Cactus Air Force - Quiz
Cactus Air Force
  • 1. What was the timeframe of the Cactus Air Force's assignment to Guadalcanal?
A) August 1942 until December 1942
B) December 1941 until August 1942
C) January 1943 until June 1943
D) August 1942 until August 1943
  • 2. What was the Allied code name for the island of Guadalcanal?
A) Cactus
B) Lunga
C) Henderson
D) Solomon
  • 3. What command absorbed the Cactus Air Force in 1943?
A) AirSols
B) Marine Air Wing
C) South Pacific Command
D) Pacific Fleet
  • 4. Where did the Cactus Air Force primarily operate from?
A) Rabaul
B) Henderson Field
C) New Hebrides
D) Tulagi
  • 5. When did the Japanese attack the U.S. Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor?
A) May 1942
B) 19 June 1942
C) 7 August 1942
D) 7 December 1941
  • 6. Which two battles thwarted Japanese attempts to extend their defensive perimeter in 1942?
A) Coral Sea and Midway
B) Wake Island and Hong Kong
C) Pearl Harbor and Guadalcanal
D) New Guinea and Singapore
  • 7. Who conceived the Allied plan to attack the southern Solomons?
A) Lofton R. Henderson
B) Ernest King
C) Chester Nimitz
D) Robert L. Ghormley
  • 8. Who was placed in command of the South Pacific theater of operations on 19 June 1942?
A) Ernest King
B) Lofton R. Henderson
C) Chester Nimitz
D) Robert L. Ghormley
  • 9. When did the First Marine Division land on Tulagi and Guadalcanal?
A) 7 August 1942
B) 7 December 1941
C) 12 August 1942
D) 18 August 1942
  • 10. For whom was Henderson Field named?
A) Robert L. Ghormley
B) Lofton R. Henderson
C) Ernest King
D) Chester Nimitz
  • 11. Where did the Japanese Navy build a seaplane base in May 1942?
A) Lunga Point
B) Guadalcanal
C) Rabaul
D) Tulagi
  • 12. When was Henderson Field ready for operation?
A) 18 August 1942
B) 12 August 1942
C) 7 August 1942
D) 19 June 1942
  • 13. What was the eventual goal of the U.S. campaign in the Pacific according to Admiral King?
A) Defend Hawaii
B) Retake the Philippines
C) Attack Japan directly
D) Control Australia
  • 14. Where was the Japanese major base located that the Allies wanted to isolate?
A) Rabaul
B) Tulagi
C) Guadalcanal
D) Midway
  • 15. Which unit worked around the clock to finish the Henderson Field construction?
A) Marine Aircraft Group 25
B) 6th Naval Construction Battalion
C) 1st Engineer Battalion
D) US Navy Seabee units
  • 16. What was the first US Navy aircraft to land at Henderson Field?
A) TBF Avenger
B) F4F Wildcat
C) SBD dive bomber
D) PBY Catalina
  • 17. Who described Henderson Field as looking like a Doré drawing of hell?
A) Major Marion Carl
B) The 1st Engineer Battalion commander
C) Colonel W. Fiske Marshall
D) A Seabee unit leader
  • 18. What material was used for the 1,000 feet extension of the runway?
A) Compacted gravel
B) Marston Mat
C) Ground-up coral
D) Tamped-down sod
  • 19. Why did the SBD dive bombers struggle specifically with the runway?
A) They were too heavy for the runway length
B) They required wooden wheels that failed
C) Their hard rubber tires ripped up the surface
D) They lacked the power for gravel take-offs
  • 20. What was the primary method for loading munitions onto aircraft?
A) Forklifts
B) Automated conveyor belts
C) Hand-loading
D) Bomb hoists
  • 21. How was aviation fuel delivered to the aircraft before fuel trucks arrived?
A) Fuel pipelines
B) Gravity-fed refueling stations
C) Underground storage tanks
D) Hand-pumped from 55-gallon drums
  • 22. What was the name of the second runway opened on 9 September 1942?
