March 2, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 2 MARCH 1943

(Tenth Air Force) In Burma, more than 20 B-24s pound targets. Seven splinter part of the Ahlone docks and destroy a nearby warehouse, 6 hit the Mahlwagon roundhouse, and 9 attack the bridge at Pazundaung, tearing up its S approach. Six B-25s, with P-40 escort, hit a camp and storage area at Lamaing while twenty-four B-25s, also with fighter escort, pound Myitkyina.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) P-40s, P-38s and a single PB4Y-1 Liberator fly a photographic reconnaissance over Munda Airfield.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) Battle of the Bismarck Sea begins with Allied planes attacking a Japanese convoy spotted yesterday. Twenty-eight B-17s from 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG) flying in two waves bomb the Japanese convoy and are intercepted by escorting Zeros. The first eight B-17s bomb the convoy and score hits that sink Kyokusei Maru and claim 3 Zekes shot down. At dusk, 11 more B-17's attack the convoy without result. Lost is P-38 Lightning pilot 1st Lt. William A. Levitan (MIA) and P-40E Warhawk 41-36243.

IJN: The Japanese convoy bound for Lae is attacked by Allied planes. Sunk is Kyokusei Maru with 850 personnel rescued by two destroyers and landed overnight at Lae.

At 2:34pm six A6M2 Zeros strafe Coomalie Creek Airfield. Destroyed on the ground is Beaufighter "Feaubighter" A19-31. Another Beaufighter was slightly damaged. On the ground, three men were wounded, none seriously.