Tokyo Express
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Tokyo Express is also a name commonly used by restaurant and automobile businesses and a movie, see external links section
The Tokyo Express was a tactic used by the Imperial Japanese Navy to deliver personnel, supplies, and equipment to Japanese forces operating in and around New Guinea and the Solomon Islands during the Pacific campaign of World War II. The tactic involved loading the personnel and/or supplies onto fast warships, such as destroyers or other warships, and using the warships' speed capability to deliver the personnel and/or supplies to the desired location and return to the originating base all within one night.
The tactic was originally called "Cactus Express" by Allied forces on Guadalcanal, after the codename for the Guadalcanal operation. After the U.S. press began referring to it as the "Tokyo Express," apparently in order to preserve operational security for the codeword "Cactus," Allied forces also began to use that phrase in place of "Cactus Express." The Japanese called the tactic, "Rat Transportation."
The Tokyo Express was necessary for Japanese forces due to Allied air superiority in the South Pacific that was established soon after the Allied landings on Guadalcanal and the employment of Henderson Field in August, 1942 as a base for Allied aircraft. Delivery of troops and materiel by slow transport ships to Japanese forces on Guadalcanal and New Guinea soon proved too vulnerable to daytime air attack. Thus, the faster warships were used at night to make the deliveries when attack aircraft couldn't operate effectively. The Tokyo Express began soon after the Battle of Savo Island in August, 1942 and continued until late in the Solomon Islands campaign when one of the last, large Express runs was interdicted and almost completely destroyed in the Battle of Cape St. George on November 26, 1943.
[edit] John F Kennedy and PT-109
see main article Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109
John F Kennedy's PT-109 was lost on a "poorly planned and uncoordinated" attack on the Tokyo Express.[1] 15 PT boats with 60 torpedoes did not register a single hit, let alone sinking. The PT-109 was struck by a destroyer returning from its supply run, estimated to be traveling in excess of 30 knots with no running lights
[edit] External Links: Other uses of Tokyo Express
The name "Tokyo Express" is also a popular name for modern day businesses who may not be aware of the historical significance of the term.
- Performance and tuning parts for Honda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Nissan, Mazda, and Toyota in UK.
- Tokyo Express Teriyaki House 2 - San Francisco, CA
- Restaurant in Scottsdale, AZ with photo
- 2004 Movie
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[edit] Notes
- ^ National Geographic Search for the PT-109 DVD
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This World War II article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
| Parts of the story of John F. Kennedy's PT-109 |
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Ships: PT-109 • PT-109 Loss Report • PT 59 • PT Boat • Elco • Japanese destroyer Amagiri • Fubuki class destroyer • Tokyo Express People: John F. Kennedy • Arthur Reginald Evans • Coastwatchers • Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana • Andrew Jackson Kirksey and Harold W. Marney • Max Kennedy • Places: Solomon Islands • Kolombangara • Gizo • Kennedy Island • Lumbari Island • Rendova Island • Tulagi Battles:Battle of Blackett Strait • Solomon Islands campaign • Battle of Vella Gulf • PT-109-bilia PT 109 (film) The Search for Kennedy's PT 109 PT-109 (comic book) • • PT-109 (song) • PT-109 (model) •
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