July 8, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 8 JULY 1943

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force) Nine B-25's fly a special mission to Attu.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force) 22 B-24's, escorted by 13 P-40's, attack shipping, docks, and a cement works at Haiphong.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-25s continue to pound enemy positions around Mubo and along the coast of northeast New Guinea, hitting Kela Point and Kela village, Malolo, Buigap Creek, and trails from Salamaua Airfield and Kennedy's Crossing to Logui. Lost is B-25D "Blunder Bus" 41-30028. The 319th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 90th Bombardment Group (90th BG) transfers with B-24s from Darwin to Port Moresby.

IJN: J1N1 piloted by Ensign Endo with SFPO Maao Onuma strafe with his downward firing guns two transports and landing craft in Rendova Harbor.

U.S. Army: On New Georgia: 43rd Divison completes reduction of enemy strongpoint astride Munda Trail; 169th Inf closes along the Barike River from which Munda will be attacked starting tomorrow on July 9, 1943. Col Liversedge's 3d Bn, 148th Inf, establishes roadblock on Munda-Bairoko Trail and remains there. 1st Raider Bn, turning over positions at Triri to troops of 145th Inf, tries in vain to reach Enogai.

USMC: Companies N and Q of the 4th Raider Battalion from Vangunu patrols Gatukai, where 50-100 Japanese troops had been reported but after finding none return to Vangunu.

USN: Navy planes bomb Vila on Kolombangara.

USS Seal (SS-183) is damaged by bombs and depth charges off northern Honshu, 39°53'N, 142°10'E, and is forced to terminate her patrol.

A group of survivors of freighter Sebastian Cermeno, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-511 on June 27, 1943 reaches Madagascar (see also July 13, 14, 23 and 27).