Raids on Deboyne (1942)

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Allied raids on Deboyne (1942) were aimed at a Japanese seaplane base set up in Deboyne Atoll, in the Louisiade Archipelago east of Papua New Guinea. The base existed for about five and a half days in May 1942, as part of MO Sakusen, the Japanese effort to capture Port Moresby during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Deboyne Atoll includes Deboyne Island, also known as Panniet Island.

The Japanese based a small force of seaplanes there, including Aichi E13A Jake, Mitsubishi F1M Pete, and Nakajima E8N Dave, operated from ships in the lagoon and from the atoll. Fortifications were minimal, with few anti-aircraft guns and some felled palm trees for cover.

Key events:
- May 6: Two Australian planes approached the base. One Hudson bomber escaped, but a Catalina was shot down near Misima Island.
- May 7: An Australian Hudson bombed the base. The Japanese light carrier Shōhō was sunk by American planes north and east of Deboyne, and at least two Shōhō fighters ditched at Deboyne. A Japanese land-based bomber made an emergency landing in the lagoon after attacking Rear Admiral Crace’s force to the south.
- May 8: A fighter from the carrier Zuikaku made an emergency landing in the lagoon.
- May 9–11: American bombers from Port Moresby attacked the Deboyne base, losing one B-25 and one B-26.
- May 10–12: The Japanese left Deboyne and did not return for the rest of the war.

Reason for abandonment:
The base was too close to Allied airfields at Port Moresby, and MO Sakusen had failed, making Deboyne untenable for the Japanese.