December 27, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 27 DECEMBER 1942

(Eleventh Air Force) Two B-24s flying reconnaissance over Kiska and Amchitka abort in bad weather.

Burma: Ind 14th Div continues unopposed drive on Akyab astride Mayu R and range E of river, Ind 123d Brig reaches vicinity of Rathedaung. In coastal sector, Ind 47th Brig arrives at Indin and gets patrol to Foul Pt, at tip of Mayu Peninsula. Advance then halts for various administrative reasons, one being the difficulty of bringing reinforcements and supplies forward.

IJN: Twelve D3A Vals escorted by eleven A6M Zeros from 582 Kokutai (582 Air Group) on a mission to dive bomb Allied artillery positions near Buna Airfield. The Vals managed to dive bomb and failed to hit any artillery but cause 3 KIA and 8 WIA on the ground before a dogfight commenced in the vicinity with several shot down.

JAAF: Thirty-one Oscars from 1st Chutai led by Major led by Major Taniguchi took off from Lae Airfield escorting the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) Vals and Zeros over Buna then engage in air combat with Ki-43-I Oscar pilot W/O Yoshitake (MIA) and Ki-43 Oscar pilot Sgt Kurihara crashed on the north coast of New Britain and rescued by a Navy seaplane.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-17s pound shipping at Rabaul. B-26s hit targets in the Gona area while a single B-24 hit the runway at Finschhafen Airfield. In their first significant action in the Pacific, a dozen P-38s from 39th Fighter Squadron engage some 24 Japanese aircraft, claiming nine Zekes and two Vals shot down over Buna. During the combat, one P-38 was damaged. The formation was led Captain Thomas J. Lynch, 2nd Lt. RIchard Bong, 2nd Lt. Kenneth C. Sparks, 2nd Lt. John Mangas and 1st Lt. Carl G. Planck, Jr.  This was the first aerial combat by the P-38 Lightning in the South West Pacific. Seven enemy planes were immediately shot down.  Two other four-plane flights of P-38 Lightnings from 39th Fighter Squadron joined the melee thereafter claiming another six shot down. Richard I. Bong claims his first two victories a D3A Val and Ki-43 Oscar. 2nd Lt. John Mangas claimed one shot down. Damaged during landing is P-38F pilot Sparks (survived).

US Army: New Guinea Urbana front, Company B, U.S. 127th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division breaks through to Companies A and F near the coast, and Company C engages in clearing bunkers north of the gardens. The Japanese defense at Buna Airfield (Old Strip) slackens as a withdrawal is begun. The Warren Force finishes clearing the runway except for stubborn a bunker position to the rear of the dispersal bay. During the night of December 27-28, 1942 additional Allied tanks and cargo are unloaded at Oro Bay. Meanwhile, the 163rd Regimental Combat Team (163rd RCT), 41st Infantry Division arrives at Port Moresby from Australia.

IJA: Japanese under Maj Gen Tsuyuo Yamagata at Napapo are ordered to move to Giruwa by sea.

IJN: Fifty-two Japanese planes raid Buna without causing serious damage; 14 are claimed as shot down.

U.S. Army: On Guadalcanal, while 3d Bn, 132nd Infantry Regiment, conducts holding attack that gains little ground, 1st Bn, to east, moves south to locate enemy flanks, elements running into The Gifu strong point instead of outflanking it.