July 9, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 9 JULY 1943

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force) B-25's bomb the railroad bridge on the Mu River between Ywataung and Monywa, Burma scoring 2 direct hits and leaving the bridge temporarily unusable.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-25's hit forces in the vicinity of Old Bobdubi, Malolo, and Busama. B-25's hit Dili Airfield and Cape Chater Airfield. Lost on a weather mission is B-25D 41-30313 pilot Captain William H. Webster. Lost is P-39D 41-38340 pilot 1st Lt. Allan M. Mac Donald (MIA).

RAAF: Four Hudsons took off on a bombing mission against Penfoei Airfield. One aborts due to engine problems. Lost is Hudson A16-195 pilot S/Ldr Cyril Clarence Williams (MIA).

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) During the night of July 8, 1943 to July 9, 1943 a force of B-24s bomb Kahili Airfield and Buin and Poporang. B-25s and several fighters sent against forces near Vella Lavella, fail to locate the target and strafe Buki and Ganongga, and destroyer Nagatsuki beached on southeast Kolombangara.

U.S. Army: On New Georgia, the 43rd Division with close air, arty, and naval gunfire support, attacks westward across the Barike River toward Munda with 172d Inf on left and 169th on right. 172d gains about 1,100 yards but 169th makes little headway beyond the Barike River and still has elements east of the river. Second echelon of 145th Inf (-3d Bn), 37th Div, sails for Rendova as reinforcements.

IJN: Japanese land 1,200 reinforcements from Shortlands on Kolombangara.

USMC: 1st Raider Bn under Col Liversedge again attacks from Triri using another route toward Enogai, but is halted by enemy fire near Enogai Point.

On New Guinea, Papuan soldiers advancing from Nassau Bay ahead of the 162nd Regiment on the coast reached Lake Salus then pushed onward towards Tambu Bay.

USMC: The 1st Raider Battalion (rein) attacks from Triri towards Enogai.

USN: Destroyer USS Aylwin (DD-355), on Kiska blockade patrol bombards Japanese positions in the Gertrude Cove area drawing light and inaccurate return fire.

Four U.S. destroyers bombard Lambert Plantation near Munda.

USS Permit (SS-178) believing her quarry to be a Japanese trawler, shells Soviet oceanographic vessel Seiner No. 20 roughly 27 miles off Kaiba To. Once the mistake is realized, Permit comes alongside the blazing vessel and rescues the survivors before the Russian craft sinks. The Soviet sailors are taken to Akutan, Alaska.

USS Thresher (SS-200) lands men, stores, and ammunition on west coast of Negros.

Royal Indian Navy RINS Bengal fails in attempt to tow damaged freighter Alcoa Prospector, torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-27 on July 5, 1943 (see 10 July 1943).

U.S. freighter Samuel Heintzelman, en route from Fremantle to Colombo is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-511 at 09°00'S, 81°00'E. There are no survivors from the 42-man merchant complement, the 27-man Armed Guard and six passengers.