August 9, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 9 AUGUST 1942

China: During the day P-40s of the 23rd FG continued to support Chinese ground forces by harassing the Japanese at Linchwan.

Four B-25s of the 11th BS (Medium) and three P-40s from the Kweilin-Hengyang area, staging through Nanning, attacked docks and warehouses at Haiphong, French Indochina, causing considerable damage and claiming a freighter sunk in the harbour. This was the first CATF raid over French Indochina. The 11th BS reports slightly different number and reports that five B-25s took off for the reportedly impossible raid against Haiphong. It was necessary to refuel at Nanking in South China before going on to the target. The five B-25s and six P-40s were refuelled out of five-gallon tins by Chinese with each crew standing by for immediate take-off. Nanning was only five minutes flying time from the enemy lines and it would have been difficult to scramble all the planes if the Japanese had picked up the raid. There was no interruption, however, and as soon as the gassing was done, everyone fired up and took off. The sky was about eight-tenths covered leading up to the target and there was some question whether the target could be found.

All doubts were soon dispelled when the formation roared across the edge of the overcast at 17,000 feet into perfectly clear weather with the dock and warehouse area laid out below as though by prearranged plan. The first flight of three made their run, the wing bombers dropping off to Major Morgan, who was the bombardier in Colonel Haynes’ lead bomber and the second flight with Lieutenant S. C. Dennis bombing for Captain Blair N. Sorenson in the lead bomber, made their run at a different angle just a few minutes later. All aircraft returned to Kunming, though their gas was very low. It had been a long flight and the weather had made it much longer since it closed in and the formation had to look for a hole to get to their base.

Later, intelligence reports stated that both strings of bombs were laid well within the target area and the whole area was completely gutted by fires which burned uncontrollably for three clays, being brought under control only when there was no longer any material left for the flames to work on. This area was never rebuilt by the Japanese.

ALASKA (11th AF): Six bombers fly armed reconnaissance over Kiska and Attu and bomb Kiska.

CBI (CATF): In China, P-40s of the 23d Fighter Group continue to support Chinese ground forces by harassing the Japanese at Linchwan; four B-25s and three P-40s from the Kweilin-Hengyang area, staging through Nanning, bomb docks and warehouses at Haiphong, causing considerable damage and claiming a freighter sunk in Haiphong Harbor; this is the first CATF raid over French Indochina.

SWPA (5th AF): B-17s bomb shipping and Lakunai Airfield and Gasmata. Lost are B-17E 41-2643 (MIA) and B-17E 41-2452 (crew rescued). B-26s hit the harbor area at Salamaua.

Australian Army: Maj Gen Sydney F. Rowell, CG Aus I Corps, is designated to command New Guinea Force.

USN: During the Battle of Savo Island sunk is USS Vincennes (CA-44), USS Quincy (CA-39), USS Astoria (CA-34) and heavily damaged and later scuttled is HMAS Canberra (D33). The defeat is one of the worst ever inflicted on the U.S. Navy. Afterwards, the carrier force covering Guadalcanal withdraws from direct support but remained in the area to give overall support to the campaign. As a result, the Japanese temporarily control waters around Guadalcanal.

A Japanese force of seven cruisers and one destroyer under Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi approaches west of Savo Island undetected. Sink are heavy cruisers USS Vincennes (CA-44), USS Quincy (CA-39), USS Astoria (CA-34) and heavily damaged HMAS Canberra (D33) is scuttled.

Heavy cruiser USS Astoria (CA-34) is sunk by gunfire of Japanese heavy cruisers Chokai, Aoba, Kinugasa, and Kako. USS Quincy (CA-39 is sunk by gunfire of heavy cruisers Aoba, Kako, and Furutaka and light cruiser Tenryu and is torpedoed by light cruiser Yubari. USS Vincennes (CA-44) is sunk by gunfire and torpedo from heavy cruiser Chokai, and gunfire fromKako, Aoba, and Kinugasa, and light cruiser Yubari. Heavy cruiser HMAS Canberra (D33) is badly damaged by gunfire and later that morning scuttled by destroyers.

Heavy cruiser USS Chicago (CA-29) sustained minor damage from a by Kako; destroyer USS Ralph Talbot (DD-390) by Furutaka, Yubari, and Tenryu; and destroyer USS Patterson (DD-392) by Yubari and Tenryu. American gunfire from Quincy and Astoria damages Chokai; gunfire from Vincennes damages Kinugasa and Quincy damages Aoba and Chicago and Patterson damage Tenryu.

In the morning, damaged destroyer USS Jarvis (DD-393) is targeted by Japanese planes including D3A Vals and B5N Kates from the 25th Air Flotilla and hit by a torpedo and sunk roughly 200 nautical miles southeast of Tulagi, 09°42'S, 158°59'E with the loss of all hands.

Afterwards, the carrier force covering Guadalcanal withdraws from direct support but remained in the area to give overall support to the campaign.

Afterwards, the Amphibious and Air Support Forces of Task Force 61 (TF 61) withdraws from Guadalcanal bound for Noumea with more than half the 60 days supplies and elements of landing force still embarked. Of the original landing force of over 19,000, almost 17,000 are ashore.

USMC: On Guadalcanal beachhead is being consolidated and work is begun on Lunga Point Airfield (renamed Henderson Field) where an air warning system is established. Tanambogo and Gavutu are secured and the occupation of the Florida Islands (Nggela Island) was completed when units of the 2d Battalion, 2d Marines, captured several small peripheral islands including Makambo, Mbangai, Kokomtambu and Songonangona.