Operation SO and SE (ソ作戦とセ作戦, SO Sakusen to SE Sakusen) were parts of an aerial offensive launched by Imperial Japanese forces against Allied forces staging around Guadalcanal area during the Solomon Islands Campaign in the Pacific Theater of World War II.

[3] The First Operation SO took place on 7 June 1943, where Lieutenant Commander Saburō Shindō of 582nd Air Group led a fighter sweep that included 81 Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters (21 from 582nd, 24 A6M from 204th and 36 A6M from 251st Air group) against a variety of targets around Guadalcanal area (including the new Allied airfield in the Russell Islands).

[1][3][4] The Second Operation SO took place five days later, on 12 June, where Lieutenant Zenjirō Miyano led 77 Zero fighters (24 from 204th, 32 A6M from 251st, and 21 from 582nd Air group) against the same targets.

The strike included 24 Aichi D3A dive bombers from the 582nd Air Group under the command of Lieutenant Tamotsu Ema.

The escorting Zero fighters tested the new tactic during Ema's attack, and while it helped to better protect the dive bombers, Lieutenant Miyano was killed during the action.