September 30, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 30 SEPTEMBER 1943

ANTISUBMARINE WARFARE (First Air Force): The 10th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy), 26th Antisubmarine Wing, ceases flying ASW patrols from Galveston, Texas with B-25s. The squadron will be redesignated 867th Bombardment Squadron and will transfer to the Central Pacific with B-24s in June 1944.

CBI (Tenth Air Force): The 311th Bombardment Group (Dive) is redesignated 311th Fighter-Bomber Group. The 385th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) is disbanded at Nawadih; the 382d, 383d and 384th Bombardment Squadrons (Dive) are redesignated 528th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 529th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and 530th Fighter-Bomber Squadron.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 2 B-25's and 4 P-40's claim heavy damage to a gunboat at Ft Bayard, China. In fact, they sink Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Chikushi Maru in Kwangchow Bay, China, 21°12'N, 110°24'E; the vessel is later salvaged and resumes active service.

SOUTH PACIFIC (Thirteenth Air Force): 16 B-24's, covered by 20+ P-38's and P-40's and a few US Navy F4U's, pound the Kahili Airfield area, hitting a supply and bivouac area NE of the runway. Six B-25's bomb Kakasa on Choiseul. Lost is P-38H 42-66864 pilot 2nd Lt. Victor H. Whistler (MIA).

USN: Four F4U Corsairs from VMF-214 on a mission over Kolombangara and to the north spot three ships they believed were Japanese. In fact, they were PT-126, PT-124 and PT-116 that fired a recognition flare. F4U pilot Alexander (KIA) made a strafing attack wounding several aboard PT-126 and was shot down by anti-aircraft fire from the PT Boat at 07°50'S, 157°05'E.

USN: PT-219 founders and sinks off Attu during late September 1943, exact date unknown.

LST-334 is damaged by dive bombers in the Solomon Islands at Lat 07°43'S, Long 156°40'E.

PT-68 is damaged by grounding off Vincke Point on the Huon Peninsula in New Guinea at Lat 05°56'S, Long 147°18'E.

USS Bowfin (SS-287) delivers supplies and evacuates people from Siquijor Island, Philippines and sinks small Japanese cargo ship Mitake Maru, 05°17'N, 121°57'E.

USS Harder (SS-257) sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser No.3 Shosei Maru, 34°10'N, 150°45'E.

USS Pogy (SS-266) sinks Japanese army transport Maebashi Maru 300 miles east of Palau, 06°01'N, 139°08'E.