November 21, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 21 NOVEMBER 1942

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): A reconnaissance is flown over Kiska, Attu, and Agattu.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): A-20s and B-25s pound Buna Airfield, AA positions, and bridge at Buna and hit the village of Sanananda in support of Allied ground forces; the Australian-US force is advancing from Soputa toward Sanananda; US forces driving on Buna are halted by strong bunker positions at The Triangle where trails to Buna mission and Buna village meet. Force landed is A-20A "Old Man Mose" 40-101 and P-40E Warhawk 41-5607.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): B-17E "Miss Fit" 41-2433 on a patrol south of Guadalcanal encounters H6K Mavis Tail 36 and engage in an aerial gun battle with both planes damaged.

RAAF: CA-9 Wirraway A20-519 force lands at Wairopi Airfield, both crew survive and are later rescued.

USN: Laid down at Electric Boat Co., Elco Works in Bayonne, NJ is Elco 80' PT-190. Commissioned is USS Peto (SS-265) at Manitowoc Shipbuilding in Manitowic, Wisconsin. Commissioned is USS Philip (DD-498) at Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. in Kearny, New Jersey.

IJN: Laid down at Sasebo Navy Yard in Sasebo is Boat Number 377 that becomes Japanese submarine I-47.