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One Pilot’s ‘Forbidden’ 200-Foot Attack That Sank 12 Japanese Ships in 3 Days
Discover the untold story of Major Edward “Ed” Larner, the fearless American pilot who defied orders and revolutionized air warfare with a single, low-altitude bombing mission that stunned the Japanese Empire during World War II. In March 1943, during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, Larner led a squadron of modified B-25 Mitchell bombers on a “forbidden” attack—flying just 200 feet above the Pacific to deliver deadly precision strikes against a massive Japanese convoy bound for New Guinea.

What began as an experimental idea quickly turned into one of the most devastating aerial assaults of the Pacific War. Employing the newly perfected skip-bombing technique, Larner’s crews released bombs that ricocheted across the ocean’s surface before slamming into enemy ships, achieving catastrophic results. Over the course of three days of relentless attacks, 12 Japanese vessels—including transports and destroyers—were sunk, killing over 3,000 troops and crippling Japan’s ability to reinforce its garrisons in New Guinea.

Working alongside legendary engineer Paul “Pappy” Gunn, Larner helped convert standard B-25 bombers into heavily armed gunships bristling with up to 14 forward-firing .50 caliber machine guns. These flying fortresses tore through enemy convoys at mast height, unleashing a level of firepower and precision never before seen in the Pacific Theater.

This meticulously researched account reveals how one daring pilot’s “forbidden” 200-foot bombing run changed the course of naval warfare, forced the Japanese Navy to abandon major supply convoys, and proved that innovation and courage could overcome even the most rigid military doctrines. Through declassified mission reports, eyewitness accounts, and technical analysis, witness how American ingenuity, engineering, and bravery turned the skies over the Bismarck Sea into the graveyard of the Imperial Japanese Navy.