January 27, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 27 JANUARY 1943

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force) A negative weather reconnaissance sortie is flown over Kiska. Four P-38s fly protective patrol over Amchitka. Upon their departure, three Japanese aircraft appear and unsuccessfully bomb shipping but cause three casualties.

JAAF: A total of 74 Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) planes strike Guadalcanal. The Japanese formation includes nine Ki-48 Lilys from 45th Sentai that took off from Munda Airfield escorted by Ki-43-I Oscars from 1st Sentai and 11th Sentai. Over the target, the Japanese were intercepted by P-40 Warhawks from the 44th Fighter Squadron and 68th Fighter Squadron. During the air combat, seven Oscars are shot down between Kokumbona to Cape Esperance. Returning, five damaged Oscars land at Ballale Airfield. The Americans lost seven planes: two P-38s, two P-40s plus two P-40s damaged beyond repair and one F4F Wildcat from Marine Fighting Squadron 112 (VMF-112) ditched due to lack of fuel returning from the mission. This was the only mission by the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) against Guadalcanal.

SOUTH PACIFIC (Thirteenth Air Force) B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2403 ditched south of Guadalcanal. Passengers include Brigadier General Nathan F. Twining, Commanding General Thirteenth Air Force and a crew of 14 are down at sea between Guadalcanal and Espiritu Santo. The entire group is rescued six days later. Their life rafts had no radio, an item which Lieutenant General Millard F. Harmon, Commanding General of US Army Forces in the South Pacific, had been requesting for some time. This incident results in the rapid appearance of dinghy radio sets in the area. Six B-26s and eight P-39s attack Munda Airfield.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force) A-20s hit huts and AA positions at Garrison Hill while B-25s pound the supply storage and Malahang Airfield. Individual B-24s bomb Finschhafen town and the runway at Finchhafen Airfield (Prewar Airfield). Individual B-24s bomb Gasmata Airfield.

Burma: Royal Indian Navy launch sinks large Japanese launch loaded with Japanese troops in Mayu River.

U.S. Army: CAM Div advances 2,000 yards reaches the Nueha River.

USN: Submarine Whale (SS-239) damages Japanese transport Shoan Maru in the central Pacific, 14°24'N, 153°30'E; towed to Saipan and grounded to facilitate salvage, Shoan Maru performs no more active service.

Japanese ship No.2 Choko Maru rescues about 1,000 survivors of army cargo ship Buyo Maru, sunk the previous day by USS Wahoo (SS-238).

Japanese destroyer Karukaya is damaged off Takao, Formosa, by marine casualty.

IJN: I-27 sufferes by marine casualty off Penang, Malaya.