October 12, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 12 OCTOBER 1942

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Two B-24s abort bombing of Kiska due to overcast and instead fly shipping search west of Attu.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): Five B-17s bomb installations at Buka.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): Two A-20s from the 3rd BG, 89th BS hit Isivita dropping fragmentation bombs from 2,000'. They drop 8 x 20 lb frags and fire 400 x .50 caliber and 500 x .30 caliber rounds. B-25s bomb Buna, Wairopi bridge, and targets along the Buna-Kokoda Trail. The 64th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Fenton from Iron Range with B-17s.

RAAF: Wirraway A20-51 is lost on a strike to Buna before reaching the target.

USN: Battle of Cape Esperance (Second Battle of Savo Island) in the early morning, sunk is USS Duncan (DD-485).

IJN: Battle of Cape Esperance (Second Battle of Savo Island) at 2:28am heavily damaged Heavy Cruiser Furutaka sinks from a torpedo hit and the rougly 90 shell hits. Murakumo is sunk off Guadalcanal by U.S. planes.