December 29, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 29 DECEMBER 1942

CBI (Tenth Air Force) Twelve B-24s attack shipping in the vicinity of Rangoon.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Army Forces in South Pacific Area) Six P-39s and USMC aircraft attack cargo vessels in the New Georgia group. Two vessels are sunk by the P-39s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) A-20s strafe forces and occupied areas at Lokanu and along the west bank of the Amboga River while B-24s carry out single-bomber attacks on the Lae Airfield. B-24s also carry out single-bomber attacks on Gasmata Airfield.

USMC: PB4Y-1 Liberator 31940 took off on a mission to photograph Munda Airfield under construction and is damaged by Zeros.

IJN: Surviving Zero pilots from 252 Kōkūtai (252 Air Group) are evacuated from Munda Airfield aboard four G4M1 Bettys escorted by nine A6M Zeros to Rabaul.

Hatsuzuki is completed at Maizuru Naval Arsenal and joins the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) under the command of Captain Shooichi Taguchi.

U.S. Army: On Guadalcanal, at conference at Gen Patch's Command Post (CP), the decision is made to continue attacks on Mt Austen. Patrol of 1st Bn, 132nd Infantry Regiment, finds safe route to Hill 27, south of The Gifu.