October 9, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 9 OCTOBER 1943

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Twelve Japanese bombers from the Kuriles attack Attu.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): Four B-25's on a shipping sweep off the SE China coast in the Amoy-Quemoy area sink a 150' tanker and damage a patrol vessel, and a freighter. 1 B-25 crashes into a hill and explodes. 10 P-40's bomb fuel storage and barracks at Mangshih, China; 1 P-40 is downed by ground fire.

Pacific Ocean Area: Nukufetau Airfield is ready for use.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): A-20's and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) bomb and strafe defensive positions in the Sattelberg and Finschhafen areas. B-24's bomb Makassar. The 2d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 22d Bombardment Group (Medium), transfers from Reid River, Australia to Dobodura with B-26's. They re-entered combat on 5 Oct after R&R in Australia since Jan 43. The 65th Troop Carrier Squadron, 54th Troop Carrier Wing, transfers from Port Moresby to Nadzab. The squadron is operating from Tsili Tsili with C-47's.

RAAF: Beaufort A9-226 is written off after bomb damage at Vivigani Airifeld.

New Zealand Army: 3d Division declares Vella Lavella secure.

USN: USS Guardfish (SS-217) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese stores ship Manko Maru, en route to Davao, 01°04'N, 146°08'E. Although Guardfish claims one hit out of four torpedoes fired, none actually hits Manko Maru.

USS Kingfish (SS-234) torpedoes Japanese oiler Hayamoto in Sibitu Channel, 05°09'N, 119°18'E.

USS Puffer (SS-268) torpedoes Japanese tanker Kumagawa Maru in Makassar Strait, 01°08'N, 119°31'E, but is damaged by depth charges (possibly dropped by auxiliary submarine chasers Cha-37 and Cha-41, summoned to the scene as escorts for Shoyo Maru which will tow Kumagawa Maru to Balikpapan) and is forced to terminate her patrol.

USS Rasher (SS-269) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kogane Maru 28 miles from Ambon, 03°30'S, 127°45'E.

USS Wahoo (SS-238) sinks Japanese cargo ship Hankow Maru off Oga Peninsula, 37°18'N, 129°33'E.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): B-25's and P-40's hit barges and concentrations on western Choiseul. P-39's and USN F4U's strafe buildings, a radar station, and gun positions at Poporang.

Reference
President Map Room Briefing Intelligence Report October 1943, page 3
"Pacific Theater Harmon - The Jap radar installation on Poporang Island was set on fire and adjacent AA positions silenced as a result of a machine-gun attack by 24 Army and Navy fighter aircraft on 9 October."