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Operation Vengeance: The Astonishing Aerial Ambush That Changed World War II
The New York Times bestselling author of Viper Pilot delivers an electrifying narrative account of the top-secret U.S. mission to kill Isoroku Yamamoto, the Japanese commander who masterminded Pearl Harbor.
In 1943, the United States military began to plan one of the most dramatic secret missions of World War II. Its code name was Operation Vengeance. Naval Intelligence had intercepted the itinerary of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, whose stealth attack on Pearl Harbor precipitated America’s entry into the war. Harvard-educated, Yamamoto was a close confidant of Emperor Hirohito and a brilliant tactician who epitomized Japanese military might. On April 18th, the U.S. discovered, he would travel to Rabaul in the South Pacific to visit Japanese troops, then fly to the Japanese airfield at Balalale, 400 miles to the southeast.
Set into motion, the Americans’ plan was one of the most tactically difficult operations of the war. To avoid detection, U.S. pilots had to embark on a circuitous, 1,000-mile odyssey that would test not only their skills but the physical integrity of their planes. The timing was also crucial: the slightest miscalculation, even by a few minutes—or a delay on the famously punctual Yamamoto’s end—meant the entire plan would collapse, endangering American lives. But if these remarkable pilots succeeded, they could help turn the tide of the war—and greatly boost Allied morale.
Informed by deep archival research and his experience as a decorated combat pilot, Operation Vengeance focuses on the mission’s pilots and recreates the moment-by-moment drama they experienced in the air. Hampton recreates this epic event in thrilling detail, and provides groundbreaking evidence about what really happened that day.
Operation Vengeance includes 30 black-and-white images.
In 1943, the United States military began to plan one of the most dramatic secret missions of World War II. Its code name was Operation Vengeance. Naval Intelligence had intercepted the itinerary of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, whose stealth attack on Pearl Harbor precipitated America’s entry into the war. Harvard-educated, Yamamoto was a close confidant of Emperor Hirohito and a brilliant tactician who epitomized Japanese military might. On April 18th, the U.S. discovered, he would travel to Rabaul in the South Pacific to visit Japanese troops, then fly to the Japanese airfield at Balalale, 400 miles to the southeast.
Set into motion, the Americans’ plan was one of the most tactically difficult operations of the war. To avoid detection, U.S. pilots had to embark on a circuitous, 1,000-mile odyssey that would test not only their skills but the physical integrity of their planes. The timing was also crucial: the slightest miscalculation, even by a few minutes—or a delay on the famously punctual Yamamoto’s end—meant the entire plan would collapse, endangering American lives. But if these remarkable pilots succeeded, they could help turn the tide of the war—and greatly boost Allied morale.
Informed by deep archival research and his experience as a decorated combat pilot, Operation Vengeance focuses on the mission’s pilots and recreates the moment-by-moment drama they experienced in the air. Hampton recreates this epic event in thrilling detail, and provides groundbreaking evidence about what really happened that day.
Operation Vengeance includes 30 black-and-white images.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published August 11, 2020
250 people are currently reading
1638 people want to read
About the author
Dan Hampton
21 books167 followersU.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Dan Hampton flew more than 150 combat missions during his twenty years (1986–2006) as a Wild Weasel fighter pilot. For his service in the Iraq War, Kosovo conflict, first Gulf War, and elsewhere, Colonel Hampton received four Distinguished Flying Crosses with Valor, a Purple Heart, eight Air Medals with Valor, five Meritorious Service Medals, and numerous other citations. He is a graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School, USN Top Gun School (TOGS), and USAF Special Operations School. A recipient of several awards for tactical innovation, Hampton pioneered air-combat tactics that are now standard, and he was named his squadron's Instructor Pilot of the Year six times. Hampton served on the Air Combat Command staff in Langley, Virginia, during the 1999 Kosovo War and designed the NATO campaign that destroyed the Yugoslav army's air defenses around Sarajevo. A graduate of Texas A&M University, he has published articles in The Journal of Electronic Defense, Air Force Magazine, and Airpower magazine, as well as several classified tactical works for the USAF Fighter Weapons Review.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
September 1, 2022
I was disappointed in this book. It purports to be about the 1943 aerial ambush and killing of Japan's Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Yamamoto by the U.S. Army Air Corps. And that incident is covered in this history but not much. It is more of a book for those who are familiar with the mechanics and flying of airplanes. The details of, for example, the cockpit of the airplane used in the attack, were mind numbing to this reader.........lots and lots of detail.
It is not that the writing isn't good since it is well done but the author's approach is not what I expected. If you are interested in the USAAC airplanes used in WWII, this would be the book for you. It was not for me.
It is not that the writing isn't good since it is well done but the author's approach is not what I expected. If you are interested in the USAAC airplanes used in WWII, this would be the book for you. It was not for me.
April 29, 2023
Definitely a book for a pilot, or a person devoted to technical accuracy and military nomenclature. This is a book of trees that prevents one from seeing the forest. Too much nit picky detail and no story flow. An after action report. A thesis. A brief in defense of “who done it.”
I’m sorry to say this book did not tell the story of Operation Vengeance but it did include all the facts down to the exact military nomenclature of a tent!
