March 16, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 16 MARCH 1943

(Eleventh Air Force) 16 B-25s, 13 B-24s, 8 P-40s and 32 P-38s (cover/escort) sorties are flown to Kiska and one weather reconnaissance and 2 attack missions from Adak and three more missions from Amchitka. Targets hit are North Head, the Main Camp area, radar sites, and the submarine base. On the last Amchitka mission one enemy floatplane is shot down and 2 more are probables. Four heavy bombers are hit and 1 B-25 does not return.

BURMA AND INDIA (Tenth Air Force) In Burma, 6 B-24s damage the approaches to the Pazundaung bridge. Eight B-25s attack the Myitnge bridge, scoring at least 2 hits, but the structure remains intact. P-40's hit positions north of Sumprabum.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force) In French Indochina, P-40s strafe the Mong Yaw storage area and docks, warehouse area, and rail-river terminal (for phosphate mines) at Lao Kay.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) B-17s and B-24s on harassing raids bomb Kahili Airfield, Vila Airfield and Ballale Airfield.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-25s bomb Lae. In the Bismarck Archipelago, B-17s bomb Rapopo Airfield and attack Ubili, a sub off Cape Turner, Marienberg, and Cape Gloucester area. B-24's unsuccessfully attack cargo ships between Bitsjaroe Bay and Fak Fak. Lost is B-17F "Hell From Heaven Men" 41-24424 pilot 1st Lt. Arthur L. McMullan (MIA) returning from a mission to Wewak. Lost returning from a photo reconnaissance mission is F-4A Lightning 41-2140 pilot 1st Lt. William W. Morton (MIA).

USN: Four destroyers under the command of Commander Francis X. McInerney shell Japanese positions at Via.

USS Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks Japanese victualling stores ship Hyuga Maru west of the Marianas.

USS S-32 (SS-137) damages Japanese submarine RO-103 off Silipuaka Island at roughly Lat 52°54'N Long 173°13'E.

RAAF: Seven DB-7 Bostons from No. 22 Squadron led by Squadron Leader Stace Dillon on a low level strike against Salamaua.