November 14, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 14 NOVEMBER 1942

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): One B-24 flies armed reconnaissance over Kiska and Attu and bomb Holtz Bay at Attu and Chichagof Harbor with negative results; bombers at Adak and Umnak are alerted for shipping targets.

(CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Tenth Air Force): INDIA AIR TASK FORCE (IATF): The following squadrons of the 7th Bombardment Group begin operating or move to Gaya with B-24s: 9th Bombardment Squadron based at Karachi, begins operating from Gaya with B-24s. 436th Bombardment Squadron moves from Allahabad to Gaya. 492d Bombardment Squadron moves from Karachi to Gaya.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): Aircraft from the US aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) are joined by land based U.S. Marine Corps and AAF aircraft in driving off the force that bombarded Henderson Field on Guadalcanal the previous night. In view of the pressing need for aircraft in the SOPAC, Admiral Chester W Nimitz Commander-in-Chief SOPAC (CINCPOA) is given more freedom to deploy his air weapons; he receives authority to distribute as he sees fit all available air units assigned to the S and C Pacific provided he move units rather than individual aircraft and crews.

USMC: Lost is F4F Wildcat 03454 piloted by Lt. Col. Harold W. Bauer (MIA).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): A B-25 bombs and strafes the track north of Soputa; Aircraft drop bridging equipment at Wairopi on the Kokoda Trail where the Australian 25 Brigade is crossing on improvised bridge; US and Australian forces are consolidating at Natunga and in the Oro Bay-Embogu-Embi areas. Two B-17s attack transport in the Solomons.

IJN: A cruiser force, under the commander of Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa included heavy cruisers Chōkai, Kinugasa, Maya, and Suzuya, light cruisers Isuzu and Tenryu plus six destroyers were able to slip into the Guadalcanal area uncontested due to the withdrawal of the battered U.S. naval forces. Suzuya and Maya bombarded Henderson Field. The 35 minute bombardment caused some damage to various aircraft and facilities at the airfield, but didn't put it out of operation. The cruiser force ends the bombardment around 2:30am and clears the area via Shortlands to Rabaul. Heavily damaged and sunk is Hiei.