October 5, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 5 OCTOBER 1943

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): A few B-25's and P-40's attack a foundry at Shihhweiyao, China damaging hits are scored on a barrack, on AA positions, blast furnaces, hoppers, and a steam plant. Ten USAAF fighters intercept a force of about 50 Zekes west of Kweilin, shoot down 1 enemy fighter; the enemy force turns back.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-25's carry out a coastal sweep westward to Madang, bombing and strafing villages and barges. Lost is B-25D "Flying Ginny / Bette" 41-30017 pilot 1st Lt Chandler S. Whipple (MIA). B-17's hit the Bogadjim Road and jetties at Erima; and B-24's bomb the Babo area. Headquarters (HQ), 35th Fighter Group transfers from Tsili Tsili to Nadzab. 33d Troop Carrier Squadron, 374th Troop Carrier Group, transfers from Port Moresby to Garbutt Field with C-47's.

USN: Carrier planes strike Wake Island.

Laid down is Cimarron class fleet replenishment oiler USS Mississinewa (AO-59).

Commissioned is USS Manila Bay (CVE-61) in Astoria, Oregon.

Task Force 14 (TF 14) under the command of Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery with 3 carriers, 3 small carriers, 3 heavy cruisers, 4 light cruisers, 24 destroyers, and 2 oilers, bombs and shells Wake Island; attack is repeated on 6 October. Fearing that the strikes portend a landing and that an escaped POW could communicate the weakness of his garrison, the Japanese island commander (Rear Admiral Sakaibara Shigematsu) orders the execution of the 98 remaining civilians captured on 23 December 1941.

Tank landing ship USS LST-448 damaged on October 1, 1943 sinks while being towed by tug Bobolink (AT-131) in the Solomons, 08°03'S, 156°43'E.

USS Wahoo (SS-238) sinks Japanese army transport Konron Maru in Tsushima Straits, 34°00'N, 129°00'E. Loss of Konron Maru, of the Shimonoseki-to-Fusan ferry line, prompts the cancellation of night ferry trips across Tsushima Straits. Only 72 people, of the 616 on board, are rescued because of heavy seas.