February 23, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 23 FEBRUARY 1943

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force) 17 bombers and 8 fighters bomb the Main Camp area on Kiska while an F-5A flies a photographic mission.

CBI (Tenth Air Force) Eight P-40s knock out the railroad bridge west of Myitkyina. Several B-24s attack the bridge at Myitnge; the strike fails to damage the structure itself but batters the southern approach. In India, 46 Japanese bombers and fighters are intercepted over Chabua Airfield by P-40s. In a running battle, the P-40s claim at least 14 aircraft shot down.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-17s bomb Rabaul Town and Simpson Harbor area. Over the target, B-17F "Georgia Peach" 41-24454 was caught in searchlights and dived steeply to escape the beam. Incorrectly believing the bomber was hit and going down, tail gunner Pfc Arthur Mirarchi, 12029834 bailed out and became a Prisoner Of War (POW). In New Guinea, A-20s continue to pound the occupied villages and trails in the Buibuining-Waipali and Guadagasal-Mubo areas. B-25s bomb and strafe Angari and Yangla.

IJN: Yokosuka 7th Special Naval Landing Force (Yokosuka 7th SNLF) commanded by Koshin Takeda with 1,807 men landed on Kolombangara.