May 26, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 26 MAY 1943

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eleventh Air Force) Eight B-24's and eleven B-25's, flying air-ground support, bomb enemy positions. 2 B-24's and 12 P-38's fly air cover sorties and also patrol and strafe Attu. Kiska is covered by three F-5A's photo sorties and three attack missions, flown by 9 B-25's and 16 P-40's. Targets include gun emplacements on North Head and the east end of Kiska runway.

U.S. Army: On Attu, Northern and Southern Forces are slowly expanding positions on Fish Hook Ridge, former moving elements to crest via route previously cleared by 2d Bn, 17th Inf. 1st Bn, 4th Inf, joins in fight for the ridge. Leading two assaults, Private Joseph P. Martinez 7th Division, 32nd Infantry Regiment, Company K used his M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) to eliminate five Japanese machine gunners as his unit followed. Approaching another line of foxholes, he was shot in the head and later died earns the Medal of Honor, posthumously.

CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force) Three B-24's from Canton fly a reconnaissance-bombing mission over Abemama and bomb the barracks area.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) 9 B-24's and B-25's bomb Madang town area and Madang Airfield. Damaged on the ground is B-25D "Junior Bat" 41-29697.

IJN: The Japanese begin evacuation of the garrison from Kiska to Paramushiro via submarines. Between 26 May and 21 June 1943, 13 boats will be involved in the operation that will eventually extricate 820 men. Three boats will be sunk (see 10, 13, and 22 June 1943) and three (I-2, I-155, and I-157) damaged.

Japanese merchant tanker Palembang Maru is damaged by mine (possibly laid by Trout (SS-202) on 7 April 1943) 02°00'N, 109°15'E.

USN: USS Charleston (PG-51) bombards Japanese positions in the Chichagof area, Attu Island, starting numerous fires.

USS Pogy (SS-266), in attack on Japanese convoy, sinks merchant cargo ship Tainan Maru off Shioyazaki, Honshu, 37°03'N, 141°09'E.

USS Saury (SS-189) attacks Japanese convoy south of Kyushu, sinking transport Kagi Maru some 10 miles north of Amami Oshima Nansei Shoto, 28°49'N, 129°40'E.

USS Trout (SS-202) lands men, currency, and equipment on Basilan Island, P.I.

USS Whale (SS-239) sinks Japanese gunboat Shoei Maru (transporting men of the Guam Base Detachment) about 17 miles north-northwest of Rota Island, Marianas, 14°17'N, 144°54'E.