September 26, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 26 SEPTEMBER 1943

SOUTH PACIFIC (Thirteenth Air Force): 21 B-24s, covered by 14 P-38s bomb a bivouac near Kahili; 30 P-40's and P-39's and 15 USN F4U's support 50+ USN dive bombers in a strike on the hangar area of Kahili Airfield and gun positions at Kangu Hill and Jakohina. Lost is P-38 pilot Wilson (rescued).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Fifth Air Force): B-24s bomb But Airfield and Dagua Airfield; P-38's claim nine enemy fighters shot down in the But-Dagua-Wewak areas; other B-24's hit Nubia and Potsdam Plantation.

Australian Army: Japanese counter attack fails to destroy the beachhead north of Finschhafen.

MV Krait off Subor Island, deployed three two man folboats with Z Force commandos that paddled into Singapore Harbor.

USN: Launched is USS San Jacinto (CVL-30) at New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, NJ sponsored by Mary Gibbs Jones, wife of U.S. Commerce Secretary Jesse H. Jones.

Launched is USS England (DE-635) at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in San Francisco named in honor of Ensign John C. England who died on December 7, 1941 aboard USS Oklahoma (BB-37) and sponsored by his mother, Mrs. H. B. England.