November 26, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology
FRIDAY, 26 NOVEMBER 1943
Sextant Conference: The first part of the Sextant Conference ends in Cairo between U.S. President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. The conference has inconclusive discussions concerning Overlord and possible expansion of operations in the Mediterranean. After considering Champion plan for offensive in Burma--the conferees have agreed that an amphibious operation will be undertaken and have received Chiang Kai-shek's promise to commit Yunnan force. Upper Burma is to be cleared in spring of 1944 to open land route to China. Also approved is Twilight plan to base B-29s in CBI. British and U.S. conferees leave for Tehran, Iran, for further discussions.
CBI: Brig Gen Haydon I. Boatner, Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander, CAI, reports to Maj Gen Thomas G. Hearn, Chief of Staff, U.S. Forces CBI, that situation of Ch 38th Div is "critical."
B-25s sink Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Genchi Maru off Canton, China, 21°33'N, 112°00'E.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 5 B-25's and 16 fighters attack Kiangling
Airfield; 2 other B-25's damage freighter in Honghai Bay; 12 P-40's attack numerous
boats in the Changte-Tehshan area. 8 other P-40's hit railroad yards at Cam
Duong in French Indochina.
SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): Buka Airfield and Bonis Airfield are hit by forty plus B-24's, thirty plus B-25's, and thirty plus fighter aircraft. A few RNZAF Venturas
attack Green Island, causing
heavy damage in the bivouac and supply area and sinking a barge. A single B-25
bombs Ballale Airfield.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): Almost
40 medium bombers hit barge hideouts near Sio; P-40's and P-47's strafe villages
and targets of opportunity around Alexishafen, Madang, and Nubia; P-39's attack a force of about 40 Japanese fighters and bombers
in the Finschhafen area, claiming
4 shot down. B-24's bomb Gasmata and score hits
on a cruiser near Ubili. Crashed after takeoff is B-24D Liberator 42-41089 pilot 1st Lt Walter A. Overfors (KIA).
RAAF: Lost on a tactical reconnaissance flight are Boomerang A46-132 F/O Hector Charles Munro (MIA) and Boomerang A46-109 pilot F/Sgt Alan J. Salter (MIA).
Qantas:
Lost is Lodestar Civilian Registration VH-CAB pilot S/Ldr William Geoffrey Campbell (KIA).
USMC: 2d Bn of 6th Marines reaches Buariki, last relatively large island of atoll, and prepares to attack enemy forces believed to be there.
U.S. Army: VAC scouts are recalled as Apamama landing force arrives and begins organizing defense of the Apamama Atoll.
On Bougainville, I MAC continues to expand perimeter of beachhead. 3d Divison is now at the south shore of Lake Kathleen.
IJN: I-177 rescues some 200 Japanese sailors in the aftermath of the Battle of Cape St. George.
USN: PV-1 (VP 138) attacks what is most likely Japanese submarine I-177, which is engaged in rescuing survivors from the Battle of Cape St. George. Lost is F6F Hellcat 66168 pilot LtCdr Edward "Butch" H. O'Hare (MIA).
At 7:29am PB4Y-1 Liberator 79 pilot Ensign Graham from VD-1 took off and flew to Munda Airfield to rendezvous with U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) B-24s and accompanied them to photograph their strike on Buka. Over the target, anti-aircraft fire was medium intensity and ineffective. Returning, landed at Munda Airfield to deliver the film then returned to Guadalcanal at 3:30pm.
USS Bowfin (SS-287) sinks Japanese army tanker Ogurasan Maru and merchant cargo ship Tainan Maru, 13°00'N, 109°30'E.
USS Raton (SS-270) damages Japanese ammunition ship Onoe Maru, 00°40'N, 148°20'E; submarine chaser Ch 40 counterattacks but is damaged by the explosion of her own depth charges.
USS Ray (SS-271) carries out unsuccessful attacks on Japanese cargo vessel Sumiyoshi Maru, 02°32'N, 148°56'E, but sinks Japanese transport Nikkai Maru southwest of Truk, 04°12'N, 148°20'E.
USS Tinosa (SS-283) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Shini Maru, and damages army cargo ship Taiyu Maru, 07°08'N, 134°48'E.
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