March 6, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 6 MARCH 1942

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): 8th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) Headquarters, 35th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 36th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) and 80th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) arrives Brisbane from the United States with P-39 Airacobras with their first combat mission April 30, 1942.

USN: Task Group 68 (TF-68) three cruisers and seven destroyers under the command of Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill conducts shore bombardments in the central Solomon Islands with the cruisers bombarding Vila on Kolombangara and sinks Japanese destroyers Minegumo and Murasame in Kula Gulf, 08°05'S, 157°15'E. Task Group 68.3 (TG 68.3) with USS Fletcher (DD-445), USS Nicholas (DD-449), USS O'Bannon (DD-450) and USS Radford (DD-446) conduct a shore bombardment of Munda Airfield on New Georgia.

USS Sawfish (SS-176) damages Japanese army cargo ship Clyde Maru southeast of Toizaki, 31°04'N, 131°48'E.

USS Triton (SS-201) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kiriha Maru about 145 miles northwest of the Admiralties, 00°37'N, 145°30'E. Triton, which reports her success on 11 March, is never heard from again.

The last boat load of survivors from U.S. freighter Harvey W. Scott, torpedoed by U-160 off the coast of South Africa on March 3, 1943 reaches shore safely.