A Desperate Battle in the Islands

Masaharu Kenda is ordered to take command of the 13th Sentai (squadron) at Vunakanau Airfield on New Britain; an island of strategic importance to Japan’s plans to conquer Australia. American forces have invaded Guadalcanal; an island in the Solomons Group that is within bomber range of New Britain. An epic battle ensues on and around that small island. Both sides commit every available resource to prevent the other from prevailing. It is the largest example of amphibious warfare in modern history. New Britain becomes the focal point of all the supplies and reinforcements that Japan can muster. Japan had many bases on New Britain for troops and ships and aircraft; and all had different names. But to all the men, on both sides, it was simply known as… Rabaul.

T. Jack Lewis grew up in a suburb of Chicago. He first visited Japan in 1984. He became enamored of the culture and lived there for eight years. His research, combined with his fiction, has provided Westerners with a new insight into the history of World War II.