I’m sorry to say this book did not tell the story of Operation Vengeance but it did include all the facts down to the exact military nomenclature of a tent!
September 24, 2020
This is a terribly detailed book and I write that in both senses of the word. The operation to kill Yamamoto is ostensibly the reason for book. The operation does not start until page 235 except for a few pages introducing Yamamoto and the pilot who got him. Even then, there are divergences. The author is a pilot. Perhaps this would be interesting to other pilots, but I do not need to know every reading of every gauge in the cockpit - especially when it has no bearing on the story being told.
February 17, 2021
Poorly written and poorly edited. This is not the work of a military historian. Some of the mistakes are glaring (the bomb dropped on Nagasaki was “Fat Man,” not “Fat Boy”) and you might believe this is self-published. The technical details about flying P-38’s and the recounting of the Guadalcanal campaign were very interesting, however.
July 21, 2024
I hate to get personal with authors, but Dan Hampton is such an egotistic hack. He’s a “historian” with major air quotes, i.e. regurgitating what’s already been written about hundreds of times with a flimsy repackaging in a Yamamoto-themed wrapper. It’s also just plain weird and dumb to let your personal politics show through in a history of World War freakin’ Two.
August 11, 2020
Operation Vengeance - Who Really Shot Down Admiral Yamamoto and why
Dan Hampton has done it again. He presents a story that has been told before, but this time he enlivens it with the faces/thoughts of the combatants, the Geopolitics that foretell the event, and the details that are the very heart of the story. From the very first sentence in the Prologue with Lt. Rex Barber sitting in his P-38 with the sweat rolling down his face, to the closing words of the Epilogue you will be pulled along and race through this exciting tale.
Conclusion: buy this page turner and learn/relearn of the heroism of the US Military Fighting man in WWII. The following are some of the salient points that are covered in Dan Hampton’s recreation of an event critical to the outcome of that war.
The actual theme is quite simple… Give a fighter pilot a location, a time and a target and he will do the rest. Having Intercepted Yamamoto’s plan/ETA to visit Bougainville, the not so simple task would be to arrive on time and shoot down the Admiral.
You will learn of the great Strategic planning and leadership capabilities of Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto. He had planned the attack on Pearl Harbor, but realized he had awakened the sleeping giant. In 1943 he accepted the fact that Japan could not win the war. Thus, his goal was to inflict enough pain on the United States, so that they would be glad to come to the table and sign a peace treaty. Yamamoto was unique among the Japanese Imperial staff to learn from his mistakes and change his initial plans. Luckily for the US, The Japanese Imperial Army was running the war, and contained Yamamoto. Japanese Hubris could not accept that the US was a worthy opponent, and would not be vanquished as they had the Chinese and the Filipino’s.
The naval battles up to and including the Guadalcanal saga detail the effort of the US Marines, See-bees and the Cactus Air force to build and maintain Henderson Air Field. Henderson would be the key to allow the Army P-38’s range and tactics to make the intercepts. Although under USN Air operational command. Army Major John Mitchell was allowed to plan and execute the mission -only because Navy and Marine fighters did not have the range to do it. Of the 16 P-38’s he selected Capt. Tom Lanphier and Lt Rex Barber plus 2 others to be in the “Killer Flight” while the remaining P-38’s would be assigned to ward off any Japanese fighters in the area.
Dan writes of the heated discussion as to whether or not to launch the mission. The concern was in doing so they would reveal “Magic” code name for the program that allowed US intercept and decoding Japanese message Traffic. The Japanese believed the US was not smart enough to accomplish it. Dan then also describes the arguments over the correctness of assassinating an enemy leader. You will see that argument still goes on today.
Finally, the mission is launched and you ride along in the hot gondola of the P-38. Switches are set, seat belts tightened and the guns are checked armed and charged. You follow along and quickly search for the maps and flight plan that Dan Hampton has thoughtfully included. Lt Rex Barber makes the kills on both Japanese Bombers (though only one had been expected).
Tom Lanphier returns first and takes credit for the shoot down of the Admiral. Announcing that fact over the air on a unsecure channel Which would enrage Admiral Bull Halsey and result in Medals of Honors being downgraded to Navy Crosses. Dan empirically and mathematically examines the data and concludes that the victories belong to Rex Barber.
As I Review Operation Vengeance by Dan Hampton today, I note it is August 9, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki. Dan comments and questions on the number of both American and Japanese lives were saved by the acts of Rex Barber and the dropping of the second atom bomb.
Stan Goldstein
Dan Hampton has done it again. He presents a story that has been told before, but this time he enlivens it with the faces/thoughts of the combatants, the Geopolitics that foretell the event, and the details that are the very heart of the story. From the very first sentence in the Prologue with Lt. Rex Barber sitting in his P-38 with the sweat rolling down his face, to the closing words of the Epilogue you will be pulled along and race through this exciting tale.
Conclusion: buy this page turner and learn/relearn of the heroism of the US Military Fighting man in WWII. The following are some of the salient points that are covered in Dan Hampton’s recreation of an event critical to the outcome of that war.
The actual theme is quite simple… Give a fighter pilot a location, a time and a target and he will do the rest. Having Intercepted Yamamoto’s plan/ETA to visit Bougainville, the not so simple task would be to arrive on time and shoot down the Admiral.
