Description
On November 5, 1943, the 22nd Bomb Group was ordered to bomb strong enemy positions the Japanese had taken up after being driven out of their coastal bases that were blocking the advance of the 7th Australian Division in the rugged, heavily-forested mountains of New Guinea’s upper Faria Valley, a tributary of the Markham River. Attacking below an undercast, and using only artillery smoke rounds to identify the target, 27 B-25s and B-26s saturated the area with over 400 hundred-pound bombs. The Australian “Diggers,” who were then only 1500 yards from the target, then swept through the enemy positions with no resistance, reporting that the bombs struck every known enemy position in the area. For this feat, the 22nd was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation. The painting depicts 2nd Squadron flight leaving the target. Below the tail of the nearest B-25D, OLE’ TOMATO, smoke can be seen rising from the enemy positions. F/O Earl F. Larson was at the controls that day. This artwork is published in our book Revenge of the Red Raiders.
