October 15, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 15 OCTOBER 1942

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 3 B-26s bomb and 1 B-24 flys a photo reconnaissance over Kiska and Attu. B-26s hit a large cargo ship afire in Gertrude Cove. On Attu, they hit buildings. AA claims a B-26 shot down.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA HQ 318th Fighter Group is activated at Hickam Field; squadrons assigned, all equipped with P-40s, are the 44th Fighter Squadron and 72d Fighter Squadron at Bellows and the 73rd Fighter Squadron on Midway.

Seventeen New Zealand coastwatchers and five civilians captured in the Gilbert Islands (Kiribati) were executed on Tarawa (Betio).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): A-20s and P-40s pound forces south of Templeton's Crossing and Popondetta; B-25s bomb Salamaua and hit targets in the Owen Stanley Range and in the area around the bridge at Wairopi. A single B-17 attacks shipping near the Treasury Islands.

An award ceremony was held at Mareeba Airfield for members of the 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG). In attendance is Major General George C. Kenney (C.O., 5th Air Force), Brigadier General Kenneth N. Walker, Lt Colonel Richard H. Carmichael (C.O. 19th BG). LIFE photographer George Strock took extensive photographs of the ceremony and were later used in a news wire story “Nemesis of Big Jap Force”.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): Aviation fuel arrives at Henderson Field from Espiritu Santo by Army and Marine transport planes and on seaplane tender USS McFarland (AVD-14). At 4:00pm SBDs spot a Japanese "Tokyo Express" convoy north of Guadalcanal. Four P-39s took off armed with 300 pound bombs and two P-400s armed with 100 pound bombs, plus SBD Dauntless of VMSB-141 took off from Henderson Field to attack six transports off Santa Isabel. Lost is P-39K Airacobra 42-4287 (MIA).

Afterwards, no gasoline was available at Henderson Field, so fuel was siphoned off two 11th BG B-17s that were abandoned at the airfield. Refueled, seven Airacobras (3 x P-39s and five P-400s) took off from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal at 5:15. Two Airacobras (Sawyer and Haedtler) aboarted due to mechanical problems and crashed while landing in the dark, killing a ground crewman. The SBDs scored two near misses, and all the aircraft strafed. The returning aircraft were forced to land at Fighter 1 Airfield, due to Haedtler's crash. Returning, ditched is P-400 pilot Barr (rescued) off the Russells.

U.S. Navy: Submarine Base, Fremantle-Perth is established to support submarine operations from Western Australia.

Patrol Wing 14 (PatWing 14) under the commad of Captain William M. McDade is established at San Diego for operations in Western Sea Frontier.

Between 2:10pm until 2:51pm USS Portland (CA-33) bombards Japanese vessels off Tarawa claiming damage to one transport and a destroyer before withdrawing southward.

Destroyer USS Meredith (DD-434) embarks the crew of tug USS Vireo (AT-144) off San Cristobal when Japanese carrier planes from Shokaku and Zuikaku arrive. Before the destroyer can scuttle the tug with a torpedo, Meredith was hit by bombs and aerial torpedoes. Abandoned, Vireo and her tow (a gasoline barge) drift off untouched. Some Meredith survivors manage to board the tug.

PBY-5 Calalina 04507 pilot Lt(jg) Dighton L. Polan and PBY-5 Catalina 2297 Lt. Richard "Dick" J. Teich took off from Peou Bay (Pallu Passage) and patrol and planned to land at Espiritu Santo.

USS Skipjack (SS-184) fires torpedoes at Japanese auxiliary Kifuku Maru that miss and the ship returns fire with her deck guns and escapes in a rain squall at roughly Lat 04°36'N, Long 146°59'E.

At dawn on Guadalcanal, U.S. planes from Henderson Field spot Japanese transports unloading on western Guadalcanal and attac in waves. The attacking planes including SBD Dauntless dive bombers from U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) VMSB-141 and U.S. Navy (USN) VB-6 plus other units. Also, U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) B-17s and P-39 / P-400 Airacobras and F4F Wildcts from U.S. Navy VF-5 and USMC PBY Catalina the personal "flag" plane of Commanding General, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW-1). The make a series of attacks against Japanese ships unloading off Tassafaronga that were undamaged by SBDs from VS-3 yesterday. B-17s damage transport Azumasan Maru that caught fire and was deliberately run aground. In the afternoon, Kyūsyū Maru was hit by a bomb and set on fire and deliberately run aground. Sasako Maru was hit by a bomb, set on fire and deliberately run aground. Destroyer Samidare sustains minor damage.

Vitally needed gasoline arrives from Espiritu Santo on Army and Marine transport planes and on seaplane tender MacFarland.

USMC: SBDs from VMSB-141 of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW-1) supported by planes from Espiritu Santo, strike the Japanese force unloading troops and supplies at Tassafaronga.

IJA: About 3,000 to 4,000 men of the 230th Infantry Regiment and 16th Infantry Regiment as well as 80% of the transport cargo were unloaded before the Japanese transports were attacked and forced to withdraw. These reinforcements bring the Japanese strength on Guadalcanal to about 20,000 men and the last to arrive before the Japanese attack on Henderson Field.

The Japanese 17th Army under the command of Lt. General Hyakutake issues tactical orders to his 2d Division setting the tentative date of October 18, 1942 for the attack on Henderson Field.

IJN: Overnight, Japanese heavy cruisers Chokai and Kinugasa under the command of Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa conduct a shore bombardment of Henderson Field on Guadalcanal to cover the movement of six destroyers and transports unloading at Tassafaronga. Due to U.S. air attacks, Japanese transports Sasako Maru, Azumasan Maru and Kyūsyū Maru are bombed, set on fire and deliberately run aground on Guadalcanal.