October 24, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 24 OCTOBER 1942

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Three B-17s hit the Kiska submarine base but the results are not observed. A weather reconnaissance flight is made over Attu.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI): The 11th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment Group (Medium) based at Kunming with B-25s, sends a detachment to operate from Nanning.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): USMC and AAF fighters at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal continue to inflict damaging losses uponthe Japanese naval air force; Japanese ground forces, attacking aggressively, are again repulsed by defenses around Henderson Field area.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-25s hit Lae Airfield. Organized Japanese resistance on Goodenough ceases.

IJA: During the Battle for Henderson Field (Battle of Guadalcanal, Battle of Lunga Point) continues with the Japanese Army assaulting the U.S. perimeter on Guadalcanal from the west at the mouth of the Matanikau River with Type 97 Chi Ha tanks cross the sandbar until disabled by gunfire. Meanwhile, Japanese Army attacks from the south at Bloody Ridge.

USMC: Sergeant John Basilone mans a .30 caliber machine gun on a ridgeline east of Hill 80 on Bloody Ridge (Edson's Ridge) he and his squad repulse a Japanese assault. Later, he will earn the Medal of Honor for his actions.