THURSDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 1942
China: In the morning, the 24th Sentai and 10th I F Chutai strafed Henyang, Lingling and Kweilin, claiming ten aircraft destroyed on the ground. The raid was intercepted by American P-40s from 75th FS claimed three shot down, two probables and two damaged.
Meanwhile, P-43 pilot Lieutenant Martin Cluck from 75th FS aborted a reconnaissance mission with mechanical trouble. At low altitude near the base, he run into the Japanese raid and he was jumped by fighters, which riddled his fighter. After landing safely, Cluck managed to escape but his plane was destroyed by strafing. Another P-40 was also destroyed on the ground.
B-25 piloted by Major Basye from 11th BS (Medium) took off on an armed reconnaissance against Hanoi and dropped bombs and pamphlets on Hanoi in the first US raid against that city; munitions, supplies, and several parked aircraft were claimed destroyed or damaged. Nine Japanese interceptors pursued the B-25 for about 30 miles but failed to make contact. The objective was to bomb Hanoi Airport and gather information for further raids in greater force. Major Bailey, executive officer of the Bomber Command, acted as co-pilot, navigator and observer (flying officers held down all ground posts of the outfit as there were no ground officers to handle these jobs; executive officer, supply officer, engineering officer, all offices were handled by pilots). It was necessary to climb to 20,000' to get over the weather and the target was approached and the bombing run made at that same altitude. The weather was broken just enough at the target to permit a run to be made. However, frost covered the bombardier’s windows to the extent that the bombsight was useless. Lieutenant George A. Stout calculated his bombing manually and released their bombs across the runways and a line of hangars which were on a line with the interception of the runways.
Major Bailey observed aircraft taking off below and Major Basye made his diving turn to leave the target behind as quickly as possible. About this time, Staff Sergeant Douglas V. Radney, top turret gunner, observed casually by way of interphone, that there were seven ”I-45s” hovering around above. As these planes started in, Staff Sergeant Radney poured a burst into their midst, sending one smoking for a probable and scattering the rest of the timid enemy in all directions, just as Major Basye dove into a cloud formation for which he had been heading with all possible speed. He levelled off on instruments and, as the country did not permit safe instrument flying at too low an altitude, broke out shortly again into the open. Staff Sergeant Radney spied two of the uneager enemy fighters only slightly out of range. One moved in as though to come from beneath, but a few well-placed rounds from Sergeant Robert Schafer’s lower twin-thirties immediately discouraged him. Meanwhile, Staff Sergeant Radney was given occasion to fire several warning rounds at the other ”I-45”, which seemed unable to screw up the necessary courage for a pass. After this exchange, the shy enemy followed at a safe distance for some 30 minutes and then turned back for their home field, while the bomber completed its return flight to Kunming uneventfully. Lieutenant Stout’s bombing had reportedly destroyed nine light bombers on the ground at Hanoi.
For his actions, SSgt Radney later earned the Silver Star with the citation:
“On September 3, 1942, Staff Sergeant Radney was assigned and accompanied a reconnaissance mission from Kunming, China, to Hanoi, French Indo-China and return as top turret gunner. The weather enroute being unfavourable, it was necessary that search be made for the objective, which resulted in the reconnaissance plane being intercepted over Hanoi by nine Japanese twin engine fighters. A running fight ensued by Staff Sgt. Radney, who by his coolness, gunnery ability and devotion to duty, although opposed by odds of nine to one, prevented all enemy fighters from securing a position favourable for attack on his plane. It has further been confirmed by all members of the reconnaissance plane that one of the Japanese fighters by Staff Sgt. Radney was seen to peel out of the attacking formation with dense smoke pouring from one engine and was probably destroyed. Such devotion to duty on the part of Staff Sgt. Radney in the face of a numerically superior enemy force is in keeping with the best traditions of the Army Air Forces.”
Afterwards, for the next 3 weeks, bad weather and inaccurate Chinese weather forecasts severely limited bomber operations.
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 Commander Allied Air Forces also assumes command of the 5th Air Force (5thAF) in Brisbane as a separate command in order to achieve greater efficiency with responsibility for operations in the northeast area while the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is to defend Australia and the Darwin area.
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.
Japanese minelayer Tsugaru is damaged by aircraft, Solomons area.
U.S. Navy: Submarine Seal (SS-183) damages Japanese merchant passenger-cargo ship Kanju Maru southeast of Cape Padaran, French Indochina, 11°00'N, 109°00'E
USMC: Brigadier General Roy S. Geiger, commanding officer (C.O.) of Marine Aircraft Wing 1 (MAW-1) arrives on Guadalcanal with the command echelon of the wing.
