October 26, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 26 OCTOBER 1943

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): The 71st Liaison Squadron, US Army Forces, CBI, transfers from Ramgarh to Ledo with L-4's and L-5's.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 13 B-24's and 15 P-40's pound railroad yards at Haiphong. Two B-25's attack several vessels at Kiungshan, claiming 4 sunk or badly damaged; later 6 more B-25's hit shipping nearby, claiming 1 freighter sunk; Kiungshan Airfield is strafed by one of the B-25's. The 21st Photographic Squadron, Fourteenth Air Force, based at Kunming with F-4's and F-5's, sends a fight to operate from Suichwan.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): Kahili Airfield is hit twice during the day by B-24's, B-25's, P-38's, P-40's, P-39's, and USN fighters and dive bombers. Buka Airfield is strafed by P-38's and then bombed and strafed by B-25's and P-38's. P-39's and P-40's join USN fighters and dive bombers in a strike on Kara Airfield.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): B-24's fly a small raid against Pombelaa on Celebes ; fighters shoot down 2 B-24's; US gunners claim 11 aircraft downed. Lost is B-24D "Fyrtle Myrtle" 42-40485 pilot Captain John A. Farrington (crew POW/MIA). B-25's hit targets in Tanimbar.

USN: Lost is PBY Catalina 2447 pilot Lt. Edgar Brown Graff (KIA) crashed east of Sogeri.

USN: The Treasury Islands assault force under the command of Rear Adm George H. Fort and Southern Force of Adm Wilkinson (TF 31) departs for target.

PBY damages Japanese destroyer Satsuki 15 miles east of Teop harbor, 05°34'S, 155°06'E.

USAAF B-25s sink Japanese transport Yamatogawa Maru at Hai'ou, Hainan Island, 20°05'N, 11°25'E.

USAAF P-38s damage auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 20, transporting troops and cargo, five miles off Buka.

USAAF aircraft bomb Japanese shipping off Kiungshan, 20°05'N, 110°05'E, sinking transport Yamatogawa Maru, army cargo vessels No. 3 Shinwa Maru and Hokuzan Maru, and merchant cargo ship Hachiman Maru.