September 6, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 6 SEPTEMBER 1943

Washington D.C.: The Joint War Plans Committee prepared a study entitled "Outline Plan for the Seizure of the Marianas, including Guam".

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, six fighter-bombers attack wharves, vessels, and destroy a small factory building in the Yoyang-Shihhweiyao area; five others hit trucks, trains, gun emplacements, and railway facilities in areas around Sintsiang and Puchi.

General Stilwell proposes that Ch divs under Chiang Kai-shek, both Nationalist and Communist be used in China to forestall Japanese reaction to U.S. Fourteenth Air Force air strikes.

SOUTH PACIFIC (Thirteenth Air Force): B-25's and P-39's hit enemy positions at Kakasa on Choiseul; B-24's blast gun positions at Vila. Munda Airfield becomes operational for emergency use.

USN: The Battle of Vella Gulf begins at 11:33pm when four destroyers Hagikaze, Arashi, Kawakaze and Shigure with soldiers and supplies embarked were on an overnight "Tokyo Express" troop transport run bound for Vila on Kolombangara are intercepted by U.S. Navy (USN) Task Group 31.2 (TG 31.2) of six destroyers USS Dunlap ((DD–384), USS Craven (DD-382), USS Maury (DD-401), USS Lang (DD-399), USS Sterett (DD-407) and USS Stack (DD-406) were warned of the Japanese reinforcement operation and sortied to intercept them. They sink Kawakaze, Hagikaze, and Arashi at roughly 07°50'S, 156°47'E. This was the first time American destroyers were allowed to operate independently of the cruiser force during the Pacific War and results in a U.S. Navy victory with no losses or damage.

USS Pike (SS-173) unsuccessfully attacks Taiyo at roughly Lat 21°03'N Long 153°31'E.

(13th AF, USN) Fighters and bombers fly a strike mission against a suspected a radar site on Morgusaia (Magusaiai). F4U Corsairs and F6F Hellcats (first combat mission in the South Pacific) fly top cover, including 14 F6F Hellcats from VF-33. Also escorting are eight P-39 Airacobras from 68th Fighter Squadron, claim five shot down. Lost is P-39N 42-18798 pilot F/O Buell F. Payne (MIA), and P-39N 42-19022 pilot 1st Lt. Andrew Capa (MIA). TBF Avengers bomb and strafe the target area. Ensign Warren flying 50 miles southeast of Shortlands, due south of Fauro Island made contact with enemy aircraft and claimed one Zero shot down, the first Hellcat fighter victory in the South Pacific. Japanese records indicate a force of bombers and fighters attacked at 10:50 Tokyo time (12:50 local time). They claimed 12 fighters and 1 bomber as uncertain. The Japanese lost one plane crashed, 1 heavily damaged and 1 moderately damaged. Bombers strike Vila claiming three coastal guns destroyed and many crew killed.

U.S. Army: On Arundel, 1st Bn of 172d Inf, 43d Div, secures Grant I. and western half of Bomboe Peninsula; 3d Bn holds the block at base of Stima Peninsula; 2d Bn works slowly toward base of Bomboe Peninsula.

JAAF: Five Ki-43 Oscars from 59th Hiko Sentai (59th Flying Regiment) on an armed reconnaissance mission strafe the Allied landings at Red Beach and Yellow Beach east of Lae. In their first pass, they strafe LCVP landing craft and one Ki-43 Oscar is shot down by defensive machine gun fire. Later, the remaining four make another strafing pass targeting the Red Beach area and hit the Australian Army, 9th Division headquarters but little damage and only a few casualties are caused. Returning, another Ki-43 was lost in the vicinity of Lae and a third Ki-43 went down in the vicinity of Alexishafen. The remaining two fighters return safely.

IJN: A large formation of Japanese bombers escorted by Zeros strikes the Allied landings near Lae. The formation includes seventeen G4M1 Bettys from 751 Kokutai (751 Air Group), thirteen D3A Vals from 582 Kokutai (582 Air Group) with one aborting the mission and no losses. The bombers are escorted by sixty-one Zeros including 21 Zeros from 253 Kokutai (253 Air Group).

Over the target, the D3A Vals targeted transports off Hopoi area and claimed a PT Boat sunk [none were lost] and a damaged barge, likely a pair of LCIs in the vicinity and claimed near misses on a large transport but were unable to observe the results. A few of their bombs fell on the Red Beach area but caused no damage or casualties and were not intercepted.

