January 24, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 24 JANUARY 1943

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force) Six heavy bombers and six medium bombers attempt an attack on Kiska. The medium bombers abort over Semiscopochnol. The heavy bombers circle Kiska until the weather closes in. Two Japanese aircraft bomb Constantine Harbor on Amchitka before six P-38s, and one B-24 arrive. Two P-38s return due to mechanical troubles; the others fly a negative search over Kiska.

CBI (Tenth Air Force) The 492d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), not previously tried in battle, borrows four B-24s and one crew from the 436th Bombardment Squadron and mounts a nine-plane strike docks at Rangoon. Hits are scored on the wharves, storage areas and a 6,000-ton vessel in Rangoon Harbor. P-40s bomb and strafe ammunition stores at Shaduzup, Burma.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force) B-17s bomb the airfield, harbor and shipping at Rabaul. Single B-24s attack runways at Cape Gloucester and Gasmata. In New Guinea, B-25s hit supply dumps in the terrace area of Lae. B-24s bomb Dili. The 22d Troop Carrier Squadron, 374th Troop Carrier Group with C-47s transfers from Garbutt Field to 5 Mile Drome (Ward Drome).

USN: Bombardment group of destroyers under Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth bombards Japanese fuel and munitions dumps in the Stanmore area of Vila on Kolombangara. Later that same day, TBFs, SBDs and F4Fs from USS Saratoga (CV-3) bomb the same objectives.

USN: USS Wahoo (SS-238) fires a torpedo that damages Harusame west of Kairiru Island at roughly Lat 3°23'S, Long 143°34'E.

USS Zane (DMS-14) recovers one boatload of crew from torpedoed freighter Peter H. Burnett and then proceeds to aid the stricken vessel then tows it to Sydney for repairs.

IJN: Japanese transports begin to gather at Rabaul in preparation for Operation KE the evacuation Japanese troops on Guadalcanal. Nagara is damaged off Anatahan Island.