October 8, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 8 OCTOBER 1943

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): NIne B-24's, supported by 20 P-40's, bomb Gia Lam Airfield. While on ferry mission over the Hump, three B-24's bomb Tengchung scoring hits on warehouses, barracks, and a HQ area.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): B-25's and P-40's sink a barge off the west coast of Choiseul.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): A single B-24 on armed reconnaissance bombs Cape Gloucester Airfield. Lost is P-38H Lightning 42-66904 pilot 1st Lt. Charles E. Bateson, III (MIA). Crashed P-38G Lightning 43-2008 Nose 74 pilot 1st Lt. Ralph H. Wandrey (survived) on a test hop flight. B-24 damages Japanese transport Heian Maru en route to Truk, 02°37'N, 150°46'E.

USN: USS Gato (SS-212) damages Japanese cargo ship Amagisan Maru with dud torpedo, 05°34'N, 152°10'E, and evades Hiyodori.

USS Guardfish (SS-217) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kashu Maru, 00°20'S, 146°17'E.

USS Gurnard (SS-254) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Taian Maru and transport Dainichi Maru off northern tip of Luzon, 18°48'N, 119°21'E.

Australian Army: II Corps, under Lt Gen Sir Leslie Morshead, relieves I Corps.

USMC: Major General A. A. Vandegrift reassumed command of the I Marine Amphibious Corps on the death of Major General Charles D. Barrett.