A) Marine Air Base One
B) Catalina Strip
C) Fighter 1
D) Bomber Field No. 1
  • 23. What happened to damaged aircraft at Henderson Field?
A) They were shipped back to the US
B) They were buried in the coconut grove
C) They were cannibalized for spare parts
D) They were repaired in local hangars
  • 24. What was the original length of the runway when the PBY Catalina landed?
A) 3800ft
B) 2400ft
C) 4600ft
D) 2600ft
  • 25. Which aircraft were used for operating out of Fighter 1?
A) PBY Catalinas
B) Transport planes
C) SBD dive bombers
D) Marine fighter squadrons
  • 26. What was the nickname for the flooded coconut plantation where pilots and mechanics lived?
A) Henderson Hill
B) Palm Station
C) Mosquito Grove
D) Bug Bayou
  • 27. At what altitude did Japanese G4M 'Betty' bombers typically fly during their daily raids?
A) 20,000 feet
B) 15,000 feet
C) 25,000 feet
D) 10,000 feet
  • 28. Who commanded all land-based Allied aircraft in the South Pacific?
A) Colonel William W. Wallace
B) General Vandegrift
C) Rear Admiral John S. McCain
D) Brigadier General Roy Geiger
  • 29. On what type of aircraft did Brigadier General Roy Geiger arrive on the island?
A) F4F Wildcat
B) C-47 Dakota
C) R4D Skytrain
D) Mitsubishi G4M
  • 30. Where did Brigadier General Roy Geiger establish his headquarters?
A) A concrete bunker
B) A wooden Japanese pagoda
C) A naval ship
D) A mud-floored tent
  • 31. Who replaced Brigadier General Roy Geiger as commander on 7 November?
A) General Vandegrift
B) Brigadier General Louis E. Woods
C) Colonel William W. Wallace
D) Brigadier General Francis P. Mulcahy
  • 32. Who took over the Cactus command on the day after Christmas?
A) General Vandegrift
B) Brigadier General Francis P. Mulcahy
C) Brigadier General Roy Geiger
D) Brigadier General Louis E. Woods
  • 33. Approximately how many shells were fired by Japanese battleships into Henderson Field on 13–14 October 1942?
A) More than 700
B) Over 1,500
C) Exactly 500
D) Less than 200
  • 34. How many Cactus Air Force pilots were killed during the bombardment of 13–14 October 1942?
A) Two
B) Twelve
C) Six
D) Ten
  • 35. What disease was not listed as one contracted by the pilots and mechanics?
A) Malaria
B) Influenza
C) Dengue fever
D) Dysentery
  • 36. How old was Roy Geiger when he was suffering from the fatigue of command?
A) 45
B) 52
C) 60
D) 57
  • 37. How far was Geiger's headquarters from the airfield?
A) 1 mile
B) 100 yards
C) 500 yards
D) 200 yards
  • 38. What was the specific formation used by the Japanese bombers?
A) Line abreast
B) Box formation
C) Echelon
D) Vee formation
  • 39. Who was the commander of the 5th Air Attack Force?
A) Masahisa Saito
B) Sadayoshi Yamada
C) Seigo Yamagata
D) Nishizo Tsukahara
  • 40. The 5th Air Attack Force reported to which higher organization?
A) 11th Air Fleet
B) 26th Air Flotilla
C) Combined Fleet
D) 25th Air Flotilla
  • 41. How many medium bombers did the 5th Air Attack Force have on the morning of 7 August?
A) 39
B) 17
C) 32
D) 16
  • 42. Who commanded the Tainan Kōkūtai?
A) Jinichi Kusaka
B) Takatsugu Jojima
C) Sadayoshi Yamada
D) Masahisa Saito
  • 43. Which fighter aircraft did the Tainan Kōkūtai fly?
A) Mitsubishi G4M
B) A6M3 Zero
C) A6M2 Zero
D) Aichi D3A1
  • 44. The 2nd Air Group operated which type of dive bomber?