You will learn of the great Strategic planning and leadership capabilities of Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto. He had planned the attack on Pearl Harbor, but realized he had awakened the sleeping giant. In 1943 he accepted the fact that Japan could not win the war. Thus, his goal was to inflict enough pain on the United States, so that they would be glad to come to the table and sign a peace treaty. Yamamoto was unique among the Japanese Imperial staff to learn from his mistakes and change his initial plans. Luckily for the US, The Japanese Imperial Army was running the war, and contained Yamamoto. Japanese Hubris could not accept that the US was a worthy opponent, and would not be vanquished as they had the Chinese and the Filipino’s.
The naval battles up to and including the Guadalcanal saga detail the effort of the US Marines, See-bees and the Cactus Air force to build and maintain Henderson Air Field. Henderson would be the key to allow the Army P-38’s range and tactics to make the intercepts. Although under USN Air operational command. Army Major John Mitchell was allowed to plan and execute the mission -only because Navy and Marine fighters did not have the range to do it. Of the 16 P-38’s he selected Capt. Tom Lanphier and Lt Rex Barber plus 2 others to be in the “Killer Flight” while the remaining P-38’s would be assigned to ward off any Japanese fighters in the area.
Dan writes of the heated discussion as to whether or not to launch the mission. The concern was in doing so they would reveal “Magic” code name for the program that allowed US intercept and decoding Japanese message Traffic. The Japanese believed the US was not smart enough to accomplish it. Dan then also describes the arguments over the correctness of assassinating an enemy leader. You will see that argument still goes on today.
Finally, the mission is launched and you ride along in the hot gondola of the P-38. Switches are set, seat belts tightened and the guns are checked armed and charged. You follow along and quickly search for the maps and flight plan that Dan Hampton has thoughtfully included. Lt Rex Barber makes the kills on both Japanese Bombers (though only one had been expected).
Tom Lanphier returns first and takes credit for the shoot down of the Admiral. Announcing that fact over the air on a unsecure channel Which would enrage Admiral Bull Halsey and result in Medals of Honors being downgraded to Navy Crosses. Dan empirically and mathematically examines the data and concludes that the victories belong to Rex Barber.
As I Review Operation Vengeance by Dan Hampton today, I note it is August 9, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki. Dan comments and questions on the number of both American and Japanese lives were saved by the acts of Rex Barber and the dropping of the second atom bomb.
Stan Goldstein
March 24, 2025
A vivid account but gets bogged down by too many technical details that get in the way of the main story.
September 17, 2020
A very satisfying book written by an accomplished writer.
August 19, 2020
(Audiobook) (3.5 stars) This is the latest entry into the recent literature related to the shootdown of Admiral Yamamoto in April 1943. Arguably, Yamamoto could rate as one of the first High Value Individuals (HVIs) killed by airpower. The definitions of what sort of HVI/target Yamamoto presents offers a source of lively debate. In this work, the biggest emphasis is on the flyers and the aircraft involved, from both the American and the Japanese side. Given that the author was a former Air Force fighter pilot, it is not surprising that he would offer such a detailed and descriptive account of the planes and flying associated with the mission. That is perhaps the strength, as it offers details into the flying not found in other works.
However, this work is not as strong in other areas. In describing the air actions, it spends more time describing the air war over Guadalcanal, which is significant in some respects to the Yamamoto story, but that account takes up far more space than in should for a book focusing on the operation to take down Yamamoto. There is some biographical overviews, especially of Rex Barber, but it is touched on, and the descriptions of the other players is given in inconsistent amounts. There is some mention of the intelligence breakthroughs and concerns about secrecy, but again, perhaps not the emphasis that centers on the main mission.
The author has his opinions, and does not pull punches with them (he was a fighter pilot). However, some of his conclusions about the death of Yamamoto can be debated. Would Yamamoto have been the thorn in the US side, even as the war was turning? Perhaps, but I am not sure that it would have made as much a difference. The Japanese, by mid-1943, were on the inevitable slide to defeat. Would Yamamoto have avoided some of the suicidal maneuvers like the Marianas Turkey Shoot and later Japanese sacrifices? Unknown. He may have tried for one final gamble that might have been as ugly as any that actually happened. His death was legal and worth the effort in the context of war, but by 1944, would Yamamoto have made that much a difference? Hampton thinks so, but I am not so sure.
Overall, this work has its pluses and minuses. Don't know if I would rate this above some other recent works on Yamamoto and Operation Vengeance. Perhaps the air enthusiast would really get a lot out of it, but this should not be the end-all/be-all on reading this work. The reader is solid, but doesn't add or detract from the rating.
However, this work is not as strong in other areas. In describing the air actions, it spends more time describing the air war over Guadalcanal, which is significant in some respects to the Yamamoto story, but that account takes up far more space than in should for a book focusing on the operation to take down Yamamoto. There is some biographical overviews, especially of Rex Barber, but it is touched on, and the descriptions of the other players is given in inconsistent amounts. There is some mention of the intelligence breakthroughs and concerns about secrecy, but again, perhaps not the emphasis that centers on the main mission.
