September 5, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER 1943

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): Fifteen fighter-bombers pound the marshalling yard SE of Lao Kay, French Indochina; 16 others hit barracks in the city.

SOUTH PACIFIC (Thirteenth Air Force): Lost is C-47A 42-23711 pilot 1st Lt. Robert H. Healy (MIA) with a sole survivor 2nd Lt. Leonard G. Richardson.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force): In the Lae and Nadzab area, 52 medium bombers and pounding of Lae Airfield by 24 heavy bombers; a smoke screen is laid over the area by A-20's. Next, 82 C-47 Skytrains drop U.S. Army 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment (503rd PIR) paratroopers plus the Australian AIF 2/4th Field Regiment volunteers with short barrel 25 pounders at Nadzab. This is the first paratrooper drop in the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA); Nadzab Airfield is quickly put into operational condition and will subsequently become a major Allied airbase. Observing the drop, MacArthur, Kenney and Sutherland orbit the area aboard three B-17Fs. Lost is P-38H 42-66556 (rescued).

RAAF: Two Beaufighters attack Cape Gloucester Airfield. Lost is Beaufighter A19-33 (MIA). In the morning, Bostons from 22 Squadron attack Gasmata being repaired. Meanwhile, ten Beauforts from 100 Squadron escorted by eight P-40s Kittyhawks from 76 Squadron attack Gasmata Airfield. Over the target, three were lost due to anti-aircraft fire including Beaufort A9-374 (MIA), Beaufort A9-183 (MIA) and Beaufort A9-186 (MIA). Also lost was Beaufort A9-362 (crew unhurt) damaged over the target and force landed and written off at Vivigani Airfield.

IJN: Japanese Navy personnel at Saint John's Mission (Barakam, Bagaram) on Kairiru Island execute by sword five Prisoners Of War (POWs) the entire crew of B-25D Mitchell 41-30319 ditched three days earlier on September 2, 1943. The five executed are F/O John D. Blain, F/O Charles P. Wells, SSgt William F. Green, SSgt Robert J. Capocefalo and SSgt Jack Bowman.

U.S. Army: On Arundel, 172d Inf, 43d Div, unsuccessfully attacks Japanese positions some 600 yards SE of base of Bomboe Peninsula and strengthens block at base of Stima Peninsula after enemy counterattacks there.

U.S. 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment (503rd PIR) plus the Australian Army 2/4th Field Regiment volunteers with short barrel 25 pounders make a parachute drop at Nadzab. They are soon joined by Australian Army 2/2d Pioneer Bn and 2/6th Field Co) moved from Tsili-Tsili. A company of Papuan Infantry Battalion (PIB), which has moves forward, covers the western approaches to Nadzab.

USN: District patrol craft YP-279 founders in heavy weather off Townsville.

Salvage vessel Yusho Maru is sunk by mine in Makassar Strait, 05°00'S, 119°00'E.

USS Albacore (SS-218) hits Japanese transport Hokusho Maru with two dud torpedoes, 03°50'N, 160°20'E see September 11, 1943.

USS Swordfish (SS-193) sinks Japanese army transport Tenkai Maru, 01°35'N, 141°45'E.