Alpha77
Posts: 2116
Joined: 9/24/2010 Status: offline
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I use Wiki as source if one of you has a better one and thinks Wiki is wrong please post and correct! "Unknown to the Japanese, the U.S. Navy, led by the Communication Security Section of the Office of Naval Communications, had for several years enjoyed some success with penetrating Japanese communication ciphers and codes. By March 1942, the U.S. was able to decipher up to 15% of the IJN's Ro or Naval Codebook D code (called "JN-25B" by the U.S.), which was used by the IJN for approximately half of its communications. By the end of April, the U.S. was reading up to 85% of the signals broadcast in the Ro code.[12] In March 1942, the U.S. first noticed mention of the MO operation in intercepted messages. On 5 April, the U.S. intercepted an IJN message directing a carrier and other large warships to proceed to Inoue's area of operations. On 13 April, the British deciphered an IJN message informing Inoue that the Fifth Carrier Division, consisting of the fleet carriers Shōkaku and Zuikaku, was en route to his command from Formosa via the main IJN base at Truk. The British passed the message to the U.S., along with their conclusion that Port Moresby was the likely target of MO.[13]" - Okay, so it was 3/1942 the first warning signs of this offensive were detected..and this was also the time the Doolittle raid was planned/prepared. "When planning indicated that the B-25 was the aircraft that best met all of the requirements of the mission, two were loaded aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hornet at Norfolk, Virginia, and were flown off the deck without difficulty on 3 February 1942." - Ok 2/1942 the plans were tested in practice.... Wonder why the Doolittle raid was not cancelled when late 3/1942 more signs of the IJN operation "MO" were deciphered - as most know this lead to the battle of coral sea. Which was in general inconclusive but PM was safed cause, Japs again to scarred to follow through the plan.Even if PM is way more important than eg. Midway or an icy island in the Aleutians. For which they risked later much more for much less... Did the planners think 16xB25 scattering some bombs over Tokio were more important then to deal a decissive blow to the IJN which would have been possible with 2 more CVs - those that were sent on the raid! Or did Doolil´say: "Nahh not important at all, I wanna get a medal this is what counts" Also funny the code named JN-25B - just like the bomber type used And they named the OP "MO" for Moresby or what? Is this not a bit obvious
< Message edited by Alpha77 -- 1/3/2022 2:21:09 PM >
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