[3]
This revisionist history questions some key traditional assumptions underlying Operation KE–the rescue of some 10,600 Japanese troops from Guadalcanal. The authors challenge the accepted American view that the Japanese succeeded largely because U.S. Pacific Theater commanders let them. Tracing the course of the air and sea clashes surrounding Operation KE, the writers conclude that Japanese strategic planning took advantage of the strengths possessed by the Imperial armed forces while exploiting the limitations of their adversaries. On the other hand, American misreading of Japanese intentions, the consequent pursuit of a cautious offensive strategy, plus a misallocationof resources, all undermined U.S. initiatives to stymy Operation KE.
Roger Letourneau, a retired businessman and former member of the Royal Canadian Air Force, lives in Hamilton, Ontario. He holds an MAin History and an MBA.
Dennis Letourneau, a professional engineer who obtained his engineering degree from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, lives in Canmore, Alberta.
~ Praise for Operation KE ~
“The narrative is rich in detail of the aerial action, giving comprehensive, blow-by-blow accounts that accentuate the heroism and resourcefulness of the Cactus Air Force crews.”
— Seapower Magazine
“Extremely detailed, informative and comprehensive.”
— Defense Media Network [9]
“By far the most detailed treatment of this important and under-studied operation. Packed with new research, the result is a thorough treatment of the air battles that raged in the Solomon Islands at the end of the Guadalcanal campaign.”
—Jonathan Parshall, co-author, Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
“Operation KE is a crackling good account of the Japanese military's successful rescue of their 10,000 troops remaining on Guadalcanal in early 1943. Researched extensively from both U.S. and Japanese records, the story unwinds around day-to-day air and sea combat. The narrative is engrossing and the authors’ conclusions are sure to stir controversy."
—Lt. Col. James A. Feliton, USMC (Ret.) former Cactus Air Force Pilot during Operation KE
“The surprisingly successful Japanese evacuation of troops from Guadalcanal has for too long been largely ignored or minimized. Deeply researched and detailed, the Letourneaus’ work picks up where John Lundstrom’s masterful The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign left off in describing and analyzing the desperate and intense aerial combat that took place over the Japanese destroyer flotillas engaged therein. Detailing the equipment, tactics, challenges, and experiences of the air units and airmen of both sides, this work represents a groundbreaking contribution to this significant and previously overlooked history.”
—Allyn D. Nevitt, author of Long Lancers