Meanwhile, American fighters intercept the Bettys flying in two formations without close escort and were first intercepted by four P-40N Warhawks from 8th Fighter Squadron (8th FS) dive from above that claim three bombers shot down including two Bettys and a Tony [sic, none present] claimed by 1st Lt Robert White and another Betty by 2nd Lt Robert Sherman. When the escorting Zeros arrived, they broke off their attack. Next, the bombers were intercepted by fifteen P-38 Lightnings from 9th Fighter Squadron (9th FS) led by Captain Ralph Wire intercepted the Bettys until engaged by Zeros then disengaged. During the air combat, Captain Ralph Wire claimed a Betty probable and engaged in a dog fight with Zero and claimed two [none were lost]. 1st Lt. Brice claimed a Betty and a Betty probable. Captain Richard I. Bong claimed two Bettys as kills, but they were later downgraded to probables and was damaged by defensive fire from the bombers and disengaged. Also, P-39 Airacobras from 41st Fighter Squadron (41st FS) intercepted with two intercepting and claimed a Zero (none were lost) without loss. The Japanese claimed two P-40s shot down [none lost], one P-38 shot down and one P-38 as uncertain plus three P-38s damaged. The Japanese lost a Betty that failed to return and one was badly damaged with several others sustaining minor damage. All of the Zeros returned without loss, only two sustained any damage.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force): B-25's fly a sweep against barges along the coast of New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago and bomb targets on Timor. Heavy bombers pound Lae Airfield and surrounding area, and medium bombers bomb and strafe enemy defenses in Malahang and vicinity, as Allied ground forces push toward Lae; Crash landed is B-24D "Scorpion" 41-24073 pilot 1st Lt. Francis E. Manion (survived, 3 wounded). Over Lae, US fighters claim eight enemy aircraft downed. Lost is P-38G 42-12850 pilot 2nd Lt. James W. Fagan (MIA). Returning, crash landed is P-38H Lightning Number 79 pilot Captain Richard I. Bong (survived).

U.S. Army: In New Guinea, advance elements of the 871st Airborne Engineer Battalion are flown to Nabzab.

Australian Army: In New Guinea, 26th Brig of Aus 9th Div, followed by 24th Brig, which landed night 5-6, continues westward toward Lae, first meeting opposition at the Bunga River.

References
Historical Data of Thirteen AAF Combat Camera Unit, 30 September 1943 page 4, microfilm frame 1158
49th Fighter Group Combat Report, September 6, 1943 via AFHRA
"On Sept 6, 16 P-38s were on patrol over Morobe when dispatched to intercept enemy formation 20 miles SE of Lae.  The Bettys stayed in two tight formations with dorsal turrets toward fighters.  The first formation was unescorted when the P-38's made contact, but the second one, about 15 miles behind the first one, was covered by from eleven to 15 fighters.  Lt. Ralph L. Wire, Squadron leader, destroyed two Zeros and probably one Betty bomber.  Lt. Wilbert L. Arthur claims destruction for two Bettys. [Bong] The right engine of his plane was hit and started smoking heavily.  He landed Marilinan.  2nd Lt. James W. Fagan is reported missing, and no details are available concerning his disappearance from the flight.  This was Lt. Fagan's first combat flight.
Capt. Bong gave the following combat report after the action:
Our squadron was patrolling Morobe at 1345K when we heard the 8th Fighter Squadron call for help. We called Charter and got permission to go to their aid. I was leader of Blue Flight. The bombers were sighted at 1 o'clock low and we caught up to them with Red Flight on the right and Blue Flight on the left. I made my pass first from the left and behind the bombers, drawing the Zeros the right over to me. I shot up the element leader of the flight of three on the left side of the bomber formation and pulled off to the left. This bomber dropped out of formation. I made another pass from the left front quarter with no observed results. I made one more pass from the stern on the left man in the formation and observed hits along his fuselage and wings. I pulled off to the left and looking back over my right shoulder, I saw my right engine smoking heavily. Pulled out of combat and feathered the engine and flew to Marilinan where I landed and ran the ship into a gully. Landing time was 1500K. I claim 2 Betty bombers definitely destroyed. Lt. Price saw them going down smoking."
South Pacific Air War (2024) by Richard L. Dunn pages 421-422 (September 6, 1943)
Thanks to Richard L. Dunn and Edward Rogers for additional research and analysis