018 - Attack of the Nells

Just to the west of the International Date Line, it was already December 8^th, even though it was several hours earlier in the day. Within hours, the Japanese Armed Forces would strike at Allied strongholds throughout the Pacific.

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In Guam, light squadrons of 7-10 Mitsubishi G3M medium bombers (allied codename “Nell”) dropped bombs on guam, attacking the Pitt Navy Yard, Marine barracks, and the fuel depo. Additionally, they attacked the largest naval craft there, the USS Penguin. By day’s end, the Penguin had to be scuttled. After another day of bombing, Japanese Marines would invade Guam and take it over by force.

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In Singapore, two squadrons of G3Ms bombed the airfields and attacked the British ships HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales. Although no ships were struck or lost and casualties were light 961 dead, mostly civilians), the raid scored a decisive moral victory for the Japanese raiders.

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At Wake Island, 27 “Nells” dropped bombs on the airfield and surrounding areas at Wake Island. Wake Island only had a dozen Grumman F4F Wildcat fighter planes at its relatively small airstrip. Eight of the twelve Wildcats stationed at Wake were destroyed in that attack. The remaining four fighters were on CAP, (or Combat Air Patrol).

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The bombing run at Wake missed most of the U.S. gun emplacements. That night, the guns were moved to new positions and wooden decoys were installed in their place. For two more days, the Nells bombed and strafed the island.  Losses to the Americans were minor compared to the losses for the Japanese Navy pilots, still the Japanese Navy had more in store for Wake.