February 18, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 1943

India: Gen Wheeler, charged with Ledo Road construction in late December, is given responsibility for defending the road.

Burma: Ind 77th Brig (Chindits) crosses the Chindwin unopposed; subsequently reaches and cuts Mandalay-Myitkyina railway line without interference.

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force) A weather reconnaissance determines three ships at Attu to be friendly. P-40s on local patrol over Amchitka encounter and shoot down 2 enemy fighters. The 21st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 30th Bombardment Group operating under control of the 28th Composite Group with B-24s from Umnak begins operating from Amchitka."

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) B-24s bomb Munda Airfield. B-17s attack the Kahili area and shipping off southern Bougainville.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-24s unsuccessfully attack shipping off Cape Gloucester and Cape Orford. In New Guinea, B-25s bomb the Barar area. Individual B-24s bomb the Finschhafen landing ground and the Madang area. B-25s unsuccessfully attack shipping off Dili. The 21st Troop Carrier Squadron, 374th Troop Carrier Group with C-47s transfers from Archerfield to Port Moresby.

U.S. Army: The rear echelon of Russell Islands. assault force from 43d Division arrives on Guadalcanal. During the night, the U.S. Army reconassiance party from Banika returns to Guadalcanal, reporting the small Japanese force were withdrawn from the islands.

NEIAF: Six B-25 Mitchells from No. 18 Squadron on a strike against Dili. Lost is B-25D Mitchell N5-144 (2 MIA, 4 survived).

USN: Task Group 8.6 (TG 8.6) under the command of Rear Admiral Charles H. McMorris consists of light cruiser USS Richmond (CL-9), heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35), and four destroyers bombard Japanese installations at Holtz Bay and Chichagof Harbor on Attu. Weather conditions prevent observation of results. This is the first time naval gunfire is employed against Attu.

Heavy cruiser HMAS Australia and three U.S. destroyers of TF 44.3 operate south of Australia to cover passage of five-ship convoy transporting the 30,000 troops of the 9th Australian Division to Sydney.

USS Grampus (SS-207) damages Japanese transport Keiyo Maru, 05°04'S, 152°18'E.

Germany: German auxiliary cruiser Michel (Schiffe 28) arrives at Singapore; the next day she turns over to the Japanese the merchant and Armed Guard sailors she had captured when she sank U.S. freighter Sawokla on 29 November 1942.