SATURDAY, 9 JANUARY 1943
ALASKA In the Aleutians, 50+ knot winds at Adak ground all missions.
CBI (Tenth Air Force) In Burma, five B-25s, with an escort of nine P-40s, bomb
Bhamo; other fighters strafe targets of opportunity in the Wanling, Bhamo and
Loiwing areas.
SOUTH PACIFIC (Army Forces in South Pacific Area) 70th Bombardment Squadron
(Medium), 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) based in Fiji begins operating its
B-26s from Henderson Field.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force) In New Guinea, heavy, medium and light
bombers and fighters with RAAF aircraft, continue to pound a Japanese convoy
as it leaves Lae. They also hit Lae Airfield, supply
dumps and troop concentrations at Lae and Salamaua are also hit. In four days of attacks on this convoy, two transport
are sunk, several vessels are damaged and about 80 aircraft are destroyed.
USN: Lost is SO3C-1 Seagull 4871.
IJN: Sunk is I-3 off Cape Esperance. Sunk is Yoshinogawa Maru off Kieta damaged by torpedoes fired by USS Nautilus (SS-168).
U.S. Army (Guadalcanal): XIV Corps completes preparations for an attack scheduled for January 10, 1943. The 25th Infantry Division is to lead off, moves forward to line of departure. 27th Inf, on div right (N), takes up positions for assault on hill mass called Galloping Horse, between NW and SW forks of the Matanikau River. 35th Inf, on left, prepares to make main effort against Hills 43 and 44, called Sea Horse, lying between The Gifu and Galloping Horse, while exerting pressure against The Gifu. 3d Bn, followed by 1st, completes wide circling movement about south flank of The Gifu to line of departure for attack on the Sea Horse. 2d Bn and Cav Rcn Tr take up positions about eastern part of The Gifu, relieving 132d Inf of Americal Div. Americal Div (-) holds perimeter defense. Capt Beach's 147th Inf TF lands at Beaufort Bay and establishes beach defenses.
U.S. Army (New Guinea): Enemy fire prevents 127th Inf from establishing bridgehead across Konombi Creek in Tarakena area. Relief of elements of 126th Inf, now greatly depleted in strength, is completed on Sanananda front. While 1st Bn, 163d Inf, continues efforts to reduce the 2 enemy pockets between Musket and Kano, 2d Bn establishes position, called Rankin after Capt Pinkney R. Rankin, astride Killerton Trail west of Musket, isolating enemy in track junction. Japanese convoy departs from Lae early in morning shadowed by Allied planes. As result of recent attacks on the convoy, two transports have been sunk and about 80 planes destroyed.
USN: USS Gar (SS-206) damages Japanese oiler Notoro in Makassar Strait, N.E.I., 01°46'N, 119°01'E.
USS Nautilus (SS-168) sinks Yoshinogawa Maru just east of Kieta at 06°13'S, 156°00'E; even though she is damaged early in the engagement, Yoshinogawa Maru depth-charges Nautilus, but the latter escapes unharmed.
USS Searaven (SS-196) damages Japanese army cargo ship Yubae Maru, 07°38'N, 134°12'E.
USS Tautog (SS-199) damages Japanese light cruiser Natori southeast of Ambon, 04°07'S, 128°32'E.
