EXTREMELY RARE! WWII SECRET 1943 Wake Island Headquarters of the Commander in Chief Military Intelligence Report
EXTREMELY RARE! WWII SECRET 1943 Wake Island Headquarters of the Commander in Chief Military Intelligence Report
Comes with a hand-signed C.O.A.
This extraordinarily rare, museum-grade World War II artifact is an original "SECRET" marked "Battle Experience - Informational Bulletin," meticulously produced by the United States Fleet under the Headquarters of the Commander in Chief. During WWII, the operations and strategic planning of the U.S. Navy were directed by two prominent commanders: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander in Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet (CINCPAC), and Admiral Ernest J. King, Commander in Chief of the United States Fleet (CINCUS). Their combined leadership played a pivotal role in the Allied victory.
This highly classified and intricately detailed bulletin, issued by the Headquarters of the Commander in Chief, contains secret military maps, intelligence reports, tactical movements, and a unique compilation of "battle experiences." These experiences were drawn from war diaries and battle reports submitted by various commanders and ships engaged in key operations. The bulletin was printed in extremely limited quantities, strictly for the eyes of high-ranking military officials, including Officers and Generals.
The rarity of this document is underscored by the directive on its first page, which states: "Information must not fall into enemy hands - when no longer required they shall be destroyed by burning. No report of destruction need be submitted." As a result, only a handful of these original "SECRET" "Battle Experience - Informational Bulletins" are believed to still exist.
This particular "SECRET INFORMATION BULLETIN NO. 13" is a remarkable example, titled "Battle Experience - Bombardments of Wake Island 5 & 6 October 1943 - Dress Rehearsal For Future Operations." It offers an unparalleled glimpse into the strategic operations and experiences of the United States Navy during some of the most crucial campaigns of the Pacific Theater.
Bombardments of Wake Island 5 & 6 October 1943 - Dress Rehearsal For Future Operations:
The bombardment of Wake Island on October 5-6, 1943, was a critical operation in the Pacific Theater of World War II, executed by the U.S. Navy as part of their island-hopping strategy. This attack, involving carrier-based aircraft and naval bombardment, aimed to neutralize Japanese defenses on the strategically important atoll, which had been heavily fortified after its capture by Japan in 1941. The operation effectively destroyed the island's airfield, anti-aircraft positions, and coastal defenses, significantly diminishing its utility as a forward base for the Japanese. Although the Japanese garrison remained on the island until the war's end, the bombardment severely crippled their operational capabilities and marked a key step in the U.S. advance across the Pacific, underscoring the growing power and reach of the American military.