In humid, midnight skies, the PBY Catalinas of World War II flew low over the waters of the Southwest Pacific.

The black-painted Navy planes had one role: to cut the supplies Japanese ships carried from the mainland to Rabaul, New Britain. The planes were nicknamed “Black Cats” and used radar to find fleet units and cargo vessels. If a crew found a ship, they would turn back, dive and bomb the vessel.

Book cover

The cover of “Conflict to Combat in the South Pacific.”

Jim McDougall

Jim McDougall

published photo

A photo of McDougall published in “Yank Down Under” April 21, 1944.

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