October 13, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 13 OCTOBER 1942

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): A search mission is not completed due to weather.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): Six B-17s bomb Buka and Tonolai. Japanese aircraft from Rabaul pound Henderson Field during the day and hit troops from the U.S. Army Americal Division disembarking at Lunga Point; Japanese artillery also begins shelling Henderson Field. Lost in an aerial collision is B-26B Maruder 41-17590 and P-39D Airacobra 41-7043. During the Japanese bombardment of Henderson Field damaged and written off is B-17F Flying Fortress 41-24528.

IJN: Overnight, Japanese warships including battleships Kongō and Haruna escorted by light cruiser Isuzu and destroyers arrive off Guadalcanal around midnight on October 14, 1942.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-17s bomb Vunakanau Airfield and Lakunai Airfield. A B-17 bombs Buna. A pair of B-25s search for Japanese warships off Goodenough, but fail to locate them. Instead they hit the Japanese landing party at Waytutu Point. On the return flight, lost is B-25C Mitchell 41-12501 pilot 2nd Lt. Harold J. Heinbuch (survived). The 6th Troop Carrier Squadron, 63d Troop Carrier Group, arrives at Port Moresby from the US with C-47s. The 65th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy) moves from Torrens Creek to Iron Range with B-17s.

U.S. Army: 64th Infantry Regiment, Americal Division arrives at Lunga Point on Guadalcanal to reinforce 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV).