April 7, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 7 APRIL 1943

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eleventh Air Force) In the Aleutians, the reconnaissance airplane aborts shortly after takeoff due to weather.

BURMA AND INDIA (Tenth Air Force) In Burma, 2 B-25's temporarily knock out a bridge on the Ye-u railroad branch, crossing the Mu River between Ywataung and Monywa. Eighteen B-25's, in 2 forces, bomb the Ywataung Marshalling Yard. P-40's support ground forces N of Shingbwiyang. Six B-24's bomb Japanese HQ at Toungoo.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-25's hit area along the NE coast from Mur to Singor. B-24's bomb Babo Airfield and town area of Fak Fak. Single heavy bombers attack shipping and coastal targets at Lae, Salamaua, Finschhafen and Wewak; Cape Gloucester and Kavieng and off Lorengau.

IJN: Operation I-Go Sakusen ("A" Operation: X Attack) A large formation of over a hundred Japanese planes including A6M Zeros escorting D3A Val dive bombers strike U.S. warships and transports at Tulagi and Lunga Point on Guadalcanal.

27 A6M Zeros and 17 D3A Vals from Zuikaku target ships off Tulagi. They dive bomb and sink USS Kanawha (AO-1), HMNZS Moa and USS Erskine M. Phelps (YON-147). Three planes are lost including D3A2 Val 3014, D3A2 Val 3018 and D3A2 Val 3041.

Fifteen D3A Vals from Junyō target ships at anchor off Lunga Point on Guadalcanal and dive bomb USS Aaron Ward (DD-483) causing severe damage. They claim one large destroyer and a medium and small transport were claimed sunk and lost one dive bomber.

Eighteen D3A Vals from 582 Kōkūtai (582 Air Group) dive bomb U.S. ships off Tulagi. Over the target, around 3:00pm clouds obscured the area before the located warships and dive bombed targets. Due to clouds, some Vals jettison eight bombs that landed astern of USS Ward (APD-16). The Vals claimed one cruiser sunk instantly and damaged another cruiser, transport and a PT Boat. Four Vals failed to return including Lt. Tatsuo Takahata, leader of the dive-bomber unit.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) A large force over a hundred Japanese dive bombers and fighters is reported by coast watchers to be moving down the "Slot." In its path is a convoy off the eastern coast of Guadalcanal, shipping off Koli Point, and the Task Force at Tulagi. Every operable fighter (76) on Guadalcanal is sent up, and the bombers are moved to the SW tip of the island for safety. The main air battle takes place off the Russells, near Tulagi, and over the convoy. USAAF P-38's and P-39's and Marine and Navy F4F's and F4U's claim 39 aircraft shot down, 13 by USAAF fighters. Allied lost seven fighters including P-39 42-4274 (MIA).

USMC: F4F Wildcats intercept incoming Japanese aircraft over Tulagi. On his first combat mission, F4F Wildcat 12084 pilot 1st Lt. James E. Swett, claims seven D3A Vals over Tulagi. He's the first American to achieve this score in a single mission. Damaged by enemy gunfire, Swett ditched and was rescued. Also lost was TBF-1 Avenger 47545 (MIA).

USN: Lost after take off on a night navigation mission is PB4Y-1 Liberator 31989 pilot Lt. George H. S. Bonn (MIA).

RAAF: Hudsons attack Timoeka. Over the target, Hudson A16-185 is damaged by anti-aircraft fire.

USN: USS Grayling (SS-209) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese cargo ship Lima Maru off Mindoro, 13°20'N, 121°33'E.

USS Trout (SS-202) lays mines near Sarawak, Borneo.

USS Tunny (SS-282), despite presence of escort vessel, torpedoes Japanese victualling stores ship Kosei Maru about 250 miles northwest of Truk, 08°50'N, 147°06'E. Attempt to tow the damaged vessel fails, and Kosei Maru sinks en route to Truk.

USS Pickerel (SS-177) sinks Japanese cargo ship Fukuei Maru near Shiriya Zaki, Honshu, 41°00'N, 142°00'E.

Operation I: last Japanese air offensive in the Solomons. Carrier bombers (VAL) strike U.S. and Allied shipping in Tulagi Harbor and damage destroyer USS Aaron Ward (DD-483) and sinking New Zealand corvette HMNZS Moa and USS Erskine M. Phelps (YON-147). They severely damage oiler USS Kanawha (AO-1). Near misses also damage USS Tappahannock (AO-43) and USS LST-449. USS Ortolan (ASR-5) and tug USS Vireo (AT-144) attempt to beach USS Aaron Ward (DD-483), but the destroyer sinks at Lat 09°10'S, Long 160°12'E. Destroyer USS Farenholt (DD-491) suffers at least three near misses from bombs. Friendly fire damages tug USS Rail (AT-139) and USS Niagara (AGP-1) moored alongside, fires through the former's rigging. A party of fire fighters from USS Rail (AT-139) boards abandoned USS Kanawha (AO-1) and assisted by minesweeper USS Conflict (AM-85) attempts, to put out the raging fires until told to withdraw. Later, Rail, tug USS Menominee (AT-73) and net tender USS Butternut (YN-9), tow USS Kanawha (AO-1) into Tulagi Harbor where the damaged oiler is beached. USS Rail (AT-139) suffers further damage alongside USS Kanawha (AO-1) (see 8 April 1943). Elsewhere off Tulagi, destroyer USS Sterett (DD-407) is damaged by friendly fire from adjacent ships (six men are wounded), while attack cargo ship USS Libra (AKA-12), off Lunga Point suffers a near-miss. USS Adhara (AK-71), loading cargo off the Tenaru River, is damaged by near-misses and suffers one dead and eight wounded. Of the freighters, two bombs land near SS William Williams, SS Louis Joliet is strafed, and MV Dona Nati is shaken by two near-misses; none of those three ships suffer casualties.

References
South Pacific Air War: The Role of Airpower in the New Guinea and Solomon Island Campaigns, January 1943 to February 1944 (2024) by Richard Dunn Chapter 10 "A" Operation: X Attack pages 204-231