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