SUNDAY, 4 OCTOBER 1942
(11th Air Force): Three B-24s abort weather,
bombing and photo missions over Kiska due to weather and instead attack
a cargo vessel; the ship's rudder is probably damaged; 1 B-24 is damaged.
IJN: Japanese Submarine I-25 sinks tanker SS Camden off Coos Bay
on the southern coast of Oregon.
IJN:
F1M2 Pete pilot Kiyomi on a Combat Air Patrol (CAP) in the vicinity of New Georgia and deliberately rams B-17E Flying Fortress 41-9118 from below and impacts the right wing, tearing off the wing tip damaging the vertical stabilizer and immediately caused the B-17 to descend in a spiral before then crashed into the sea. Although the ramming damaged the right wing of the Pete, both Katsuki and his observer successfully bailed out and were rescued by destroyer Akitsuki.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): The 72d Bombardment Squadron
(Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy), based on Espiritu Santo with B-17s, begins operating from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. Lost is B-17E Flying Fortress 41-9118 (MIA).
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): P-40s strafe forces
and occupied areas at Myola Lake, Kokoda, Wairopi, Yodda, and Buna; a U.S. Army reconnaissance
party from the 126th Infantry Regiment, 32d Infantry Division reaches Jauri,
completing a reconnaissance of the Kapa Kapa-Jauri Trail, which is found to be
difficult but practicable for use as a route for the contemplated offensive against
the Buna-Gona area.
