September 4, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 4 SEPTEMBER 1943

AMERICAN ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): HQ XI Bomber Command transfers from Amchitka to Adak.

CENTRAL PACIFIC (Seventh Air Force): The 19th Fighter Squadron, 318th Fighter Group, transfers from Kipapa Field to Stanley Field, Territory of Hawaii with P-40's.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): Ten B-25's and eleven P-40's pound Tien Ho Airfield; 3 of 15 intercepting Zekes are claimed shot down.

Pacific Ocean Area (POA): V Amphibious Corps (VAC), under command of Maj Gen Holland M. Smith, USMC, is created to train and control troops for amphibious landings in Central Pacific.

SOUTH PACIFIC (Thirteenth Air Force): 23 B-25's hit the Dulo Cove area on New Georgia; 9 B-24's, 15 AAF fighters, and 20+ USN fighters strike Ballale Airfield.

U.S. Army: On Arundel, 2d Bn of 172d Inf, 43d Div, lands on Stima Peninsula; leaving Co G to contain enemy pocket at its base and advances northwest. Meanwhile the 1st Bn embarked at Nauro lands at Bustling Point and begins advancing to secure the entrance to Wana Wana Lagoon.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force): The Allied offensive against Lae begins as forces land at Hopoi and the mouth of the Buso River. Planes cover the landings in the Huon Gulf off Lae and driving off enemy planes that damage several LSTs and LCIs. B-24's support the landings by pounding Lae Airfield, B-25's hit the Hopoi area and bomb Cape Gloucester Airfield; A-20's and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) planes hit Gasmata Airfield; supporting P-38's intercept 100+ enemy fighters and bombers, which are airborne despite the attacks on airfields, and claim 20 shot down. Lost is P-38H 42-66748 (MIA).

RAAF: Ten Beauforts from No. 100 Squadron bomb Gasmata Airfield. Lost is Beaufort A9-204 (MIA).

U.S. Army: A diversionary action towards Salamaua by the Australian Army 5th Division and U.S. Army 41st Division, 162d Inf Regiment is underway to distract the Japanese before the main landing near Lae.

USN: After brief naval gunfire preparation, VII Amphibious Force "Operation "Postern" Task Force 76 (TF 76) under the command of Rear Admiral Daniel E. Barbey enters the Huon Gulf and lands the Australian Army 9th Division 26th Brig and 20th Brig and and U.S. Army 2nd Engr Special Brig (under the commando of the 9th Division) land without opposition at Red Beach at the mouth of the Buso River east of Lae and Yellow Beach at the moth of the Bulu River and Bulo Plantation west of Hopoi.

Australian Army: After landing without opposition, the Australian Army 9th Division 26th Brig and 20th Brig advance towards Lae. After landing at Red Beach, the 26th Brig and Aus 2/17th Bn advance westward toward Lae 14 miles away. After landing at Yellow Beach, the 2/13th Bn moves eastward from Bulu Plantation towards Hopoi.

JAAF: In Japanese retaliatory air strikes, infantry landing craft USS LCI(L)-339 is sunk; destroyer USS Conyngham (DD-371) is damaged by dive bomber at Lat 07°28'S, Long 147°44'E; and USS LST-471 and USS LST-473 are damaged by torpedo and dive bombers at Late 07°45'S, Long 148°01'E.

Japanese aircraft attack four PT Boats from Rendova off Meresu Cove and damage PT-124 and PT-125.