September 26, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 26 SEPTEMBER 1942

British Army: On Madagascar, General William Platt moves his headquarters from Majunga to Tananarive.

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): A destroyer and a freighter are bombed at 53-30N 174-20E north of Atka; two near misses are scored on the freighter.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) (Tenth Air Force): Four B-25s from 11th BS (Medium) strike Luchiangpa village in southwest China.

Guadalcanal: Fighting on Matanikau.

IJA: The Japanese Army begins to withdraw from Ioribaiwa on the Kokoda Trail.

IJN: Japanese submarine I-33 accidentally sinks while undergoing repairs at Truk. Japanese weather observation ship No.6 Kyoei Maru is damaged by aircraft off Woodlark Island.

5th AF: Crashed on take off is B-26 Marauder 40-1392 pilot 2nd Lt. Earl C. Foster none of the crew are injured.

U.S. Navy: Essex-class aircraft carrier under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company was to be named USS Bonhomme Richard is renamed USS Yorktown (CV-10) after the sinking of USS Yorktown (CV-5) during the Battle of Midway and was the fourth ship named Yorktown in the Navy. Named for the Battle of Yorktown during the American Revolutionary War.

USMC: 2d Bn, 5th Marines, and elements of 1st Bn, 7th Marines, reach the upper Matanikau and push N along E bank, encountering enemy fire from vicinity of Matanikau village. Arty and aircraft are employed against the enemy position. 1st Raider Bn passes through 5th Regt sector to join in attack.