Operation K

Operation K
Part of the Pacific Theater of World War II
Approximate route of Operation K.
Date 4 March 1942 Location Wotje Atoll in the Marshall Islands; French Frigate Shoals; Oahu Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
United States	Japan
Commanders and leaders
None	Hisao Hashizume
Strength
None	2 Kawanishi H8Ks 3 submarines
Casualties and losses
Minimal private property damage	Loss of submarine I-23

Operation K (K作戦, Kē-Sakusen) was a Japanese naval operation in World War II, intended as reconnaissance of Pearl Harbor and disruption of repair and salvage operations following the surprise attack on 7 December 1941. It culminated on 4 March 1942, with an unsuccessful attack carried out by two Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boats. This was the longest distance ever undertaken by a two-plane bombing mission, and one of the longest bombing sorties ever planned without fighter escort.^[1][2]