A) Aichi D3A1
B) A6M3 Zero
C) A6M2 Zero
D) Mitsubishi G4M
  • 45. Who commanded the 6th Air Attack Force?
A) Takatsugu Jojima
B) Nishizo Tsukahara
C) Seigo Yamagata
D) Sadayoshi Yamada
  • 46. How many bomber crewmen were lost by the 4th and Misawa Air Groups on 7 and 8 August?
A) 13
B) 24
C) 4
D) 153
  • 47. Which air group arrived at Kavieng on 20 August?
A) Misawa Air Group
B) Chitose Air Group
C) Kisarazu Air Group
D) Tainan Air Group
  • 48. Who took command of the 11th Air Fleet on 1 October?
A) Seigo Yamagata
B) Sadayoshi Yamada
C) Nishizo Tsukahara
D) Jinichi Kusaka
  • 49. The R-Area Air Force was under the command of which officer?
A) Sadayoshi Yamada
B) Seigo Yamagata
C) Jinichi Kusaka
D) Takatsugu Jojima
  • 50. Which of these is NOT a location used by the R-Area Air Force?
A) Rekata Bay
B) Buin
C) Shortland Islands
D) Kavieng
  • 51. Which aircraft carrier is mentioned as engaging the Cactus Air Force?
A) Akagi
B) Ryūjō
C) Kaga
D) Hiryū
  • 52. Which aircraft carrier transported the first Marine aircraft to Henderson Field?
A) USS Long Island
B) Ryūjō
C) USS Saratoga
D) USS Enterprise
  • 53. Which Army squadron joined the Cactus Air Force on August 22?
A) VMSB-231
B) VMF-223
C) VMF-224
D) 67th Pursuit Squadron
  • 54. What type of aircraft did the 67th Pursuit Squadron fly?
A) Kate bomber
B) F4F Wildcat
C) SBD Dauntless
D) P-400
  • 55. How many Cactus Air Force F4F Wildcats met the Japanese Zeros on August 21?
A) 14
B) 6
C) 18
D) 4
  • 56. Who claimed the first air-to-air victory for the Cactus Air Force?
A) Major Brannon
B) Major Smith
C) Major Galer
D) Lt. Colonel Mangrum
  • 57. What happened to the Rabaul aircraft on August 24?
A) Successfully bombed Henderson Field
B) Crashed into the ocean
C) Shot down by Wildcats
D) Returned to base due to weather
  • 58. What happened to the Ryūjō carrier during the engagement on August 24?
A) It retreated to Rabaul
B) It was sunk
C) It was damaged but escaped
D) It was torpedoed by a submarine
  • 59. Which carrier sank the Ryūjō?
A) USS Saratoga
B) USS Enterprise
C) Henderson Field base
D) USS Long Island
  • 60. What happened to the USS Saratoga on August 31?
A) It returned to Espiritu Santo
B) It arrived at Henderson Field
C) It was torpedoed by a submarine
D) It was sunk by aircraft
  • 61. Where did the Saratoga's aircraft and aircrewmen remain after the submarine attack?
A) Pearl Harbor
B) Guadalcanal
C) Rabaul
D) Espiritu Santo
  • 62. How many flyable airplanes did the CAF have on 3 September?
A) 24
B) 41
C) 64
D) 71
  • 63. When did the Japanese resume air operations against Henderson Field after focusing on the Kokoda Track?
A) 4 September
B) 9 September
C) 13 September
D) 12 September
  • 64. How many Japanese aircraft were destroyed between 21 August and 11 September?
A) 24
B) 31
C) 38
D) 27
  • 65. Which coastwatcher alerted the Americans to the 12 September raid?
A) Admiral McCain
B) Donald Kennedy
C) Geiger
D) Tsukahara
  • 66. What Japanese cruiser shelled Henderson Field on the night of 12 September?
