FRIDAY, 8 JANUARY 1943
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force) A B-24 flies photographic reconnaissance
over Amchitka. Another B-24 aborts a weather run over Kiska because of instrument trouble.
CBI (Tenth Air Force) In Burma, six P-40s bomb and strafe Watugyi and Nsopzup
and strafe other targets, Six B-25s bomb the storage area at Bhamo.
China: In message to U.S. President Roosevelt, Chiang Kai-shek turns down proposal for offensive in spring of 1943.
British Army: General Platt, CG Br East African Command, turns over responsibility for Madagascar Island, except for the Diego Suarez (Antsiranana) area, to General P. Legentilhomme, High Commissioner for French possessions in Indian Ocean.
CENTRAL PACIFIC (Seventh Air Force) Lost is B-24D Liberator 41-23929 (MIA / KIA) on a training flight leading a mock attack against Pearl Harbor.
U.S. Army: On Guadalcanal, General Collins issues FO 1 to 25th Div concerning coming offensive. 35th Inf moves secretly up Mt Austen toward line of departure.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force)
Heavy, medium and light
bombers, with fighter cover join Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft in continued
pounding of the Japanese convoy as it unloads about 4,000 reinforcements at Lae. Enemy fighter cover and Allied
aircraft continue fierce aerial combat. During the dog fight, Richard I. Bong claimed a Ki-43 Oscar,
his 5th aerial victory claim making him an ace. Lost are B-17E Flying Fortress 41-9234 (survived, two wounded), P-38F 42-12665 (MIA) and B-25C "Pistoff" 41-12830 (survived). Damaged on take off is B-26 "Sea Wolf" 40-1498 and was written off.
JAAF: Ki-43 Oscars from the 11th Sentai intercept U.S. aircraft attacking Lae.
IJN:
A6M Zeros from the 582 Kōkūtai and 252 Kōkūtai intercept U.S. aircraft attacking Lae.
U.S. Army: In New Guinea, Cos A, C, and F of 127th Inf overrun Tarakena. 163d Inf begins offensive to clear road to Sanananda: 1st Bn attacks 2 enemy perimeters located between Musket and Kano, making limited progress. Allied planes continue to attack enemy convoy as it unloads some 4,000 reinforcements at Lae.
