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Photo # 80-G-88018 (cropped):  Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo under attack by B-17 bombers, 24 August 1942

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- JAPANESE NAVY SHIPS --

Ryujo (Aircraft Carrier, 1933-1942) --
High-Level Bombing Attack, 24 August 1942

In the afternoon of 24 August 1942, after Ryujo had been disabled by USS Saratoga's dive bombers and torpedo planes and while her crew was abandoning ship, she was the target of Army Air Force B-17 bombers. These bomb runs, well-photographed but little noticed by historians, missed the immobile aircraft carrier by wide margins, reinforcing the evidence already obtained during the Battle of Midway that high-level bombing was a very ineffective way of attacking ships.

This page features all the images we have of a 24 August 1942 high-level bombing attack on the Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo.

For other views of Ryujo, see:

  • Ryujo (Japanese Aircraft Carrier, 1933-1942.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: 80-G-88015

    Battle of the Eastern Solomons
    , 24 August 1942

    The damaged and immobile Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo photographed from a USAAF B-17 bomber, during a high-level bombing attack on 24 August 1942. The destroyers Amatsukaze and Tokitsukaze had been removing her crew and are getting underway, one from a bow-to-bow position and the other from alongside.
    Ryujo and one of the destroyers are visible at the bottom right of the image, along with the wake of the other destroyer. Two "sticks" of bombs are also visible in the upper right (five bombs) and the right center (four bombs).

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 45KB; 640 x 675 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-88016

    Battle of the Eastern Solomons
    , 24 August 1942

    The damaged and immobile Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo photographed from a USAAF B-17 bomber, during a high-level bombing attack on 24 August 1942. The destroyers Amatsukaze and Tokitsukaze had been removing her crew and are getting underway, one from a bow-to-bow position and the other from alongside.
    Ryujo and the destroyers are visible in the lower right, with one destroyer partially out of the view. Two "sticks" of bombs are also visible in the top right and the right center.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 55KB; 740 x 620 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-88018

    Battle of the Eastern Solomons
    , 24 August 1942

    The damaged and immobile Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo photographed from a USAAF B-17 bomber, during a high-level bombing attack on 24 August 1942. The destroyers Amatsukaze and Tokitsukaze had been removing her crew and are now underway, one from a bow-to-bow position and the other from alongside.
    Two "sticks" of bombs are faintly visible about one ship-length above the carrier's bow and stern.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 51KB; 595 x 765 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

    Note:
    an enlargement of the central part of this image can be seen as Photo # 80-G-88018 (cropped).

     
    Photo #: 80-G-88029

    Battle of the Eastern Solomons
    , 24 August 1942

    The damaged and immobile Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo photographed from a USAAF B-17 bomber, during a high-level bombing attack on 24 August 1942. The destroyers Amatsukaze and Tokitsukaze had been removing her crew and are now underway, one from a bow-to-bow position and the other from alongside.
    Two "sticks" of bombs have just impacted, more than a ship-length beyond the carrier.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 106KB; 605 x 765 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-88021

    Battle of the Eastern Solomons
    , 24 August 1942

    The damaged and immobile Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo photographed from a USAAF B-17 bomber, during a high-level bombing attack on 24 August 1942. The destroyers Amatsukaze and Tokitsukaze had been removing her crew and are now underway, one from a bow-to-bow position and the other from alongside.
    Two "sticks" of bombs are bursting on the water, more than a ship-length beyond the carrier.
    The bow of the cruiser Tone is visible at the extreme right.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 49KB; 615 x 675 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-88020

    Battle of the Eastern Solomons
    , 24 August 1942

    The damaged and immobile Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo photographed from a USAAF B-17 bomber, during a high-level bombing attack on 24 August 1942. The destroyers Amatsukaze and Tokitsukaze had been removing her crew and are now underway, one from a bow-to-bow position and the other from alongside.
    Two "sticks" of bombs have hit the water, more than a ship-length beyond the carrier.
    Ship at the extreme right is the heavy cruiser Tone.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 49KB; 600 x 765 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-88022

    Battle of the Eastern Solomons
    , 24 August 1942

    The damaged and immobile Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo photographed from a USAAF B-17 bomber, during a high-level bombing attack on 24 August 1942. Several bombs are bursting on the water, some seven ship-lengths beyond the carrier's bow. Between Ryujo and the bombs is a destroyer (either Amatsukaze or Tokitsukaze), which had been bow-to-bow to the crippled carrier, removing some of her crew, and is now backing away.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 47KB; 595 x 765 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     

    Note: Another photograph taken during this attack, but not showing Ryujo, is Photo # 80-G-88024.


    For other views of Ryujo, see:

  • Ryujo (Japanese Aircraft Carrier, 1933-1942.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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    Page made 30 November 2001