September 2, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology
THURSDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 1943
CHINA-BURMA-INDIA CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): Ten B-25's and five P-40's bomb Hong Kong hitting the Kowloon area and attack shipping off Stonecutter's and
in the Lai Chi Kok area.
SOUTH PACIFIC (Thirteenth Air Force): 24 B-25s and 60+ US
Navy aircraft pound Vila, hitting AA and artillery positions
and the area east of Ringa Cove on New Georgia. 18 B-24's, 20+ P-40's and P-39's,
and 60+ USN planes attack Kahili Airfield including shore installations, and bridges north of the runway are hit.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force): B-25s, with P-38 escort, attack shipping
at Wewak Harbor, claiming
one vessel sunk and 2 left aflame; 10 enemy interceptors are claimed destroyed;
barrage balloons offer some protection to the enemy ships. This is first
observation of Japanese using barrage balloons over ships in the Southwest Pacific. Lost are B-25D 41-30319 pilot F/O John D. Blain (POW / MIA), B-25D 41-30247 pilot 1st Lt. Richard P. Schumacher (MIA), B-25D 41-30255 pilot 1st Lt. Charles E. Barber (MIA), P-38H 42-66563 pilot 1st Lt. Robert H. Adams (MIA) and P-38H 42-66538 pilot 2nd Lt. John C. Smith (survived). Twelve B-17s bomb Cape Gloucester Airfield lost is B-17E "Craps For The Japs" 41-2653 (MIA). Also lost is P-38G "Dumbo!" 42-12847 (survived), L-4 pilot Hayer (KIA, WIA) and B-24D "Battlin' Betts" 42-41099 (MIA).
IJA: Wewak No. 7 Convoy is attacked by American aircraft in Wewak Harbor and Boram Bay off Wewak. Nagato Maru (sunk), Hankow Maru (sunk), Aden Maru (damaged), Shinyu Maru, Yubae Maru, Subchaser CH-26 and Subchaser CH-34.
USMC: Marine Corps Air Depot, Miramar, California commanded by Colonel Caleb Bailey was established.
Lost is F4U 02602 pilot Major Reynold George Tomes (MIA).
RAAF: Lost is PBY-5 Catalina A24-50 (MIA).
USN: USS Kendrick (DD-612) is damaged by aerial torpedo at Lat 36°42'N, Long 00°47'E.
USS Bowfin (SS-287) delivers supplies and evacuates certain people from Binuni Point on Mindanao.
USS Seawolf (SS-197) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Fusei Maru, 31°28'N, 127°24'E.
USS Snapper (SS-185) sinks Japanese escort vessel Mutsure, 85 miles north-northwest of Truk, Carolines, 08°40'N, 151°31'E.
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