The bombing started on 20 February 1942 by the United States Navy task force with the flagship Lexington, commanded by Vice Admiral Wilson Brown.
They were preparing to convert the town into a large naval and air base for supplies and forces needed for the expansion of the Japanese Empire perimeter in the South West Pacific.
[1] Later, Vice Admiral Brown—leading a new task force composed of the carriers Lexington and Yorktown, along with escort and support vessels—received new orders to strike the Japanese in Rabaul and nearby areas.
Admiral Brown decided to arrive at Papuasia Gulf in South New Guinea under the relative protection of land-based Australian aviation which he considered best for a surprise factor.
Such strikes occurred at low altitude, at great risk to the aircrews due to enemy antiaircraft fire, allowing Martin B-26 Marauder medium bombers to obtain notable success, sinking numerous auxiliary vessels, between them the Komachi Maru along with the destruction of most of the Japanese aircraft in the bases in the fortress, only leaving some old Mitsubishi A5M4 "Claude" fighters.