The author has his opinions, and does not pull punches with them (he was a fighter pilot). However, some of his conclusions about the death of Yamamoto can be debated. Would Yamamoto have been the thorn in the US side, even as the war was turning? Perhaps, but I am not sure that it would have made as much a difference. The Japanese, by mid-1943, were on the inevitable slide to defeat. Would Yamamoto have avoided some of the suicidal maneuvers like the Marianas Turkey Shoot and later Japanese sacrifices? Unknown. He may have tried for one final gamble that might have been as ugly as any that actually happened. His death was legal and worth the effort in the context of war, but by 1944, would Yamamoto have made that much a difference? Hampton thinks so, but I am not so sure.
Overall, this work has its pluses and minuses. Don't know if I would rate this above some other recent works on Yamamoto and Operation Vengeance. Perhaps the air enthusiast would really get a lot out of it, but this should not be the end-all/be-all on reading this work. The reader is solid, but doesn't add or detract from the rating.
September 27, 2024
This book is pretty good and I like Hampton's other books like Viper Pilot much better. I say this because this book is in need of editing or a better editor, has multiple spelling & grammatical errors and a few times just did not read well. There were some repetitive portions of the book too.
The book details the battle for the island of Guadalcanal which gave the US a toe hold to begin their island hopping strategy to battle Japan back to the home islands which led to the bombing campaigns of the home islands and ultimately the end of the war after the dropping of the 2nd atomic bomb on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.
The book is well researched and covers many of the Naval, night, ship battles off Cape Esperance, the Solomon Islands and Savo Island which led to one sound being named Iron Bottom Sound due to the number of ships sunk in the sound. It details the life of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto and his time spent in the United States learning about our culture and industrial might. This history as that of Rex Barber was necessary to tell the complete story and context of these battles that led to the downing of two "Betty" bombers, one of which contained Admiral Yamamoto which was another devastating blow to Japan during the war.
This book is well researched with an extensive Bibliography and I have added more books from this to my reading list and some of which I have already read like "Neptune's Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal" by James D. Hornfischer.
I highly recommend this book.
The book details the battle for the island of Guadalcanal which gave the US a toe hold to begin their island hopping strategy to battle Japan back to the home islands which led to the bombing campaigns of the home islands and ultimately the end of the war after the dropping of the 2nd atomic bomb on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.
The book is well researched and covers many of the Naval, night, ship battles off Cape Esperance, the Solomon Islands and Savo Island which led to one sound being named Iron Bottom Sound due to the number of ships sunk in the sound. It details the life of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto and his time spent in the United States learning about our culture and industrial might. This history as that of Rex Barber was necessary to tell the complete story and context of these battles that led to the downing of two "Betty" bombers, one of which contained Admiral Yamamoto which was another devastating blow to Japan during the war.
This book is well researched with an extensive Bibliography and I have added more books from this to my reading list and some of which I have already read like "Neptune's Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal" by James D. Hornfischer.
I highly recommend this book.
December 7, 2020
Way, way, way too long, I think most amateur WWII historians know about the battles for Guadalcanal and dont need page after page after page all about the entire battle start to finish. Same with other smaller operations by pilots. The operation itself was enough for a book, maybe some info on other battles to obtain and keep the canal, but not so much. Of course the treatment by their superiors (thats questionable in itself) was abhorent, really just plain wrong.
Great operation by brave, skilled pilots but terrible treatment afterwards. If it were not so long I would have to rate the writing of the book as very good, engaging, worth reading altho ultimately I skipped thru some things like too much detail about operations like the names of Jap pilots, aircraft numbers, miles from there to there, all way too much detail, very forgettable or skippable. Ultimately the book is just plain too long but well written and engaging.
Good book for today, Dec 7, we all love revenge and this was all about just that.
Great operation by brave, skilled pilots but terrible treatment afterwards. If it were not so long I would have to rate the writing of the book as very good, engaging, worth reading altho ultimately I skipped thru some things like too much detail about operations like the names of Jap pilots, aircraft numbers, miles from there to there, all way too much detail, very forgettable or skippable. Ultimately the book is just plain too long but well written and engaging.
Good book for today, Dec 7, we all love revenge and this was all about just that.
April 21, 2022
Isoroku Yamamoto always knew Japan was doomed against the Unites States in World War II. In fact, he liked the U.S. just fine. He spent years in the U.S. and although he was fond of it, he was always wary that one day it would be his enemy. He made plans how to fight if it came to that.
His conclusion after putting together all his plans? Japan would lose unless they could score enough early wins and disillusion the American people who would beg for armistice. If not, he knew it was impossible to win.
Even someone who hates history knows how that went. But did you know how the war ended for Yamamoto? Well, that’s what Operation Vengeance is.
Dan Hampton tells the whole story including a detailed narrative of the Guadalcanal Campaign, which made the operation possible. While Hampton is detailed, he does not get bogged down and keeps the narrative moving with no let up. He also has no problem pointing out who he thinks acts like an idiot which I personally enjoyed immensely. If you can back up your accusations (and he can), then I am all for it.
His conclusion after putting together all his plans? Japan would lose unless they could score enough early wins and disillusion the American people who would beg for armistice. If not, he knew it was impossible to win.
