October 10, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 10 OCTOBER 1942

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Ten B-24s, seven B-17s, and four P-38s fly 4 missions against Kiska; the third mission (3 B-17s) does not make contact. The others bomb and strafe the Main Camp area, hit shipping in Trout Lagoon and a ship off South Head, where gun positions and installations are also blasted; fires are started in the Main Camp and hangar areas. Japanese submarine chaser Ch 14 is damaged by planes. The 344th Fighter Squadron, 343d Fighter Group is activated at Elmendorf Field with P-40s.

CBI THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Tenth Air Force): INDIA AIR TASK FORCE (IATF): Headquarters (HQ), 51st Fighter Group and 26th Fighter Squadron move from Karachi to Dinjan with P-40s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-17s bomb Rabaul and Lakunai Airfield. A-20s hit targets along the Buna-Kokoda Trail. A-20s with P-400s strike villages in the area of Asisi and Sanananda. The 9th Fighter Squadron moves from Batchelor to 14 Mile Drome with P-40s.

South Pacific: Twelve Airacobras from 67th Fighter Squadron are operating from Henderson Field with B-17's are occasionally staging from Henderson Field for search missions.

U.S. Army: The main body of 2d Bn, 126th Inf, U.S. 32d Div with supporting units departs Kalikodobu on foot walking the Kapa Kapa Trail bound for Jaure.

USMC: On Guadalcanal in anticipation of enemy counteroffensive, Marines strengthen defense positions and patrol aggressively. Three battalions of 1st Marines and 7th Marines plus elements of Special Weapons Co take responsibility for the eastern bank of the Matanikau River where permanent positions are established at the mouth of the Matanikau River.

U.S. Navy: Submarine Amberjack (SS-219) damages Japanese transport Tenryu Maru and auxiliary Tonan Maru off Kavieng, 02°36'S, 150°48'E.

Submarixe Seadragon (SS-194) sinks Japanese transport Shigure Maru off Samarinda, Borneo, 01°01'S, 117°22'E.

Submarine Wahoo (SS-238) sinks Japanese collier Kamoi Maru off Bougainville, Solomons.

Tanker SS Camden, torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-25 on 4 October 1942, catches fire and sinks off the mouth of the Columbia River, 46°46'38"N, 124°31'15"W.