A) Haruna
B) Kongō
C) Sendai
D) Akagi
  • 67. Which battle was supported by the shelling of Henderson Field on the night of 12 September?
A) Battle of Ironbottom Sound
B) Guadalcanal landing
C) Battle of Edson's Ridge
D) Kokoda Track campaign
  • 68. What type of aircraft was used for the reconnaissance mission on the morning of 13 September?
A) C5M2 Babs
B) SBD Dauntless
C) TBF Avenger
D) F4F Wildcat
  • 69. What time did the afternoon raid on 13 September occur?
A) 10:00
B) 16:00
C) 12:00
D) 14:00
  • 70. How many Japanese float fighters and bombers attacked on 14 September?
A) 15
B) 24
C) 27
D) 12
  • 71. How many total aircraft did the Japanese count at Rabaul on 20 September?
A) 117
B) 64
C) 85
D) 71
  • 72. How many aircraft did the CAF count at Henderson Field on 20 September?
A) 85
B) 64
C) 117
D) 71
  • 73. How many operational SBDs did the CAF have after the October 13-14 bombardment?
A) 12
B) 41
C) 5
D) 7
  • 74. What was the total number of aircraft at Guadalcanal on 26 December 1942?
A) 161
B) 150
C) 175
D) 82
  • 75. When did the Cactus Air Force reach its peak combat power?
A) 26 November
B) 14 November
C) 3 September
D) 12 November
  • 76. Which Japanese battleship was attacked and eventually scuttled on 15 November?
A) Yamato
B) Musashi
C) Hiei
D) Kongo
  • 77. What was the name of the two-plane defensive tactic developed by John Thach and Edward O'Hare?
A) Cactus Cross
B) Wildcat Web
C) Flying Tigers Maneuver
D) Thach Weave
  • 78. What was the primary target of the Cactus Air Force during Japanese raids?
A) Battleships
B) Escorting fighters
C) Bombers
D) Troop transports
  • 79. How many Japanese planes did the Cactus Air Force claim to have downed between 3 September and 4 November 1942?
A) 150
B) 400
C) 300
D) 268
  • 80. What aircraft did the No. 3 Squadron RNZAF bring to Henderson Field?
A) A6M Zeros
B) B-17 bombers
C) F4F Wildcats
D) Lockheed Hudson light bombers
  • 81. What did the Cactus Air Force pilots learn they should avoid doing against the A6M Zero?
A) Flying in pairs
B) Dogfighting
C) Targeting bombers
D) Diving
  • 82. Which individual was in charge of intelligence operations outside the Marine lines at Lunga Point?
A) Paul Mason
B) Martin Clemens
C) W. J. Read
D) Donald Kennedy
  • 83. Who established a radio station at Henderson Field to monitor coastwatcher transmissions?
A) Admiral Bull Halsey
B) John L. Smith
C) Hugh A. Mackenzie
D) General Vandegrift
  • 84. What was the primary reason for the evacuation of 177 Cactus Air Force pilots?
A) Lack of fuel
B) Poor performance
C) Wounds or sickness
D) End of deployment
  • 85. What organization did all aviation units on Guadalcanal report to?
A) The British Solomon Islands Protectorate
B) The US Pacific Fleet
C) The Royal Australian Navy
D) ComAirGuadal
  • 86. Which of these individuals was a coastwatcher on Santa Isabel?
A) W. J. Read
B) Donald Kennedy
C) Geoffrey Kuper
D) Paul Mason
  • 87. What is mentioned as a specific type of sickness that affected the pilots?
A) Severe malaria
B) Dengue fever
C) Yellow fever
D) Trench foot
  • 88. Which heavy cruiser was sunk by the Cactus Air Force?
A) Kinugasa
B) Yura
C) Asagiri
D) Murakumo
  • 89. Which of the following pilots is listed as a Medal of Honor recipient?
A) Leif Schroeder
B) Joe Foss
C) Donald Macfarlan
D) Ashton Rhoades
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