Even someone who hates history knows how that went. But did you know how the war ended for Yamamoto? Well, that’s what Operation Vengeance is.
Dan Hampton tells the whole story including a detailed narrative of the Guadalcanal Campaign, which made the operation possible. While Hampton is detailed, he does not get bogged down and keeps the narrative moving with no let up. He also has no problem pointing out who he thinks acts like an idiot which I personally enjoyed immensely. If you can back up your accusations (and he can), then I am all for it.
December 24, 2020
This had the potential to be a really good book, but instead it is unfocused, disjointed and emotionally-written. Most of the book is consumed by "background" -- such as the history of aerial warfare, U.S. naval operations in the Pacific during WWII, and an overly long account of the action on Guadalcanal. Hampton is not a historian, and there's nothing new in any of that information; it acts a filler in the apparent desire for a thicker volume. As for Operation Vengeance, his coverage of that seems rushed and thin by the end of the book: Dinner's over and there's no time to finish the main course. Hampton is a master when it comes to writing about aeronautics and aerial combat, but that is wasted here and only evident in bits and pieces. He deserved a better editor.
August 22, 2023
This book is a bait-and-switch. I feel like Hampton wanted to write about the Guadalcanal campaign (a good topic), but when he pitched it to his publisher it was decided there was already enough stuff out there. So Hampton just said, “Fine, it’ll be about the mission to assassinate Yamamoto!” and the publisher bought it, literally and figuratively.
But then, Hampton went ahead and wrote his Guadalcanal book anyway.
The good? The story of the operation to kill Yamamoto is well-researched and engrossing. The bad? It’s told in a highly disjointed style that soon descends into a brief history of the whole Cactus adventure, presented WAY too superficially as a flurry of names and [not enough] dates. This turns it into a dizzying tome that BEGS to be skimmed while the reader hunts for what the title, subtitle, blurb, book jacket, and publishers’ information suggests the whole book is about: the Yamamoto mission. Which was why the reader picked up the book in the first place.
I feel like I wasted a lot of time. Guadalcanal has been written about far more effectively than this. The Yamamoto-mission information is good, but it feels like it’s barely a hundred pages buried among a couple hundred more. Sure, it’s important for a casual reader to understand the strategic importance of the ‘Canal before reading about the Yamamoto mission. But that could have easily been condensed much more effectively, the space used to tell Barber’s story more fully.
It’s also annoying that Hampton tries to overegg the pudding, detail-wise. He plainly had a P38 instrument panel diagram taped up in front of his desk, from whence he constantly reminds us where the reserve fuel dial should be set, or how to charge the Hispano cannon. This is immersive, and in small doses it would be useful; here, it just bogs down the narrative. I don’t really need to know that Barber’s manifold was set at 32 inches… or do I? What’s the importance of that? Hampton, alas, never tells us. It comes across as his attempt to remind us that he knows more about this stuff than we do. Which is irritating.
Add in small but unforgivable proofreading and factual errors, and the book becomes even harder to recommend. Hampton, unfortunately, also uses a HIGHLY jingoistic tone that reads more like a rousing 1950s “history” of Marine and Army operations, employing condescending innuendo that belittles Japanese, Soviet, Chinese, and French actions and decisions. Hampton’s personal politics are clear, unambiguous, and unwelcome. We get it: he doesn’t like labor unions. But that has nothing to do with the mission to kill Yamamoto. So leave it out. If Hampton used an editor, it’s not evident.
In sum, this book left a bad taste in my mouth. Two grudging stars for the research into Barber’s achievements, but no stars for the rest. I was very close to giving it just one. Chapter Eight is the most interesting, and had the book started there and continued in that tone? It would have been much better. This is not history; it’s an editorial.
But then, Hampton went ahead and wrote his Guadalcanal book anyway.
The good? The story of the operation to kill Yamamoto is well-researched and engrossing. The bad? It’s told in a highly disjointed style that soon descends into a brief history of the whole Cactus adventure, presented WAY too superficially as a flurry of names and [not enough] dates. This turns it into a dizzying tome that BEGS to be skimmed while the reader hunts for what the title, subtitle, blurb, book jacket, and publishers’ information suggests the whole book is about: the Yamamoto mission. Which was why the reader picked up the book in the first place.
I feel like I wasted a lot of time. Guadalcanal has been written about far more effectively than this. The Yamamoto-mission information is good, but it feels like it’s barely a hundred pages buried among a couple hundred more. Sure, it’s important for a casual reader to understand the strategic importance of the ‘Canal before reading about the Yamamoto mission. But that could have easily been condensed much more effectively, the space used to tell Barber’s story more fully.
It’s also annoying that Hampton tries to overegg the pudding, detail-wise. He plainly had a P38 instrument panel diagram taped up in front of his desk, from whence he constantly reminds us where the reserve fuel dial should be set, or how to charge the Hispano cannon. This is immersive, and in small doses it would be useful; here, it just bogs down the narrative. I don’t really need to know that Barber’s manifold was set at 32 inches… or do I? What’s the importance of that? Hampton, alas, never tells us. It comes across as his attempt to remind us that he knows more about this stuff than we do. Which is irritating.
