August 12, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 12 AUGUST 1942

ALASKA (11th AF): A single B-24 flies photo reconnaissance over Amlia and Atka.

USAAF: Damaged is B-26B "Irene" 41-17564 while taxiing at Hickam Field and written off.

SWPA (5th AF): Eight B-17s from 28th BS, 30th BS and 93rd BS bomb shipping Simpson Harbor off Rabaul claiming hits that damaged three vessels. Five Allied transport aircraft tasked with dropping supplies to Allied troops at Kagi, Kokoda and Wau. The 71st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) moves from Batchelor Field to Breddan Field with B-25s; first mission is 15 September.

SOPAC: Americans expland bases in New Hebrides to support Guadalcanal.

USMC: The "Goettge Patrol" of twenty-five U.S. Marines led by Colonel Frank B. Goettge, 1st Marine Division intelligence move west of the Matanikau River where they were ambushed and killed with only one survivor. Afterwards, the bodies of the dead were never recovered and remain listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Afterwards, the ill fated "Gottege Patrol" became synonomous with the brutality of Japanese. In turn, it helped to fuel American brutality against the Japanese and the Guadalcanal campaign developed into the rule of "kill or be killed". Officially, the incident was not reported partly due to censorship during the war and to spare relatives details about the incident.