August 1, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 1 AUGUST 1943

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Seven B-24's bomb the Main Camp area on Kiska through the overcast.

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): Eight B-25's hit the east approach of the road bridge at Shweli, Burma, damaging cable anchorages and pylons but leaving the bridge usable.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): A single B-24 bombs Lae Airfield.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): P-40's and US Navy aircraft again hit Munda bombing AA positions, ammunition dumps, and other targets.

21 B-24's, 16 P-38's, and 10 44th FS P-40 Warhawks with 30+ US Navy SBDs and TBFs during an afternoon attack on Kahili Airfield; other P-40's and 80+ Navy aircraft hit shipping in nearby waters. Returning from the mission five P-40s were attacked from behind by 25-30 Zeros over Ghizo Island. Lost is P-40F 41-19819 pilot 1st Lt. Ralph R. Imberg (MIA) plus three others damaged.

The 64th Troop Carrier Squadron, 403d Troop Carrier Group arrives at Tontouta from the US with C-47's and begins flying missions on 7 Aug 43. The 371st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy) ceases operating from Funafuti with B-24's and returns to it's base on Espiritu Santo for R&R.

U.S. Army: On New Georgia, 43rd Divison road and 169th Regt with the 172d Regement now being pinched out reach outer taxiways of Munda Airfield without serious difficulty since main body of enemy has withdrawn. In the 37th Division zone, Japanese are found to have abandoned Horseshoe Hill; 148th Inf succeeds in breaking through to main body. HQ of 25th Division and 27th Infantry Regiment arrive Sasavele; 35th Inf is alerted for movement to Munda.

USN: At dusk, eighteen Japanese bombers bomb Rendova Harbor. Damaged by a dive bomber, PT-117 is beached and abandoned off Lumbari Island at 08°24'S, 157°19'E is beached and abandoned; PT-164 is sunk by horizontal bomber, Rendova Harbor, 08°25'S, 157°20'E.

Overnight, PT Boats from Rendova patrolling off Vanga Vanga and Gatere, Solomons, encounter Japanese destroyers in Blackett Strait off Kolombongara.

USS Finback (SS-230) damages Japanese transport Atlas Maru, 04°10'S, 112°10'E.

USS Mingo (SS-261) bombards Sorol Island, Carolines.

USS Steelhead (SS-280) attacks same Japanese convoy harassed by Pogy (SS-266) the previous day and damages auxiliary vessel Seiko Maru as she tries to reach Truk, 11°20'N, 153°30'E.