May 10, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 10 MAY 1943

CBI BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force) In Burma, 6 P-40's bomb and strafe Kwitu, leaving several areas burning fiercely. CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force) In French Indochina, eight P-40's fly an offensive sweep against communications in the Nam Dinh and Hanoi areas. Four locomotives and 3 riverboats are destroyed, a train carrying troops and supplies is heavily damaged, and several trucks of troops are destroyed.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) P-38's join Navy and Marine aircraft in a strike against Munda Airfield gun emplacements, runway, and revetments.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) In New Guinea, A-20's bomb and strafe the Labu area. B-25's pound Cape Gloucester Airfield. B-17's and B-24's, operating individually attack coastline targets in NE New Guinea; New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago; and on Jamdena Island. The 35th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group with P-39's transfers from Mareeba to Port Moresby.

RAAF: Lost is Spitfire A58-81 pilot FtLt Bruce Little (survived).

IJA: The Japanese garrison on Attu slackens their defenses after being alerted to expect assault in the past week, decides. In fact, the U.S. invasion force delayed by bad weather will land tomorrow.