October 24, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 24 OCTOBER 1943

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 14 B-24's and 13 P-40's pound a barracks area at Co Bi. Eight B-24's bomb Htawgaw, Burma while on a ferry flight over the Hump.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): 36 B-25's, along with 24 Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P-40's and 4 USN F4U's, in 1 force, and 20 AAF fighter and 70+ USN fighters and dive bombers in another force, pound Kahili Airfield.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): At least 45 bombers are destroyed on the ground at Vunakanau Airfield, Rapopo Airfield and Tobera Airfield during attacks by 50+ B-25's; the B-25's and 50+ escorting P-38's claim 40+ Japanese airplanes shot down over Rabaul. Lost are B-25C "We Dood It" 41-30376 pilot 1st Lt Robert H. Miller (MIA) B-25D "Lil De Icer" 41-30075 (survived), P-38 Lightning pilot 2nd Lt Woodson W. Woodward (MIA), P-38 pilot McGuire (survived). A-20's hit enemy positions in the Lae area and B-24's carry out a light attack on Manokwari. Also lost is P-40N pilot David (survived).

IJN: Japanese intercept the American air raid against Rabaul scramble 13 Zeros from 253 Kokutai and 26 Zero from 204 Kokutai. Losses: 253 Ku lost 1 missing, 2 damaged, 4 minor damage. 204 lost 7 lost, 6 missing including WO Ishi-i Shizu-o & PO1c Tanaka. Claims: 253: 3 x B-25, 12 x P-38, 1 x P-38 probable. 204: 11 victories including 6 x P-38.

Japanese army cargo ship Kazan Maru sinks as the result of damage inflicted by Silversides (SS-236) the previous day; attempt by Japanese submarine chaser Ch 24 to scuttle the immobilized Johore Maru fails. Silversides herself later finishes off Johore Maru.

USMC land-based aircraft sink Japanese destroyer Mochizuki 90 miles south-southwest of Rabaul, 05°42'S, 151°40'E.

PBYs sink Japanese destroyer Mochizuki and damages destroyer Uzuki south of Jacquinot Bay, 05°35'N, 151°35'E.

USAAF B-24 sinks Japanese cargo vessel Nagaragawa Maru off Manokwari.

IJN: Japanese destroyer Satsuki is damaged by grounding off Utano Island, 05°31'S, 149°14'E (see October 26, 1943 and October 30, 1943).

IJA: Three Prisoner Of War (POW) Sgt Leonard G. Siffleet , Pvt H. Pattiwal and Sgt H. N. Staverman were executed by sword on the beach at Aitape. Photographs were taken of the execution including a photograph of Lt. Yasuno Chikao holding a sword above Siffleet moments before he was decapitated. During late April 1944, a copy of this photograph was captured by U.S. Army soldiers and later published in newspapers as evidence of Japanese atrocities.

Australian Army: 'M' Special Unit led by Captain John J. Murphy was betrayed by locals and ambushed by a Japanese Army patrol near Awul (Ovol) near Cape Dampier on the south coast of New Britain. During the ambush, Lt. Francis Barrett, NX18434 and Sgt Lambert "Bert" Tobias Willis Carlson, NX143313 were killed. Captain John J. Murphy was shot in the wrist and captured near the Aiwi River. The Japanese captured the party's code books, logs of communications, radio crystals, maps and other equipment.