That sanguine report turned out to have been one of the most absurdly inaccurate of the Pacific War. In actuality, LCI(L)-70 and patrol torpedo boat PT-167 had been escorting LCT-68 back from the Treasury Islands when they came under attack about 28 miles southwest of Cape Tokorina. The wing of one low-flying B5N had struck PT-167’s radio antenna, and it fell into the sea, leaving its unexploded torpedo imbedded in the boat’s bow. The PT boat’s 20mm guns sent a second B5N crashing in flames, so close that her crew was drenched by the splash. LCI(L)-70 underwent 14 minutes of attacks, but thanks to her shallow draft, three torpedoes passed harmlessly under her keel. A fourth porpoised and punched into the engine room, killing a crewman but failing to explode. Rear Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson, commander of the III Amphibious Force, subsequently commended PT-167’s skipper Ensign Theodore Berlin for his courageous defense and concluded with the appraisal, ‘Fireplug Sprinkles Dog.’

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Upon learning of the success of his gamble, a relieved Halsey radioed Sherman, ‘It is real music to me, and opens the stops for a funeral dirge for [Prime Minister Hideki] Tojo’s Rabaul.’ Halsey then ordered long-range bombers to find the retiring Japanese ships and’sink the cripples.’ They failed to prevent the Japanese from reaching Truk, however, and Halsey was rumored to have wanted the carriers to attack that bastion as well. The upcoming invasion of the Gilberts precluded such an idea, but Halsey did persuade Nimitz to detach three more carriers, Essex, Bunker Hill and Independence, to join Saratoga and Princeton in a follow-up raid on Rabaul.

The effectiveness of Task Group (TG) 50.3, under Rear Adm. Alfred E. Montgomery, was nullified early on, when his entire cruiser force and two destroyers were detached to support Wilkinson’s III Amphibious Force off Tokorina. By the time Halsey’s operations officer had gathered enough destroyers to restore Montgomery’s screening force, it was November 8. The attack was scheduled for November 11, at which point the Japanese would be forewarned.

Saratoga and Princeton–collectively redesignated TG 50.4 for this raid–launched their attack from a point near the Green Islands, 225 miles southeast of Rabaul. Flying through soupy weather, the Americans attacked a light cruiser and four destroyers, but the Japanese managed to evade their attackers in rain squalls. Foul weather caused a second strike to be aborted, ending ‘Ted’ Sherman’s participation in the raid.

In addition to their regular air groups, the three carriers of TG 50.3 were joined by two land-based Navy squadrons from New Georgia–VF-17 from Odonga and VF-33 from Segi Point. The arrival of 23 Vought F4U-1As from Lt. Cmdr. John T. Blackburn’s VF-17 aboard Bunker Hill provided an interesting reunion for its pilots. Originally meant to operate from Bunker Hill, the squadron was reassigned to the Solomons because its long-nosed Corsairs, with their cockpits located too far back on the fuselage, were judged unsuitable for safe operation from carrier decks. They had commenced combat operations on November 1, and all of them landed aboard the carrier without a mishap. Twelve F6F-3s of VF-33, commanded by Lieutenant John C. Kelly, joined the 12 Hellcats of Lt. Cmdr. Harry W. Harrison’s VF-6 and the 12 F6F-3s of Lieutenant L.L. Johnson’s VF-22 aboard Independence.

Another novel addition to Bunker Hill’s arsenal was VB-17 under Lt. Cmdr. James E. Vose, equipped with 23 brand-new Curtiss SB2C-1s. This would be the Helldiver’s combat debut, and pilots speculated on how it would compare with the old Dauntless.

It took an hour for the strike forces to rendezvous for their approach to Rabaul, and after the earlier strike by TG 50.4, Kusaka was fully alerted. When the second attack force arrived over Cape St. George at 8:30, it was met by 68 Zeros. Fighting their way through a gantlet of fighters, flak and rain, Essex’s planes reached the channel at 9:05, followed by those of Bunker Hill and Independence, while the Japanese ships again scurried under the cover of clouds.

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