February 5, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 1943

CBI (Tenth Air Force) Six B-24s bomb the railroad station area at Rangoon. P-40s bomb a railway cut west of Meza, and having blocked the line, strafe a halted train. Six B-25s attack the Myitnge bridge but fail to knock out the target but damage the approaches. P-40s hit targets of opportunity in the Kentung area.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-17s bomb an airfield at Rabaul. Heavy bombers carry out individual attacks on shipping off Papua and New Britain and hit the town of Rabaul and Gasmata Airfield. B-24s blast docks and shipping at Amboina. B-25s hit Dobo. A-20s continue to bomb and strafe forces around Zaka, Sappa, Mubo and Gona. Lost on a training flight is B-25C 41-12502 (KIA). USAAF aircraft sink Japanese cargo vessels Shunko Maru off Finschafen and Hoshikawa Maru off Talasea.

U.S. Army: On Guadalcanal, 147th Inf activity is limited to patrolling. No organized enemy forces are found east of the Umasani. 2d Bn, 132d Inf, patrols northward from Titi.