May 19, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 19 MAY 1943

USA: Laid down is Liberty Ship SS John A. Johnson at Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation in Portland, Oregon.

U.S. Army: On Attu, 2d Bn of 17th Inf, assisted by Co C of 32d Inf, begins attack before dawn to capture pass (later named "Clevesy Pass" after Lt Samuel H. Clevesy of Company H) into Sarana Valley. After heavy fighting in which 2d Bn of 32d Inf is committed, the pass is cleared by nightfall, but enemy remains on crests of 2 peaks overlooking it. On N front, Co L of 32d Inf begins operations to clear the high Holtz-Chichagof Pass at base of Fish Hook Ridge, moving from Holtz Bay up steep slope of the valley against enemy fire.

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eleventh Air Force) Six B-24's and eleven B-25's fly three air-ground support missions to Attu, bombing the Sarana Valley. Four P-40's fly two reconnaissance missions to Kiska.

CBI CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force) HQ 402nd Bombardment Group (Medium) is activated at Kunming. No squadrons are assigned and headquarters is never fully manned.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-24s hit Gasmata Airfield. Single heavy bombers hit Gasmata twice during the day. Lost on a daylight reconnaisance mission is B-24D 41-24269. B-25's attack the Salamaua area and targets of opportunity off the NE coast of the Huon Peninsula. In Timor, B-24's hit Penfoei.

USN: Avengers damage Houn Maru forcing her to run aground at Tonolei Harbor.

USMC: Thirty TBF Avengers from Marine Scout Bomber Squadron 143 (VMSB-143) and U.S. Navy Torpedo Squadron 11 (VT-11) with a supporting flight of six heavy bombers, mine Buin-Kahili on southern Bougainville. Lost is TBF Avenger 06239 pilot Lt(jg) Frederic Burton Sleyster (MIA).

Australian Army: Norman Brown photographs the shipwreck of Ayatosan Maru.

Solomon Islands: During the night, Coastwatcher Donald G. Kennedy and his men aboard Schooner Dadavata engaged a Japanese whaleboat in Marovo Lagoon and ambushed with rifles, then rammed the enemy vessel and sank it and killed everyone aboard.

USS Gar (SS-206) sinks Japanese guardboat Asuka Maru in Makassar Strait, 01°02'N, 119°08'E.