Add in small but unforgivable proofreading and factual errors, and the book becomes even harder to recommend. Hampton, unfortunately, also uses a HIGHLY jingoistic tone that reads more like a rousing 1950s “history” of Marine and Army operations, employing condescending innuendo that belittles Japanese, Soviet, Chinese, and French actions and decisions. Hampton’s personal politics are clear, unambiguous, and unwelcome. We get it: he doesn’t like labor unions. But that has nothing to do with the mission to kill Yamamoto. So leave it out. If Hampton used an editor, it’s not evident.
In sum, this book left a bad taste in my mouth. Two grudging stars for the research into Barber’s achievements, but no stars for the rest. I was very close to giving it just one. Chapter Eight is the most interesting, and had the book started there and continued in that tone? It would have been much better. This is not history; it’s an editorial.
June 23, 2021
A fascinating description of the mission to intercept General Yamamoto and kill him. This operation was done by USAF Pilots based at Guadalcanal flying P38 Lightnings in April of 1943. The word Vengeance refers to pay back for the attack on Perl Harbor which was planned by Yamamoto.
The author is a pilot himself who flew F16s in the first Gulf War so it is full of flying and piloting descriptions that are rich in detail. Hampton tracks the careers of the pilot Rex Barber who is generally considered to be the one who actually got the plane flying the general although there was some controversy as to which pilot actually did it. At the end of the book, Hampton gives evidence to convince that it was Barber who actually got the kill.
Hampton gives a very detailed description of the battle for Guadalcanal as a lead up to the actual operation. Of course, this is a battle that is fairly well known to most people familiar with WWII and the Pacific campaign. But he tells this story from the standpoint of a pilot which makes it a little more than a rehash of familiar territory.
Although I knew about this mission there is quite a bit of information that fills out the story in this book. One interesting thing that I think most people do not know is that Barber went on to fly P38s in China after this mission and was shot down. He lived in hiding several months with the help of several Chinese boys until he finally was able to make it back to safety.
Although there is no question that Barber was a very brave and patriotic guy, I am still left wondering what really motivated him? Was he a daredevil who thrilled in danger or did he really view this as his duty to the country that he deeply loved and supported? Perhaps is was a bit of both.
The author is a pilot himself who flew F16s in the first Gulf War so it is full of flying and piloting descriptions that are rich in detail. Hampton tracks the careers of the pilot Rex Barber who is generally considered to be the one who actually got the plane flying the general although there was some controversy as to which pilot actually did it. At the end of the book, Hampton gives evidence to convince that it was Barber who actually got the kill.
Hampton gives a very detailed description of the battle for Guadalcanal as a lead up to the actual operation. Of course, this is a battle that is fairly well known to most people familiar with WWII and the Pacific campaign. But he tells this story from the standpoint of a pilot which makes it a little more than a rehash of familiar territory.
Although I knew about this mission there is quite a bit of information that fills out the story in this book. One interesting thing that I think most people do not know is that Barber went on to fly P38s in China after this mission and was shot down. He lived in hiding several months with the help of several Chinese boys until he finally was able to make it back to safety.
Although there is no question that Barber was a very brave and patriotic guy, I am still left wondering what really motivated him? Was he a daredevil who thrilled in danger or did he really view this as his duty to the country that he deeply loved and supported? Perhaps is was a bit of both.
June 29, 2021
World War II was always one of my favorite courses. But this very detailed telling of what needed to occur before "Operation Vengeance" is really great. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, knew better then anyone else in the Japanese forces what America could become back then. He knew time would work against the Empire once it entered into wat with the United States. But having his hands tied up by the necessities and by the American government at the time. Japan could not expand to the East without having to deal with the Americans. So they chose to head into the wind and take their turn at the dice.
The attack on Pearl Harbor was viewed by all Americans as treacherous (Adm. Yamamoto, had asked for War to be declared before hand but the Japanese Embassy failed him.) because they saw an attack without honorable warning, no formal declaration of hostilities. Just a murderous act. Adm. Yamamoto became the most hated figure of the nascent War. Everyone knew exactly who to blame and who they needed to beat.
Japanese belief that Americans were inferior fighters cost them dearly in Guadalcanal. Once the Americans took hold of the Island they would never let it go.
Cactus Air and the Marines would see to it. The Japanese would end up losing more ships and plane at any other point of the war.
Going after Adm. Yamamoto was a huge logistical risk, it would hint to the Japanese that the Americans had deciphered their communications codes. But the rewards to doing so where huge. In hindsight it is believed that after that loss the Japanese never really recovered any sort of initiative. Going back to their Generals that fought in Manchuria for planning never gave them any sort of global vision.
The attack on Pearl Harbor was viewed by all Americans as treacherous (Adm. Yamamoto, had asked for War to be declared before hand but the Japanese Embassy failed him.) because they saw an attack without honorable warning, no formal declaration of hostilities. Just a murderous act. Adm. Yamamoto became the most hated figure of the nascent War. Everyone knew exactly who to blame and who they needed to beat.
Japanese belief that Americans were inferior fighters cost them dearly in Guadalcanal. Once the Americans took hold of the Island they would never let it go.
