March 9, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 9 MARCH 1943

CARIBBEAN (Sixth Air Force): The 32d Fighter Squadron, 36th Fighter Group with P-36s, P-39s and P-40s transfers from Arecibo, Puerto Rico to Hato Field, Curacao with detachments operating from Dakota Field, Aruba and Losey Field, Puerto Rico. The detachments of the 51st Fighter Squadron, 32d Fighter Group at Salinas and Talara return to their base at Seymour Island.

Burma: Columns of Ind 77th Brig (Chindits) begin crossing the Irrawaddy R in order to harass enemy farther east.

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force) 6 B-24s, 10 B-25s, 12 P-38s and 4 P-40s attack Kiska. The P-40s and 6 of the B-25s return to base due to bad weather; the other bombers bomb the Main Camp area, North Head and the submarine base.

(Tenth Air Force) In Burma, P-40s hit the town area and bridge at Mogaung. Many fires are started and the bridge is severely damaged.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) 3 B-24s bomb the airfields at Munda Airfield, Kahili Airfield and Ballale Airfield.

IJN: Kure 6th Special Naval Landing Force (Kure 6th SNLF) lands 2,038 men on New Georgia and take up positions between Bairoko and Enogai and around Munda Airfield. Rear Admiral Minoru Ota, commanding the 8th Combined Special Landing Force (8th Combined SNLF) assumes responsibility for the defense of the New Georgia sector.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): Crashed is B-26 "Thunderbird" 40-1480 (one died).

JAAF: Twenty-six Ki-21 Sallys from 14th Sentai bomb Wau on their first combat mission over New Guinea escorted by Ki-43 Oscars. This is the first of a series of heavy air attacks against New Guinea targeting Dobodura, Oro Bay, Porlock Harbor, Port Moresby and Milne Bay.

USN: Planes bomb Japanese installations at Munda. USS S-32 (SS-137) is damaged by Japanese depth charges off Holtz Bay, Attu Island, Aleutians.