MONDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 1943
CBI (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, B-24's bomb Sagaing and Naba. The 384th Bombardment
Squadron (Dive), 311th Bombardment Group (Dive), arrives at Nawadih from
the US with A-36's. The squadron will fly it's first mission on 17 Oct.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 27 Japanese bombers and 20 fighters attack the
airfield at Kunming; 24 P-40's and 3 P-38's intercept, claiming 17 airplanes
shot down; 1 US fighter is lost; damage to Kunming Airfield is negligible. The 16th
Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group, transfers from Kweilin to Hengyang with P-40's.
SOUTH PACIFIC (Thirteenth Air Force): 1st Lieutenant
Henry Meigs II from 6th Night Fighter Squadron, flying a P-38 against Japanese
night intruders over Bougainville shoots down two G4M1 Betty bombers from 702 Kokutai within 60 seconds: G4M1 pilot Itakura and G4M1 pilot Kisuberi.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force): B-25's and B-17's hit
roads from Kaiapit to Madang, destroying three key bridges; P-39s strafe and
dive-bomb the Bogadjim-Yaula area. B-24's bomb Wewak Airfield and Boram
Airfield.
B-25's hit Penfoei. Lost are P-38H "Mareelee II" 42-66851 pilot Captain Charles P. Sullivan (survived) and P-38H 42-66833 pilot 2nd Lt. Thomas J. Simms (survived).
JAAF: In the early morning hours, two Ki-49 Helens from 7th Sentai bomb Port Moresby.
U.S. Army: On Sagekarasa, the 27th Inf on Sagekarasa finds the Japanese have withdrawn. On Arundel, rest of 27th Inf suspends attack while patrols try in vain to locate the 172d Inf position.
