Operation Cockpit file photo [6120]

Operation Cockpit and Operation Transom

19 Apr 1944 - 17 May 1944

Contributor:

ww2dbaseOn 19 Apr 1944, American carrier Saratoga and British carrier Illustrious launched an air raid on Japanese port and oil facilities on Sabang Island off the northern tip of Sumatra under the code name Operation Cockpit. The carriers were accompanied by a two task forces of 20 other warships, not counting the carriers. Force 69 was commanded by British Eastern Fleet commander Admiral Sir James Somerville and was consisted of the battleships Queen Elizabeth, Valiant, and Richelieu, supported by an array of other ships; Force 70 contained battlecruiser Renown, carriers Saratoga and Illustrious, and other ships. At 0530 that morning, 46 bombers (17 British, 29 American) and 37 fighters (13 British, 24 American) were launched from the carriers, catching the Japanese by surprise. Sabang harbor was bombing, damaging two merchant ships, two destroyers, and one escort vessel. Lho Nga airfield was also targeted, damaging aircraft, barracks, and communications station, while a large oil tank was set on fire by a direct hit. When British submarine returned to the scene hours later, she reported that fires still raged. Only one Allied aircraft was lost during the raid.

ww2dbaseOn 17 May 1944, another attack under the code name of Operation Transom was launched, again under the command of Somerville. British and American carrier aircraft struck oil refineries at the Wonokromo district of Surabaya, Java, Dutch East Indies and the nearby Braat Engineering Works. Seven land-based B-24 bombers of US Army Air Forces 380th Bombardment Group from Corunna Downs Airfield, Australia made a follow up raid, destroying stores and small vessels in the Surabaya harbor, at the cost of one bomber lost.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.

Last Major Update: Apr 2007

Operation Cockpit and Operation Transom Interactive Map

Photographs

Japanese oil tanker, destroyer, and harbor facilities burning after being attacked by Allied aircraft during Operation Cockpit, Sabang, Sumatra, 19 Apr 1944Sabang airfield under attack, Sabang, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, 19 Apr 1944.Avenger aircraft aboard HMS Illustrious just prior to Operation Transom, May 1944Surabaya under attack, Java, Dutch East Indies, 17 May 1944, photo 1 of 2
See all 6 photographs of Operation Cockpit and Operation Transom

Operation Cockpit and Operation Transom Timeline

31 Mar 1944 USS Saratoga, HMS Cumberland, USS Cummings, USS Fanning, USS Dunlap, and ships of the Royal Navy Eastern Fleet arrived at Trincomalee, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).
19 Apr 1944 Admiral Sir James Somerville's new Eastern Fleet launched a devastating raid on the oil refinery at Sabang in Sumatra, Dutch East Indies with aircraft flown from the carriers HMS Illustrious and USS Saratoga escorted by HMS Cumberland, HMS Renown, USS Cummings, and others.
17 May 1944 The oil refineries at the Wonokromo district of Surabaya, Java, Dutch East Indies and the nearby Braat Engineering Works were struck by British and American carrier aircraft struck by carrier aircraft of the Royal Navy’s Eastern Fleet made up of carriers HMS Illustrious and USS Saratoga escorted by HMS Cumberland, HMS Renown, USS Cummings, and others.




Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you.

Share this article with your friends:

 Facebook
 Reddit
 Twitter

Stay updated with WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds




Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Russell Vallance says:
12 Apr 2019 01:52:12 AM

Transom was not a "repeat". It was a 7,000 mile raid against Surabaya on Java. Wonokromo refinery and the Braat Engineering Works were destroyed, a number of small ships were damaged, naval stores blown up and some 35 aircraft destroyed. One American bomber was lost.
2. Commenter identity confirmed C. Peter Chen says:
12 Apr 2019 06:45:35 AM

Thank you Russell Vallance, I have made the corrections in this article.

All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.

Posting Your Comments on this Topic

Your Name
Your Email
 Your email will not be published
Comment Type
Your Comments
 

Notes:

1. We hope that visitor conversations at WW2DB will be constructive and thought-provoking. Please refrain from using strong language. HTML tags are not allowed. Your IP address will be tracked even if you remain anonymous. WW2DB site administrators reserve the right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment. All comment submissions will become the property of WW2DB.

2. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ.

Search WW2DB


More on Operation Cockpit and Operation Transom
Participant:
» Somerville, James

Location:
» Dutch East Indies

Ship Participants:
» Cummings
» Illustrious
» London
» Newcastle
» Queen Elizabeth
» Renown
» Richelieu
» Saratoga
» Valiant

Operation Cockpit and Operation Transom Photo Gallery
Japanese oil tanker, destroyer, and harbor facilities burning after being attacked by Allied aircraft during Operation Cockpit, Sabang, Sumatra, 19 Apr 1944
See all 6 photographs of Operation Cockpit and Operation Transom


Famous WW2 Quote
"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. You win the war by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country!"

George Patton, 31 May 1944


Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!