June 16, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 16 JUNE 1943

IJN: A large formation of 120 Japanese planes including D3A Vals from 582 Kōkūtai (582 Air Group) escorted by A6M Zeros from 204 Kōkūtai (204 Air Group) and 251 Kōkūtai (251 Air Group) attack Allied shipping off Tulagi and Guadalcanal. Spotted inbound by coastwatchers and radar, they are intercepted by 104 Allied fighters and fail to achieve great results and suffer heavy losses including 13 Vals lost (5 crashed, 8 missing) plus 15 Zeros were lost or written off including 4 Zeros from 204 Ku and 6 Zeros from 251 Ku. The Japanese gave an official name to the operation, "The Battle off Lunga".

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) Search aircraft report nearly 250 Japanese airplanes at Rabaul and other forward airfields jammed with planes. Lost is B-24D 42-40250 pilot 1st Lt. Michael A. Lord (7 survived, 4 missing). A large formation of roughly 120 Japanese planes are reported by Allied Coastwatchers on Vella Lavella and Kolombangara then plotted by U.S. radar before converging on Allied vessels off Tulagi and Guadalcanal are intercepted by 104 Allied fighters from the USAAF, Royal New Zealand Air Force, US Navy and US Marine Corps. During the 45 minute air combat, the skies between Savo Island, Tulagi, Cape Esperance and Koli Point are filled with dogfights and anti-aircraft fire from both ship and shore based gun positions. The battle results in the largest single-day Allied aerial victory of the Solomon Islands campaign and becomes known as the "Big Raid" with 79 planes claimed as shot down by Allied fighters, and AA claimed 17 more with 6 Allied fighters lost. The Japanese damage three ships including two are beached USS Celano (AK-76) hit by two bombs and four near misses and USS LST-340 direct hit on deck and two near misses, was strafed and another bomb hit. On Guadalcanal they cause considerable damage.

RNZAF: Eight P-40 Kittyhawks scramble to intercept the incoming Japanese air raid bound for Guadalcanal. After take off P-40K NZ3056 aborts due to engine problems and crash landed on the beach.

USN: Lost is SOC Seagull 1184 and TBF Avenger 47448 (rescued).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-25's bomb Koepang and Oeikoesi on Timor and, along with A-20's, hit barges and shore targets at several points along the coasts of NE New Guinea and New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago. B-17E "Lucy" 41-2666 pilot Captain Jay Zeamer, Jr. on a photo reconassiance mission over Buka and Bougainville, two crew members earned the Medal of Honor Captain Jay Zeamer, Jr. and 2nd Lt. Joseph R. Sarnoski.