WEDNESDAY, 1 SEPTEMBER 1943
Washington DC: JCS directive was dispatched to CinCPOA allocating troops and naval forces for the Marshalls operation. These included the 4th Marine Division, the 7th Infantry Division, USA, and the 22d Marines augmented by base defense and development units. In addition, Admiral Nimitz was ordered to "seize or control Wake, Eniwetok and Kusaie".
ALASKA: Two P-40's attempting to intercept Japanese aircraft reported near Attu abort
because of weather.
(Seventh Air Force): Between September 1 to 14, eight B-24's conduct daily
sea-search operations from Canton.
(Tenth Air Force): A detachment of the 9th Photographic Squadron, Tenth
Air Force, based at Pandaveswar begins operating from Dinjan, India with
F-4's and F-5's. The 459th Fighter Squadron is activated at Karachi and
assigned to the 80th Fighter Group. The squadron begins training with P-38's.
(Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 7 B-25's, supported by 8 P-40's, attack a
Japanese destroyer at Shihhweiyao; no hits are scored on the ship but considerable damage is done to the surrounding dock area; 6
P-40's sink a small tanker down river from Ichang, damage 2 large boats between
Ocheng and Shihhweiyao, and strafe cavalry troops at Ocheng; 3 other P-40's
heavily damage a small ship at Swatow harbor and strafe the nearby airfield;
3 P-38's and a P-40 dive-bomb and strafe barracks at Yangsin, demolishing 3
buildings; and 2 nearby locomotives are also destroyed. The fighter-bombers
then heavily damage a small steamer at Wuchang, sink 1 tug and damage another
at Kutang, and blast a train and an AA position S of Puchi. During Sep 43, HQ
23d Fighter Group transfers from Kunming to Kweilin. During September 1943, detachments
of the 449th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group based at Lingling operate
from Hengyang and Kweilin with P-38's.
USAAF aircraft sink small Japanese coastal vessel Shirogane Maru off coast of south China between Amoy and Hong Kong at Lat 22°13'N, Long 114°10'E.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force): 70+ B-24's and B-25's hit
the Alexishafen and Madang area, dropping 201 tons of bombs (heaviest by Fifth Air Force to date). Other
B-25s hit Iboki Plantation, barges on the Bubui
River in New Guinea, the Rein Bay area and several villages in
New Britain. B-17's bomb Labu , New Guinea. B-26's attack Cape
Gloucester area. B-24's and B-25's strike targets in the
Lesser Sunda. The 68th Troop Carrier Squadron and 69th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier
Group arrives from the US to Port Moresby with C-47's. The 432d Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group ceases
operating from Port Moresby and returns
to Dobodura with
P-38's.
SOPAC: Aircraft, Northern Solomons was formed at Espiritu Santo, under Brigadier General Field Harris, in preparation for the northern Solomons offensive.
USMC: Marine Aircraft, Hawaiian Area, was established at Ewa to administer all Marine aviation units in the Hawaiian area except Headquarters Squadron, Marine Aircraft Wings, Pacific.
USN: Task Group 11.2 (TG 11.2) commanded by Rear Admiral A. W. Radford arrive of Baker Island and lands personnel to develop it into a base area and construct Baker Island Airfield finished in a week to support future operations in the Central Pacific. Used for the first time is Dock Landing Ship USS Ashland (LSD-1). The landing on Baker Island is supported by TF 11 under the command of Rear Admiral Willis A. Lee, Jr. formed around small carriers USS Princeton (CVL 23), USS Belleau Wood (CVL 24). This brings number of Central Pacific bases within bombing range of the Gilberts up to 5: Funafuti, Nukufetau, and Nanomea in Ellice Islands, Canton and Baker.
U.S. Army: The 804th Aviation Battalion lands on Baker Island.
