September 3, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 1942

ALASKA (11th Air Force): Six bombers escorted by five P-38s bomb Kiska and fly air cover over Kuluk Bay on Adak. Five bombers and three fighters abort due to weather; the others strafe seaplanes and boats in Kiska Harbor and nearby installations; between 1 and 4 seaplanes are claimed destroyed on the water; this is the longest over-water attack flight thus far in World War II; the two fighters which reach the target area return from the 1,260 mile round trip with only 40 US gallons of fuel left; and the 21st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 30th Bombardment Group (under control of the 28th Composite Group), arrives at Umnak from the US with B-24s.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) (10th Air Force): One B-25 drops bombs and pamphlets on Hanoi in the first US raid against that city; munitions, supplies, and several parked aircraft are destroyed or damaged; nine interceptors pursue the B-25 for about thirty miles but fail to make contact; for the next 3 weeks, bad weather and inaccurate Chinese weather forecasts severely limit bomber operations.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): Major General George C. Kenney assumes command of the 5th Air Force in Brisbane. General Kenney retains command of the Allied Air Force. P-400 Airacobras bomb and strafe the Kokoda Pass area, hitting Kokoda Airfield and in the vicinity of Alola, Isurava, and Missima; B-25s and A-20s pound the Mubo-Busama-Salamaua area. A B-17 strafes seaplanes at Faisi in the Shortland.

IJN: Troop convoy en route from Rabaul bound for Buna are escorted by A6M2 Zeros from 2nd Kokutai (2nd Air Group) and 6th Kokutai (6th Air Group) from Rabaul and as they neared the north coast of New Guinea, the convoy is escorted by A6M3 Zeros from 2nd Kokutai (2nd Air Group) and Tainan Kokutai (Tainan Air Group) from Buna Airfield.