September 9, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER 1942

British Army: British forces of East Africa Command renew offensive in order to insure safety of certain military objectives and gain air and sea control of Mozambique Channel between Madagascar and Mozambique. During the night of September 9-10, 1942 the 29th Independent Inf Brig makes surprise landing on the west coast in vicinity of Majunga and seizes Majunga virtually unopposed. After being passed through by East African 22d Brig Gp which advances toward Tananarive, 29th begins re-embarking for another landing. As diversion for Majunga landing, small landings are made on Nosy Be I., off NW coast, and at Morondava, on W coast; forces on N part of island move southward along W and E coasts.

ALASKA (11th Air Force): A single B-26 patrols Tanaga and Adak.

IJN: A Japanese airplane, launched from a submarine off the coast, drops an incendiary bomb on a mountain slope near Brookings, Oregon, causing a small forest fire.

CBI (10th Air Force): HQ 7th Bombardment Group moves from Dum Dum to Karachi.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): P-40s strafe the Galaiwa Bay area on Goodenough. In New Guinea, A-20s, in support of encircled Australian ground forces, strafe and bomb troops in the Efogi Spur area; and the 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, moves from Garbutt Field to 14 Mile Drome with F-4s.

USN: PBY Catalina 11-P-1 abandoned after force landed.

IJN: In early morning, Japanese submarine I-25 surfaces off the coast of Oregon west of Cape Blanco and launches E14Y Glen pilot Warrant Officer Nobuo Fujita armed with two incendiary bombs on a mission to start forest fires and bombs Mount Emily in the Klamath Range causing a small forest fire ten miles northeast Brookings, Oregon. This air raid was the first time an enemy plane bombed the mainland of the Continental United States (CONUS) and a second attempt on September 29, 1942 were dubbed the "Lookout Air Raids".

Australian Army: 25th Brig of Aus 7th Div is rushed to the Kokoda Trail on the Owen Stanley Range. Meanwhile, the 16th Brig of Aus 6th Div is ordered to Port Moresby.