September 7, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 7 SEPTEMBER 1942

ALASKA (11th Air Force): Three B-24s patrol and bomb Kiska Harbor and camp area and also patrol Tanaga; they are attacked by three sea fighters of which at least one is downed.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): A-20s and P-400s bomb and strafe positions at Myola Lake and Efogi. P-40s and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Hudsons, Beauforts, and Beaufighters attack a cruiser and destroyer 17 miles ENE of Cape Karitahua; organized Japanese resistance in the Milne Bay sector ends, with the last Japanese bombardment of Milne Bay.

U.S. Navy: Air Transport Squadron 2 based at Alameda established a detachment at Pearl Harbor and began a survey flight to the South Pacific as a preliminary effort to establish flight routes from San Francisco to Brisbane.

IJN: 27 G4M1 Bettys took off from Rabaul to bomb Port Moresby covered by 24 Zeros from Tainan Kokutai, 2nd Kokutai and 6th Kokutai. Over the target they are intercepted by U.S. fighters. Returning, G4M1 Betty PO/1 Kinnosuke Ogawa from Kisarazu Kokutai was badly damaged and crash landed on a beach with the crew safe and later return to Japanese control.

USN: Submarine Growler (SS-215) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Taika Maru 20 miles northwest of Keelung, Formosa, 25°31'N, 121°38'E.

Australian Army: On New Guinea, organized resistance in the Milne Bay sector ends stragglers are eventually mopped up by Australians. Decisive defeat of Japanese removes threat to Port Moresby from Milne Bay area, but enemy drive along trail over Owen Stanley Range toward Port Moresby is still unchecked.