Cactus Air and the Marines would see to it. The Japanese would end up losing more ships and plane at any other point of the war.
Going after Adm. Yamamoto was a huge logistical risk, it would hint to the Japanese that the Americans had deciphered their communications codes. But the rewards to doing so where huge. In hindsight it is believed that after that loss the Japanese never really recovered any sort of initiative. Going back to their Generals that fought in Manchuria for planning never gave them any sort of global vision.
November 18, 2024
This was an outstanding history book! It is about the mission to kill Yamamoto after the Japanese foolishly gave details in an encrypted message (that the Allies deciphered) of Yamamoto's visit to Bougainville in the South Pacific - a forward area at the time.
The great thing about the book is that it walks that fine line between "pop history" (as my professors used to call it) like Walter Lord - meaning the book is told in a very readable way - with more scholarly works and doesn't just detail the mission but gives background of the principal players in the mission; details the Pearl Harbor, Midway, and Coral Sea campaigns that Yamamoto planned; the Guadalcanal struggle; and even discusses whether it was an assassination or simply killing a military leader in uniform.
It was well-researched, the story was developed in a linear way (with relevant asides), and the epilogue even chronicles why Rex Barber (who is often not credited with the kill) could have been the only one to have shot down Yamamoto's plane. A great work for both historians and people who just want to learn more about the early years of the war in the South Pacific!
The great thing about the book is that it walks that fine line between "pop history" (as my professors used to call it) like Walter Lord - meaning the book is told in a very readable way - with more scholarly works and doesn't just detail the mission but gives background of the principal players in the mission; details the Pearl Harbor, Midway, and Coral Sea campaigns that Yamamoto planned; the Guadalcanal struggle; and even discusses whether it was an assassination or simply killing a military leader in uniform.
It was well-researched, the story was developed in a linear way (with relevant asides), and the epilogue even chronicles why Rex Barber (who is often not credited with the kill) could have been the only one to have shot down Yamamoto's plane. A great work for both historians and people who just want to learn more about the early years of the war in the South Pacific!
August 12, 2020
True to my expectations, Dan Hampton has again provided us with an interesting slice of history and a masterful job of weaving together the threads of two lives who crossed in one of the two most psychologically significant USAAF missions of World War II: the mission to intercept and kill Japanese admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. The other being, of course, the Doolittle Raid. I believe Hampton's thesis to be sound; the idea being that had Isoroku Yamamoto lived, the fight against Japan would've been different and longer. Perhaps Yamamoto would agree that outcome would've been the same, but the road leading there would've been more arduous for the U.S. and its allies in the Pacific. As a pilot, I was very drawn to the strictly aviation passages. Very thoroughly researched and well done, overall.
RUSSELL L. GREER Author of "Eagle of the Ardennes" and "Pale Horse 3"
RUSSELL L. GREER Author of "Eagle of the Ardennes" and "Pale Horse 3"
August 19, 2020
Dan Hampton - a former USAF F-16 veteran who flew F-16 Vipers in the Persian Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom continues his aviation-centric histories with one of his best yet in Operation Vengeance. This is a story not just of Rex Barber's shootdown of Admiral Yamamoto, but the fierce fighting on the ground, in the seas around and in the skies over Guadalcanal that led to him being in position to avenge Pearl Harbor. You're really in for a thrilling World War II history complete with a side of thoughtful discussion about the mechanics of air combat & the morality of using force.
Very well done also on the formatting. A few small typos, but this was a Netgalley preview.
I can only wait to see what Dan would do with the 1 May 2011 mission to get Bin Laden, IF he addresses that topic. I hope to see more books from Dan like this in any event.
Very well done also on the formatting. A few small typos, but this was a Netgalley preview.
I can only wait to see what Dan would do with the 1 May 2011 mission to get Bin Laden, IF he addresses that topic. I hope to see more books from Dan like this in any event.
December 12, 2020
Dan Hampton has written quite a fascinating tale of Operation VENGEANCE, the 18 April 1943 mission in the Southwest Pacific by USAAF P-38 Lightings. Tipped off by an intercepted Japanese message, the Americans flew from Guadalcanal to Bougainville, where they successfully intercepted and shot down the aircraft carrying Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the mastermind of the Pearl Harbor attack of 7 December 1941. Hampton tells the story of the raid, mixing in tales of how the US and Japan came to a collision course, the development of the P-38, the Guadalcanal campaign, and the lives of Yamamoto and Rex Barber, the American fighter pilot who shot down Yamamoto. I did notice a few errors in the text--stating that Singapore fell on 25 December 1941; actually, it was Hong Kong--but overall, a very fine read for anyone interested in World War II in the Pacific.
