key Targetand How the Brute Got Some Help from JFK

By GREG BRADSHER


2/11

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Lt. Col. Victor Krulak led Operation Blissul on Choiseul Island on October 27, 1943, designed to

divert Japanese troops rom the impending U.S. attack on the larger island o Bougainville.


3/11

8 Prologue


4/11

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Making the Preparations

For Operation Blissful

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m .

BismarckArchipelago

New Guinea

Papua

Australia

Coral Sea

SolomonIslands

NewHebrides

NewCaledonia

Bougainville Is.

Choiseul Is.

Choiseul Island is located in the Solomon Islands jus

southeast o Bougainville, which U.S. orces sough

or its airfelds.

Opposite: Krulaks Confdential order o October

23, 1943, detailed a mission o raids along NW

coast or the purpose o destroying enemy orces

and installations [in] that area and conducting

reconnaissance or PT base location. His orces

were to conront the 4,0005,000 Japanese on the

island but not to engage in major battles.

Prologue 9Operation Blissul


5/11

A Midnight Landing

And a Mountain Outpost

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Below: Maj. Warner T. Bigger led Company Gs Second

and Third Platoons northward on raids at Choiseul

Bay. Right: A Marine Corps map shows his patrols

movements at the Warrior River on November 12,the site o the bombardment o the uel dump at

Guppy Island, and their evacuation to Voza.

10 Prologue


6/11

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An Attack at Sangigai

And the Invasion Is On

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PT Boat Cover Is Requested;

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A view o PT-59, commanded by Navy Lt. John

Kennedy. The torpedo boat, dangerously low on uel,

was involved in the evacuation o Major Bigger and

his orces rom the Warrior River to Voza.

12 Prologue Fall 2010


8/11

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Avenging the Torture and

Death of a Fellow Marine

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9/11

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The Japanese Close In

As Krulaks Forces Evacuate

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Lt. Col. Victor Krulak fled a preliminary report on

the Choiseul Island campaign on November 5, 1943.

To learn more about

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publications/prologue/index/,

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W W ii,

www.archives.gov/research/ww2/.



10/11

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An exhausted Navy Lt. John Kennedy gave up hi

command o PT-59 on November 18 and let the

Solomons on December 21 or the United States

He let the Navy on physical disability in March 1945



11/11

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Blissful Is a Success;

Kennedy Is Hospitalized

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New York Times.

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19421946, t M P, r

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127).

Ky P bt umt

rbt J. d, P 109: John F. Kennedy in

World War II(nw Yk: Mgw-h, 1961)

r k,John F. Kennedy: War Hero (nw

Yk, d Pub c., 1962). imt

but t twt u Wt l,

Lonely Vigil: Coastwatchers of the Solomons (nw

Yk: vk P, 1977) mm

a. t, o.B.e., ry aut ny, Te Coast

Watchers(hwt, aut: ly on,

1975).

Uu t cu pt Mj. J

M. rtz, UsMcr, Bougainville and the Northern

Solomons (Wt, dc: ht st,

d Pub imt, M cp,

1948) lt. c. J . hm, UsMcr,

Silk Chutes and Hard Fighting: U.S. Marine Corps

Parachute Units in World War II (Wt,

dc: hty Muum d, U.s. M

p, 1999).

a x wk, b pmy - w 70 pp, Jm .

ct, Mission Raise Hell: Te U.S. Marines on

Choiseul, OctoberNovember 1943 (ap,

Md: n ittut P, 2006). w t

pp w bk b my x-

p. T g P. a, Mustang:

A Combat Marine(nt, ca: P P,

1987) dk Ky, P 105(ap, Md:

i P, 1996).

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Greg Bradsher, t t t

nt a r

am, pz W

W ii t, t t,

w m. h p b Prologue

y z

Mk M (p 1999); y z Kb,

19001943 (sp 2002); Jp t Z P

1944 ( 2005); u t eb gy

(sp 2006); t t at t Ut

, Wy g (W 2009).

Author


operation blissful - prologue - fall 2010

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