The USAAF Intercepts and Shoots Down Admiral Yamamoto, 1943 - Animated

A wing of P-38G Lightnings take off from Guadalcanal to attempt a complex interception. They're going to intercept and shoot down the man behind the Pearl Harbor attack, Admiral Yamamoto.

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[MilesStratton]

Vice Admiral Ugaki survived this interception btw. He would go on to participate and plan most of the Japanese naval operations in the pacific war before he died hours before the Emperor's surrender speech by boarding a kamikaze flight rather than surrender on the morning of August 15th 1945. He left a 20 volume diary recounting the entire pacific war from the months leading up to Pearl Harbor to the very last day of the war. His diary remains one of the most complete primary sources of the Japanese perspective of the Pacific war to survive today.

[c.c.s.]

Yamamoto's Betty is still there. Some of the locals still know where it is and will guide you to it through the jungle. There is footage of it on YouTube.

[saturnv]

Fun fact, Yamamoto, being a Japanese, view American general Ulysses S.Grant as his personal idol.
While his American counterpart, admiral Nimitz, view Japanese admiral Tōgō Heihachirō as his personal idol.

[canadadelendaest]

Operations Room is hands down the best "Battle Animations" channels on the entire internet.

[mindeloman]

I was 14 years old playing an old PC game called "Aces of the Pacific" and the Yamamoto mission was one you had to do. Was the first time I'd ever heard of the mission. The US had an intelligence coup on the Japanese.

[jonny-b]

That's some impressive navigation.

[AzuriteKnight]

"The operation was a great success, and hit the Japanese morale hard..."
Except the Japanese Army who was probably enjoying a round of drinks in celebration.

[Big_E_Soul_Fragment]

The P-38 Lightning was such a badass looking plane

[jjkusaf]

Should be noted that Ugaki survived the crash .. would go on to command the 1st Battleship Division ... and died when he carried out a kamikaze mission on August 15 (after Emperor Hirohito conceded defeat)

[justandy]

Next time I'm late for work I'll say I'd be a fool to not learn from Yamamotos mistake.

[jdsedona]

In 1993 I had the chance to meet and have dinner with Rex Barber, Doug Canning, Lou Kittel and five of the other surviving members of the mission whose names I cannot recall currently. Rex lived near me in Oregon. What an amazing treat to meet and talk with these gentlemen. And, by the way, there was no doubt amongst the men that were present that day. Rex Barber is absolutely the man responsible for downing Admiral Yamamoto.

[BC-yvew]

As I understand it the P-38s flew another mission in the same area the next day so as to make it look like they were random air patrols that happened upon Yamamoto and reduce suspicion from the Japanese that the US had been able to decipher their coded messages.

[Josh-hrmc]

Fun fact, Ugaki survived the plane crash. Took almost a year recovering from injuries before being placed over the 3 battleships. Eventually took off in a suicide mission at the end of the war with 3 total in a 2 seater.

[ZZZ]

Two incredible facts: 1. Barber's P-38 was hit 104 times by the escorting Zeroes; 2. Ugaki survived after his bomber crash landed in the ocean

[sbrmilitia]

This is one of my favorite channels. Seeing the animations makes my understanding of these events so much better.

[michaelhunker]

​If anyone wants to read more about this I'd recommend the book Lightning Strikes by Donald Davis. In the book it breaks down events to the run up of the operation and covers a bit of the controversy with who downed Yamamoto.

[vincenttouzard]

Every new episode is a master piece, time to sit down, close the door, and watch history! great great great...

[cafenightster]

It's crazy how much planning and just straight up luck that's involved In these operations. These guys in those planes were doing it old school with just a compass and paper map. Some people can't even find their cars in a parking lot.

[serpent]

When planning this mission, the US high command considered the following factors, likely among others:
1. Was Yamamoto really a skilled warrior commander or just a politically astute officer?
A. Would taking him out offer a stratic advantage for Allied Forces?
B. Would his death actually be good for the Japanese?
They determined that Yamamoto was in fact a very skilled commander and his death would be a sore blow to the IJN.
2. Would killing this man be moral? US high command, right up to NCA level conferred with leading theologians and ethicists and determined that Yamamoto was an active enemy officer, wearing the uniform of his service, and flying in a marked military aircraft.
Yamamoto was, therefore, a valid military target whose loss would hurt the enemy at a crucial time.

[OhioCoastie]

Thank you for just getting right into the mission, and avoiding the temptation to give a ten minute preface on the causes of WWII, Japanese militarism, Yamamoto's involvement in the strike on Pearl Harbor, or the Allied codebreaking system.