As dawn broke on the morning of Friday, November 13, 1942, a lone F4F Wildcat climbed out of Henderson Field on the island of Guadalcanal. The Marine pilot, Captain Joe Foss, was to assess damage to U.S. Naval ships following the previous night's bitter naval engagement. As the morning sun streaked across the Iron Bottom Sound between Savo Island and Guadalcanal, Foss viewed the wreckage of one of the most furious close-combat naval actions of the war. However, what caught the young pilot's eye was a badly damaged Japanese battleship. Protected by three destroyers, the battleship Hiei offered the flyers of the Cactus Air Force a prize they would not allow to escape.
The Cactus Air Force quickly scrambled their fighters to join Grumman TBF torpedo bombers and Douglas SBD dive bombers in an attack on the Japanese force. Their collective mission: sink the Hiei. Foss, having refueled, climbed his eight F4F Wildcats to 12,000 feet to make a diversionary attack while the torpedo bombers made their perilous run at the heavily-defended warship. From high above, Foss brought his F4Fs screaming vertically down, leveling out as they hurtled towards the Hiei through a massive barrage of defensive flak, spraying .50 caliber lead into the mighty warship.
Robert Taylor's highly-detailed masterpiece of reconstruction depicts a snapshot of this memorable action fought in Savo Sound against the backdrop of the spectacular mountains of Guadalcanal. Joe Foss's F4F Wildcats are viewed braving the fearsome hail of defensive fire as they distract enemy gunfire away from the vital torpedo attacks, whose explosions are throwing huge plumes of water skyward, presenting an additional hazard to F4F pilots.
With the 30,000-ton battleship's steering gear crippled, her fate was sealed, yet her gunners fought valiantly throughout the day, but to no avail. By sunset, she lay sinking off Savo Island. She had absorbed over 80 shell hits, five bombs and ten torpedos. With her captain slain, the battered battlewagon was scuttled, adding her huge bulk to those already lying on the bed of Iron Bottom Sound. Hiei, the first battleship to be sunk by Americans in World War II, fell to the small but courageous group of Marine and Navy fliers.
Prints in this dramatic edition, signed by Marine Ace and Medal of Honor recipient Joe Foss and three of his surviving pilots, are a lasting tribute to the brave men who attacked the Hiei.
Joining Robert Taylor, each print of Attack On The Hiei is individually signed by Medal of Honor recipient Joe Foss and three of his U.S. Marine Corps pilots who flew on the Hiei mission.
Brig. Gen. Joseph J. Foss, USMC
Arriving at Guadalcanal on October 9, 1942, with VMF-121, Joe Foss quickly demonstrated great skills flying the F4F in combat. By the middle of his first month in action, his victories were coming at the rate of one a day. On the 23rd of the month, he accounted for four Zeros, the last of which he caught performing a victory roll after downing an F4F. He became the first American to break Eddie Rickenbacker's World War I record of 25 enemy aircraft destroyed. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his outstanding feats in the South Pacific. Following the war, he became Governor of South Dakota and President of the American Football League.
Lt. Colonel Roger Haberman, USMC
Roger Haberman served with VMF-121 and later VMF-211. He flew at Guadalcanal from October 9, 1942, to January 1943. Later he flew the F4U Corsair, becoming an ace with 7 victories.
Lt. Colonel William B. Freedman, USMC
Serving with VMF-121 and later with VMF-115, William Freedman flew over 200 combat missions in the Pacific theater from 1942 to 1945. A highly skilled pilot, he became an ace with 5 victories.
Colonel T.W. "Boot" Furlow, USMC
Flying the F4F on his first combat mission with VMF-121 in October, 1942, "Boot" Furlow soon downed his first Zero on the Hiei mission. He served in all the major Southwest Pacific theaters and later flew the F4U Corsair.
Below the print are two photographs.
On the left is a wartime photograph of Captain Joe Foss in front of a F4F. The photograph is below Joe Foss' signature on the print. The photograph on the right shows a Grumman F4F Wildcat in flight early in the war (picture credits: U.S. Navy and National Archives). Between the photographs is a reproduction USMC Aviator wing. The print is matted in mottled blue, with a light blue inner mat. This is a large, impressive piece. It measures 28" x 38 ½ ". A Certificate of Authenticity issued by the publisher is included. The optional frame is solid wood, with a cherry finish (other colors are available. Contact us for info). Please see the "Frame Info" tab for complete information on how we frame our artwork. This print is nearly sold out. Our copy is an Artist Proof of which there are only 25 copies.
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