September 15, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 1942

ALASKA (11th Air Force): One B-17 and one B-24 fly armed reconnaissance over Kiska and at Amchitka blast buildings in the Constantine Harbor area; fighters strafe Kiska Camp area and down 4 intercepting aircraft.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) (10th Air Force): 341st Bombardment Group (Medium), HQ Squadron, 490th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) and 491st Bombardment Squadron (Medium) are activated at Karachi with B-25s; also assigned are the 11th and 22d Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) at Kunming and Karachi respectively with B-25s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): B-25s hit Buna and Sanananda and attack camps at Efogi and Myola; and the first US Army soldiers, elements of the 32nd Infantry Division, arrive at Port Moresby. 19th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 22d Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Woodstock to Iron Range with B-26s.

Nine B-17s from 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG) bomb Simpson Harbor and the airfield at Rabaul. Lost is B-17F 41-24427 pilot Captain Robert L. Williams (MIA). Returning, B-17E "Frank Buck" 41-2659 pilot Lt. Ramond E. Holsey force landed at Hood Point and is later flown back to base.

IJN: Japanese submarine I-19 fires a spread of six torpedoes at USS Wasp (CV-7) with two or three hitting, another hits USS North Carolina (BB-55) causing damage and another hit USS O'Brien (DD-415).

The Yokosuka 6th Special Navy Landing Force (Yokosuka 6th SNLF) arrive on Tarawa (Betio).

USN: A Task Force including USS Hornet (CV-8) and USS Wasp (CV-7) plus ten warships were escorting a convoy with the U.S. Marine Corps 7th Marine Regiment bound for Guadalcanal was targeted by Japanese submarine I-19 that fired a spread of six torpedoes. USS Wasp (CV-7) was hit by two or three torpedoes and sank. Another torpedo hit USS North Carolina (BB-55) causing damage. Another torpedo hit USS O'Brien (DD-415) causing structural damage.