September 14, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology
TUESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 1943
CBI (Tenth Air Force): HQ 311th Bombardment Group (Dive) and it's 382d Bombardment
Squadron (Dive) arrive at Nawadih from the US with A-36's. The group
will fly it's first combat mission on 16 Oct.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): Fifteen B-24's are dispatched to Haiphong. The first flight aborts due to bad weather but the second flight
reaches the target area and bombs docks and shipping. four P 38's severely damage
two vessels at Chiuchiang. The 25th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group,
transfers from Dinjan, India to Yunnani with P-40's. The squadron's detachment
at Jorhat also transfers.
SOUTH PACIFIC (Thirteenth Air Force): Allied airfields facilities on Guadalcanal, Barakoma Airifeld and Munda Airfield are
attacked by Japanese airplanes throughout the day. B-24's, with AAF and USN
fighter escorts, bomb Kahili Airfield three times during the day.
30+ B-24's unload on dispersal and revetment areas and on runways, causing considerable
damage; 8 Japanese interceptors are claimed shot down. 3 B-25's bomb Vila Airfield and 2 B-24's and 6 Venturas attack the Vila area. P-39's join
USN fighters and dive bombers in attack on Ballale Airfield. Lost are F6F Hellcat 8979 pilot Lt(jg) Samuel J. Bertuzzi (rescued), F6F Hellcat 09024 pilot Lt. Brown (MIA) and P-40F 41-14107 pilot 1st Lt. Andrew J. Borders, Jr. (POW, executed).
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force): B-25's attack Lae and barges
in Hansa Bay; B-24's bomb Kendari. The detachment of the 6th Nighter
Fighter Squadron, 15th Fighter Group, which has been operating from New Guinea
since 18 Apr with P-70's, begins a movement back to Kipapa Field.
U.S. Army: Vella Lavella, 1st Bn of 35th Inf, 25th Div, opens attack in Kokolope Bay area after preparatory fire and finds Horaniu vacated by enemy. 1st and 3d Bns, latter having moved forward, then organize defensive positions in this region. While 3d Bn of 27th Inf holds off enemy counterattacking on Sagekarasa and receives additional reinforcements. On Arundel, 1st Bn of 172d Inf, bypasses enemy positions on the Bomboe Peninsula in order to come in behind 2d Bn, 27th Inf. Meanwhile, the Japanese begin moving the rest of a regiment from Kolombangara to Arundel. 8th Brig Gp, NZ 3d Div, arrives on Guadalcanal from New Caledonia, having rehearsed en route (in New Hebrides) for invasion of Treasury Is. in the Solomons.
Australian Army: Crossing the Busu by newly completed bridge, 26th Brig of Aus 9th Div joins 24th Brig on W bank. 25th Brig, Aus 7th Div, continues E toward Lae, seizing Heath's Plantation.
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