June 23, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 23 JUNE 1943

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) B-25's and Navy fighters and dive bombers hit Buki village on Buki Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) Seventeen B-24's bomb shipping, dock area, factory and residential areas of Makassar. Two light cruisers are damaged and many buildings along Juliana Quay and in the town area are damaged or demolished. Lost due to ramming is B-24D "Pelly-Can" 41-23688. A single B-24 on armed reconnaissance bombs Lae Airfield. HQ 348th Fighter Group and 340th Fighter Squadron, 341st Fighter Squadron and 342d Fighter Squadron arrive at 5 Mile Drome (Wards) from the US with P-47's.

U.S. Army: During the night, 158th Regimental Combat Team (158th RCT) lands advance elements on Kiriwina and Woodlark without opposition. Within a month, Kiriwina Airfield becomes operational.

USN: Japanese submarine RO-103 targets a convoy en route to Guadalcanal and torpedoes and sinks USS Aludra (AK-72) and torpedoes and damages USS Deimos (AK-78) at 11°26'S, 162°01'E then scuttled by destroyer USS O'Bannon (DD-450).

USS Harder (SS-257) damages Japanese seaplane tender Sagara Maru off southern Honshu at 33°45'N, 138°10'E.

U.S. aircraft sink Japanese guardboat Nikka Maru north of Bougainville at 05°34'N, 155°07'E.