Operation Ke: The Cactus Air Force and the Japanese Withdrawal From Guadalcanal
by Roger and Dennis Letourneau, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Md., 2012, $42.95.
Roger and Dennis Letourneau select a neglected topic and tell an unfamiliar story in a very solid, carefully planned way, putting all the foundation blocks in place before beginning the main edifice. They write enthusiastically about a totally uncharacteristic Japanese military action, Operation Ke, the successful evacuation of 10,000 troops from their losing position on “Starvation Island.” Their well-researched work unblushingly shows the possibilities provided by Internet sources.
The book begins with an analysis of Japanese and American forces, examining their aircraft, tactics, training and logistic challenges. It details the combat actions leading up to the fighting on Guadalcanal before narrating the events of Operation Ke. Historians sometimes attribute that successful evacuation to the failure of U.S. forces to exploit their opportunities by preventing the Japanese withdrawal or killing more of the troops being evacuated. But the Letourneaus make a case for the evacuation being the result of atypical Japanese thinking and planning. Japan’s leaders agreed to try to rescue the troops for use elsewhere rather than requiring them to die fighting. The importance of that decision is underlined by the fact that the loss of Guadalcanal was a watershed moment in the Pacific War. Had the Japanese learned from their success, they might have suffered fewer losses in some later battles.
The authors adopt an informal style that includes footnote asides and contemporary references (e.g., citing a popular diving site for sunken ships). I must admit to being a little off-put by their use of sporting terms for chapter headings (“Blitzing the Quarterbacks” or “The Half-Time Show”), but that is purely a matter of taste and doesn’t detract from the book’s value.
Though Operation Ke is a bit pricey and focused on events often forgotten, it’s a valuable addition to Pacific War history.
Originally published in the May 2015 issue of Aviation History. To subscribe, click here.
