Description:Изображения: цветные и черно-белые фото, цветные рисункиThe hot January night lasted forever. The starry sky above Bougainville, combined with a cool breeze blowing from the Empress Augusta Bay, encouraged to sleep outside the stuffy quarters. The US Navy pilots had a hard day behind them. It wasnt easy to fall asleep. To stop thinking about all of the aspects of the battle fought a few hours earlier. The 26.01.1S44 had just ended. Another day of struggles under New Britains sky. A victory over nine shot down Zeros cost the loss of twocolleagues. The next day promised to be equally busy. A row of parked F41J-1A Corsairs was visible from behind mounds of yellow sand marking a row of shelters. On the planes pale engine plating were visible the small black rectangles of the pirate emblem of VF-17. the Jolly Rogers Squadron.