MONDAY, 15 NOVEMBER 1943
JCS: The JCS proposed that strikes against Japan from the Marianas would start in December 1944, with the first B-29 raids would be launched from China bases in early June 1944.
CBI: Wheeler is made principal administrative officer of SEAC. Similar post for Gen Auchinleck's India Command is given to Gen Sir Alan Brooke. Maj Gen William E. R. Covell succeeds Gen Wheeler as commander of SOS CBI.
Burma: On N Burma front, Ch 38th Div is moving reinforcements forward for 112th Regt. 114th Regt arrives at front and is followed in early December by 113th. In 11 Army Group's Fourteenth Army sector, Japanese take Fort White in 4 Corps area, having forced British to abandon it.
CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force): More than twenty B-24's from Canton and Nanumea bomb Jaluit, Mille, and Makin.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 20 B-24's are dispatched against the Hong Kong-Kowloon area. Bad weather prevents 15 bombers from bombing the targets;
5 bomb the docks at Kowloon.
SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): Twenty B-24's strike Buka Airfield. Fighter patrols destroy or damage several barges along
the coast and destroy 2 fuel dumps at Tonolai. The 72d Bombardment Squadron
(Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy), ceases operating from Guadalcanal and returns to it's base at Espiritu Santo with B-24's. The 106th
Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment), III Reconnaissance Command, arrives on Guadalcanal from the
US with B 25's. The squadron will be reassigned to the Thirteenth Air Force
on 19 Nov and will fly it's first mission on 30 Jan 44. The 419th Night Fighter
Squadron, XIII Fighter Command, arrives on Guadalcanal from the US with P-38's and P-70's. The squadron will fly it's first mission
on December 10, 1943.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): Thirty-one
B-24s from the 90th BG took off on a strike against Wewak, but failed to meet escorting fighters. Instead, they bomb Alexishafen Airfield No 1 from 13,000-16,000, with excellent results and 95% of bombs on target, causing two explosions, and fires on Danip plantation. No enemy fighters were seen over the target.
Eighty-eight B-25's from all four squadrons of the 345th Bombardment Group (345th BG) and two squadrons of the 38th Bombardment Group (38th BG) took off on a strike against Wewak and Boram. While waiting for escorting P-47s at the rendezvous point near Mount Yonkie, intercepted by fifteen Ki-43 Oscars that made made 15 firing passes. The B-25 observed Japanese twin engine bombers escorted by fighters intercepted by U.S. fighters bombing Gusap Airfield. At roughly 10:17, the bombing mission was aborted, since the element of surprise was lost and the B-25s turned back. Over Gusap, defending P-40s intercept Japanese fighters and claim 20
enemy shot down. Two P-40's are lost including P-40N 42-105509 pilot 1st Lt Robert Parker (MIA). One of the P-40s accidentally attacks B-25G Mitchell 42-64848 pilot 1st Lt. Al L. Behrens damaging the plane and injuring the navigator and causes it to abort the mission and force land at Nadzab Airfield. Also lost is B-25G 42-65112 (crew survived). P-47's claim 5 more aircraft destroyed over Wewak. The 68th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group transfers from Port Moresby to Nadzab
with C-47's.
RAAF: Beauforts each armed with an aerial torpedo attack against enemy
shipping near Rabaul. Returning lost is Beaufort A9-217 (MIA). Force landed is Boomerang A46-136 (pilot survived) after being damaged by P-38 pilot Major Gerald Johnson.
USN: Lost is PB4Y-1 "Jungle Fever" 32012 (MIA) on a search mission in the Solomn Islands.
JAAF: Ki-43 Oscars escort Ki-48 Lilys on a bombing mission against Gusap Airfield. Participating is the 248th Sentai that sent out eighteen Ki-43s, and lost four pilots KIA and one WIA. In total, one Ki-48 Lily and a total of six Ki-43s were lost and others damaged. Over the target, intercepted by defending P-40s from 35th FS, two P-40's are lost.
USMC: Major General Holland M. Smith, commanding the V Amphibious Corps, issued Operation Plan 2- 43, the first overall troop directive for the Marshalls operation. On Bougainville, the U.S. perimeter beachhead is expanded to inland defense line Dog.
