November 12, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 12 NOVEMBER 1943

CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force): HQ 30th Bombardment Group and it's 38th Bombardment Squadron transfer from Hickam Field and Kahuku respectively to Nanumea with B-24's. The 38th will fly it's first mission on 16 Nov. The air echelon of the 26th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 11th Bombardment Group (Heavy), based on Nukufetau begins operating from Canton with B-24's. The squadron will fly it's first mission on 14 Nov. The 819th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 30th Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Barking Sands to Wheeler Field with B-24's. The 819th supplies the group with replacement crews and aircraft.

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 2 B-24's mine the Rangoon River during the night of 12/13 Nov.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 10 B-25's and 24 P-40's attack Yoyang, hitting the warehouse area, railroad yards, and AA positions; 5 B-25's bomb the Yangchi Kang waterfront area and attack waterfront targets at Puchi; 6 B-25's and 12 fighters hit targets at Yoyang; 15 P-40's and a B-25 on armed reconnaissance hit several targets of opportunity in the Lungling area and between Yang-Chia-Kang and Sichai.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): Eighteen B-25's bomb Tarlena; Six B-25s bomb the Matchin Bay area. Eight P-38's strafe Bonis Airfield.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): B-25's and B-26's bomb villages between Finschhafen and Saidor. B-24's attack targets on Java and on Amboina. Following a series of damaging allied strikes, the Japanese remove their carrier aircraft from Rabaul which afterwards ceases to be a serious threat to Allied forces.

USAAF B-24s bomb Japanese naval base at Surabaya on Java, damaging submarine chasers Ch 6 and Ch 10.

New Zealand Army: 8th Brigade Group, 3d Divison secures Mono Island. In total, the Japanese lost 223 killed and 8 prisoners. The Allies lost 40 New Zealand Army killed and 145 wounded plus 12 Americans killed and 29 wounded.

USN: U.S President Franklin D. Roosevelt embarks aboard USS Iowa (BB-61) to cross the Atlantic to participate in conferences at Teheran and Cairo.

Southern Attack Force for GALVANIC completes rehearsal off New Hebrides.

USS Harder (SS-257) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking auxiliary minesweeper No.11 Misago Maru, 21°40'N, 144°40'E, and damaging motor sailing vessel Hei Maru.

USS Scamp (SS-277) torpedoes Truk-bound Japanese light cruiser Agano (damaged the previous day by TF 38's strike), 01°03'N, 149°15'E.

USS Thresher (SS-200) torpedoes and sinks Japanese transport Muko Maru north of Truk, 09°02'N, 152°46'E, but is damaged by depth charges and terminates her patrol.

Japanese transport Tokyo Maru, damaged by Scamp (SS-277) on 10 November, sinks at 05°42'N, 151°09'E. Destroyer Suzutsuki rescues survivors.

Transport Tokyo Maru, damaged by submarine Scamp (SS-277), sinks while under tow between Kavieng and Truk, 03°39'N, 150°37'E.