August 3, 2021
This reads very much like a fast paced thriller with all of the details necessary for us to understand the pilot's situation and the battlefield circumstances. I thought I knew about much of what happened in the WWII Pacific Theater but this was an education, especially about Guadalcanal and mission dealt with here. Japanese Admiral Yamamoto was the architect of the Pearl Harbor attack and this book details the mission that took him down. The book does overstate a bit the "Changed World War II" part, and there is some getting bogged down in the details but I still very much recommend the read. I did read it as an e-book and that does make it difficult to switch back and forth to the maps that would make it more helpful, so I would recommend reading this in hardback or paperback instead
November 30, 2020
Dan Hampton does a fine job of reconstructing the events of April 18, 1943 when a group of sixteen P-38 fighters under the command of John Mitchell navigated over 400 miles at an altitude of less than 200 feet to stay undetected by radar so that they could ambush the Commander of the Japanese combined Army-Navy forces Admiral Yamamoto, the engineer behind the Pearl Harbor attack. It is customary to praise Hampton's diligence in his research and this book is exemplary of that dedication. More importantly for me was how he describes the individuals who actually flew the mission. Heroic men who did not consider themselves heroes at all but rather just every day aviators doing their jobs no matter what the risks.
September 20, 2025
This tells the story of the surgical strike operation that eliminated Admiral Yamamoto, head of the Japanese Navy and commander of the Pearl Harbor attack. While it may be little known today, the Admiral’s death had a tremendous impact on the course of the war in the Pacific. This book sets the stage and then goes through the operation in detail. It also describes many of the other engagements leading up to it, especially the fight around Guadalcanal, which is where I got a little lost trying to follow all the different characters, places and battles. I was expecting a more focused story just on the operation, so it felt a bit jumbled to me and not told as dramatically as I would have liked. That’s really my only complaint though, and otherwise this is a fine book for WWII history buffs.
August 20, 2020
Operation Vengeance was a page turner. Dan is an exceptional storyteller and I appreciated being placed the cockpit with the pilot and envisioning the experience enabling my senses from sight, sound to smell. This story took place during the time my father served as a Marine on Guadalcanal at Henderson Field. I have to say that all the history Dan worked into the story did more than set the scene, it lets readers into this vital part of WWII history. Very visual in the writing and also in the photos and maps within the book. Hope it gets optioned for a limited series. Certainly, this should set the record right for Rex Barber’s family.
January 30, 2021
This is Hampton’s best work to date. He spends sufficient time on background, historical setup and personal development leading up to the actions that happened on 18 April 1943. Detailed steps and actions from a cockpit view are well done and detailed to give the reader the feel of the pilot and their experience. This should be considered a definitive work on this topic and should be a basis for getting the credit right for all time. A minor nit regarding the publication I read, which was a hardcover first edition, are the number of typographical errors. I didn’t mark them all, but there must have been a couple dozen or more. I’m sure these will get corrected in future releases.
January 14, 2023
This book is kind of disappointing. Author Dan Hampton sets out to tell the little known story of how the US broke the Japanese code and found out where Admiral Yamamoto, architect of Pearl Harbor, was going to be in April of 1943. Army and navy aviators combined to shoot Yamamoto’s plane down near Bougainville.
This was the story I was expecting…he told this towards the end of this volume…up until them, Hampton decide to describe practically the entire war in the Pacific. In fact, the entire Battle of Guadalcanal is described, practically at the shot by shot, yard by yard level. Don’t misunderstand, it’s a powerful story, it’s just not the story I thought I was getting.
Too much.
There jimmys out of five.
This was the story I was expecting…he told this towards the end of this volume…up until them, Hampton decide to describe practically the entire war in the Pacific. In fact, the entire Battle of Guadalcanal is described, practically at the shot by shot, yard by yard level. Don’t misunderstand, it’s a powerful story, it’s just not the story I thought I was getting.
Too much.
There jimmys out of five.
February 17, 2023
A good book about the pilots that shot down Yamamoto and their aircraft. The author gives a lot of context, which sometimes drifts into sidetracked ranting. In one particular errant train of thought that really hit a nerve of mine, Hampton admonishes striking coal miners for letting down their brothers on the front line and, for once, doesn't give appropriate context to the event. He simply writes off the miners as unpatriotic opportunists using the war effort for their own profit when arguably conditions in the Mines were just as dangerous, if not more than that of a fighter pilot. I just wish he either gave this event fair context or left it out entirely.
September 20, 2020
Thorough and detailed account of the daring attempt during the Pacific theater in WWII to successfully kill Japan’s top Admiral. It’s kind of interesting that this isn’t a more well-known incident that’s taught in standard history books, but perhaps it just reflects what a poor student I was to miss this. Again, the details are fairly incredible on their face – the writing style is a bit too much in the testosterone fueled style that seems to accompany a lot of WWII histories, but then again it’s kind of standard with this territory.
October 28, 2021
Not what I expected. I did enjoy the input from a fighter pilot point of view. However, I think the book was too long with too many details about the overall Guadalcanal campaign. This is not a book I would recommend to someone who is not already well-read on the Solomon Islands campaign specifically and the Pacific war in general. The book had quite a few inaccuracies and was poorly edited, so the reader needs to be able to recognize and disregard errors. Regardless of the book's weaknesses, I did enjoy learning more of the details of this operation.
June 12, 2023
When reading the Ian Toll books on the Pacific war, I became aware of the mission to shoot down Yamamoto’s plane. Toll did not give this mission much space, but I thought then there was a lot to the story. Dan Hampton delivers. He covers the mission in great detail, especially the final two minutes of combat. But he also provides background on key figures such as Yamamoto, the fight for Guadalcanal, and the different aircraft flying from that God-forsaken island. And much more. Well done.
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