SATURDAY, 31 JULY 1943
CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force) The 78th Fighter Squadron, 15th Fighter Group, transfers from Barking Sands to Haleiwa with P-40's.
BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force) Nine B-24's mine the Rangoon River during the night of July 31, 1943 to August 1, 1943.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force) HQ 402d Bombardment Group (Medium) is disbanded at Kunming. This group, which had been activated in China on 19 May 43, never had any squadrons assigned nor was it fully manned.
SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) 17 P-40's and P-39's join 90+ US Navy and Marine Corps aircraft in pounding guns and defensive positions on Bibolo Hill as Allied ground forces close on Munda Airfield. B-17's, B-25's, P-40's, and US Navy aircraft attack the airfield at Vila.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-25's hit the Finschhafen area and barges at Hanisch Harbor and Mange. B-25's and A-20's blast several barges in the Cape Gloucester area. B-24's bomb Waingapoe on Sumba Island. Lost is F-4 41-2014 pilot 1st Lt. LeGrand J. Kneeskern (survived). HQ 375th Troop Carrier Group transfers from Brisbane to Port Moresby.
U.S. Army: On New Georgia, 2d Bns of 161st and 145th Regts finish clearing Bartley Ridge. The Japanese continue to resist on Horseshoe Hill. 148th Inf tries to return to the main body.
USMC: The amphibious reconnaissance patrol composed of Army, Navy, and Marine Corps officers that landed at Barakoma on Vella Lavella report that an amphibious landing in the area is feasible.
USN: USS Finback (SS-230) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Ryuzan Maru, 06°30'S, 111°30'E.
USS Grayling (SS-209) lands supplies and equipment at Pucio Point, Panay.
USS Guardfish (SS-217) lands survey party on west coast of Bougainville, Solomons.
USS Pogy (SS-266) sinks Japanese aircraft transport Mogamigawa Maru northwest of Truk, 11°08'N, 153°18'E.
USS Saury (SS-189), at periscope depth, is rammed by Japanese destroyer and damaged in the Philippine Sea at 27°03'N, 135°27'E; and terminates her patrol.
