July 30, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 30 JULY 1942

USAAF: Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) is B-17F Flying Fortress 41-24537.

ALASKA (11th AF): One LB-30, nine B-17s and three B-24s fly photo reconnaissance and bombing missions to Tanaga and Kiska; the missions are unsuccessful due to bad weather.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) (10th AF): CHINA AIR TASK FORCE (CATF): The Japanese send about 120 aircraft against the base at Hengyang from which CATF is harassing the Yangtze Valley; the attacks last about 36 hours; fierce opposition by US P-40s prevents major damage to the base; 17 Japanese aircraft are shot down, 4 of them at night; 3 P-40s are lost.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): B-17s of the 11th Bombardment Group (11th BG) begin arriving at Espiritu Santo where they are to constitute a reconnaissance and strike force over the Guadalcanal-Tulagi-Gavutu area in preparation for the amphibious assault by U.S. Marines on August 7, 1942.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th AF): B-17s attack shipping in the Solomon Sea east of the Huon Gulf and south of New Britain. 19th BG B-17s bomb Kotoku Maru off Salamaua causing it to drift onto the reef and sink. Damaged at Horn Island Airfield is B-17E "Tojo's Physic" 41-2640 and afterwards was written off.

Aradio report was received that stated four aircrew: Dean, La Rocque, Parker and Hoppe were safe and that Japanese patrols were in the vicinity. The radio went off abruptly and never transmitted again. The group of Australians and Americans attempted to bypass Japanese forces to reach safety.