February 7, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 7 FEBRUARY 1943

(Eleventh Air Force) A B-17 flies weather reconnaissance over Kiska.

China: Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek in letter to U.S President Franklin D. Roosevelt, presents enlarged version of the three demands and agrees to take part in the Burma offensive.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) During the night, the third and last "Tokyo Express" comes down to Guadalcanal covered by a rain squall. The three "Tokyo Express" runs have evacuated 11,706 Japanese personnel from Guadalcanal. The 12th Fighter Squadron, 15th Fighter Group with P-39s transfers from Efate to Guadalcanal.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) A single B-24 bombs Dobo and Babo, while another bombs Timika and Kaukenau. Lost after take off for an armed reconnaissance mission is B-24D Liberator 41-23755 (KIA).

U.S. Army: In the afternoon the U. S Army 132nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion reach Maravovo (Marovovo) on Guadalcanal and bivouacked for the night. The next morning, they continue to advance to the northeast towards Visale.

USMC: Crashed after take off is PB4Y-1 Liberator 31958 (MIA).

IJN: During the night Japanese destroyers make final run down the Slot to Cape Esperance to evacuate troops.

U.S. Army: On Guadalcanal, 161st Inf, 25th Div, crosses Umasani River and advances northwest to Bunina Pt; patrols reach Tambalego R. Moving forward from Titi, 2d Bn of 132d Inf, Americal Div, arrives at Marovovo.

U.S. Navy: SBDs, TBFs, F4Fs, and P-40s from Henderson Field attack Japanese destroyer force under the command of Rear Admiral Hashimoto Shintaro, 18 ships strong, on the final mission to evacuate Japanese troops from Guadalcanal, damaging Isokaze and near-missing Urakaze.

USS Growler (SS-215) is damaged by accidental ramming of Japanese storeship Hayasaki and gunfire from the same vessel, 70 miles northwest of Rabaul, 03°34'S, 151°09'E. During this action, Growler's commanding officer, Commander Howard W. Gilmore, is mortally wounded. Rather than further hazard his ship, he orders Growler taken down. For his gallantry, Gilmore is awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously. Hayasaki is damaged in the encounter; Growler is forced to terminate her patrol.

USS Swordfish (SS-193) is damaged when mistakenly attacked by USAAF B-17, 150 miles north of New Ireland, 00°12'N, 152°00'E, and terminates her patrol as a result.

USS Trout (SS-202) damages Japanese tanker Nisshin Maru off Miri, 04°31'N, 114°52'E.