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

FRIDAY, 7 MAY 1943

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eleventh Air Force) An attempted mission to Kiska by six P-40's is aborted due to weather.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-17's and B-24's bomb supply dumps, and other targets at Madang and Madang Airfield. Meanwhile, Japanese fighters from Wewak were on patrol and intercepted seven B-17s and six B-24s over Madang. The B-17s reported interception by seven Japanese fighters including two that dropped aerial bombs that missed by a considerable distance. Four B-17s were damaged, one seriously, in conventional attacks. A-20's hit forces in the Green's Hill area. In Timor, B-25's pound Penfoei. Lost is B-17F "Reckless Mountain Boys" 41-24518 pilot Captain Byron L. "Dutch" Heichel ditched off New Ireland. Lost on a training flight is P-70 Havoc 39-790 pilot Captain Warren G. Hornaday (MIA).

RAAF: Four Hudsons from 2 Squadron on an armed reconnaissance mission over over Maikoor Seaplane Base and Taberfane Seaplane Base in the Aru Islands (Aroe). Damaged is Hudson "The Tojo Busters" A16-211 (crew survived) afterwards written off.

USN: Task Group 36.5 (TG 36.5) USS Radford (DD-446) escorts light minelayers USS Gamble (DM-15), USS Preble (DM-20), and USS Breese (DM-18) lay a minefield across Blackett Strait and the western approaches to Kula Gulf. Later in the night, four Japanese destroyers encounter the minefield.

USS Snook (SS-279) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ships Tosei Maru and No. 3 Shinsei Maru in the Yellow Sea, 36°05'N, 123°21'E.

USS Wahoo (SS-238) sinks Japanese merchant passenger/cargo ship No.5 Tamon Maru off Benten Zaki, Honshu, 40°05'N, 141°53'E.

USS Catalpa (YN-5), towing damaged SS William Williams escorted by USS Dash (AM-88) return to Suva.

Vichy French steamship Gouverneur General Pasquir is sunk by mine off coast of French Indochina, 20°14'N, 107°00'E.