The Shot-Up B-25 That Sank Two Ships — And Saved an Entire Squadron

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Title : The Shot-Up B-25 That Sank Two Ships — And Saved an Entire Squadron


Summary : On November 2nd, 1943, Major Raymond Wilkins led eight B-25s into the teeth of the most heavily defended harbor in the South Pacific—Rabaul, guarded by 367 anti-aircraft guns and nearly 400 fighters. It was his 87th combat mission, and he was the last surviving pilot from the original group that arrived in 1942. The odds were impossible. He went anyway.

His first attack run sank a destroyer. His second—made in a crippled, half-destroyed aircraft—suppressed a heavy cruiser’s guns long enough for his squadron to escape. Every Japanese weapon shifted to him. Every shell, every burst of fire targeted one dying bomber flown by one man who refused to turn away. He knew he wouldn’t survive the withdrawal. He attacked anyway.

Wilkins’ B-25 was torn apart, its tail shredded, engines failing, fuselage riddled with cannon fire. Still he held the aircraft together long enough to reach open water before ditching. He forced open the jammed escape hatch, saved his co-pilot, then slipped beneath the Pacific forever. His body was never found.

Forty-five Americans died that day. But the raid shattered Japanese naval power at Rabaul and protected the Bougainville landings. Ships remained in harbor. Carrier air groups withdrew. Rabaul never again threatened Allied operations.

Major Wilkins was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously—not for sinking ships, but for choosing certain death so that others might live. His sacrifice saved five bombers and twenty-five men. His courage outlived him, reshaping B-25 tactics and entering the quiet legacy of heroes whose names survive only because we choose to remember them.



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⚠️ Disclaimer: This video is an entertainment-based retelling inspired by real World War II events, using publicly available sources. While every effort was made to ensure historical accuracy, some details may be dramatized or simplified for narrative purposes. This content is not an academic source. For verified historical research, please consult professional historians, archives, and official records.
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