TUESDAY, 19 JANUARY 1943
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force) The crew of B-24D Liberator 41-23908 on Great Sitkin Island that crash landed yesterday are rescued by a Navy tender. Bad weather prevents missions and searches.
CBI (Tenth Air Force) Two flights of India Air Task Force B-24s depart Pandaveswar for raids on Burma and Thailand. In Burma, one flight of B-24s bombs Thazi,
a railroad junction south of Mandalay while 14 P-40s and a B-25 pound Kamaing.
In Thailand, the second flight of B-24s carries out photographic reconnaissance
of Kanchanaburi and bombs the docks at Bassein during the return trip. This
reconnaissance flight, the largest mission in the CBI Theater to date, reveals
construction of a new railline from Thailand to Burma.
SOUTH PACIFIC (Thirteenth Air Force) B-17s, escorted by P-38s and P-40s, bomb Munda Airfield runway and revetments. The 394th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group
that has been operating from Guadalcanal with B-17s since
January 3, 1943 returns to their base on Fiji.
U.S. Army: On Guadalcanal, 182d Inf, on CAM Div left, has gained slightly more than 1,000 yards since entering line on January 17, 1943 but gap exists between it and 6th Marines. 147th Inf, upon relief at Koh Point by Americal Rcn Sq, moves to Point Cruz area. The Japanese in The Gifu strongpoint are beginning to weaken under blows of 2d Battalion of 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force) In New Guinea, A-20s strafe troops in the
Kurenada area; B-25s hit barracks area and supply dumps at Toeal and pound supply
dumps at Lae. Heavy bombers carry
out individual attacks on various targets at Lae, Madang, Cape Hollman, Cape Saint George, Finschhafen and Gasmata.
IJA: In New Guinea, General Yamagata withdraws from Sanananda front by launch after issuing orders for general withdrawal westward through Allied lines overnight. Gen Oda and Col Kiyomi Yazawa are killed while trying to escape after dark.
Australian Army: Australians reduce enemy position immediately south of Sanananda but are still held up along coast west of Sanananda and in outskirts of Giruwa.
U.S. Army: Japanese along Soputa-Sanananda road, now compressed into 3 pockets, withstand intensified efforts of 163d Inf to dislodge them. 127th Inf advances steadily westward along coast toward Giruwa.
British Army: In Burma, the Indian 47th Brig continues attack on Donbaik but is unable to reduce enemy positions.
USN: USS
Swordfish (SS-193) encounters Section A of the Japanese Solomons reinforcement convoy, and sinks army cargo ship Myoho Maru, 05°38'S, 156°20'E. Section C of the reinforcement convoy, meanwhile, departs Truk (see 20 January).
USS Greenling (SS-213) damages Japanese army cargo ship Shinai Maru north of Rabaul, 01°35'S, 150°57'E.
USS Haddock (SS-231) attacks Japanese convoy off south coast of Honshu, damaging transport Shunko Maru, 34°13'N, 136°59'E.
USS Nautilus (SS-168) damages Japanese destroyer Akizuki 270 miles west of Tulagi, 05°55'S, 156°20'E.
USS Spearfish (SS-190) en route to Pearl Harbor after completing her patrol, is damaged by bombs off the Gilberts 04°44'N, 175°28'E.
