{"product_id":"original-japanese-wwii-framed-mitsubishi-g4m-betty-hull-fragment-from-u-s-operation-vengeance-with-signed-photo-of-participants-fragment-from-their-plane-admiral-yamamoto-22-x-32","title":"Original Japanese WWII Framed Mitsubishi G4M Betty Hull Fragment from U.S. Operation Vengeance with Signed Photo of Participants \u0026 Fragment from Their Plane - Admiral Yamamoto - 22 ½ x 32 ¼”","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item. One-of-a-Kind. Operation Vengeance was the name given to the American military operation to kill Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto of the Imperial Japanese Navy on April 18, 1943, during the Solomon Islands campaign in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Yamamoto, commander of the Combined Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy, was killed on Bougainville Island when his transport bomber aircraft was shot down by United States Army Air Forces fighter aircraft operating from Kukum Field on Guadalcanal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mission of the U.S. aircraft was specifically to kill Yamamoto and was based on United States Navy intelligence on Yamamoto's itinerary in the Solomon Islands area. The death of Yamamoto reportedly damaged the morale of Japanese naval personnel, raised the morale of the Allied forces, and was intended as revenge by U.S. leaders, who blamed Yamamoto for the attack on Pearl Harbor that initiated the war between Imperial Japan and the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe U.S. pilots claimed to have shot down three twin-engined bombers and two fighters during the mission, but Japanese sources show only two bombers were shot down. There is a controversy over which pilot shot down Yamamoto's plane, but most modern historians credit Lieutenant Rex T. Barber.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a great frame put together with some fantastic artifacts, including a piece of the aluminum hull of the Mitsubishi G4M \"Betty\" bomber that Admiral Yamamoto was flying in, which crashed on Bougainville Island in what is today Papua New Guinea. A Japanese team had found the crash site the day after the attack on April 19, 1943, and recovered Yamamoto's body from the Jungle area. The frame also appears to have a piece of the fighter aircraft that shot down Yamamoto’s plane, but there is no documentation to prove this.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe center of the frame has a photo signed by six of the soldiers on that mission, including \u003cstrong\u003eMajor John Mitchell, Captain Louis Kittel, Lieutenant Doug Canning, Lieutenant Besby F. Holmes, Lieutenant Lawrence Graebner, \u003c\/strong\u003eand \u003cstrong\u003eLieutenant Roger Ames\u003c\/strong\u003e. The center has a set of Pilot’s wings, but as mentioned we have no idea if this belonged to anyone on the mission or if it was added for display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a fascinating display piece in a frame measuring\u003cstrong\u003e 22 ½ x 32 ¼”\u003c\/strong\u003e. Comes ready for display!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44483756687429,"sku":"ONSV24HFS054","price":495.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONSV24HFS054__01.jpg?v=1767045312","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-japanese-wwii-framed-mitsubishi-g4m-betty-hull-fragment-from-u-s-operation-vengeance-with-signed-photo-of-participants-fragment-from-their-plane-admiral-yamamoto-22-x-32","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}