September 21, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER 1943

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): Eight B-25's and eight P-40's attack railroad yards and warehouses at Chiuchiang, causing considerable destruction.

SOUTH PACIFIC (Thirteenth Air Force): Twenty plus B-24's bomb Buka Airfield runway and revetment area. About 20 Japanese fighters intercept; 2 Zekes are shot down.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force): A-20's, B-26's, and RAAF aircraft hit Tami Island and pound Finschhafen in preparation for the Allied amphibious assault on the following day; B-25's bomb and strafe the Bogadjim area. B-24's hit Cape Gloucester and a freighter near Talasea; A-20's and RAAF aircraft bomb Gasmata. Lost is P-40N 42-104984 pilot 1st Lt. Roger A. Grant, Jr. 70th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group transfers from Townsville to Port Moresby with C-47's. Lost is B-24D "Nothing Sacred" 42-40509 pilot 2nd Lt. Hugh B. Parris, Jr. (KIA). On a patrol over Hopoi, P-40 Warhawks from 8th Fighter Squadron intercept Japanese twin engine bombers. Lost is P-40N 42-104984 pilot 1st Lt. Roger A. Grant, Jr. (survived). P-40N Warhawk pilot 1st Daniel H. David claims two bombers shot down.

Nine B-24s from 380th BG (seven from 530th BS and two from 528th BS) led by A. J. "Jack" Bratton on bombing mission (FEN II-44) against Langgoer Airfield. Arriving over the target, clouds obscured the ground and the formation went around in hopes of a break in the clouds. Inbound, detected by radar and intercepted by six Zeros from 202 Kōkūtai (202 Air Group) and two Ki-45 Nicks from 5th Hiko Sentai. Lost is B-24D "Little Joe" 42-40532 pilot 1st Lt. Wilbour L. Morris (crew POW). The Zeros damaged B-24D "She' Asta" 42-40512 pilot Cunningham and B-24D "Queer Deer" 42-40935 pilot Baker. Also damaged is B-24D "Nothing Sacred" 42-40509 pilot 2nd Lt. Hugh B. Parris, Jr. was also damaged with an engine shot out, salvoed his bomb load and returning crashed in Australia.

JAAF: Japanese bombers over the Cromwell Mountains are intercepted by P-40N Warhawks from 8th Fighter Squadron. Two are shot down and crashed. Two others failed to return. US claims were for four bombers and several escorting fighters.

Australian Army: Amphibious assault force (20th Brig Gp, Aus 9th Div) departs Lae bound for Scarlet Beach north of Finschhafen. Aus 22d Brig starts overland drive from Lae toward Langemak Bay. 21st and 25th Brigs, Aus 7th Div, are flown from Nadzab to Kaiapit to pursue the Japanese up the Markham Valley northward towards Dumpu.

USN: USS Haddock (SS-231) torpedoes Japanese collier Shinyubari Maru west-northwest of Truk, 08°53'N, 148°30'E.

USS Trigger (SS-237) sinks Japanese fleet oilers Shiriya and Shoyo Maru and merchant cargo ship Argun Maru, and damages fleet oiler No.1 Ozura Maru north of Keelung, Formosa, 26°27'N, 122°40'E.

USS Wahoo (SS-238) sinks Japanese merchantfishing vessel Hokusei Maru, 45°45'N, 145°46'E.

B-24 aircraft sink Japanese transport Takashima Maru southeast of the Admiralties, 03°45'S, 149°20'E.

U.S. freighter Cornelia P. Spencer is torpedoed by German submarine U-188 at 02°08'N, 50°10'E; when the U-boat surfaces to finish off the merchantman, however, the Armed Guard gunfire proves so accurate that the U-boat submerges and torpedoes the ship again (the explosion kills two merchant sailors). Cornelia P. Spencer is then abandoned. Torpedoed a third time she sinks soon thereafter. The survivors (39 merchant sailors and the 27-man Armed Guard) are divided amongst four lifeboats (see September 22, 1943 and October 6, 1943).

References
The Best in the Southwest (1995) pages 98-102 (September 21, 1943)