November 18, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 18 NOVEMBER 1943

CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force): Nineteen B-24's from Nanumea bomb Mille Atoll; 2 others hit Tarawa Atoll.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, twelve P-40's strafe troops and horses and sink a troop barge at Shihmen; 4 others, in support of Chinese forces, strafe the Tahsai ferry.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): Four squadrons of B-24's pound Buka Airfield and at Kara Airfield; Three B-25's strafe Green Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): 30+ B-25's and B-26's hit enemy positions in the Sattelberg area; B-24's carry out a light raid on Fak Fak; and P-40's bomb Iworep.

RAAF: Crashed is Beaufort A9-350 pilot F/Sgt Ronald Cecil Christie (KIA) crashed in the Saddle Back Mountains near Kiama.

USN: Land and carrier-based aircraft joined in the final bombardment of the Gilberts, Marshalls, and Nauru in preparation for the invasion of the Gilberts. Lost is SBD Dauntless 28608 pilot Lt(jg) Paul K. Conrath (MIA).

TG 50.4 under the command of Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman carrier planes strike Nauru in support of the operations in the Gilberts.

USS Bluefish (SS-222) sinks Japanese destroyer Sanae and damages oiler Ondo 90 miles south of Basilan Island, 05°00'N, 122°00'E. In return Ondo engages the submarine with gunfire.

USS Crevalle (SS-291) attacks Japanese landing ship/aircraft transport Akitsu Maru, escorted by torpedo boat Tomodzuru, 15°10'N, 119°40'E; although Crevalle claims destruction of her quarry, Akitsu Maru survives unscathed.