June 17, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 17 JUNE 1943

China: General Stilwell presents Trident proposals to Chiang Kai-shek.

CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force) During the night of June 17-18, 4 B-24's take off from Funafuti at 2-hour intervals to bomb Tarawa. One aborts and another fails to find the target. The two heavy bombers bombing the target hit runways, silence an AA battery, and blow up an ammunition dump. The raid is a diversion in support of the first night photo-reconnaissance mission by the VII Bomber Command, during which 3 B-24's photograph Mille Atoll and nearby waters in the Marshall Islands.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force) P-40's strafe a warehouse and train south of Chiuchiang and a train north of Nanchang. Road traffic east of Hanoi is also attacked.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-25's administer a thorough pounding to the Madang and Salamaua areas. B-24s bomb Sorong and Boela. A single B-24 bombs Cape Gloucester Airfield and, during the night of 17/18 Jun, a B-25 attacks power launches nearby, sinking 1 and badly damaging 2 more. The 433rd Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group transfers with P-38's from Charters Towers to Amberley Field.

IJN: Crashed is G4M1 Betty pilot Yokokawa (POW).

USMC: The 9th Defense Battalion was relieved of its defensive role on the island and commenced training for the New Georgia operation.

USN: Submarine chaser SC-740 sinks after running aground at 15°32'S, 147°06'E. USS Drum (SS-228) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking transport Myoko Maru about 175 miles east-northeast of Kavieng at 02°03'S, 153°44'E.