June 11, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 11 JUNE 1943

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force) Seven B-24's, 8 B-25's, 10 P-40's, 4 P-38's, and 2 F-5A's fly weather, photo, reconnaissance, and attack missions to Kiska. Main targets are Gertrude Cove and Main Camp, South Head, North Head, Kiska runway, and offshore barges. Fighter bombing and strafing, and subsequent bomber runs over emplacements, are effectively coordinated.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force) Eight P-40's hit a camp on the Salween River, trucks at Mangshih, and warehouses at Tungling, China.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-25s pound areas along the coast of the Huon Gulf hitting Kela Point, Salamaua and the bridge at Nuk Nuk. P-40's strafe a submarine off Cape Nelson. B-24s bomb Koepang on Timor. Lost is B-24D "Careless" 42-40500 pilot Captain James H. Dienelt (MIA). B-25s make light attacks against Penfoei Airfield and Dili Airfield. B-24s bomb the airfield at Rabaul and hit targets of opportunity at Gasmata and along the shore of Keravia Bay. Lost is B-24D "The Leila Belle" 42-40527 pilot Captain Paul G. Smith (MIA).

Koepang is thoroughly blasted by B-24's while Penfoei Airfield and Dili Airfield are hit by light B-25 attacks. The 432nd Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group transfers with P-38's from Charters Towers to Amberley Field.

IJN: J1N1 Irving pilot Shigetoshi Kudo shots down B-24D "The Leila Belle" 42-40527 pilot Captain Paul G. Smith (MIA) near Gasmata.

USN: Lost is SBD-2 Dauntless 2106 ditched into Lake Michigan.

USN: USS Finback (SS-230) attacks Palau-bound convoy just west of Babelthuap, sinking Japanese army cargo ship Genoa Maru, 07°36'N, 134°17'E. Patrol Boat No.46's counterattack fails to inflict damage, and Finback escapes undamaged. USS Runner (SS-275) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Seinan Maru off Monomi Zaki, off northwest coast of Honshu, 41°00'N, 141°30'E. Submarine S-30 (SS-135) sinks Japanese merchant cargo vessel Jimbu Maru, anchored in Kakumabetsu Wan, Paramushiro, Kuriles, 50°23'N, 155°36'E. USS Silversides (SS-236) attacks Japanese convoy about 270 miles south of Truk, sinking transport Hinode Maru north of New Ireland, 02°43'N, 152°00'E.