August 31, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY 31 AUGUST 1942

China: B-25s of the 11th BS (Medium) bombed Myitkyina for the second consecutive day when the five B-25s returned from Dinjan to Kunming and bombed the target again.

India: Gen Stilwell agrees to SOS proposal that main base in India be established at Calcutta rather than Karachi.

ALASKA (11th AF): Two B-24s fly weather reconnaissance and patrol missions over Tanaga, one returns due to bad weather.

CBI (CATF): B-25s from China bomb Myitkyina for the second consecutive day.

SWPA (5th AF): B-26 bomb Lae escorted by Airacobras from the 80th Fighter Squadron (80th FS). Lost is P-400 BX147 pilot 2nd Lt. Charles L. Cobb (survived).

USN: USS Saratoga (CV-3) was damaged by a torpedo fired by Japanese submarine I-26 and was forced to retire for repairs.

USMC: On Guadalcanal, eighteen F4F Wildcats from VMF-224 plus eight F4F Wildcats from VMF-223 took off on a combat patrol following an air raid alarm. Lost is F4F Wildcat 02104 pilot 2nd Lt. Gordon E. Thompson (MIA), F4F Wildcat 02122 pilot 2nd Lt Charles Edwin Bryans (MIA) and F4F Wildcat 03438 pilot 2nd Lt. Richard Ronald Amerine (survived).

IJN: A6M2 Zeros from 2nd Kokutai (2nd Air Group) fly seven sorties over Rabi (Milne Bay).

IJN: At dawn, the surviving 5th Kure Special Navy Landing Force (5th Kure SNLF) Marines pull back having failed to capture No. 3 Strip (Turnbull) near Milne Bay.

USN: Laid down at New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, NJ is Independence class light carrier USS Bataan (CVL-29).

USS Helm (DD-388) tows three harbor patrol boats to Tulagi.

USS Saratoga (CV-3) is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-26 roughly 260 miles southeast of Guadalcanal, 10°34'S, 164°18'E and withdraws.

Destroyer Reid (DD-369) and PBYs (VP 42, VP 43) sink Japanese submarine RO-61 off Atka, Aleutians, 52°36'N, 173°57'W.

Submarine Growler (SS-215) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Eifuku Maru in Formosa Strait, 25°43'N, 122°38'E.

USMC: The 1st Raider Battalion and the 1st Parachute Battalion from Tulagi arrive on Guadalcanal to reinforce the defense perimeter.

Australian Army: The defending Australians take the offensive in Milne Bay area against demoralized enemy. 18th Brig drives eastward to KB Mission. While tide has turned against enemy in Milne Bay area. Meanwhile, Japanese continue across Owen Stanley Range toward Port Moresby. Gen Horii is ordered to go on the defensive after crossing the range.