September 23, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology
WEDNESDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 1942
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Weather causes a mission abort to Kiska;
photo reconnaissance over Attu confirms it is abandonment by the enemy;
a U.S. Navy (USN) PBY escorted by two P-38s lands off Amchitka with a scouting
party which determines that the is unsuited as an airfield; the P-38s
also bomb a radio shack and sink a submarine at Amchitka.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA The movement of the 72d Bombardment
Squadron to the SOPAC on 18 September, plus subsequent movement of other squadrons
of the 5th Bombardment Group to the SOPAC, makes it difficult for some
time to maintain the minimum force of 35 heavy bombers considered necessary
for the defense of the Hawaiian ; this situation is relieved by 90th
Bombardment Group (Heavy), which stops in Hawaii while enroute to the SWPA,
and by the 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy), which is assigned to the Seventh
Air Force for a time.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): P-40s, P-39s,
P-400s, and B-17s hit tanks, buildings, and Buna Airfield at Buna, Wairopi bridge and targets of opportunity on the trail from Buna-Kokoda,
and Tau-Pota Mission near Goodenough Bay.
Paul Carpenter, Curtiss-Wright Technical Representative visited the crash site of B-25C Mitchell 41-12486 on Fishermans Island (Daugo).
RAAF: Lost is Beaufighter A19-1 (KIA) on a strike against Buna.
USN: Launched is USS Lexington (CV-16) renamed USS Lexington June 16, 1942 after the loss of USS Lexington CV-2 on May 8, 1942 during the Battle of the Coral Sea.
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