10 July 1943, eight B-24 bombers from the 21st and 36th B.S. led by Major Robert E. "Pappy" Speer of the 36th B.S. in B-24D-30, 42-40090 "Mush" and ten B-25 of the 77th B.S. led by Captain James Hudelson, attempted to undertake the first armed aerial reconnaissance mission against northern Kuriles. Their target was Kataoka Naval Base on Shimushu Island.
B-25C-5 42-53348
B-25C-5 42-53349
B-25C-20 42-64564 “Lil Dudette”
B-25D-1 41-29890
B-25D-5 41-30171
B-25D-5 41-30173
B-25D-15 41-30502
B-25D-30 43-3349
Along the way, the U.S. Navy flying boat PBY "Catalina" discovered a group of four Japanese ships south of Attu, headed in the direction of Kiska. The B-24s deviated from the course to attack the vessels. They were joined by five B-25s of the 73d BS which sat strip alert on Amchitka. Two medium marus were claimed sunk by the "Mitchells" which reached the vessels first, but only one was later confirmed.
The B-25s led by Capt James Hudelson of the 77th B.S., reached their targets at the Kuriles in five hours not challenged by enemy planes or anti-aircraft fire. The target area was covered with clouds. Using a mountain peak visible above the clouds, time, distance and bearing, thirty-two 500-pound bombs were dropped through fog at 5:45 am (Japan time) from an altitude of 3000 meters aimed at the shipping in the Paramushiro Strait. Despite the effort, all the bombs missed the targets, raising tall water columns about 9 km east of Shimushu.
This was the first land-based bomber strike against Japanese Home Islands in World War II.
