April 3, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 3 APRIL 1943

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force) In Burma, 17 B-25's, operating in 2 forces, bomb the Myitnge bridge, scoring hits on both approaches.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) In New Guinea, A-20's hit Kitchen Creek while single B-24's bomb Korindindi. In the Bismarck Archipelago, B-17's pound shipping and Kavieng Airfield while single B-24's bomb Kavieng. B-17s sink Japanese transport Florida Maru in Kavieng Harbor, 02°35'S, 150°49'E. B-17s and B-24s damage heavy cruiser Aoba and destroyer Fumizuki off Kavieng. Lost in an aerial collision are P-40E pilot Moose and P-40E pilot Hunter.

RAAF: Five Hudsons from 2 Squadron conducted a low level bombing mission over Timoeka Airfield. Over the center of the runway Hudson A16-169 crashed killing the entire crew.

SOPAC: Lost is 2nd Lt. Donald McDonald (12th FS) on a search mission near Santa Isabel Island and failed to return. He was returned by natives two days later. Reference 13th Fighter Command page 132

USN: USS Haddock (SS-231) sinks Japanese fleet tanker Arima Maru north of Palau, 10°26'N, 135°00'E. USS Pickerel (SS-177) sinks Japanese submarine chaser Ch 13 southeast of Shiriyasaki, Japan, 40°03'N, 141°58'E, but is afterwards sunk by minelayer Shirakami and auxiliary subchaser Bunzan Maru off northern Honshu.

IJN: Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto embarked aboard H8K2 Emily at Truk and was flown to Rabaul. The purpose of his visit was to personally supervise Operation I-Go (Sakusen A). Japanese destroyer Kazagumo is damaged by a mine in Kahili Bay off southern Bougainville.