Skip bombing

Dropped at very low altitudes, the bomb never rises more than about 5 metres (16 ft) above the surface of the water, ensuring that it will hit the side of the ship as long as it is aimed correctly.

After Pearl Harbor (December 1941), it was used prominently against Imperial Japanese Navy warships and transports by Major William Benn of the 63rd Squadron, 43rd Bomb Group (Heavy), Fifth Air Force, United States Army Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific area theater during World War II.

These were supported by heavily armed Royal Australian Air Force Bristol Beaufighters, which would suppress Japanese antiaircraft fire with their machine guns and cannon.

[7] Although historically, American skip bombing started with the prewar attack doctrine espoused by General George Kenney,[8] practically, it began on August 26, 1941, when General Henry "Hap" Arnold, Chief of the Army Air Forces (US), heard details of a British skip bombing attack at an Allied conference in England.

[9] Upon his return from England, General Arnold charged developmental teams at Eglin Army Airfield, Florida with the task of creating an American version of skip bombing.

[11] In late September 1942, Major Benn, then commanding the 63d BS of the 43d Bombardment Group, was using a wrecked ship, SS Pruth, sitting on a reef outside Port Moresby Harbor for skip bombing training.

[12][13] By the time the Eglin Airfield test results were released in December 1942, Benn and the 63d BS, 43d BG, Fifth Army Air Force had already put low-altitude and skip bombing into practice.

The first time skip bombing was used in action by U.S. pilots was against Japanese warships at Rabaul on New Britain on the night of October 22–23, 1942, where B-17 heavy bombers attacked and destroyed the enemy vessels.

[14] With the continuing success against shipping in Rabaul Harbor throughout October and November 1942, both the tactic and the term "skip bombing" had become popular in the Fifth Army Air Force.