MONDAY, 12 JULY 1943
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force) Seven B-24's attack docks and
shipping at Campha Port, shipping at Ha Long Bay, and railroad yards, power
plant, and warehouses at Hongay. The B-24's claim critical damage to 2 freighters and sink Chikuzan Maru (ex-Ariadne Moller) and Tairyu Maru at Lat 20°52'N Long 106°41'E. P-40's strafe trucks south of Ha Giang. The flight of the 9th Photographic Squadron
(Light), Tenth Air Force operating from Kunming and it's detachment operating
from Kweilin with F-4's return to their base at Pandaveswar. The 21st Photographic
Squadron, 5th Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group dispatches
a flight with F-5's from Bishnupur to Kunming and Kweilin.
SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) Ten B-25s attack Vila Airfield, which is hit later in the day
by B-24's on armed reconnaissance. 17 B-24's bomb Ballale Airfield.
Several fighters join US Navy dive bombers in strikes on AA and bivouacs in
the Munda area.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) In the early morning, thirteen B-24s bomb airfields
and Rabaul town area. Inbound, crashed is B-24D "Seafood Mama" 41-24219 pilot 2nd Lt. Herman L. Richardson (KIA). Two B-25's hit Lingat Airfield and Selaroe Island villages. A lone B-17 bombs Garove Island.
RAAF: Lost is Beaufort A9-225 pilot F/O John Clifton Davis off Bougainville accidentally shot down by PB4Y-1 Liberator pilot Lt(jg) Bill Corbett.
IJN: At 5:30am an Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) force under the command of Rear Admiral Shunji Izaki including light cruiser Jintsū with Rear Admiral Shunji Izaki embarked and destroyers Mikazuki, Yukikaze, Hamakaze, Kiyonami and Yūgure plus destroyer transports Satsuki, Minazuki, Yūnagi, and Matsukaze with personnel and cargo depart Rabaul bound for Vila on Kolombangara where the destroyer transports will unload.
USN: Task Group 36.9 (TG 36.9) under the command of Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill in column with light cruisers USS Montpelier (CL-57) flagship with Rear Admiral Merrill embarked, USS Denver (CL-58), USS Cleveland (CL-55), USS Columbia (CL-56) and destroyer USS Pringle (DD-477) to patrol off New Georgia and bombard of Munda.
After the Japanese force was spotted by Allied Coastwatchers,
U.S. Navy Task Force 18 (TF 18) under the command of Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth departs Tulagi Harbor at 5:00pm including three light cruisers USS Honolulu (CL-48), USS St. Louis (CL-49), and HMNZS Leander (75) and ten destroyers USS Nicholas (DD-449), USS O'Bannon (DD-450), USS Taylor (DD-468), USS Jenkins (DD-447), USS Radford (DD-446), USS Ralph Talbot (DD-390), USS Buchanan (DD-484), USS Maury (DD-401), USS Woodworth (DD-460), and USS Gwin (DD-433). Overnight, the Allied force proceeds up "The Slot".
Lost is PBY-5 Catalina 08246 pilot Lt(jg) Robert C. Allen (MIA).
Coast Guard cutter Taney (WPG-37) reconnoitering Baker Island is bombed, but not damaged by a Japanese flying boat.
Destroyer USS Taylor (DD-468) sinks Japanese submarine RO 107 east of Kolombangara at 08°00'S, 157°19'E.
USS Mingo (SS-261) stalks Japanese convoy but her attack, principally directed against cargo vessel Ryoyo Maru, is not successful, 00°54'N, 143°01'E. Counterattacks by two of the ships of Submarine Chaser Division 23 (Ch 22, Ch 23, and Ch 24), which are escorting Ryoyo Maru and two other merchantmen, likewise do not succeed in their object.
USS Plunger (SS-179) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Niitaka Maru in the Sea of Japan, west of Hokkaido, 43°02'N, 140°00'E.
USS Spearfish (SS-190) damages Japanese destroyer Kawakaze 11°12'N, 161°50'E.
