January 29, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 29 JANUARY 1943

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force) Weather reconnaissance over Kiska and a patrol over Rat, flown by one B-24, two B-25s and four P-38s, are recalled early due to weather. All other missions are cancelled.

SOUTH PACIFIC (Thirteenth Air Force) B-26s and P-39s hit a bivouac area at Vila, and the airfield at Munda. B-17s bomb Kahili Airfield. The 67th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group based in New Caledonia with P-39s begins operating from Guadalcanal. This squadron will continue to operate from Guadalcanal until June 1943.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force) B-25s pound the area around Mubo, concentrating on positions on Garrison Hill and Mat Mat Hill. Single B-24s bomb runways at Cape Gloucester and Gasmata. P-38 Lightnings from 39th Fighter Squadron (39th FS) escort C-47s to Wau.

39th Fighter Squadron Diary by S/Sgt Donald E. Thomas
"29 January 1943 [Weather mission] . . . The next mission for today was escort for DC-3's [sic C-47s] to Wau. They covered Wau from 1000 to 1030 and keeping away all enemy A/C. They returned home at 1130. The pilots on this mission were Capt Faurot, Lts Baker, Rogers, Seuhr, Turick, Widman, Dunbar, and Lt Bartlett didn't get off because of a flat tire."

USN: Battle of Rennell Island begins with Japanese G4M1 Bettys from 705 Ku and G3M2 Nells from 701 Ku strike Task Force 18 (TF-18) under the command of Rear Admiral Robert C. Giffen off Rennell Island covering the movement of transport force (TG 62.8) toward Guadalcanal. Damaged is USS Chicago (CA-29) taken under tow in complete darkness by USS Louisville (CA 28).

USS Gato (SS-212) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Nichiun Maru off southeast tip of Bougainville at roughly Lat 6°22'S, Long 156°04'E, despite proximity of escorting submarine chaser CH-22.

IJN: At 11:15pm Japanese submarine I-1 ran aground on a coral reef off Kamimbo Bay and was disabled by flooding then damaged and rammed three times by HMNZS Kiwi (T102) with HMNZS Moa (T233) supporting.

U.S. Army: CG XIV Corps detaches 147th Inf from CAM Div. 147th, reinf by pack howitzers of 2d Bn, 10th Marines, and Battery A of 9th FA Bn, under command of Brig Gen Alphonse De Carre, is ordered to pass through 6th Marines line and continue drive along the north coast to Cape Esperance. 182d Inf reverts to control of Americal Division.