January 30, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 30 JANUARY 1943

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force) Two patrols, each composed of one B-25 and four P-38s, fly over Amchitka and are recalled early due to weather. One B-17 upon an alleged submarine sighting, drops four depth charges and one bomb whereupon a whale breaks water. Weather cancels other missions.

SOUTH PACIFIC (Thirteenth Air Force) Munda Airfield and AA positions are pounded by B-17s, B-26s, P-39s and P-40s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force) B-17s bomb shipping and wharf facilities at Rabaul. B-24s, operating individually, bomb the runway at Gasmata Airfield and attack a transport vessel in Open Bay. A-20s strafe and bomb Lae and the area around Mubo in the vicinity of Garrison Hill and along the Komiatum Track.

USN: During the Battle of Rennell Island G4M1 Bettys from 751 Ku hit damaged USS Chicago (CA-29) while being towed by tug Navajo (AT-64) and torpedo USS LaVallette (DD-448). Lost is F4F Wildcat 11758 (MIA).

Japanese submarine I-10 torpedoes and sinks liberty ship SS Samuel Gompers 115 miles from Amadee Lighthouse, New Caledonia, 24°28'S, 166°20'E; one of the 17-man Armed Guard dies, and three of the 43- man merchant complement perish in the sinking. French fishermen and U.S. Army crash boat P 111 rescue the survivors.

Naval Station, Akutan Harbor on Fox Island, Alaska, is established. Floating dry dock YFD-220 founders and sinks in heavy weather off California.

Royal New Zealand Navy: At dawn, HMNZS Moa (T233) returns to Kamimbo Bay and inspects Japanese submarine I-1. Two survivors were spotted, one is killed by machine gun fire. The other Ensign Oikawa Ko was wounded and captured and becomes a Prisoner Of War (POW). Sailors from Moa board the submarine and recover a log book and charts. Afterwards, the captured material was sent to the U.S. Navy (USN) Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) at Pearl Harbor.

Australian Army: Kanga Force which is being reinforced by air, decisively defeats Japanese Army near Wau and forces them to begin retreating.

U.S. Army: On Guadalcanal, 147th Infantry begins advancing westward towards Bonegi. Advancing on the beach, 1st Battalion reaches the mouth of the Bonegi River but pulls back under fire from the western bank. The 3d Battalion on left, is halted by enemy 1,000 yards east of Bonegi.